My Lovely Neighbors

Two houses up from us live these wonderful people who help raise and protect monarch butterflies. This means that on our block and in the surrounding neighborhood, there are monarchs. Nearly year-round. Like I just said, wonderful people.

Monarch on Heliotrope, April 10th, 2026

I am not so wonderful. (True confessions here: I don't really like to grow milkweed plants in my garden. Those non-native orange aphids just creep me out.) 

I prefer to grow plants that feed the adult butterflies, who then go on to make new baby butterflies. A different "circle of life". After a few years of observation, I have found that there are two plants that 1) I love; 2) the butterflies and other insect-types love; 3) are easy to grow and bloom year-round (especially the heliotrope); and 4) don't need gallons of water to thrive.

They are Heliotrope, especially the white version (Heliotropium arborescens 'Alba') and Verbena Bonariensis. Now one entirely valid criticism of both these plants is that they are non-natives. True. So am I a non-native. But they do the job, probably better than I could ever do. 

An Old Friend, Rediscovered

Once upon a time, like around 1991, when the animated Disney version of Beauty and the Beast first came out, we had a young friend who worked in a Berkeley movie house. For me, yes, actually for me, he "liberated" parts of the in-house cardboard standee - the portion that contained my best buddy Lumiere. 

Now Lumiere knocked about my studio for a while, and then he moved on. To the attic, to be exact. Where he lived in quiet and peaceful retirement until last week, until someone had the really stupid idea of cleaning out the attic. That someone will remain unnamed, at least here. 

And so was Lumiere awakened again: Nope, it wasn't Prince Charming, and no kissing was involved. Instead, it was Luna and I, armed with a feather duster and determination (in truth, I had the duster and determination; she was sleepy and pretty useless). 

Lumiere has moved on once again, to be with my niece who is an art director for Cold Open, one of those marketing agencies for the entertainment industry. Kinda sounds like we've come full circle, eh?

A New Fashion?

You can wear it:

Or sleep in it:

Or??? 

Just Another Wednesday in the Garage

Before Grouting

So while Hilda was working away on her gorgeous planter, I was poking around with mosaicking a small birdbath/pollinator watering hole for the backyard. Completing this little piece also contributed to the on-going and everlasting Clean-Out-The-Garage project by clearing off a small shelf. Win-win for me, and maybe even for the local wildlife. 

So far though, Luna is the only one who I've observed drinking from it. 

Wednesday is the Best Day

Not because the work week is almost over. But because it's Do Mosaics in the Garage Day, which means that every week has a holiday smack dab in the middle. 

And my friend Hilda is quite the adept. She only started in with mosaics a little more than a year ago, and now look:

Photo Courtesy of Hilda West

I can't claim that my garage is the most comfortable or attractive "studio" (nope, I'm not sharing photos of that workspace) but somehow we manage to create beautiful things there. Especially Hilda.

Brag, Brag, Brag #8: Michael Reardon

 So we got out of town. Yup, hard to believe, but we left Luna in the world's most capable and loving hands and headed to Sta. Barbara for an art show. An art show at the Thomas Reynolds Gallery featuring, ta-da!, Michael Reardon. And a bunch of architects who also can paint pretty darn well. 

 We saw family and friends, caught rain and dodged tumbleweeds on the drive, and generally had a wonderful time. The shows up until the end of October, so if you happen to be in the vicinity of Sta. Barbara, I recommend stopping by. 

Captured!

The most excellent painter, Elsa Gonzalez Zorn, has captured Luna. I don't think anyone else could have done it better. It is beyond perfect!

Greetings from Hawaii

Just kidding! 

We're stuck at home, as is most everyone right now. So instead of whining about Hawaii, I've been working on a Hawaiian style New Year's Eve dinner. 

The idea, and essential, inspirational ingredient came from Sunnie, one of my ceramic class buddies. She was the one who introduced me to custard mochi, a delicious dessert found in Hawaii. The first time I had it, I wanted to embarrass myself by eating the entire thing (or rather, I wanted to eat the entire thing and not get embarrassed), but somehow managed to only have seconds. And maybe one tiny little slice more.

Trouble is, you can't make custard mochi without sweet rice flour. Now try finding that during a pandemic. Sunnie did, and gave me a box. Thank you, Sunnie!

What else is on the menu? 

Rum punch

Spare ribs with huli-huli sauce

Ginger carrots

Green beans braised in coconut milk (I absolutely love coconut milk. I would probably eat braised dirt if it were simmered in coconut milk.)

Rice, naturally, followed by

Custard mochi for dessert.

And finished off with a very slow waddle around the neighborhood. 

Happy New Year to All!

Covid Families

Toasting Marshmallows, Nov. 2020

With the first lockdown in March, we started "Drinks in the Driveway" with a small group of neighbors. No masks back then, although that changed soon enough, but socially-distanced seating was mandated (easy to measure since the driveway is only seven feet wide).

Strictly bring your own, including your own chair, although one set of neighbors started to store their chairs further up our driveway, rather than lug them across the street each time. Just a group of soon-to-become friends gathering in the early evening.

Over the summer, we became the "Porchaholics". We sat on our porch steps and our neighbors would arrange their chairs and drinks in our tiny front yard. People walking past on the sidewalk would pause, chat, wave, or sometimes just shake their heads and move on.

With the cooler weather, we switched back to the driveway for the occasional campfire. For the first one, I stole my neighbor's little Smokey Joe® grill (it had been sitting in her driveway untouched for nearly ten years. Honest, I did tell her that I was going to walk off with it, and she didn't even notice until I was ratted out.), arranged a few sheets of newspaper, an egg carton, a bit of kindling and small branches in the base. Also, since Safety Sam is a member of our household, a large bucket of water was placed nearby, just in case. One match, and the party was on. 

As of this week, these little gatherings are no longer allowed until early January, at the earliest. But I am hopeful that once this current lockdown is over, if it isn't raining (please, please, please rain already!), we'll be able to meet up once again with our new family. 

"Let's Talk About Ice Cream!"

Most every week I go on a walk with my friend Kathy at Mountain View Cemetery. And sometimes when we're lucky, our friend Eve will join us as well. As we walk along we talk about the usual stuff - this and that, that and this, and the state of our lives and the world. Unfortunately, we somehow can't always avoid the awful "news" that spews from Mr. Trump's mouth.

So when it gets really bad, some one or the other of us will pipe up, "Lets talk about ice cream!" and the subject will move on to a less painful topic.

But as long as we're talking about ice cream, I do have a list:

My top pick probably is the buffalo milk soft serve ice cream at Palace Market in Point Reyes Station. Now I don't even really like soft serve ice cream, but this stuff is absolutely the best. So take your favorite Point Reyes hike, and then indulge yourself. It can really be that simple.

I recently discovered As You Wish Frozen Yogurt on Solano Ave. in Albany. I doubt it was the most wonderful frozen yogurt ever, but oh, the Dulce de Leche. That was wonderful. I think they rotate flavors frequently, so I guess I'll just have to take my chances on future visits.

And then there's the perennial favorite, Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk®, enjoyed at home with family and friends. Or maybe just with Princess on your head.

Paella Valenciana: The Next Generation

When you are lucky enough to spend a college semester in Spain, not only do you get to study hard, but you also have the privilege of travel. Our nephew Ian was very lucky, indeed, to spend time in Santander, and then visit quite a number of Spanish landmarks, as well as make longer forays to Italy, France, Germany and Portugal (I think I got this right).

Santander is bang up against the Picos de Europa, a most dramatic mountain range for hiking and climbing. And it's also located on the Camino del Norte (Northern Way) of the famous pilgrimage route. So for those, like Ian, who enjoy cultural experiences and outdoor activities, a semester in Spain sounds pretty darn wonderful. In this instance, I'm ready to acknowledge that "envy green" is a color I recognize.

And then there's the eating adventures to consider. Not only fabulous Spanish cooking, but also some cooking of your very own. Like Paella Valenciana, for example.

Yup. Ian decided that he would try to produce a traditional Paella Valenciana. Why not? In his own words:

"It turned out great! My only problem was that the rice was still a little soggy, I either added too much stock or not quite enough rice... Either way, it was still delicious. I had to skip the snails too, while I am personally a huge fan some others sadly objected. Next time I think I can pass it off as true Valenciano! Pictures below of course."

He is studying to become an environmental engineer. On the other hand, I personally think that he may want to consider a career as a food stylist.







Photos Courtesy of Ian Cullings

Front Yard Sleepover

It's nearly nine o'clock in the evening and do you know where your male bees are? Unlike the females, they don't have their own nests.

Well, some of my guys, and I think that they are members of the long-horned tribe (Melissodes) have tucked themselves in for the night - hanging on tightly by their mandibles (they don't actually have teeth).

In which sweet bower, you might ask? The purple Scabiosa anthemifolia, also beloved of butterflies and my young neighbor, Tessa, who comes over on a regular basis with her very own pink scissors and cuts a bouquet for her mother. Yes, of course she always asks first.

One bloom, one bee, you might think, but this flower (on the left) actually has a second bee, very snuggy, tight and barely visible on the left side.

For crying out loud, if this gets any cuter, I'll have to invite myself over to Tessas' to read Goodnight Moon.

Got Blankie?

It's a Binkie. No, a Blankie. Wrong, a Cosy. Or is it a Softie? Regardless of its name, it's a big hit with our great-niece Amelie.



It was news to me that babies should never sleep with soft bedding - blankets, pillows, quilts, soft toys - until they are at least 12 months old because of the risk of sleep-related causes of death. Yikes and Double Yikes!

So this welcoming quilt I made for Amelie was put aside until she was older. But now it looks like she is more than ready for her Binkie. Or Blankie. Or whatever.

In fact, it looks like she is just about ready for anything.

Photos courtesy of Courtney Camperell

Fourth Time's the Charm

Afghan in Spain

At least I hope so.  I've put enough effort into it already.

Last winter I knitted an afghan and finished it in time to give to our friends in Spain. I hope it is keeping them warm.

It was a pleasurable enough project. And, with a knitting project to hand, I don't get thrown out of the TV room when the nightly news is on - busy fingers usually translates into less mouthing off to stupidity.

So rather than be banished to the kitchen for the winter, I thought it would be a good idea to have another substantial knitting project.

Goodness knows what possessed me, but I also thought I could design it myself, combining a number of different Celtic patterns, figuring out stitch counts and basically reinventing the wheel. A small wheel, I know, but nonetheless, a wheel that still had to be round.


For a while it seemed that I was taking out more stitches than I had ever knit up, but I now think that even if it isn't exactly what I first envisioned, the piece has its own charms.

If I'm lucky and work hard, I probably only have another two months left of knitting. Which means that by the time the weather is too warm to be cuddled under a almost-afghan, it should be completed. And maybe, just maybe, the news won't be quite so stupid.

1st Attempt

2nd Attempt

4th Attempt

Seems to be Working

Season of Eating

Paella Valenciana

We no longer engage in a whole lot of holiday-related things anymore. Just too old, I guess.

Except for eating. And possibly drinking. Or the other way around.

And truthfully, I've eaten quite well. Just ask my jeans.

But one of the most memorable meals for me this year wasn't over the holidays. Rather it was an early summer adventure in (tah-dah) Anchuela del Campo.

With Ati, of Wild Cat fame, acting as chef.

So, I'm sure that most everyone knows something about Spanish paella (name comes from the pan, blah, blah, blah), considering it to be a seafood dish with maybe some chicken. Not so fast.

Anchuela del Campo

There is also Paella Valenciana, which originated in the wetlands of La Albufera in Valencia where rice is grown. Think of what wetlands contain - think snails, think rabbits hiding in the grass, think ducks (or chicken) and thus, along with the rice, you have the basis of Paella Valenciana.

Chef Ati & Sous-chef Cholo

Plus you need green runner beans, lima (or fava) beans, tomato, salt and saffron. The debate over the correct type of rice may be a cause for bloodshed for some, but we're not going into that here, because I'm already hungry. Lastly, cooking over a wood fire makes it all the better.

To cook, start with the fire and add the proper ingredients in the right order to ensure that everything is perfect by the end. Simple, right? Also, note the plastic bag in the photo on the right - frozen snails from the freezer case of the local grocery. Now that would be surprise here.

And then it's monitor the fire, monitor the liquids, monitor the rice, check back with the fire and monitor everything once again.

While the rest of us sit around and drink cañas, eat jamon and offer encouragement.

MAY WE ALL ENJOY GOOD FOOD WITH GOOD FRIENDS IN 2019!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Whirlwind Week

They came. It took them twenty hours to get here, but they did finally make it.

They ate and ate and ate and ate - ah yes, the teenage appetite. They got stuck in traffic while visiting Point Reyes, the Academy of Sciences, Ranger Betty, the Golden Gate Bridge, the beach, etc. They went lawn bowling and then moved on to bocce. And then more bocce.

Got lucky enough to sample both the deep dish and thin style pizza from Zachary's. They wouldn't quite commit to it being the absolute best ever, even though they ate it all. Further tastings may be necessary...

Glen (left) and Ian (right) two of the best nephews to come visit.

Something for the Kids

It's called "amigurumi" - the Japanese art of crocheting (occasionally knitting) small, stuffed figures and animals out of yarn.  "Small" can be relative; "figures and animals" are also flexible, unless you truly do believe in unicorns. Or light sabers, for that matter.

But it's fun, fast, and even if you don't really know how to crochet, somehow, something works out. For me, it's always been difficult to sit still and watch the TV news. But this allows me to abide, just barely, the nonsense. And even get something done. Otherwise, I may be asked to leave the room.  

This year has been a busy year for new babies in the family. Meaning, there is a built-in audience for cute (and just as important, washable) knitted and crocheted items like these. Sure, they'll grow out of them, but in the meanwhile, at least I will be well-informed on the events of the day. 

Resources:

Amigurumi Today

All Free Crochet

Dark Days

So what do you do when it is recommended that you stay inside with the windows closed because of the smokey air? Air so bad that you can see, smell and even taste it.

Aside from fretting, that is.

So while idle hands may not be the devil's workshop, I find that busy hands keep the crazies away. As does drinking wine. Cheap wine for now, since I already blew the budget for humanitarian relief on hurricanes and earthquakes. Now there's fire aid to think about.

So, I have kept busy packing up seeds, plants and gardening books to share at The Plant Exchange's free meet-and-swap on October 21st. Very briefly, it works like this: you bring your garden-related donations and then go "shop" among all the other plants and items offered up by other generous gardeners. You might want to bring some bags to carry home your treasures.

And then there is a new baby showing up in the family (a girl this time, the first!), so that little blanket absolutely needs to get finished. Binge watching helps with the project.

After that, there is that backlog of chores, things such as shoveling out my studio. But first, maybe some more mice...

Uncle Joe Lives On

My Uncle Joe would be 96 this Thursday, February 23rd. Would be, except that he died nearly ten years ago. But the hellebores that my mom passed along to me from his garden in Alabama are still thriving. Well, one of them is. She gave me at least four, but only one made it...

But this one, to my great surprise, has produced quite a number of offspring over the past few years. These babies may be small, but they are tough, surviving on little water and withstanding the occasional raid by the neighborhood cats. Princess knows that area's not the litter box, but not everyone else has gotten the message.

And now these little plants have expanded Uncle Joe's gardening legacy. A few of them have traveled to Stinson Beach to Leslie and Gary's place; a couple made it back to upstate New York; and some went to The Plant Exchange last year to be planted who knows where.

No doubt most who are now enjoying these plants never met my uncle, but their gardens demonstrate the wonderful, lasting links between plants and humans. Even if we don't know their names.

Winter on the East Coast

 

We - an entire big bunch of "we" - went from upstate New York to the Women's March in D.C. last weekend and had an amazing time! Now I am not a big fan of the color pink, but in this case, it really was quite wonderful.

Other activities to do when the weather is lousy (I saw the sun for a total of two hours over the entire week-long visit, and that was while driving back through central Pennsylvania)?

Brain Coral

Benjamin Bradford Hawkes

First up, you can squeeze or cuddle with the new baby in the family. Yup, Baby Ben is a keeper.  And already has a nationwide fan base, many of whom are his grand-aunts. He has lots of those, by the way.

Or you could while away the hours avoiding the cold and crocheting "brain corals" for Professor Kathleen Hawkes (hehehe, now Hawkes-Boulay), who, along with her students is constructing an installation of a coral reef from yarn (I hope I have this right). It's all about higher math, nimble, mostly female fingers and honoring our disappearing landscapes. 

Or you could just zone out and watch the winter weather do its magic.

Photo of Baby Benjamin courtesy of Janet Hawkes