Today

Today's tasks: reglaze four windows, and clear out enough space in the poinsettia bramble to plant a pomegranate tree. Should be easy, right?

Reglazing windows isn't that bad. These are the old style wood windows with multiple panes. I had the glass cut at Orchard Supply on New Year's day, and I have all the little metal points and putty before. I've only done this once before (for a window we broke shortly after moving in here) but this is the kind of job where you and a professional can get the same result...the professional would just get it done a whole lot faster.

Clearing out space for the pomegranate tree should be fun. The poinsettia and blue plumbago have grown into an amazing snarl that fully encompasses several rosebushes, datura, a sago palm, a monkey puzzle tree, and I think there's an Italian Cypress back there too. They are all set in front of a lovely bare cinder-block wall. The plan is to cut everything back hard, paint the wall, then plant one pomegranate and one other small-variety fruit tree. The palm tree is going to be annihilated. The poinsettias will be kept, just not at there current 20' x 30' driveway-eating size. Datura...not sure. They're pretty, but I'd rather be growing food than poison.

We razed a lot of bramble last night, and it was fascinating to see all the creatures we displaced coming out in layers...first the crickets, then the cockroaches, then the spiders, and last of all, one giant alligator lizard who was living in the heart of the bush, feasting on all the above. We cheered him on as he slipped over the wall into the neighbor's shrubs to his new life.