Garden Pals

 What is this? I don't know, but it's kinda cool looking (hope it's not something diabolical and destructive).

 A beetle..and possibly some beetle poop next to it (everybody poops, dontcha know!).

And of course!

Poulet

 

 

Ah, I do enjoy chickens. They are just comical (and also quite beautiful). These two girls live at the local nursery. They have a coop out amongst the plants, but they just come strolling in every once in a while. The two of them are perusing the seed rack in the last photograph.

Tallulah-Palooza Friday

Hellooooooo!

Little, Lovely, Lavender

I think this might be a week--not in MY yard; I'm on those weeds before they know what hit them--but isn't it pretty? The incredibly delicate tracery of lines...just lovely. Remember to look down, up, and all around when you're out walking!

Lovey Doves

 First she drinks...

 Then he drinks...

 Then they both drink...

 Ahhh, the pink feet! They're killing me.

 He is a handsome devil.

And she is blending beautifully into the gravel.

I know people sometimes diss doves as not being very bright, etc., but I love them. They are so sweet, their markings are lovely, and I love to hear them coo.

This will probably be--like the endless bee photos from me--one in a series of eleventy billion birds at my fountain photos. Please bear with me--it just pleases me so very greatly to have them in my garden.

Little Little Lemon

Oh look! A lemon from my Meyer lemon tree...

Hmmm...It's a wee bit small...

Leapin' Lizard!

 

I removed a giant overgrown kale plant on Saturday, and as I pulled it out of the ground, this dude sort of jumped up and hot-footed it over to the next plant. He thinks he's hidden...but I am getting a bit of a side-eye in the last photo, so maybe he DID know!

Tallulah-Palooza Friday

 Look at that face! She loves loves LOVES her friend W., who is Stanley's mom...

 

Best friends...

Carmine Brush

 

 

I'm not sure which I like more, the California bottle brush flowers (the red spikes are actually super-long stamens, with the teeny yellow spots of pollen on the ends; the petals are inconspicuous) or the tightly furled buds. It's a tie!

 After you visit the book binder's studio, what do you do? Why, you go to Iron Fist Brewing, of course. The little dog and little boy (OMG, check out his teeny Chucks!) were there (neither was having a beer, BTW).

 Beer! It is good.

 Then you go have Mexican food and take a slightly drunken picture of B.'s nachos.

Finally, you stop for strawberries at the freeway on-ramp.

Then you go home and have a massive nap. A good time was had by all!

An Age-Old Profession

(No, not THAT profession, silly!) I'm talking about book binding. B. and I paid a visit to Frank Lehmann, a book binder, an artisan/craftsman who basically follows the same procedures as bookbinders have done for centuries. His tools are amazing, and quite beautiful. (Those above and below are for stamping leather bindings...)

 Rolls of paper for endpapers...

 Gigantic paper presses...

Various tools of the trade...

Twine/thread to sew up printed signatures before binding.

So very cool...I have the utmost admiration for those who carry on the noble traditions of the past: if they aint' broke, don't fix them. Carry on!

Wooly Bully

I love these little caterpillars...they are the Cousin Itt of the insect world (all they need are some tiny round glasses). And maybe a bowler hat.

Tallulah-Palooza Friday

 What's a girl to do when the wind blows her ears straight out (Flying Nun references abound!)?

 {Whoosh...}

 {Whooooosh}

 Best to just tuck them straight back, out of harm's way.

Stanley thinks that's quite amusing.

Cube Love

Reason number 1,001 why I LOVE my Cube: four 5-gallon roses and three 3-inch pots in the back, no fuss, no muss. Yay!

Some Days...

I hear ya, sister...whaaaaaat?

 Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air, too (although not in a fabulous red tulle outfit).

Oh, he knows, too--don't let his enigmatic smile fool you.

Look, Don't Touch

 

Spiky beauty...