2022 Garden

Just browsing the 2021 Garden post and realized everything is so late this year!

2022 GARDEN

Orange Monarch Snow Crocus
4.4.22 – Crocus barely peeking out. Only 2 of the 10 I planted came up. We left on spring break shortly after this and when we came back the buds were gone.

Grape Hyacinth
4.26.22

Hawaiian Skies Daffodil4.28.22

5.2.22 The vase was a birthday gift from Jess!

Lilac Wonder Tulip
5.8.22 I love this little tulip!

Purple Iris5.11.22: I only have a couple of these.

Lily of the Valley5.14.22 I struggled to keep these alive last year when I planted them and didn’t know if they would come back this year, but here they are!

Kilbourn Park Plant Sale 05.15.22 All these and also rosemary! Reminder for next year, go on Saturday, not Sunday.

Lilac05.16.22 When your neighbor’s lilacs come through the fence to your yard, then they are yours! Actually, Jen and Cory have so many, they told me to help myself! Mine are not blooming yet.

5.19.22 I’ll never get sick of the scent of lilacs!

05.22.22 Now we have our own lilacs!

Garden 05.17.22 Got the garden in.

Mini Fuschia 05.18.22 These are so cute and dainty. Too bad they kind of fried later on when we had some really hot days in a row.

Yellow Iris05.22.22 I’ve never been a huge fan of these, but they really put on a show this year!

05.23.22

05.24.22 Blooming in the front and the back!

05.25.22

05.26.22

05.31.22

Front Garden
05.25.22

05.26.22

07.21.22

Moss Rose

05.29.22

05.31.22

06.26.22

Zucchini
06.01.22 – My zucchini is very small but getting blossoms. No fruits. This is my first year trying to grow zucchini.

Herbs06.02.22 The thyme and chives are gone crazy already. I didn’t plant these this year, they came back from last year!

8.31.22

9.30.22 I made pesto with end-of-the-season basil.

Little Free Library Garden

06.04.22 Dad helped me remove the grass around the Little Free Library and add a layer of mulch. We also added pavers around the base of the library.

06.05.22 I went to Pesche’s and got flowers to plant around the Little Free Garden. The lily of the valley was already there, but I planted the zinnia, dahlia, dusty miller and abutilon.

06.07.22 The fairy lights were not working for a long time. I think the cord was severed by the lawn mower. I added an extra set back on.

08.04.22

08.06.22

8.10.22 Cut flowers.

8.16.22

8.22.23

09.02.22

09.12.22

Tiger Lily
06.05.22 These Tiger Lilies just popped up out of nowhere.

Geranium

06.11.22 I’m not really a “geranium person,” but I let Makai pick what he wanted from FMGC to plant on the front steps. These are his favorite color to the max! He said he felt like they were burning his eyes out (that’s a good thing, apparently).

African Flake Daisy06.13.22 I got these at the Kilbourn Park plant sale and they are finally blooming. I wasn’t sure what to expect, since I’d never heard of this flower before. They’re so beautiful!

06.28.22 I was surprised when my second African Flakes bloomed and they were yellow! Still very pretty!

Daisy
06.20.22 The daisies are blooming in full force! I picked a few to put in the small vase that Jess gave me.

07.06.22 SO. MANY. DAISIES. I love it! People have stopped and commented on how much they love them!

Verbena06.20.22 Ive never grown verbena before, but I really like how it’s looking!

Lantana 06.20.22 This is also my first time with lantana. It’s so pretty. Makai picked the lantana because it reminded him of popcorn! ?

Coneflowers / Echinacea
06.26.22 The coneflowers look so pretty!

Pink Cherrywine Tomato (from the Chicago Tomato Man)6.27.22 I harvested my first couple of tomatoes and they were so juicy and sweet!

7.15.22

8.27.22

10.15.22 – Bringing in the tomatoes so they dont get frost.

Swamp Milkweed06.30.22 I planted milkweed seeds from a pod someone gave me a couple years ago. They’re finally big and blooming this year!

07.07.22 The milkweek is really blooming now.

07.27.22 OMG the milkweed is covered in aphids!

08.04.22 Today I noticed a few ladybugs on the plants. Makai thought that was sooo cool! Funny that kids understand the relationship between aphids and ladybugs from reading Eric Carle.

Coleus
07.04.22 Coleus going strong in the parlor palm one year later!

08.09.2022

Daylilies
07.07.22 Daylilies are in full bloom!

Dahlia07.10.22 The dahlia are small but very pretty.

Hibiscus7.14.22 First hibiscus bloom!

7.15.22 Open!

08.03.22

Black Eyed Susan7.17.22 I planted these at the end of the season last year and half thought they died. Glad to see them come back. They’re still small, but I’m sure they will spread and grow!

Phlox
07.19.22 The phlox is finally in bloom.

BUNNIES!07.22.22 I was tending to the garden and notices the large clump of thyme was …. slightly…. quivering? I lifted it up and saw…. BUNNIES!!!!!

07.23.22 They’re sooooo cute.

07.25.22

07.26.22

07.27.22 SIX bunnies! We were gone for a trip to Green Bay and Door County at the end of July and when we came back, the bunnies had left the nest.

8.17.22 WE HAVE MORE BUNNIES!

BELL PEPPER

08.01.22 The larger pepper is a Chinese Giant bell pepper and has a super sweet taste. The smaller one is a King of the North and has a more traditional bell pepper taste. I got both of these from the Kilbourn Park Greenhouse sale. And then a few more of the Pink Cherrywine tomatoes.

10.11.22

CANNA08.03.22

10.15.22 – out to dry

SUNFLOWER08.05.22 The sunflowers are here and they’re bigger than my hand!

8.10.22 – wink!

8.16.22

9.1.22

KATYDID 08.05.22 Maybe Katydids eat aphids too? Saw this one on the milkweed.

RASPBERRIES

8.11.22 No fruit yet, but look how tall they are!

Almafi Orange Tomato from Chicago Tomato Man8.12.22 Picked the first one!

GRASSHOPPER 8.17.22 – We’ve seen so many grasshoppers in the yard lately!

JASMINE9.1.22 Jasmine in bloom smells amazing!

9.14.22

CHRYSANTHEMUM

DRAGONFLY09.22.22

TOMATO HORNWORM

10.04.22

West Hollywood Walk – Sunset Strip

On Sunday I had several hours to kill between brunch and my flight home, so I decided to walk around a bit and take in the neighborhood. I believe that Luca on Sunset, where I had brunch is technically in Hollywood, not West Hollywood. I started there and walked west, entering into West Hollywood and the section of Sunset Boulevard known as the Sunset Strip. This is a mile and a half stretch that is the best known portion of Sunset. There are many fancy stores and restaurants and clubs. There are a million billboards and is supposedly a hangout for celebrities, although I did not see any. One of my fellow Nintendo brand ambassadors did see Jason Bateman at her brunch spot, though! I walked for a total of about 3.5 miles. So, long, but not too long. It was sunny and more than 90 degrees out and I hiked straight up a hill at the end, so it was challenging enough.

This is where I first set off from, right by Luca on Sunset, where I had brunch. I like the brick work.

The famous Laugh Factory. Every big-time comedian has been through here, right?

I recognized the Chateau Marmont as “that famous place where all the celebrities hang out.” .. and sometimes die, it seems.

Rocky and Bullwinkle outside a fancy dog boutique, Hollywood Hounds.

Now leaving Hollywood and entering into West Hollywood. I see the National Lampoon World Headquarters. Apparently they were formed to “develop, produce, provide creative services and distribute National Lampoon branded comedic content through a broad range of media platforms.” Who knew?

Oh, Jasmine. I’ve missed you, but I’ll see you soon in Hawaii!

The Family by David Green.

Anyone know what kind of car this is?

WhHo = West Hollywood.

Looking west on the Sunset Strip.

Uh, yeh… these hills? We are not in Chicago. This is looking south on Sweetzer Avenue.

Why’d you have to go and make things to complicated?

The Standard. This is where I stayed on my trip. This is the original location of this small hotel chain.

North of the Sunset Strip it’s super hilly with winding roads and houses built on top of each other. According to Hollywood Tours, “Countless celebrities live in the exclusive neighborhoods that extend north of the Sunset Strip into the Hollywood Hills.”

This was some cool graffiti. You had to view the fence at an angle to see it.

Saddle Ranch. Looked super cheesy.

Very Perry Ellis.

The Comedy Store, another very famous club where all the comedians perform.

Interesting exterior on the House of Blues.

Bird of Paradise. When I lived in San Diego these were planted right outside my apartment door in our building’s courtyard. Love them!

La Cienega Boulevard. Just a little hilly. At the end of my walk I hiked it up one of these. Did I mention it was 95 and humid that day? It wasn’t a pretty sight!

77 Sunset Strip is a show that aired in the late 50s and early 60s. I guess it was filmed right here. Apparently there’s some controversy about the redevelopment of this area and an actor from the old show is involved.

Sunset Plaza had many stores and restaurants. I did some shopping at H&M.

Mel’s Drive-In.

Ay Papi!

The Sunset Strip Market looks pretty awesome.

I had no idea what this odd round green building was until I looked it up online. It’s the home of a production company called Mutato Muzika, which was founded by Mark Mothersbaugh. I don’t recognize the name of his company, but I definitely know who he is from the Rushmore soundtrack. Mutato Muzika has produced music for many films, television shows and commercials (Apple’s PC vs. Mac!).

LOOK!

Sunset Boulevard.

Union Square Greenmarket

Union Square Greenmarket Apples
Greenmarket, Union Square, New York City

Union Square Greenmarket Daisies
Greenmarket, Union Square, New York City

Union Square Greenmarket Eggs
Greenmarket, Union Square, New York City

Jess and Jeannette and I had met up for manicures and pedicures at Lily’s Nail. Then we just walked around and went in and out of some shops. I really liked this perfume at Fresh, Pink Jasmine. I didn’t buy it then because it was a liquid and I only had carry on bags, but I’ll be getting it soon.

We wandered through the Union Square Greenmarket. We then headed south and walked through Washington Square Park and then headed to The Village for lunch.