Notes from my patio

Grampa Don said:
I'm in Fullerton, so, very close to your old home. We originally had redwood grapestake fence. The posts kept rotting away so we went for concrete.

I'm kind of overwhelmed by the responses. I didn't expect that many. Thank you all.

My wife liked wind chimes, so we had a few. I still have 3 of them.

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I've patched them up over the years. The bamboo one clacks, the big one gongs and the little one tinkles. I'm 15 miles from the ocean and usually about noon an onshore breeze kicks in. I like them. When we get a strong Santa Ana wind from the mountains, they really clatter.
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Those are so nice. :)
I love wind chimes too. And I miss the Santa Anas. 🌬
 
Grampa Don said:
There's an old fruitless mulberry tree in the back yard.

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It was there when we bought the house in '67. I remember scolding my oldest son for trying to climb it because it was so small. I fell out of it once while pruning. I kicked the ladder out of the way and fell flat on my face. It knocked me cold. My younger son heard the ladder fall and found me. The paramedics hauled me to emergency where they took xrays found nothing wrong. Luckily I didn't fall on the saw I was holding in my hand. I got a safety lecture from my wife.

When my granddaughter came along I hung a swing from it that she loved. I enjoyed it too.
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Oh my goodness! Such an adventure!
 

Most people I know don’t like Geraniums, and as I live in a very dry part of Australia

( SA the driest state in Aust )

I never understand why , I love them and have about 20 in pots and in the garden I think that are beautiful , @Grampa Don

not many seem to plant colourful plants anymore , ~ its more like ugly dry / half dead grass like plants , I like a little colour and greenery …no one plants lawn anymore ..so many gardens are dry and arid

Your backyard looks so relaxing Don

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Kadee said:
Most people I know don’t like Geraniums, and as I live in a very dry part of Australia

( SA the driest state in Aust )

I never understand why , I love them and have about 20 in pots and in the garden I think that are beautiful , @Grampa Don

not many seem to plant colourful plants anymore , ~ its more like ugly dry / half dead grass like plants , I like a little colour and greenery …no one plants lawn anymore ..so many gardens are dry and arid

Your backyard looks so relaxing Don

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I found I have to keep them dead headed or they look messy.
 
I do as well @hearlady , I deadheaded a few yesterday ..they usually crumble easy …I’ve got one in particular that’s got dark/ brownish leaves and stunning huge apricot/ peach colour flowers ( in a white pot ) it looks stunning in my eyes :):)..I dead headed It yesterday ..and I never let mine grow over a foot tall I cut them back quite often..it they tend to get to “ leggy“ ~ untidy ….( I haven’t got any climbing/ hanging type , I’ve only got the bush type )
 
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Llynn said:
Are you are pipe smoker?
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I was a pipe smoker in my 20's and 30's. I quit then for health reasons. But, I kept the pipes. Now I'm in my 80's. About a year ago I thought about them and decided that at this stage of my life it was probably too late for smoking a pipe to make much difference. So, I tried them again.

I never smoke more than one bowl a day and not every day. I don't overdo it. I don't inhale. If I notice any health effects I will quit again. In the meantime I find it very pleasant and relaxing. I live alone and smoke outdoors so I'm not subjecting anyone else to the smoke.

I never smoked cigarettes and only a very occasional cigar.
 
Only one pomegranate on the tree this year. If the squirrels don't get it before it's ripe I'll give it to my son. He planted the tree on his 16th birthday, 40 years ago. The tree had blossoms this Spring, but only a few set fruit. Maybe there was a lack of pollinators. The squirrels got the rest of the fruit. Somehow they have missed this one so far. Here's a photo of a good year.

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Pomegranates are messy but fun to eat. The kids (me too) throw them hard on the ground to crack the outer shell, then pick them up and break them apart to reveal the ruby red berries inside. Then you pick the berries off the white membrane with your teeth, being careful not to get any of the bitter membrane. While doing this, try not to get any juice on your clothes because it stains really bad.

You can also score the shell with a knife and break the berries loose in a bowl of water if you want to be neat.
 
Grampa Don said:
Only one pomegranate on the tree this year. If the squirrels don't get it before it's ripe I'll give it to my son. He planted the tree on his 16th birthday, 40 years ago. The tree had blossoms this Spring, but only a few set fruit. Maybe there was a lack of pollinators. The squirrels got the rest of the fruit. Somehow they have missed this one so far. Here's a photo of a good year.

pom-ripe-small.jpg


Pomegranates are messy but fun to eat. The kids (me too) throw them hard on the ground to crack the outer shell, then pick them up and break them apart to reveal the ruby red berries inside. Then you pick the berries off the white membrane with your teeth, being careful not to get any of the bitter membrane. While doing this, try not to get any juice on your clothes because it stains really bad.

You can also score the shell with a knife and break the berries loose in a bowl of water if you want to be neat.
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Those are beautiful! So big and full. Reminds me of walking home in the San Fernando Valley, sneaking pomegranates from branches hanging over stone walls. :)
 
Now there's something I've never had in my lifetime... Pomegranates. Oh, I've had things like juices where it was an ingredient, but not the fruit itself... how exactly would you eat that? Just like an orange or grapefruit?
 
CallMeKate said:
Now there's something I've never had in my lifetime... Pomegranates. Oh, I've had things like juices where it was an ingredient, but not the fruit itself... how exactly would you eat that? Just like an orange or grapefruit?
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It's full of tiny little berries, each containing a seed. You eat them seed and all. The berries are packed tightly on a white membrane that's really bitter. The taste is very tart but sweet.
 

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