Under the Solano Sun

Yikes, what is this, what happened to it? It's supposed to be a lemon. According to the UC IPM page on Pests in Gardens and Landscapes, the deformity is probably caused by a Citrus Bud Mite called Eriophyes sheldoni.

Crazy times, eh? The COVID-19 pandemic is similar to past national crises in that people, fearing the shortage of life's essentials, are denuding grocery shelves of staples.

About 6 years ago I realized I had two problems in my front yard. One was the almost 5-month long pod drop from a big, beautiful 40 plus-year-old Magnolia grandiflora. Like an evergreen tree, it drops tough leather-like leaves from late May through August. Then begins the 5-month long seed pod drop.

Growing up my parents would try to take my siblings and me to Mexico every year when they could. That way we would be able to see our grandmothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Both of my parents we born and grew up in the state of Jalisco. Their towns are about 120 miles apart from each other.

If you've ever visited a local fair, you might have seen rows of vases filled with beautiful, perfectly formed flowers with prize ribbons proudly attached and wondered who the people are that entered and won these contests.