after the rain

March 12, 2016



Good Saturday mornin' to ya!  A hour ago I dodged the raindrops to survey the good and the bad after our big rainstorms.  I don't need a crystal ball to see what I'll be doing this next month. 

The Good News:
  • everything is glorious green
  • wisteria, roses, hydrangeas and peonies are all in big fat bud
  • the herbs and fruit trees are right on schedule
  • our local reservoirs are filling and the Sierra snow pack is great.  Thank you El Nino. 
  • the recent storms have made us feel brave enough to plant a vegetable garden
 The Bad News:
  • weeds and moss everywhere, e v e r y w h e r e !!
  • a leaky pipe discovered
  • a gopher discovered
  • rampant ivy overgrowth
There's more good news than bad, and really, the bad is just par for this time of year.  The rain has been beyond wonderful and we are supposed to get even more, and if rain means weeds and moss, I guess I can put up with them.  

Last week I took a train ride from my home in Northern California to Southern California (then back again) on the Coast Starlight--a train I love to death:  the seats are super comfy, the views cannot be beat and a long train ride means 8 hours each way of quality knitting time.  Train knitting is the best.  I visited my daughter who is a bit of a mad scientist in the kitchen and she fixed some super scrumpy dinners which I'll share soon.  She also told me about the Mississippi Pot Roast, which is apparently super popular all over the internet with all the cool moms making it, but I'd never heard of it.  She could not believe that and swears it's good and that her daddy would love it.  Guess what's cooking in the crock pot today?  (Edited on Sunday morning to add:  the pot roast was indeed delicious.  It is salty though, so don't add any extra salt.  I served it with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots and we had plenty of the meat juices to serve alongside.  This is one of the better crock-pot meals.)

Enjoy my Saturday morning pics and have a great weekend!



























Now from the garden to last week's train trip:  here's some shots of the Pacific from my window.  I don't arrive back home until after 8:00 PM.  My husband picks me up at the Amtrak station in San Jose, and right around the corner is Henry's Hi-Life Bar where we always stop to share a fantastic platter of ribs.



I'm knitting Lisa Richardson's Montreal with Rowan Kidsilk Haze.


Click here to make a comment.


You Might Also Like

22 Comments

  1. Lovely photos! I so enjoy your blog, and have done so for years. I have to comment on Henry's Hi Life ... it was our "special occasion" outing while attending Santa Clara many, many, many years ago. Thanks for the memories!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Henry's Hi-Life is such a fantastic find! It doesn't matter what day we go--and we always arrive late--but the place is hopping!

      Delete
  2. For once I have a little green outside my window when you post your spring pictures! I actually have tulips up about an inch or so, and it was over 60 today, very unusual and a little weird for here, but I am not complaining! Started in on spring clean up, even though more snow in the forecast for next week. I love your moss, can you believe we planted it between pavers on our patio? Mixed success, I'm afraid. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Virginia. No, I cannot imagine planting moss! Like baby tears, moss is so beautiful, but both of them can take over the garden so quickly. We are constantly fighting the battle and never win but only hold our ground occasionally. Both baby tears and moss grow "wild" in the shady spots. Our last house was completely shaded on one side by an enormous 400 year old oak. We had moss, grass and wildflowers growing on our roof. While is looked charming, it was a constant battle!

      Delete
  3. Travel knitting is the best!

    ReplyDelete
  4. All the way from Germany: last year we drove along the Californian coast, and I got lots of knitting time in the passenger seat, the view plus my needles...don't think I've been that relaxed before ☀️☺️ California and knitting go so well together, who'd have thought...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed your visit to California. Many people don't realize how popular knitting is in the US, but especially in California. There is a great yarn shop in my town, and two very nearby towns have knitting shops too. I've heard of women going to 8 yarn shops in one day and just covering a few miles!

      We were in Germany last October visiting with friends who live in Wiesbaden. We were squired around in their car and I happily enjoyed the sights with the knitting on my lap! BTW, I love German food, too much!

      Delete
  5. beautiful photos- I thought I was experiencing an English private garden!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! Rain can work miracles indeed if it can make my California garden look like an English garden! Maybe trick photography!

      Delete
  6. Yeah for the rain! Your garden does look very English right now....miss and green everywhere! As train enthusiasts....I can't think of anything better than 8 hours on the train, knitting.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful pictures. I envy you and your lovely gardens. My husband has his horticultural degree. When I show him your pictures of your gardens, he drools. Haha!
    Happy Sunday here!
    Leslie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, that is so nice to hear! We've got another day here of good solid rain and I cannot tell you how nice it is to wake up to gray skies and the sound of rain!

      Delete
  8. Hi, Kristin - Thank you for the train info and the beautiful garden pictures. I'm afraid I don't have your energy regarding gardening but I always take note of your dinner recipes. The Food website does not mention whether to set your crockpot to high or low for this particular recipe. I wonder what you set yours at. I can't wait to try it. Thanks! Chloe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Chloe. The crockpot is set on low for 8 hours. I think I will amend my post to add that it was delicious!

      Delete
  9. Hi Kristen!
    Where can I find that pattern you are working on? I LOVE Kidsilk Haze and I love to knit anything with it.
    Thank you!!
    Tina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tina

      Thank you! It's Montreal by Lisa Richardson and you can purchase the pattern at this link: http://www.knitrowan.com/designs-and-patterns/patterns/montreal

      To purchase the pattern you must first log into the knitrowan site. If you are not a member, just sign up, it's free and they don't sell your email address or bug you with emails-- just one newsletter a month with a free pattern.

      The colors she used are awesome, but I felt they were a little young for me. Also, the pattern uses Rowan Mohair Haze which I love, but I had some Kidsilk Haze in my stash and was able to get gauge, so I switched. Also, it's a short dress/tunic and I will be wearing it as a tunic.

      Delete
  10. We love all of that green, don't we! Beautiful photos.
    Carole

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love your photos of the rain,don't you love how fresh and clean everything looks? Back in Texas we finally had a good dousing after a dry and warmer winter. Everything is budding and pollen was everywhere. I'm spending Spring Break in Albuquerque with my sisters and family. They loved all the goodies I made for them, hats, scarves, etc. Amid all the activity this week, we are going to the LYS today so I can get my "fix!"

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for sharing all that green! My plants are just starting to break the spill here in SD

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for sharing all that green! My plants are just starting to break the spill here in SD

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, your garden is certainly looking gorgeous! My plants are just sucking up the rain water after the long drought! Have a wonderful time in So Cal!!!!

    ReplyDelete

You make my day when you make a comment!

Labels

afghan Alana Dakos ally pally ambassador Amy Herzog Ankestrick Arte Italica baby Baby Cocktails bakelite baking berry picking Best Friday of the Month best of Ravelry Big Sur blue transferware book review books boutique brook cables California candy child children children's activities Christmas Christmas crafts Christmas knitting cleaning collections cookie cutters cookies cooking craft Crafts crochet cross-stitch day trip decluttering decorating designer spotlight discount diy dog dolls Easter eau de vie Elizabeth Bradley Elizabeth Zimmerman embroidery entertaining Facebook fall fall decorating fall garden family featured first car fit flower arranging flowers free pattern Friday night party group friends funny Fur garden gardening Giants Gifted Hostess give-away giveaway gluten free gourmet group Halloween herbs holiday home how to set up a party group jewelry Kaffe Fassett KAL Kim Hargreaves kitting Knit Picks knitting laundry Le Jacquard Francais Little French Knits Los Altos lunch Mailbu Making Things Marie Wallin Martin Storey menu minimalism money talk mosaic movies my house my patterns my town nails needlepoint needles October challenge Octoberfest ollalie organizing original design outdoor seating owl party prep pear peg dolls pies pomegranates poncho preview quilting recipe recycling redwork review roses Rowan San Francisco Sarah Hatton sewing shawl shopping shower social media softie spring spring garden stash Stitches West summer summer garden summer knitting Sunday Morning Swans Island table setting test test knit Thanksgiving Three Irish Girls TNNA tomatoes top 10 list toys travel tutorial twinning ufo Uncommon Threads vacation Valentine vegetable garden videos wedding winter garden wip Woolfolk yarn yarn for sale Ysolda