A few pictures here and there

 Living in a climate that is considered 'temperate/tropical' has it's perks and confusions. We get roses blooming spring and fall because that's what the weather does.

There's another one that's in bud but apparently I didn't take a picture of it or one good enough to post. This one I think is Fragrant Cloud, one of my favorite roses but if it opens and has other colors it might be Tiffany.

Another flower that blooms in the fall here is surprising enough, a tropical that people automatically equate with warmer temperatures.

Bird of Paradise

It's flowering season starts in October and runs through likely to December or January. I remember taking a trip to Massachusets twenty some years ago in October and was thrilled to be able to see actual fall color back there. When I returned to San Diego, this flower was greeting me at the airport parking lot and to top it off, a hummingbird visited it as I sat there. What an amazing world.

This is what fall is looking like where I am now. leaves all over the place and in the background, that bigger tree I've taken other photos of has leaves ankle deep. Well instead of blowing or raking them, the gardener just took the lawn mower and ran over them.

 Hard to make out unfortunately, but you can see his jeans and his straw hat pushing the lawn mower in the shade.

I mentioned bulbs the other day and I still haven't gotten to a garden place to pick any out but did notice that Paperwhites are coming up in a spot here but they won't bloom. I remember them last year and never saw a flower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paperwhites and fall leaves

Haven't been to the garden today so really should go check on the bean plant and see if there's a tomato that's ripe yet. I do realize now why the mint was doing so well when I first checked the garden area, it was coming out of full shade from the winter. It's a sorry sad situation for it right now and who knows, it might just start sprouting again despite the lack of care. 

 

Oh! I went for a walk at the local collection of percolation lakes, Santee Lakes and there were pelicans!

Pelicans!

 

 They were patrolling the shallows for mosquito fish and as we walked, they kept ahead of us and finally cruised away from the shore as we passed and then came back. Coots all over the place, saw some Merganser ducks and a few small Egrets. Absolutely beautiful day for a walk and the sounds and air were wonderful. That is until we got to the parking lot that the ducks and coots liked to frequent...ahem... power wash that please! I don't know if this is a regular little group of pelicans that visit here in the winter but they are quite a distance from any ocean I can tell you. 

So that's all there is so far. Not much exciting as usual and still a waiting game on the garden.