Garden

We have really been utilizing our little back porch to grow lots of fun things! Ben and I even made some planters out of concrete, they turned out pretty cool. Every time Ben goes out of town I buy one more plant, and its getting a little crowded out there! :) We have plans when he gets home to build a BIG garden down below our deck where we can grow all sorts of things.

One of the planters we made

Side View

 

I didn't realize how many tomatoes this tree would produce. We've already eaten a few, so far I think I've counted a little more than 30!

Green Peppers

See that little pepper starting?!

Lime Tree!

Mint

Our friend Stacy (who normally lives here) had to go back to Florida for awhile and she gave us her plants. We have her rosemary, thyme and an orchid that we have sitting inside. I thought I killed her orchid the first time I was watching it, all the flowers started falling off. I felt terrible! Turns out they only bloom once a year :)

Snapdragons, my newest purchase

Here is a view of our porch. We have another planter hanging off that has basil and stevia...but they're not doing so hot. Inchworms took over that planter, and really did a number. Hoping they come back!

 

 

See that hummingbird feeder? It didn't take them long at all to find it. Every time I try to get a picture of one they fly away...one day!

  

And just because these were too pretty not to take home from the store!

Colorado or BUST!

Thursday night I left CA and headed to Colorado to see my best friend from high school. We have the same birthday month and have been celebrating together for many years! It was so nice to finally see what Boulder is all about.

Smallest airport!

Gorgeous views on Friday mornings walk

Sunflowers!

Mags and I

Mags and I tailgating at the CU football game

View from the stadium

Another birthday in the books!

Some of Maggies bridesmaids!

Snuggled up with Maggie May!

Short, But Sweet

Last weekend we rode with STAR Touring & Riding, Chapter 123, a group that Ben used to ride with frequently when he lived out here before. We met at the Yamaha dealership in Encinitas to get a little debriefing and to meet the current members. Generally there are significant others who ride with their husbands, but due to the fact they went on a long ride last weekend I was the only woman on this trip. I didn't mind too much :)

"Big Steve" sent out an email to the group after the ride with some details of the trip...see below!

"Short, but sweet.  That was the ride today.  Welcome to four new riders.  Well, sort of.  Bob and Brian were first time riders.  Ben and Alyssa rode with us way back in 2005 and are now back with us.  (Well, Ben rode back in 05, I was graduating from HS, ha!) And speaking of “long time, no see” it was absolutely fantastic to have Mighty Mike (this guy was awesome!) and Gunny back with us today.  I have missed you guys! 

 

Yes, it was hot today.  For probably the first time in history, we wheeled out of NCY right at nine o’clock.  We rode up Old 395 to 76 and stopped briefly at Pala (which in an Indian Reservation north east of where we live).  Then it was out 76, passed Lake Henshaw, and then over Mesa Grande to Santa Ysabel.  After lunch, in the interest of safety and due to the extreme heat, we headed home.  We were back at NCY by one o’clock. When I got home, my patio thermometer registered 101; and that felt cool compared to when we rode through Ramona earlier."

 

Overall it was a beautiful ride and fun to be with other people, even though the tandem riding made me a little nervous!

Coast Drive & Sunset

Two Saturdays ago we took the bike up 101 through all the beach towns. We brought the DSLR with us and were able to get some cool shots even though we were moving!

Here are a few pictures Ben took of the gorgeous sunset from our street! We get some really amazing sunsets here!