More Animal Neighbors

Yesterday we were working outside and cleaning the garage. At one point I looked up at the lot next door and here came a Gila monster slowly walking across toward the cactus garden. This is the first one we have seen. We were told one had been in our utility trench but we missed it. This morning I was using the binoculars to look at some saguro blossoms when I noticed movement behind it. After watching for a while I determined there were three deer (I guess white tailed) grazing along the banks of the wash across the street. Very hard to see them even when I was looking right at them. Earlier in the week, coming home at night we surprised a skunk in the middle of the road. He put his tail up but either didn't spray or missed the car(thank goodness!!). The list of neighbors continues to grow!!

This Gila monster meandered across the lot to the north of us yesterday. I think I won't go out in sandals!! 

More Houses Coming

On Monday afternoon we noticed a spray truck up the hill at one of our neighbor's lots. This is a sure sign they are about to pour the foundation. Sure enough, at 4:30 AM the next morning we heard the first cement mixer coming up the hill. The pumper truck didn't arrive for another half hour. By the time the first truck began unloading its cement there were 5 more lined up waiting. Yesterday even more trucks arrived at that lot. We still don't know what they poured that time. Then at dinnertime last night we saw the spray truck up at another lot and this morning at 5:09AM we heard the pumper truck arriving. So a new race is on to see which house will be completed first. They poured about 6 weeks earlier than we did last year so they both ought to finish before Christmas of '06. Another neighbor is in plan check, though they seem to have had alot of problems with the permitting process. But hopefully they will be ready to start soon.

We, meanwhile, are waiting for our workers to finish the Allen block walls. Today we painted the front(south) patio wall, inside and out. Tomorrow we will begin work on the back walls.

Happy Easter!!

Not much happening here. We've been window shopping at lots of plant nurseries. Now if we can get the last walls finished we will know where to get our plants. Photo below is of the first plant in the back--a 'Barbara Karst' bougainvillea.

Our Easter flowers. The first planting in the back 'yard'. 

Walls, Walls, Lots of Walls

As these photos show we now have lots of walls or partial walls. We actually have three separate areas that are enclosed by patio walls. Well, semi-enclosed until we get gates for them. On the front bank we will have three or possibly four Allen block walls. They are not true retaining walls. They are dry stacked so no need for cement footings. They almost finished two of the walls but not quite. Their purpose is to break up the slope and to give us some flat areas for planting. We hope to make major progress on the planting by May 1.(Hope is the key word here!!)

Wall around the south patio. No longer will people mistake this for the front door! 

The Allen block walls. Not retaining walls but they will break up our rather long front slope. 

The newly built and stuccoed back patio wall. With the local Anna's hummingbird on the feeder. 

One of our prize purchases for the new landscaping.