My good blogger friend Rob provided some inside info on his yard work plans for this weekend and this year. Thought I’d show you mine…

Because yardwork here at The Great White Shank hacienda falls under the dominion of landscaper extraordinaire Carmelo (at $30 a week, the best money I’ve ever spent!), I usually don’t get involved other than: a) this week, when the spring pruning will take place; b) fall cleanup (typically the third week in October after the heat breaks); and c) whenever the mesquite tree needs a trim (every three months, it seems!).

The only executive decision I made this year was to remove the Red Bird of Paradise bush I foolishly planted two years ago right beside the pool (immediately left of the fountain). Sure, it grows fast, is perfect for this climate, and produces lovely orange-red flowers, but it is also a messy plant that drops spent flowers and leaves (made up of a gazillion tiny micro-leaves) into the pool, hence the need every week to skim. Not good.

Shortly after this photo was taken, the Red Bird of Paradise was, er, eliminated, from the landscape.

We got some lovely rain last night, and the (supposedly) last storm of the El Nino season is supposed to bring us some more rain tomorrow. Always a good thing out here.

—

Pool temp: 56 degrees