Picture of the week.

Piper, aka Frankenstein, born with cataracts, attacked by a dog and lost an eye, broken jaw in two places, large laceration on the top of his head, blind as a bat, and still purrs every time you touch him.......

A single moment

A moment from the week that captures a memory I wish to hold on to.

In this case Keaton's sixth grade graduation, full of laughter and goofiness which is so unlike him to do in front of the camera.

How does my garden grow?

I understand the appeal of spring. The darkness of winter(I know being from Southern California I'm one to complain) leads to a new beginning each year, as the process of renewal begins. It is my favorite time of year as the drudgery of repeaticious housecleaning is put aside, so that one can venture to the outdoors and begin to nurture things that will grow and prosper.

This year the experience has been extra thrilling due to the building of a new chicken coop, which influenced my hubby to become emotionally involved in my garden. It has been so good to work together and has allowed us to appreciate each other more.

Being in the suburbs we are so lucky to have such a big piece of land, those of you in other states can laugh at us, which also allows us to enjoy our passions. I love my chickens and garden, while hubby enjoys his barn that houses three antique John Deere tractors. One was his grandfathers, that he rode as a child, another is a friend of the familys, the third his great Uncles, all restored to their former glory. Rides through our suburb of Los Angeles have earned him the nickname "the John Deere tractor guy!"

My amazing hubby roto tilled my garden

Roxy goes nose to nose with a Mason bee in the lavender

One of the several trips made to the lower yard each morning and each time Berkly has to take a dip in the pool.

The newly finished, the sign just went up yesterday, chicken coop my hubby built.

Mornings in the garden are so serene.

My blackbird that never leaves the garden.

The back of our house from the garden.

The garden, chicken coop, and tractor barn.

My first attempt at rhubarb, I can't wait to experiment with it.

Many years ago I made stepping stones from tiles, even a favorite teapot that was chipped and broken became one. I still use them today.

My jalapeño is the first thing producing and it will be salsa this weekend.

Nothing prettier than a row of peppers, minus the sprouting weeds of course.

My hubby thought I was crazy when I told him I could reuse the bedsprings from our sons Ikea bed. After they were painted and staked in the garden with old drapery rods and finials, he thought they looked great as cucumber and tomato trellises.

Growing small things, like radishes, in galvanized tubs allows me to keep a watchful eye on them. I also use the tubs for lettuce, which in California the sun becomes too much for them, so I have been known to put an umbrella over to shade them.

My blackberry has already started bearing fruit, a replacement to the huge grapevine we had encircling the garden that died for some unknown reason.

Can you tell which chicken is top of the pecking order. Wilma is SO bossy!!!!!

Most would consider Morning Glories weeds as they are so prolific. But I LOVE them, our last chicken coop was covered in them and I hope this little start will also (I also have planted some red ones). The nice thing is the chickens love them and spend a large amount of time trying to get to ones lying just outside their reach.

Berkly just waiting to "retrieve" a chicken or two.

Taken from the back of the barn, our chickens are in heaven protected from the wind and predators.

FarmVille USA meets southern California.

Pinterest got me painting pots this weekend and brightened the patio where we spend so much of our time.

Tomato explosion. This refugee spent the whole winter on the patio and came back with a ton of cherry tomatoes.

Too hot to grow peas in the garden, I find that when grown in a slightly shady spot on the patio they do quite well.

That is of course if you can refrain from popping the young peas Into your mouth.

One of my favorite things ever is the pizza oven my hubby surprised me several years ago from Italy. The grapes growing on it will someday be our own wine.

Thanks for taking a tour of my garden with me. I hope you come back when everything is in its full regalia.

A snapshot of life.

In the spirit of soulemamma a picture capturing the week. However in this case these weren't my pictures but ones taken by my niece Cara, of my nephews family, Marc, Monique and my great niece Aubrey. Although I couldn't settle on just one because each captures a different personality......look close at the one with the three of them with Gpops and you might, if you believe, see the spirit of my sister, Denise standing with them.

A reality check

Today as I was working in my garden I thought of a question regarding tomatoes that I needed to ask my dad, the king of tomato growing. Then I realized that never again can I ask him a question.........that was hard moment.

A definition of love

Last night my hubby called me from a layover. He had just finished having dinner with the copilot and one of the flight attendants at a great restaurant in Edmonton British Columbia. He stated it was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen. Then he told me that whilst in the middle of this dinner he realized the one thing missing, was me. He wanted to be able to turn to me next to him and share it and that it felt much less special without me there. It was then he said, that he realized this was a definition of love to him.........as it is too me also.

A few of my favorite kitchen things.

Today Censational girl has a link up for kitchen gadgets. I can't say I have any certain tools that make my life easier, but I do have some great kitchen items that make cooking so much more enjoyable. Such as........

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!! The mixer my parents gave and now that I blinged it, it is a decorative element in the kitchen as well.

These Mason jars, my maiden name, came from a collection that my dad had assembled for my mom. Some from his work travels, some from my Grandma Jenkins, and some from his mom, my Grandmother Mason. I love using them for practical purposes such as panko breadcrumbs, sugar and granola. I keep the labels that were in them, such as "found in Lola's basement 1971, taped to the bottom.

A pitcher I have had for years, again from grandmother, perfect for holding whisks.

As it can be seen I have a thing for containers, I buy them without even knowing what they will be used for and I change their contents often.

Lemons look beautiful in a scared and chipped bowl that has been in our family for generations.

And why put eggs from my chickens away, when they present such a beautiful still life in a farm basket

I love rolling pins, they have such history behind them. Mine especially. One is from my husbands family, one from my maternal grandmother and one from my paternal grandmother. Hers came with a note that it was made for her, by her father, for her wedding present in 1921. It is the least round of them all, but I use it the most. Also the rack was a gift from two of my sisters. Supposedly a wine rack they saw its potential, since my one sister recently passed away it holds special memories. P.s. the wall is not crooked it is my photo taking abilities that is.

Not so old, but I can't live without my daily dose of expresso.

My husband hates this knife rack as he says it will someday decapitate the dog because I angled it to fit the wall. No headless dogs yet and it is so much easier then searching for the right knife in a drawer.

Many years ago I found these old solid wood panel doors that my neighbor was throwing away, I made several of these chalkboards I use mine often.

I use to try to keep all my clutter in drawers, but then they don't seem to be used as often and are much harder to find. So now I use this galvanized tiered tray to hold my gadgets and dodahs. My tablespoons are held in a glass that was originally made for that purpose, I also have the matching milk pitcher and butter dish, from my great grandmother. The several salt cellars are from friends, for even though I don't think there is a big difference between tastes of different salts, there is a difference in consistency.