On my Tuesday Docent Day at the Desert Botanical Garden on the 17th, my morning shift was at the Cactus Station. Next to the station is an arm of a saguaro cactus. The story as I know it is that several years ago (I have heard as recently as 8 or 9 years ago to as most as nearly 20 years ago), this arm broke off a mature saguaro cactus. It was trimmed at the base and put into appropriate soil and it grew roots, much like any cutting from other non-desert plants. And since that happened it has more than doubled in height and is about six feet tall now. And this year, for the first time it is growing some blossoms.
We made some additions to the kitchen cabinets that were installed for us. Patty and I made these changes ourselves. To the left of the kitchen sink, there were three drawers. The bottom and middle drawers were deep enough to have an additional interior drawer added. So we went shopping at Ikea and got the necessary parts, assembled the drawers and then installed them. Instead of kitchen utensils being stacked on top of each other, these extra drawers make it easier to store and access the utensils.
We also added a drawer under the kitchen sink - no more getting down on our knees to find things under the sink.
I have started making soup. Other than breakfasts and frozen foods, I have never been one to cook much. But this year, I decided that I would start making some soups. We had not used the Brussels sprouts and cauliflower that we bought at the Farmers' Market. So I did a search on line and found a recipe for making roasted Brussels sprouts and cauliflower soup. You cut the sprouts and cauliflower florets in half and coat them with canola oil, roast them in the oven and then add them to sauteed shallots and vegetable broth, then chop it into a creamy soup in the blender. Here is my first attempt, with a few pieces of the roasted sprouts and florets left whole for appearances. I have made it two more times since then, including a double recipe for the Tuesday Docent potluck luncheon on May 1. I have also made some potato and bacon soup.
Our friend Cathy called me for helping moving what she called an armoire to put it on consignment sale at My Sisters Attic. I had anticipated a large armoire like I have in my room, some 22 inches deep, 36 inches wide and 66 inches tall. Instead, it was a jewelry armoire only about 45 inches tall and 18 inches wide and deep. It is a very nice piece of furniture that had been owned by her mother (her mom died last year).
At the Mesquite Station on my afternoon docent shift on the 24th, there were some very active ground squirrels, and as with the birds, they did not seem too scared of being near humans.
Back to our kitchen renovations, on the 27th, we took delivery of a sliding spice rack. The top drawer to the left of the stove was completely filled with some 36 bottles of spices - I neglected to take a photo of it before it was emptied; now holds kitchen knives.
From the aptly named Vertical Spice Rack Company, on Friday the 27th, we got this maple sliding spice rack. The lazy Susan shelves in the corner cabinet between the stove and the sink has about four inches of space on both sides of the rotating shelves. This sliding spice rack is screwed to the bottom of the cabinet and has heavy duty metal slides which allow it to be pulled out of the cabinet. It holds not only all the spices from the drawer but also some of the items from the rotating shelves.
And it slides back into the space and allows the door to be closed. What an amazing item.
Last but not least, I have started on another project. I do not like painting, but I have started to paint the walls in my bedroom. Part of the room will be green and part will be red. I will post more photos as the project continues.
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| Those light green circles on some of the areoles will become blossoms |
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| That horizontal line is the height when the arm was transplanted here |
We also added a drawer under the kitchen sink - no more getting down on our knees to find things under the sink.
I have started making soup. Other than breakfasts and frozen foods, I have never been one to cook much. But this year, I decided that I would start making some soups. We had not used the Brussels sprouts and cauliflower that we bought at the Farmers' Market. So I did a search on line and found a recipe for making roasted Brussels sprouts and cauliflower soup. You cut the sprouts and cauliflower florets in half and coat them with canola oil, roast them in the oven and then add them to sauteed shallots and vegetable broth, then chop it into a creamy soup in the blender. Here is my first attempt, with a few pieces of the roasted sprouts and florets left whole for appearances. I have made it two more times since then, including a double recipe for the Tuesday Docent potluck luncheon on May 1. I have also made some potato and bacon soup.
Our friend Cathy called me for helping moving what she called an armoire to put it on consignment sale at My Sisters Attic. I had anticipated a large armoire like I have in my room, some 22 inches deep, 36 inches wide and 66 inches tall. Instead, it was a jewelry armoire only about 45 inches tall and 18 inches wide and deep. It is a very nice piece of furniture that had been owned by her mother (her mom died last year).
At the Mesquite Station on my afternoon docent shift on the 24th, there were some very active ground squirrels, and as with the birds, they did not seem too scared of being near humans.
Back to our kitchen renovations, on the 27th, we took delivery of a sliding spice rack. The top drawer to the left of the stove was completely filled with some 36 bottles of spices - I neglected to take a photo of it before it was emptied; now holds kitchen knives.
And it slides back into the space and allows the door to be closed. What an amazing item.
Last but not least, I have started on another project. I do not like painting, but I have started to paint the walls in my bedroom. Part of the room will be green and part will be red. I will post more photos as the project continues.
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