Topanga Bubbles

This is the story of our adventures -- every day and extraordinary; our dreams -- tiny and grand; our gardens -- ornamental and sustaining; this is the story of our journey. We are a family of four living a mindful, simple life here in Los Angeles County. We are green, conscious, and forward thinking. We keep an eye on the past because some of the best things have already been done and bear repeating. Walk and talk with us, have a glass of wine, taste a peach or a tomato, blow some bubbles and watch them drift up over the canyon ridge. Enjoy!

Friday, February 13, 2009

January Showers Bring February Flowers

We got a lot of rain at the end of January and the plants have responded!

Monday, February 9, 2009

Sideways Ballerinas

Sunday, February 8, 2009

And not so grounded

Tonight when we came home from dinner, the girls were digging around in their toy box. Greggie pulled out a strange little weighted piece. She said, "What's this, Mom?" I examined it and remembered that it came on some helium balloons. "Oh, it's a little weight that you tie to a balloon to make sure the balloon doesn't fly away." She responded, "Oh, okay, Mom, I need a balloon!" and threw her arms up in the air and said, "Up up and away I go!"

Well Grounded

Tonight we had dinner at the Mexican restaurant in town (http://www.abuelitastopanga.com/). Alex sat beside me and at one point she leaned in and hugged me. I said to her, "You know, you could just stay this big forever. Four is awfully nice." She said, very seriously, "No, Mother. I have to get bigger. I need to get bigger so that when I sit in a chair my feet can touch the ground. Like this..." sliding her butt down to put her feet firmly on the floor. Okay, baby, you can get bigger.

The February Garden

The tomato "greenhouses":

The potato box and the teepees for the peas now, the beans later:

The long bed has onion transplants at the close end, onions from seed in the middle, and two rows of carrots and one of broccoli on the far end:

Bush pees in one of the lower beds:

Garlic:

Cucumbers in the Aerogarden:

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Learning to skateboard

The neighbor boy, Dillon, was over today with his skateboard. Greggie ran and got her Yobaby and started copying his moves!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

A dog and a cat

I thought the cat was outside. In the pouring rain. I called and called for him and he didn't come. I shut the door, saying, "Dumb ol' cat." I walked into the bedroom to look for the dog. It was dark but I could tell Stella wasn't on her bed. I saw her lying in the middle of the floor. "Dumb ol' dog," I thought. I flipped on the light and saw the cat, sound asleep on the dog's bed. "Hmm, smart ol' cat!" I corrected. Then I said, "Stella, it's YOUR bed, go get in it!" So she did.