The elusive dream... a good nights sleep.

I dont know about you, but working in the garden tires me out! Some days, I just drag in the door and look incredulously at my darling husband when he, for some reason wants to have a nice dinner. Not dinner out or take out, but a real dinner cooked by me. I'm already cooked by the end of the day! some days, gardening uses muscles I didn't realize I had.

Even so, when I can finally drop my head onto the pillow, sleep does not necessarily follow, even exhaused as I am.  Even worse, is when I wake up several times in the night wondering what else I need to do or didn't do that I should have or will tomorrow.  As I get older, this sleep thing comes harder. I think that I dont function as well as I could when I don't get enough sleep.

I have tried lots of methods to induce a sound sleep, but they all seem to fail. I was thinking about going to a sleep clinic, but so expensive and time consuming. So I was really excited to  learn of a new device that allows you to track your own sleep patterns and daily habits and how they correlate, so you can improve your quality of sleep. This new device is available at Amazon. Its called a  Zeo Personal Sleep Coach. 

It is a little wireless device that has a headband you wear to bed that tracks your sleep patterns. they also have an online program that helps you intrepret the information and make lifestyle changes that will improve your sleep. Amazon has a neat video on how this thing works. You should check it out if you or anyone you know has any sleep issues. I have ordered it and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. I will let you know how it works for me.

Has Edison Got a Secret Agenda?

Got our electric bill last friday.  I wasnt looking forward to the bill, because it has been so humid lately that we have been running the air conditioner in both the house and office. I was shocked when I saw the bill. It was at least half of last months bill!

Hmmm... the game is afoot!  I went out and read our meter and of course, the reading they billed for was off, by at least 1,000!! so I called up Edison and demanded they bill me more.

Crazy you ask? Not so much.  See with the tiered rates, If I waited until they catch up the bill next month, I will be paying for those units at a much higher rate. The lady at Edison said I was one in a million.

Talking with my neighbor, THEIR electric bill was lots cheaper too! Now either we have a really stupid meter reader, or... perhaps this is a plot by Edison to get more money for the same electricity?

I'm thinking it is a conspiracy. No meter reader can be that stupid to get the readings at two houses right next door to each other wrong on the same day.What do you think? Do you have a low electric bill lately

Confessions from the soul

Hi. My name is Cindy.      I'm a bookaholic.

I love every chrisp page as I turn each one. I linger over every book jacket. The typefaces and cover art thrill me.

I ve always known I've had a problem. Sometimes as a child, when reading, I would ignore all others around me. Even when they were offering food! It started with Nancy Drew... Just a little story now and then. Soon, I graduated to Where the Red Fern Grows  and then  To Kill a Mockinbird .

Now it is just Hard core. I sneak into the bathroom 6 times a day just to read a paragraph or two! People are thinking something is wrong with me. And they are right!

I knew I had a problem when I resorted to reading the book of the day at long stop lights while driving. I love everything about books. I cant decide if my favorite is Go Dog Go or the Girl with the Dragon Tatoo

Somebody please help me. Is there a cure for the love of libris? Do I want to be cured?

The secret life of cactus

I really love most plants. There are a few exceptions, but that will remain for another post. And I do love cactus. They are quite remarkable plants, little water storage units really. Their spines are there to shade the cactus and protect them from water loving desert dwellers.

I have the privlidge of helping some of my clients care for their gardens. One home today has lots of cactus. Unfortunately, the drip tubing was chewed in half by a sneaky little rabbit and I had to repair it. I had to lay on my stomach and dig under the cactus to get to the tubing to repair it.  I am now (still) literally covered with the fine little spines of the cactus. Sigh... I am loving the cactus today  but not so much!

The Real Secret to Creating a Low-Maintenance Landscape

Low-Maintenance. Nobody ever asks for a landscape that takes a lot of time to maintain. So when someone says that they want a low maintenance landscape, I’m thinking… well, yeah. Very few people in this world do not care how long or how much it takes to care for their landscape. If they don’t, then they can, and do usually afford to have someone do it for them.

That’s not most of us. The real key to getting a low maintenance (or Easy-Care as I call it) landscape is all in the planning. At that stage, you will know how much time and money you want to invest in the care of your new landscape. Right then, BOOM! is where most landscapes are successful or not.

You gotta understand plants to landscape properly. One plant might work just great for your neighbor, but be soooo not right for you. Or not right for THAT place in your yard. ONLY if you know your client, plants, climate, and location can you select the right landscaping. And if you have the wrong plants in the wrong places matched with the wrong maintenance skills or budget, you, my friend have just wasted your money on landscaping. It’s as simple as that!

Picture a cute little evergreen bought at the nursery 2 feet high by 1 ft wide. Plant 20 of those suckers 1 foot away from the front sidewalk in a row every 5 feet. Cute when planted. However, did I mention that those little cuties are arborvitae? Now when you know that, you know that they will reach 10 feet wide and 15 feet tall within 10 years, they don’t look so cute. When you know that they could ultimately reach 30 feet wide and 45 feet tall. They are downright monsters. Think of trying to make them stay small and all the effort that will go into that for the first few years and the time an expense that it will take to take them out when they get too big. That is the big secret… Plant only what works for the space both now and ultimately

I just want to hide inside..

The heat is opressive. I make my living outdoors every day, but I'm not a fan of the heat. As the saying goes..you can only take so much off.  The humidity was terrible yesterday, and we had to turn on the air conditioner for the first time this year.  The water cooler wasnt doing it. We had a tremendous thunder shower last evening. In just over half an hour we got nearly an inch of rain! I was content to watch from inside. The plants at least got some advantage.

I really need to dig up and divide my iris. I have too many and plan to ditch some and gift some. Now is the time, but I have too much to do this weekend. I am bustling about making sure everything gets plenty of water here, checking the sprinklers and drip for "issues". I only found a few problems of clogged heads and some emitters that had gone cattywampus and had to be adjusted.

I am getting ready to head to the Home Improvement Expo at the Victorville fairgrounds this weekend.There were so many businesses there setting up today. It looks like it will be a big hit to have a July show. I saw several vendors that I have not seen at the show before. Looks like an intersting weekend.

I WAS looking forward to relaxing this weekend with a good book my hubby bought me. He said I havent read anything fun lately and got me The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo. I have just barely started it. It will have to wait til next week as the Home Show will take center stage this weekend. Come by and see me.

Cash for Grass not Dead Yet!

Just received an email from the Mojave Water Agency in which, they report the Daily Press article stating the Cash For Grass" program's death was a bit premature. In fact, the CFG's program is a resounding success in saving water and they are "re-working" it to be better this fall. So they are only going on hiatus, sort of like your favorite TV programs. 
If you need any more information contact talaniz@mojavewater.org

Get ready for the bug invasion!

A doctor must diagnose the problem before he/she can prescribe a cure. Bug problems are no different.  You have to know what (or who) the problem is before you can select the proper control (if any) to use for that bug.

Pests of the West is a fabulous resource book for just that. I just discovered it and it has tremendous pictures of lots of common pests and suggested plan of attack to mitigate the problems.  I love the pictures! I have been trying of late to get better up close pictures so I can document the pest issues I come across on my yard and clients yards.

Most of the time, identifying the pest is the hardest task. Once that is done, you are all set to decide how and IF to apply controls.

Check out the section on Grubs.  They will be an issue for you with lovely pretty scarob-like beetles by next month if you havent applied some control by now.  Do it before it is too late and the beetles start flying.

Cash for Grass Program Ending Soon...

Well, the local paper announced that the Mojave Water Agency is suspending their "cash for grass" program at the end of the month due to massive budget cuts.

For the un-initiated, that's a program where they, through your local city's water department pay you a rebate if you remove your grass and replace it with a drought tolerant landscape and a drip irrigation system. You have til June 30 to qualify, so if you are considering it you'd better get right on the ball NOW.

You must be pre-approved for the program and the rebate is paid after the landscaping is done and a final inspection. They pay in most cities 50 cents per square foot. That's not enough to pay for the whole job, even if you do it yourself. However, it can amount to a nice add in to your budget for garden lovelies like pots and benches.

Again with the Crazy Busy!

I'm not sure what time it is except late, late, late! I have so many things to do to get ready for the Home Show for this weekend. You can be sure that 1pm Friday is approaching fast. I hope to talk to you there. Come by and see me. Bring photos and measurements and I will be dispensing lots of advice ( if you want it).

Here is something to soothe if you are as frazzled as I am.