Me and you

It is getting hot down here in Southern California. Was 82° when I left the house this morning but I am sure it will travel into the low nineties later. Still it is very beautiful. All that March rain really prettied everything up.

The hawk brood seems to be doing just fine. I shot these pictures on my way in this morning. Check out the nicitating membrane on mom.

Progeny continues to shed baby feathers.

You kind folks have been sending me pictures too.

My best mate in England, Pat, sent me these shots and a letter.

He has a farm in East Sussex.

Hey Robert,
I hope it’s all good my friend.
All okay here - apart from the jokers running the country that is. But you have your own clowns so we’ll leave that.

So it’s been a groovy weekend. Talked to the offspring and friends on the telephone and ate and drank well. Starting to get some of our own salads and early veg which is always fabulous.

Yesterday Emma made us puy lentils with feta and sun dried toms and stuff and a salad that was ours except for the avocado and the tomatoes.

Asparagus season here so had to have some of that 'n all.

Was recommended a very nice Italian tipple and it turned out very drinkable.

£8 here so about 10 of your Californian zonks. Something to panic buy and horde?
Potted up the tomatoes for the year yesterday and looking forward very much to them.
Weeded the growing potatoes this afternoon.

Enjoying the birds in the garden. Blackbirds are getting so tame now I can walk past them 2 feet away and they just give me a look.

Have just started getting blue tit babies. Nice...

Sorry Rob, I'm sure you already know but the flowers are -

purple iris - Iris Orientalis unknown cultivar. Was already in the garden when we bought the house ten years ago.
yellow iris - Iris Pseudacorus. In our pond.
pink jobbie - Pelargonium Pink Capitatum. One of Emma's many pelargoniums.
Px

Steve Saylor sent me a picture or two of iris from his lovely Santa Fe spread.

Doug Garn, my great pal who works at a hospital in New York, asked if I had heard about Covid-15? It’s the 15 pounds you gain being quarantined.

My friend Warren in San Francisco was impressed with Terry's Matterhorn climb.

The only mountain I have hiked up in California was Mt. Tallac, only 9,375 feet, above Fallen Leaf Lake near south shore Tahoe. It was an all day hike and the wind at the summit must have been blowing at least 50 mph.  I watch the Matterhorn climbers tip toeing along that knife edge between the two summits and can’t believe there isn’t an occasional gust of wind that would make that walk impossible.

Cam is happy, he got his vintage trailer completely restored, top to bottom. Now he just has to go get it.

Bill sent pics of epis and roses. 

I was jonesing for oatmeal raisin cookies and my friend Renee made me some and added cranberries to boot. We just finished the large bag of frozen organic bing cherries from Costco. Quite good. Leslie made a French cut rack of lamb topped with fresh garlic and rosemary from our garden last night. We had it with orzo and an arugula salad. Night before that was duck legs and Italian mini gnocchi. Homemade banana bread.

We are going to continue to tough it out.

Pat made an interesting looking loaf of jalapeño cheese bread. Not sure about the chile, I know I would like the cheese.

Greg sends an interesting recording of Julia Wolfe called Steel Hammer and a link to a classical site called Second Inversion.

I think that's it!