Under the Solano Sun

It was not my intention to be surrounded by spider plants in my home. I don’t dislike spider plants, but they aren’t my first choice for a houseplant, perhaps because I grew up in an era where spider plants were everywhere, from festooning macrame plant hangers to growing outside under a local Monterey…

I bought my house in November 2004.  The property would have brought a gleam into the eyes of any potential male owner as it had a huge RV pad with a double-wide gate and space for not only an RV, but a fishing boat to boot!  Since I had neither of the above, I have had to adapt.  Over…

After watching an old, extra-large birdcage sitting on my side yard for years,  just rusting, I decided to try to make it beautiful again by planting it with flowering vines and other plants. I knew this would be a challenging but very fun project, as it needed paint and a lot of TLC. On day one, I…

In mid-June, we had another opportunity to visit the Oregon Gardens in Silverton, Oregon.  We were able to go in early to enjoy the beauty. This time, what caught my eye in the morning light was a small tree with lime-green leaves.  It was covered in puffy plumes.  Even my non-gardening…

I’ve always been fascinated by plants. As a young child, I wandered my neighborhood in Hayward, California, admiring colorful flowers and the insects that were attracted to them. As an older child in New Jersey, I played among the whimsical columbine and watched in wonder when the first crocus emerged in the…