Weather report

Between the raining and the sleeping, I didn't have much time to do anything this weekend beyond turning the soggy compost pile. The most exciting thing was a tiny red tip of lily that emerged from the ground in the middle of my nap. I tried to take a picture, but a) it sucked, and b) it looks kind of gross anyway. I'll try again when there's some leaves.

I did manage to hit a few nurseries: picked up a monkeyflower, which I admit I bought mostly for the name. Found a dwarf Euphorbia characias which I anticipate combining nicely with our existing "Red Martin".

Last week, I assiduously went to the library and checked out a book on the aloes of South Africa -- and read the whole thing -- in an earnest attempt to find the species that will be happiest in my yard. All that information flew right out the window when I saw a tiny A. cooperii, one of the grass aloes, which I'd never seen before and therefore had to have, even though it comes from kwaZulu Natal, i.e., precisely the part of South Africa that least resembles here. Oh well, I think it will look cool with the Kniphofias I bought. Plus I get to say "kwaZulu Natal." And "red hot poker."