June 23, 2014 by Born To Organize

Professional Relaxer?

Years ago we bought a cozy little chair hammock for the garden. It came with a decal that said “Professional Relaxer.”

Snort!

I made sure the boys stuck the decal to my husband’s car because I’m incapable of ‘relaxing’ in my garden. My idea of gardening nirvana isn’t about relaxing, but about doing. So after pronouncing to a handful of friends that we had ‘nothing planned’ for most of the weekend, I proceeded to clean my side yard. I sorted, swept, washed, pruned, recycled, tossed and donated most of the afternoon.

We have two narrow side-yards, though only one has a gate. We once used the closed side yard as a play area for the boys.

Once upon a time in the side yard with Fluffy, CC and the boys

In later years, we created a screened-in cat enclosure so our cats could have fresh air and exercise but remain safe. We have one unkind neighbor who set a trap for our cat, then took him to the animal impound. Eventually we discovered the Cat Fence-in System and life in the feline world has been better ever since.

A few years ago we adopted Slinky, a semi-feral kitty who wanted no part of indoor living. I made a cozy enclosure for her, complete with a day-time lounging area, a climbing post and a sheltered bed. She lived out there for a year. After nabbing her for her annual trip to the vet, and keeping her briefly indoors, she had a complete change of heart and moved in!

Slinky’s Private Quarters (Mouse liked to invite himself over)

Absent Slinky, the side-yard morphed again. This time it wasn’t pretty. It became the home for wayward garden screening. Old cat litter boxes, past their prime but not recyclable joined the mix. Plastic pots saved from nursery bedding plants multiplied like unmatched socks. The space no longer satisfied my tidy aesthetic.

Side Yard Starting Point

Far End of Cat Enclosure

We borrowed our neighbors small truck and combined his items with ours and made a trip to a local transfer station. While a trip to the dump was a bit of an adventure, it also made me realize the back-end of human consumption.

Cat boxes without a recycle symbol eventually have to be tossed. Cat furniture, made from particle board and carpet remnants, so too have nowhere to go. Broken tool handles, fractured irrigation pipe, and other bits of detritus end up as landfill. Our trip was an exercise in awareness as well.

Back home, exhausted and sore from the day’s work, I eventually put my feet up. That said, I’ll leave the serious relaxing to the professionals. When you garden, there’s always work to do.

May 7, 2014 by Born To Organize

Nesting Material: Do’s and Don’ts

First, a retraction. For the last few years I’ve been stuffing mesh apple bags with laundry lint, an offering for the neighborhood birds and squirrels. I’m not sure where I originally found the idea or if I came up with it on my own.

I asked about the lint at a recent birding class, and they said that experts no longer recommend it. The owner of our local birding store said it compacts when wet. According to this Humane Society article it ” crumbles, and it may contain harmful residues from detergents and fabric softeners.” I use green products in the wash and don’t use a softener so I thought it was fine. Now that I know better, I’m spreading the word.

Conversely, the birding store suggested offering animal fur. This seemed counter-intuitive to me since birds are cat’s prey, but I decided to give it a go. Instead of tossing the cat fur collected in the brush, I’ve been tucking it into the trees in our garden. Would we have any takers?

The answer is yes, and today I got photographic proof.

With my camera in hand, I saw a bird lift out of the shrubs with something white in her mouth. Could it be? I snapped from a distance, but couldn’t be sure till I looked at the picture close up. Sure enough, this bird has a mouthful of Beijing’s fur. Yeah!!!!

House Sparrow

So to recap: Laundry lint is bad for nesting but animal fur is a hot commodity. My apologies for leading anyone astray.

April 11, 2014 by Born To Organize

Screen Saver, Garden Style

If you’re looking for a screen saver for your tablet or PC, I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong post. If you’re a bit of a klutz like me, however, this post is for you.

I’ve walked into our screen door on more than one occasion, with the full force of my being. I’m always completely stunned each time, as if it’s never happened before. Last summer my son’s friend hit the screen with such force that it tore out of its frame. I felt ever so slightly vindicated. His friend wasn’t hurt of course, and they both laughed it off, but our screen has taken a real beating. We’ve had to replace it at least twice in the past several years, and didn’t even bother to repair the current one when the lower corner came loose. The cats immediately claimed it as their own.

After the most recent screen crash, my husband applied a strip of black electrical tape at eye level and called it a day. Though lacking in aesthetics, it was a brilliant idea. It worked.

I’ve tried attaching clever little pins in the past or stickers from my stash, but they never stay put. Then I found these:

Magnetic Screen Savers

They’re mirrored magnets. You place one on the inside of the screen and attach the mirrored magnet to the outside. I think they’re fun in a kitschy sort of way and they get the job done.

Problem solved: screen saver, garden style.**

**Disclaimer: they don’t work when you have a cat snoozing across the door’s threshold. =^..^=

Have you every walked through a screen door? You can tell me. I promise not to share it with anyone other than the internet.

March 7, 2014 by Born To Organize

Photo Op: Birds of a Feather

Camera shy

Bottoms up

Lovely silhouette

Four-in-one fruit tree in bloom

I’ve been trying all week to get a decent photo of our four-in-one fruit tree. Earlier in the week it was grey and the photos reflected that. Now that the sun is out, I’m having trouble getting the contrast. So, here is my attempt at a photo of the tree. Please use your imagination when I say it is quite beautiful. I wish I could share it with you up close.

On the plus side, it was delightful watching the little yellow-breasted birds flitting from branch to branch. I’m not sure if they are eating part of the flower, or an insect under the bloom. The tree saw all sorts of activity this week. I’ve counted hummingbirds, bees and yellow finches among the visitors and could hear mourning doves nearby. Hurray for the sounds of early spring.

March 4, 2014 by Born To Organize

Four-in-One Fruit Tree

Fruit tree tags

A couple of you have asked for more info on our four-in-one fruit cocktail tree. I think the idea is genius. One tree receives three additional grafts of different fruit. In our case, the tree grafts include peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums.

We first learned about these trees from our neighbor, Gwyn. She’s in the process of creating an edible front garden. Pretty cool, eh?

My then ten-year-old son was so excited with the idea that he asked for one for his birthday. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving. The tree turns five this year. Sadly, we lost one of the grafts, the smallest and weakest of the four. The other three remain healthy and strong.

This is the perfect tree for gardening in small spaces. You get to grow multiple varieties on one tree. They even fruit at different times! Trees are available with up to six grafts in a related family. You can buy citrus, stone fruit or apple.

Our tree is in bloom with three distinct flowers. The bees arrived in between the storms. Don’t you just love that steady hum of industry?

Plum blossoms

Apricot buds

Peach buds

You can read more about ‘fruit salad trees” here. Please let me know if you plant one of your own.

February 28, 2014 by Born To Organize

Friday Flowers

The rain continues. I had a white-knuckled drive across the valley this afternoon, with bits of flooding across the freeway. I’m happy to be home and enjoying the rain with my feet firmly planted on the ground. Flash-flooding is inevitable with so many months of parched earth.

Hopefully we can weather this storm without loss or injury. Everyone forgets how to drive on wet roads.

Traffic conditions aside, what a happy soaking in the garden. Signs of spring were everywhere this week. Come take a look:

Coral Abutilon

Fragrant freesia

Garden peas

First tulip

Jasmin buds

Sweet Alyssum

February 21, 2014 by Born To Organize

Greenhouse Envy

Mini greenhouse

Last year I watched with admiration as Sarah the Gardener built her second greenhouse. Sarah writes a fabulous blog about her garden in Australia, and is about to publish her second book on the subject. Check out her amazing garden.

I’ve always liked the idea of a greenhouse. My dad planted that seed years ago as he too wished he had one at home. Living in Silicon Valley means houses are small on small plots or large on small plots, but rarely will you find a house with a big piece of property attached. It’s simply cost prohibitive. Those of us who garden make do with the limited space. We have great weather year round and a long growing season to boot. I have zero room to complain.

So imagine my delight when I saw an ad in the paper for this scaled down and highly affordable mini-greenhouse at our local garden center. It was on sale for $39 bucks which is a steal if you ask me.

I put it together over the weekend and it’s ready for plants. I’m going to take stalk of my seed collection this weekend and then the fun begins. Planting seeds!

Spring, also known as the Vernal Equinox, is just a month away in this hemisphere. As Sarah puts her garden to bed for the winter in Australia, our California garden will be waking up.

I’ve Been Framed

Thanks to all who voted and commented with your suggestions earlier in the week on I’ve Been Framed. The straw-colored hallway won. Here is a video of the art as I approach. I hung her so our eyes meet when I walk by. It’s nice to live with someone who sees eye-to-eye with you every single day. I promise not to let it go to my head. ;-)

There was a great artist named Pauline

Who lived with a kitty so darling

She made fabulous art

Art filled with great heart

Now it hangs on my wall thanks to Pauline.

February 4, 2014 by Born To Organize

Rain Glorious Rain

I woke up to a bracing shower Saturday morning, when Lindy knocked over my water-glass. She’s normally nimble-footed, but that particular trip across my nightstand lead to an invigorating soak. The water doused my pillow, the bed sheets and of course me.

Sunday morning I woke up to the real deal: rain dropping softly on our parched state. It didn’t last long, but was wonderful nonetheless. Everything above and below looks refreshed. The sky seems brighter, the garden greener and the nearby hills are visible once again. February is off to a great start.

View from the deck

Rain is in the forecast over the next two days. Gathering clouds outside my window are a welcome view.

Cloudy skies, happy birds

The Little Free Library weathered its first storm. Books are coming and going, but staying nice and dry behind closed doors.

Little Free Library

What’s the weather up to in your neck of the woods?

My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather. ~Terri Guillemets

February 3, 2014 by Born To Organize

The Year of the Horse, The Week of the Rat

Tree rat

You know where this is going, don’t you?

The Year of the Horse was officially under way last Friday, but the week of the rat kept me occupied.

Last week my neighbor called and asked for a favor. Would I please come over and help her catch a live rat, set loose in the house by one of her cats.

I’m a bit of an expert. I live with Lindy the Gentle Hunter. Lindy brings live, unharmed rats into the house and sets them loose. Since they’re not presented in typical cat-sharing fashion (i.e. dead at your feet) I can only assume she’s invited them in as roommates. The first rat hung out under the TV cabinet for a while. My sweet kitty set another one loose in the den, a third in my son’s room and one day I discovered a rat hanging upside down from the dining room table.

I’m not afraid of rats, per se. I just don’t want them running around inside my house. Further, a frightened animal of any stripe has sharp teeth and incentive to use them. So, out they go.

Like Lindy, I too am a gentle hunter. It took an hour to liberate the first rat, after chasing it down the hall, into and out of the sealed back of our refrigerator, under some shelves, etc. It’s a wonder the poor little thing didn’t die from a stroke. In the end I formed a ‘bowling alley’ of sorts, using a rolled up rug and a few other household items. The rat had nowhere to go but out. I can still picture him flying out the back door in the wee hours of the morning. My skills improved over time and common sense finally came knocking on my door. Rats are nocturnal. Head slap! We started closing the cat-flap in the laundry room at dusk and guess what? Not a single new roommate since.

I digress.

When my neighbor called, I sprung into action. Using a few gym mats, some building block toys and a few other items, I was able to show the rat the door in 15 minutes.

Also last week, I discovered rat droppings in our garage at the top of a cabinet. I have no idea what a rat would be doing up there: no food, no shelter, but I need to don a mask and take care of that as well.

Sunday morning I woke to rain, glorious rain. I headed outside for fresh air and some pictures when I spotted a…white rat…in the Magnolia.

Ghostly rat

I don’t believe in ghosts, but this one gave me pause. I did what any other blogger would do: I snapped pictures. It wasn’t moving, so emboldened, I got closer.

Getting closer…

Still not moving. Weird.

White rat??? Nope

I had a good laugh once I realized what it was, and had some fun with my family, too. It was a ghost of a sort…the ghost of last year’s Halloween decorations, still stuck in the tree.

Happy Year of the Horse.

January 29, 2014 by Born To Organize

Drizzle, Fizzle

Our ‘chance of rain’ was a tiny drizzle in the middle of the night. San Jose saw 0.01″ in the past 24 hours. No puddle splashing for me today.

On the bright side, the garden looks refreshed. The fog, mist and drizzle freshened up the foliage so that’s something.

Here’s what I saw on my morning rounds.

I mentioned a random bulb growing out of the bottom of the vegetable bed last week. The lovely Narcissus made her debut yesterday.

Narcissus

I need to prune this four-in-one fruit tree but I’ve been putting it off. It’s grown tall so I need a ladder. Two years ago I fell off the ladder trying to cover the tree with netting, and I’ve been nervous about it ever since.