Our second day in Oregon started out with an even greater appreciation of this beautiful state. The day started out with walking down the street from our downtown hotel for a gourmet breakfast. Okay, not really.  But we did walk…

We've just finished the first day of our Northwest road trip. It all began very early this morning.  We left the house at 4:50 a.m. in order to get to the airport on time for our 6:50 flight to Portland, Oregon. While I…

Do you like to travel? I bet you do. But, if you are like me, you don't like the having to tasks such as packing, finishing up last minute things at work and such. Since I will be traveling without my husband and kids, I'll also need…

Do you ever go on road trips? As a child, we traveled almost everywhere by car. My parents would load up our station wagon complete with its 'faux' wooden panels and my sister, brother and I would argue about who would have to sit in the…

Did you know that you can often tell what is wrong with a plant by looking at its leaves? It's true. Photo: Manganese deficiency 'Reading the leaves' to diagnose common plant ailments isn't hard to do if you know what symptoms…

Do you have a pot or two that you fill with flowering annuals each season? I must confess that I did this for years - both in the landscapes I managed and at home.  In fall, I would plant combinations of alyssum, geraniums,…

Do you like to visit California "Golden State" ? I do.  I spent the first 20 years of my life in the Golden State before getting married and moving to Arizona. Since then, California was a frequent destination for visits with…

Do you use any lotion that contains aloe vera? While most of us think of the medicinal qualities of aloe vera - particularly how they provide relief from burns, its beauty, and drought tolerance make it well worth adding to our "Drought…

Where do your plants get their water from?   If you are like most people who live in the desert Southwest, your answer may be drip irrigation, a rain barrel and/or rainfall.   But, what if you didn't have drip irrigation or…