Autumn in Missoula

I really don't believe there is a lovelier season than Autumn. It just begs you to get out and take those long walks in the woods, cozy up to a crackling fire with friends, drink that gorgeous, big Cabernet you've been saving, or just get out in your garden for those last precious weeks. So, before I start putting it to bed, I thought I'd put up a few photos from my garden showing off some of its fall beauty. Happy Autumn to you all!

California Fever

Oh, Southern California! You either love it or hate, I guess. Of course there's the crime, smog and traffic but, lest we forget, California has some pretty amazing gardens tucked in amongst the urban jungle. I was extremely fortunate to get to visit a couple recently (this is just before Santa Barbara burst into flames) so I thought I'd post my Ode to the California Garden. Enjoy!

Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens is a wonderous place, tucked in the foothills surrounding Santa Barbara.

The Getty ...need I say more?

Magnolias and Mason Bees

I woke the other morning to such a glorious sight...my magnolia in full bloom! It has creamy pink petals and such a nice form and it happily sits right outside my kitchen window where I look out on it every morning. Such a nice thing to wake up to each morning. It's probably one of my favorite plants and I have been trying to grow one for years now so watching this one flourish has been extremely satisfying.

My first attempt with magnolias started with a mail-order purchase through J&P shortly after we bought our house. I mulled and considered and planned out where I would plant it to give it the best chance of succeeding. I envisioned sitting in our sunroom, sipping my coffee and gazing out at this magnificent tree. So, I researched and thought some more and finally placed the order... then patiently waited.

Finally the day arrived when my tree was to be delivered. I requested that it be shipped to my work to eliminate any undue stress that might occur from it sitting on our front porch all day. I drove our truck to work so I would be able to get it home and informed our receptionist that I was expecting a magnolia tree today and, if she would just buzz me when it arrived , I would quickly get it out of the lobby for her. I even asked a male coworker if he could help me get it to the truck when it arrived and then I sat back and waited some more.

By lunch it hadn't arrived. I had to run out (but made it quick) and, upon my return, I scanned the lobby hoping my magnolia had arrived in my absence. Pam, our receptionist, was looking at me and I asked excitedly if deliveries had been made yet. "Yes", she told me, "and I do have something for you". Great, I thought, scanning the lobby again. Well, as if taken from a Saturday Night Live skit, she reaches under the counter and pulls out a Fedex box which couldn't have weighed more than 2 lbs. I looked at her, confused, saw that the box was from J&P and ripped it open . And there, in all its magnificent glory, was my magnolia tree! Basically, it looked like a pencil with roots! A small, sad pencil with roots. I looked at Pam, she looked at me and then she asked, "Shall I call the guys to see if they can help you get it out to your truck?". Hardy, har, har! And, thus, my first introduction to mail-order plants. Oh, and by the way, I took my pencil magnolia home, planted it in the 3 foot hole I had prepared and watched it promptly shrivel up and die. Grr.....

So, after several more attempts, I'm sure you can understand why I am now proud as a mother hen of this little beauty.




Another item in my garden that I'm proud as punch over is my Mason bees. I started with one hive which I got through a pledge I made to our local public radio station and, after their latest pledge drive, I now have 3 hives. For those gardeners who haven't heard of Mason bees, please pay attention! They are such wonderful little creatures; very gentle, non-aggressive, gregarious and inexhaustively busy and, I've been told, they're more productive pollinaters than honey bees. Plus, they are so fun to watch! Nothing makes me happier than sitting in my garden and watching these little guys zip and buzz and dance around. In the morning they will sit in the doorway of their respective holes, like dogs sitting in the doorways of their doghouses, and when the sun finally warms them up, out they come to dance, buzz and pollinate. Take a look at my buzzy little friends!

Sunshine! Glorious Sunshine!

Forgive my delay in posting but the most miraculous thing occured this weekend....SUNSHINE! Hallelujah! After days and weeks of rain and snow, we got that precious liquid gold. Having grown up in a region where you never bothered to check the weather report, you just took it for granted that the sun was going to shine, it's still quite a shock to the system when I go for days without seeing it. It feels like you're in a cold, wet, dark tunnel and you're never going to get out. But, then, the sun comes out and you feel like you can fly!

Having just emerged from that tunnel, I looked around at my fair city and discovered there are a heck of a lot of people who must feel the same way! The sun came out and it was as if the whole city woke up at the same time...... and came out to play. People were everywhere! In the river, on the trails, wandering downtown, hiking, biking, barbequing, snoozing in the park, lounging in hammocks, sipping wine on patios with friends. It was like a citywide party and it was a whole lot of fun.

Erik and I did our best to contribute to the party atmosphere and managed to get out and about town. We snapped a few pictures of our city in the sun on one of our bike rides so hope you enjoy. We even got a picture of our resident beaver, who lives at the end of our street, socializing with one of the ducks who came to visit for the summer.

Now, they say another big, ugly storm is supposed to hit again this week but, for now, the sun is shining, the sky is blue and my backyard view of Mt. Sentinel is crystal clear so I'm going to raise a toast to the sun god and sit back and enjoy!

Murphy, Our Houseguest

Last night we had the perfect houseguest, a baby English bulldog named Murphy. This was Murphy's first sleepover and, I have to say, alot of fun was had by all. I don't know if he has ever spent time around 3 dogs all weighing 70 lbs or better but, after the initial, "Oh my god, what ARE they? Giants?" he settled right into rough-housing, squeeky toy squeeking, chasing each other around the yard, barking at strange sounds and, his favorite, tug-of-war.

Having worn himself out the night before (and rolling off of bed once during the night) morning came pretty early for the little guy but, by this point, he believed he was one of the big dogs and filed out the back door in order like a pro...Large, Medium, Small and Extra Small. He barked at a passing neighbor, tried to wolf down big dog food, and learned the pure joy of leaping on an extra large Coolaroo and using it like a trampoline. Then, unfortunately, after dozing in a sunny doorway while I got ready, the visit was over and we packed his overnight bag and headed off to work to meet his mom.

I wonder if tonight he'll dream little doggie dreams of his time amongst the giants....

Look At These Little Beauties

I'm happy to report that my seedlings are bursting at their little peat pods and have had to be moved into roomier accommodations. I was frantically trying to find containers to move them into, had even asked friends, neighbors and co-workers for any soup cans they might have hanging around in their recycling bins (not enough, by the way!), when the lightbulb in the brain FINALLY turned on and I thought, "Party cups!" Woohoo! I had a Costco-size bag of red, plastic drink cups leftover from our annual Autumn BBQ stashed in the basement. I went charging on down and got straight to work.

It took me three hours to prep my soil mix, punch holes in the bottoms of the cups and get everyone relocated...but I did it and don't they look happy! I ran out of room in my sunroom so I rigged up a table in our bay window and everyone seems to be settling in to their new digs.

Of course, this means that my mini-greenhouses are empty and ready for the next batch but I'm trying to hold myself back from starting anymore as I have absolutely no where else to put them once they reach the "party cup" stage.

Still, I have packets of seeds and extra peat pods...hmmm, maybe I could just do a few......

Littlefield, Texas

I've been asked by numerous friends, "What was it like?" so, for all of you who asked, here's my little synopsis of Littlefield, TX and a few things I learned along the way. A farming community of about 6500 residents located in the panhandle of Texas, it's a little town with a big heart. The closest city is Lubbock and this, my friends, is Texas Tech territory. God help you if you're an Aggie from A&M and you wander unaware into this little corner of the world (for all of you Griz fans, it would be similar to having a Cat fan stroll on in to town). This piece of information was drilled into me before I ever set foot on Texas soil as our flight attendant and a passenger got into a heated debate on this very subject before we had even landed. Tip #1 - if you know nothing about sports or competing schools, keep your trap shut or run the risk of being escorted out of town.







The town of Littlefield still retains alot of the charm of a by-gone era. The courthouse still has a bomb shelter and the main street looks as if Elvis will come driving by at any minute. The people are very friendly but certainly notice when there are strangers in the mix. Tip #2 - when taking a picture of main street, do not use a camera with a telephoto lens and STAY ON THE SIDEWALK. Waving a camera around while standing on the edge of the road will apparently cause a traffic jam for the 2 cars that happen to be driving on the street.




One of Littlefield's claim to fame is that country great, Waylon Jennings, was born here, a fact they proudly display on water towers and murals around town. They even have a Waylon Jennings Avenue. It's the street that runs East to West and bisects Main St. You can't miss it as every other business has incorporated some portion of "Waylon" or "Jennings" into their name. This brings us to Tip #3 - do NOT diss Waylon! We won't even go into what can happen to you if you disregard that one. Let's just say "tar" and "feathers" will be in your immediate future.


Last, friendly though they are, these people love their meat, a fact that's a bit disconcerting to a tried-and-true vegetarian. This leads me to Tip# 4 (you veges better pay attention) - do NOT go to the local McDonalds and try to order an Egg McMuffin without the meat. It can lead to hysteria and mayhem. As one old-timer noted as we stood at the counter watching the drama playing out in front of us, "That looks like a Chinese fire drill". Hmm, and indeed it did.




So, if you happen to find yourself in need of wide, open spaces, friendly faces, red dirt and cotton aplenty, you couldn't go wrong in moseying on over to Littlefield. Just make sure to pack your Red Raiders t-shirt before you go.