How's Robb?

Today Robb released the first Anise Swallowtail to emerge from its chrysalis.  Clearly, we need to move the butterfly tank outdoors, so that Robb isn't stuck herding confused butterflies out of our pantry window. 

Back in 2012, I planted my odd little collection of slightly sad fig trees in the narrow strip of ground that separates our house from the neighbors' driveway.  Since then, California has been suffering through a multi-year drought. Keeping any garden plants healthy has been a struggle. Robb and I have tried to re-use as much of our household water as possible. We capture our laundry water in a re-purposed winebarrel, and use that water on our lawn. Dishes get cleaned in a washbasin, and that water goes directly out the kitchen window.  This prompts me to make the following observations: It's very obvious which fig plants are nearest the sink, and which are under the dining room windows.  Robb has been doing a lovely job, re-pointing and re-painting our 1920s windows.  And finally, our neighbors must think we're total lunatics, every time we chuck a basin of dishwater out the window.