Update

I'm not here much at the computer, but we're staying quite busy.

I'm not sure what's going on with our calabaza vine. It's in the pumpkin family and has quite a few developing fruits that are larger, but the small ones I see trying to develop at the ends of the vines will initially make a small fruit, but then turn yellow practially overnight and simply fall off. We are trying to water consistently in this drought and I'm not sure what is happening to the small calabazas in those crucial developing stage...the ones that make it past that seem to be fine.

Doing well at the moment are the limes we planted in the ground, the jujube we planted out, and the moringas. Bermuda has overtaken everything crop-wise in the ground except for the purple hull peas...I've got to say they've outrun even the Bermuda! The snap beans we had such high hopes of harvesting are so far a disappointment. They are stressed, and have fingernail-size beans all over them that don't seem to be growing further. Arghh! But hey, we're learning.

Jack's doing regular digging and raising our yard level in certain spots by hand...which takes time. So far the kiwi vine and the grapevine are soldiering along.

We found that clustering the pots works much better for most our plants still in containers. We're only using our containers to raise plants to a stage that can be transplanted safely, but we do have a cluster of very small trees/shrubs that we're not disturbing simply because in their center are our two small figs that have NEVER done well for us until this year. They like to be snuggled in the protection of the other plants and are loaded with small figs this year. We're waiting till they finish fruiting, and then we'll move the surrounding plants into the ground, except for a few that need to remain in containers a while longer, which we'll snuggle up to the in-ground transplants in the meantime at their new locations because they seem to benefit from not standing alone.

We're noticing an upsurge of pollinators now in comparison with a couple months ago. yay!

We renewed the seed in the bird feeder for the first time since we initially moved here. We had decided at one point not to go with the feeders when we thought we'd be relocating soon. Be we have no timeframe for relocating at present, so that's why so many of the potted plants are going into the ground, and I noticed the birds visit the garden a lot. After reading in Gaia's Garden, I feel good about putting out treats for our feathered friends. They're my favorite entertainment in the cool of the early morning or evening, and if I'm still enough, they feed rather close without seeming worried. I think they forget I'm there when I've very still, because yesterday an adolescent cardinal that's still being beak-fed by its parents flew off from the feeder and sat only a foot away from me on the wheelbarrow handle, completely unaware I was that close. I love those moments!

I'm off to do some more things on the list...just checking in :)

Thank you to the many friends here who sent your comments and thoughts our way at the loss of my friend last week. I pulled the post after a couple days because I felt that it was too personal to leave up, but your words were lovely and I appreciate your friendship across the miles :)