Under the Solano Sun

One of the most anticipated springtime displays in my yard is a flowering crabapple (Malus floribunda), also known as a Japanese crabapple. We had a beautiful flowering crabapple in our yard when I was growing up and I knew that I wanted to plant one in my own garden someday.

The days are getting longer. The weather is getting warmer. My chickens are laying more eggs, and I am getting more anxious to get the garden in better shape for spring.

I inherited a Nerium oleander (Oleander) when I bought my house three years ago. At first, I did not know what it was much less pay attention to it. It never needed any water, and it produced these lovely pink flowers every year. To me, it was just a bush on the crowded south side of my house.

What are you planting?

I never understood why some people hug trees. Until today. As I stood on the lockdown side of my kitchen peering through dirty window panes at a drab flowerbed, I recognized something was missing in my spirit that closet cleaning and Zoom meetings can't reach.