It did rain!

 Started raining around 10pm last night and stopped before the sun came up. The ground is very thoroughly wet which means, so is the garden. Hardly any wind came up before I went to bed, maybe a good stiff breeze but nothing noticeable. The windchimes downstairs usually tell us when there's a good wind going on.

While the rest of the country back east is socked in with snow, we are thrilled to have what rain the skies give us. Oh yeah, and the gophers are still undermining the compost. The potting soil I put in the raised bed is nice and wet which means the leaves below are going to be soaked as well. All good for the garden!

This is the size container I'm using for scraps. So today it was apple peel, pear core, potato peels, egg shell and other bits of onion and tomato. I dumped that on the pile, noticed flies flitting around and stirred everything really well. The hole from the gopher was very deep, could lose my trowel in it so I just dug everything through. I suspect that there is getting to be more dirt than compost but if it enhances the dirt underneath it's still good.

On our way out to the store yesterday I noticed a hummingbird hovering near a nandina bush then saw why.

Despite going down the stairs and back up twice today, I forgot it was there. This at the bottom of the stair landing and there she is making a nest right there in the open. I tried to peek into the nest but wasn't sure if I was seeing feathers or little fuzzy chicks. Didn't stay too long so she could get back to sitting on it. Yay! With the downstairs neighbor having full feeders all the time I think this little lady is a regular in our section of the complex.

Beautiful weather right now, birds are flitting around, I heard the hawks returning to the nest this morning. I think I even heard doves at some point so as far as our end of the world is concerned... it's Spring!  Not even the end of the year yet guys, the worst weather usually comes in January so we'll see how that works out. 

I hear the rooster from next door and up at the front of the complex. Since we're in an unincorporated little pocket area I guess having roosters is allowed but not in the surrounding area. Years ago San Diego had a law pass that chickens were allowed in certain areas and you had to have distances from buildings and all that as well as not allowing roosters due to noise. Just looked at the ordinance and it has to be with an unattached single family home and in the back of the property. Well... guess who's breaking all the rules there? At the front of the property, the houses are attached I think, maybe they're just row houses so they really don't have a yard other than the front. I bet you anything they don't clean up the runs or the chicken house either on a regular basis. I'm glad we're at the back of the complex.

Anyway, chickens are a lot of work, stinky and have pokey beaks and feet. I much prefer ducks. They waddle, they quack, don't crow like a rooster, just as stinky and they need a pool at least but they just seem to be more fun. The eggs are slightly larger and better for you too. If I ever get a property, gonna have ducks. Chickens always look either totally confused or angry and will peck at you even if you're feeding them. Ducks just give you this look like they're just as confused but they're willing to just go have fun.

So new year in three days and will see what the coming months bring.