Good morning from a slightly cool, beautiful California spring morning! This morning I went on my morning coffee stroll through the garden, and while I didn't think I had a blog post in me this morning, the garden sort of told me that I did. I took pictures of the veggie garden and then I remembered we'd had a dinner party and some cute pictures of our new pup, and then my weekly blog post began to take shape!

First important update: doggie is doing fine and settling in so well.  He has his issues as all rescue dogs surely do, but he is a gem of a dog and is doing better with each day. He is very much feeling at home in the house and garden. At first he didn't really care to go in the back yard, but now that he understands that he can be inside or outside as he chooses, he is spending more and more time outdoors. I think next week we'll introduce him to the doggie door.

We have named him Biscuit as one reader suggested. It fits him so well and was approved by all, most importantly approved by our grandson. We read and loved the Biscuit books when he was little so that was a factor, but also that his coloring is that of a tasty biscuit sealed it!

The pink dahlia bed.

In the foreground are the gold straight zucchinis and the pole beans in the back are Emerates and Seychelles.

The cucumber bed has two varieties: "Cornichon" and "Pickle". Both are great to pick small or medium size, and both do equally well for fresh eating or pickling.

Sweet peas in the pot and tomato bed #2 in the background.

Main tomato bed.

• Tomato varieties this year: 
• REDS: Two each of Mortgage Lifter and Big Beef. One Whopping Red (new to us this year), one Better Boy.
• CHERRIES: One Sungold and one Black Cherry
• PINK: Two Brandywine, one Momotaro (new to us this year)
• YELLOW/ORANGE: Two Kellogs Breakfast, two Pineapple and one Momotaro Gold (new)
• BLACKS: Two Black Krim, One Cherokee Purple and one Black Zebra and one Carbon

Climbing New Dawn in bud.

This is the teak table and chairs I found for free from the side of the road. It sits at the end of the garden, under the shade of the olive tree.

At the back of the garden is the greenhouse that still needs a big spring clean. This sturdy teak bench is another freebie! Found around the corner with a free sign!

Climbing First Prize--next week it will explode!

Herbs grow in the brick planters surrounding the family room patio.

The family room patio is the one we most frequently use.

I like to keep flowers on the coffee table on the patio. This week it's the magnificent peonies!

We think he is part jackrabbit.

We have put beds everywhere: in our bedroom, family room, kitchen, outside by the kitchen door and one on the patio. He loves to cuddle in his beds, yes, but his favorite cuddle bed of all is a lap. We've only had big dogs prior to this, and laps and furniture were obviously off limits to a 110 lb. German Shepherd, but we had to rethink this rule when a 20 lb. dog entered our life.

He’s part whippet, and I’ve since learned that the breed is known for being quiet, gentle, friendly, and wonderfully cuddly—often called a “velcro dog.” He’s also very intelligent and sensitive, so a little gentle correction once or twice and he gets it. Dogs love being part of a pack, and we are clearly Biscuit’s new pack. He seems to simply want to understand his place and the rules, and once he does, he’s perfectly content to follow along. What a good dog.

And as it turns out, we’re pretty smart too—it only took him a few days to train us what our laps are actually meant for.

We had a small dinner party last week to welcome new neighbors to the street (big street wide welcome party to happen in June) and served this salmon recipe. It was delicious and simple but if you make it, I had to bake it twice as long as the recipe--possibly because I had two salmon instead of one. I also served green salad, asparagus, rice, and edamame for appetizer. Such an easy dinner but perfectly light and bright for spring!

Our days have been busy, and dinners have reflected that—simple, quick, and light, like this chicken fajita dish. It's good to get back into the rhythm of spring. The garden is growing, dinners are simple, and Biscuit has claimed every available lap—life is good.

Before I go, daily I'm taking pictures of our wisteria putting on the most magnificent show of its life! Post soon.  Also, a reader suggested I make a simple "map" of my backyard. My pictures can't show the whole story. I've always wanted to do that and so I thank you for the suggestion. I'm going to give it a go.

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