Some time ago we deplanted a pathetic peach tree from the side of our hill, with the intent to replace it. We finally got around to that today.

Shelley's going to start biking to work some soon, so we did a test route for her this morning. On the way back we stopped at Krispy Kreme, then at the local nursery and bought a jacaranda tree -- they blssom into a wonderful purpleness this time of year, like those shown in the photo taken at the Huntington Gardens.



The fallen blossoms, although beautiful for a little while, look like a pain to clean out of the lawn, so putting the tree on the hillside pre-empts that problem.


After the planting I mixed up a big batch of fast-setting concrete and filled in four large gaps where two of our retaining walls join at an angle. The gaps would make it impossible to apply stucco, so that's the first step on that project.

Some of the 'crete was leftover, so I packed it around the leaking sprinkler pipe. With luck that will stop the leak and we'll be done with that stinking project and get the pile of dirt off our sidewalk and back into its hole!



Much of the afternoon was spent in the hammock, reading about saffron (that vagabond spice).

Perfect temperatures, slight breeze, shade.

Awwww yeah.