New plant "pets"

I bought seven little cuties at the cactus and succulent sale.


Sempervivum tectorum, because it was purpley.


No name on this one. I thought I was buying a cactus just like a pretty one I saw in one lady's wagon. Hers also had no name. The flowers on mine turned out to be different. Oh well, it's still cute.

Hawarthia-something. Maybe H. cooperi-something. I have developed a liking for these plants because of their fleshy, veiny, transluscent leaves. I found out after I brought this little guy home that it is a recent transplant with only very tiny new roots forming. This after I accidently picked it right out of the gravel!

Echeveria setosa. 'Cause it's fuzzy.

Echeveria nodulosum. Or nodulosa. Whatever. If it lives, it should be quite attractive when it gets bigger.

This one had no name tag. The vendor said Gasteria. I searched online through many Gasteria cousins, and I think this is G. bicolor ssp liliputana (and does anyone else think Gasteria sounds like some sort of stomach ailment?)

This is Plectranthus socatrana. The leaves have a funny smell. Also they're fuzzy.

And they have attractively prominent veins on the undersides.

Bumper Sticker PSA

Jerry and I were running errands the other day. He was driving, so I was able to grab my camera from my purse and take this picture of the car ahead of us.

The most beautiful ice plant

Somehow I was sure I had posted here about these amazing little plants a couple of years ago, but I guess I didn't. I first saw them at the beach in 2008, and at the time, I only posted them on Flickr. I saw them yesterday at a different beach, but a little earlier in the year, so they were blooming. This plant is called Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, commonly known as ice plant, and it's an invasive. I don't care. I love these things. Go look at my whole Flickr set.

All suited up

Boomer's support harness finally came the other day. After some tweaking and manipulating of the various straps, I was able to fit it on him reasonably well. We tested it out, and he had no trouble wearing it while he did his business. Both businesses, actually. And Business #2 is what he has the most trouble with. The squatting. Technically, he doesn't need assistance to do that ...yet, but it gives me peace of mind to know that I now have a way to help him when he does need it. There are many mobility aids on the market, but few have the rear end support that this one does.

Summer Harvest

I've got enough home grown veggies to fill a little basket, and for the first time in ages, we had sun at mid-day yesterday, for a bright and beautiful photo.



Don't let the brand-name pickle jar fool you. These are my homemade pickles. I used the same basic method as I did for my favorite Mexican Pickled Carrots recipe, only with pickling spices, dill and garlic. I haven't tasted them yet, but they smell good so far!

It's not summery enough for me

June Gloom has held over into July. It's overcast and chilly, not yet 70 degrees in the middle of the day. I have on long pants and socks. In July. I have a jacket on, for Pete's sake, and I'm having soup for lunch.

I shouldn't complain. I'm not, really. Just stating the facts. And the fact is, the warm weather is supposed to hit by this weekend. Before you know it, I'll be sweating, sleeping on top of the covers with the fan blowing directly at me, and doing some serious complaining.