Unusual Bloom

Posted on April 22, 2013 by sorellaaglio

This year the Joshua Tree’s are blooming, something rarely done in such large numbers. Last week, Jeff and I drove to Joshua Tree National Park to see them in bloom; although the bloom may represent the plants distress at being without rain this year, a sort of last-ditch effort to procreate, it was beautiful, and a reminder of the fragile ecosystem of the desert and this planet.

Thanks to Jeff for the majority of these beautiful photographs. Happy Earth Day, everyone. (PS – here are some more!)

Growing, growing, growing.

Posted on March 21, 2013 by sorellaaglio

I can’t believe I didn’t post pictures from September of the plants, but alas, I did not. And now, the spring season is here and my herbs are planted and I have updates for that, too.

And now, in March:

This was Merv when I first planted him, back in June of 2012.

Here was Merv in the beginning of March – look how far he’s grown…except I need him to grow wide, not tall. No matter, we can fix that!

We just have to do a little surgery on him…

Snip, snip! Now Merv is TWO plants!

It took him a couple weeks, but he’s starting to grow back now!

And, his top half has rooted…this is Sally. She needs a name plate, coming soon. I don’t know why Merv became Sally, he just did. I just write down the names I feel in my heart.

So this is my aloe plant, which started as a small baby plant wayyyyy back years ago as a window plant.

Just to show you, this is the aloe last year in March. Also, please note the flowers to the right – there are pink, and white, and some yellow.

Look at these beasts now – out of control! The pink and the white have totally overtaken the yellow, and the white have actually started to turn pink.

But at least the yellow is finally sprouting, despite the bullies surrounding it.

Anyways, back to aloe.

So this is the aloe now – overgrown, sad, and it has recently started stabbing the UPS man. Seriously, I think he cut himself once. I felt horrible, and knew that it was time to put it apart…I didn’t know exactly what to do, so I of course Googled it, and researched how to fillet the aloe so I can store it.

Step one: Remove from the aloe plant with a knife. YOU GUYS ALOE PLANTS ARE SMELLLYYY AND THEY EMIT YELLOW SAP. Don’t be alarmed, like I was, sappy and Googling “yellow slime + aloe.”

Step two: Cut the spiky sides off, and the tip w/ the sap on it.

Step three: Slice horizontally off the top green part. Then do the same for the bottom. Try to do it so the curved side is down the first time (you’ll understand when you see it.) (If you ever actually do this.)

Step four: You have aloe! Hurray! It’s slippery, isn’t it? I put mine in the freezer for burns I will inevitably suffer someday in the kitchen.

Up later…seed bombs and herbs!

Chains required.

Posted on February 16, 2013 by sorellaaglio

Last weekend we headed to Big Bear for our third annual ski trip. Chains were required to get up the mountain, which lead to a two hour trip taking more like four hours (maybe longer) and made our walkie talkies even more important to keep in contact. Once we were up the mountain, we had a great time – teaching Ana and Eric how to ski, eating tacos, tumbling down blue squares, singing, laughing, some of us heading to the hot tub….it was a trip to be remembered!