Too bad you can't visit us for a swim this year - I was hoping to meet more people and see some of you whom I've already met. The invitation still stands this year. There is a good chance that we will not be in the house next year during Modernism Week, as we will by trying to rent it out via VRBO. We cannot do that right now because of a moratorium on new STVRs in Cathedral City, which has been in effect since July 27 - three weeks after we closed on the house😭. If the moratorium does not end fairly soon, I may have to rent the house to longer term tenants, and I would rather not do that, partly because I want to use the house short term myself and partly because I am leery of long term renters. I think short term renters are less likely to do much damage👿, but I could be wrong. Anyway, the rates for STVR is much higher than for long term, since it is more sporadic. If I get enough free-lance work, I will not need to rent the house at all, however.

It's a blah day. . . Not cold, not hot, but not pleasant, either. Maybe I'll give it a couple hours and then go plant onions and asparagus. I have to whittle the tomato list down a bit. Onions are in, but I'm waiting a couple days for the asparagus. Do you all add fertilizer when planting the asparagus crowns? What kind? I'll have to order some, I guess. I have high hopes for the onions this year! The grow cart is beginning to fill up. I have sweet potatoes in potting soil so can make my own slips. Far too many peppers, but there are so many interesting ones, I want to sample some. I am especially interested in tasting: Hungarian Paprika Spice; Hungarian Round Pimento; Jimmy Nardello's Italian Pepper; Thunder Mountain Longhorn, Ros de Mallorca, Sugar Rush Peach, and the ornamentals Count Dracula and 5-color Chinese. Then a few hot ones (Thai, and a couple REALLY hot ones.) Because I'll be planting so many peppers, I'm going to really cut back on the tomatoes. But this year, I'm finally organized enough that as soon as I plant a crop of anything, the seeds go into a plastic zip-lock and into the freezer so they can last a long time. . . that means a lot of unused tomato seeds go into the freezer. I finally have my rolled oats and honey, Melissa, so can get going on a big batch of granola. Haha, Danny. I've been working on this most of the day. I'm having a hard time staying on task--with ANYTHING today. Dinner's started--Cajun penne pasta with chicken. I love salads at restaurants. Not crazy about them at home. But I found these spectacular dressings, and now all of a sudden, I like tossed salads at home. That makes GDW happy, as he loves salad. These are so delicious, I'm going to share them with you all. I knew I had to try them when she said she really didn't like salads that much. I've tried the lemon one and now the blue cheese one. But fully intend to give them all a try. https://wholefully.com/healthy-salad-dressing-recipes/ Have a super good week, everyone. Hope you're okay, Amy. Thinking of you.

I ordered Geschwinds Orden from RVR because I thought it would stay small … I soon realized my error. HMF says 13’ minimum. I contacted RVR, and they are substituting La Marne. Polyanthas I can deal with. My only other order this year will be from Burlington. Lady Kidwell and Clotilde Soupert. She sent me a CS last year, but I let it drown in our El Niño. Trying again.

Just finished The Winter Soldier. I liked it very much, 4 stars. Thanks to those who mentioned it in the January thread. You guys have the best recommendations. I was hoping for a different ending, but it was a just ending. It's the first Daniel Mason book I've read and love his writing. Straightforward but evocative. I have North Woods on hold. Turns out Mason is my daughter's age and is from Palo Alto.