Sunday snippets

In the last few days, between times of rest, and self-care for the cranky shoulder, there has been a fair amount of walkabout, as walking is both free, healthful, and a good antidote to boredom. While out doing errands and replenishing the fridge, I stopped in at the Hollywood Library (the one with the big wall mural of all the Beverly Cleary neighborhoods) and noticed this stained glass window in the entryway.

There are all kinds of flowers blooming round about the cottage; eventually 'twould be great to actually plant some, but I've a grateful heart for the robust and feral beauty that comes my way. Near the front door, this foxglove sent up a spike between the branches of the harlequin glorybower. Hopefully it will seed more fox cubs around the doorway, as they are lovely in shady places.

Today next to the henyard, a different color of red caught my eye, must have been planted by the squirrels, or some wild bird...

Two years ago, the young Akane looked like this, and now, while it is still not even five feet tall, it has branches, and several apples!

Started laying down cardboard in the old henyard, to keep down weeds 'till garden beds can be built. Looked up, and saw all these unripe plums!! There is a feral plum tree sapling growing wedged in the narrow space (about a foot wide) between the back of the shed and the chainlink fence, and it is getting larger every year. If the wild critters don't get them all, I might have some of my favorite fruit growing within reach...

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On the way home, my down the street neighbor Misty was out on her front porch with friends and housemates, and we chatted for a while. She warned me that she had lost a chicken the day before to a big raccoon, and to be careful.

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On Thursday night C stopped by on her trip south and stayed overnight here at the Acorn Cottage BnB, allowing her to head out rested in the morning, and us to have some visiting time, which happens all too rarely these days. Lots of good talk ensued, and as she is the Queen of Dairy Products, there are two small tubs of fresh goat cheese, and homemade feta currently on hand to enjoy. She also encouraged me to try making my own yoghurt - it sounds both frugal and relatively simple. Sometime in the next few weeks I may attempt to earn the Resiliency Ranger badge for dairy product 101... homemade Greek-style yoghurt.

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For the last few months I've been exploring online sources to help with my desire to become more prepared for various potential futures. There are blogs and websites all along the spectrum from sensible to strange, from everyday to extreme. I find that there are folks who have sensible advice and all sorts of useful information; one blog that I check regularly is The Apartment Prepper. Bernie has written a book, The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster, and my copy to review just arrived in yesterday's post. I'm curious to see where I am doing well and to get ideas for ways to improve. Stay tuned for a book report soon...