Holding steady, clear skies

 By holding steady that means nothing has died. The weather has been nippy at night and chilly despite sunshine during the day. Definitely sweater weather but not overcast or even a hint of rain coming any time soon.

Sky wasn't quite that blue but the shading is right. Clear bright days with a little breeze or light wind so typical for SoCal winter. We usually get the heavier rains in January and February so here's hoping, or it's going to be a really dry winter this year. Last time we had flooding rains was about 14 years ago. Yes we had some serious rain this year but it was not for the winter season.

I got out and dug around in the raised bed to see if it was dry and sure enough, damp dirt only about a half inch down then dry. Slog out the hose... dig around some more and ..... made a disgusting discovery using my bare hand. Yep, it was cats that had been using the dry dirt for a litter box. EEEWWW! Scooped it out with the trowel and just used the water to wash my hand off until I could go upstairs. Tossed the various bits over toward the compost buckets because I had no plastic bag to transport the poop. It stank for a while but didn't smell anything today.

Surprisingly, the radishes have survived. Actually growing true leaves now so that's a bonus. Still need to put out some more lettuce seed and some more cilantro as well. The largest one in the raised bed is looking great. Once again hoping to get at least two or three bags of soil to drop in that bed but have to wait a bit since the cilantro and onions still need a bit more growth before using.

Honestly surprised about the radishes. Thought for sure they were goners even with watering immediately after transplanting them. If I want my smaller Easter Egg variety I have to go to an actual nursery as my usual free source is closed. The main library here is closed for refurbishing and new roof until January 5. All they have is a bookmobile out front so I can wait a little longer, not like the weather is going to break into Summer suddenly in the next week or so.

I heard both a Mourning Dove and Eurasian Dove yesterday as well as one of the hawks. It's good to hear the birds again and a hummingbird checked me out through the window yesterday. It apparently rests on a branch of the Jacaranda which as a view right at me but it flew up to the window, chirped once then when I looked at it, took off. Of course, because they're like that.

I've been doing more cooking and blogging over on my other page since there isn't much to do in the garden this time of year and it'll switch back when the weather warms and I do more gardening than oven and stove cooking.

But that's the way of things right? All in it's own season.