Sunday, Soaked

'R' is for rain

Rain again today — from beginning to end. Often light, sometimes heavy, it’s been coming down steadily. Back from a spicy Thai lunch, I take a tour of the areas outside the Rancho’s fence. The rear of the property, above, that faces the historic Evergreen cemetery on Redwood, is soaked; watery build-up at the curb reflecting the scene. Our usually-grey fencing is swollen with moisture, its color reminding us that it’s actually redwood. Neighborhood trees seem lusher, greener, taller even, under the cloudy canopy … it’s so cool and clean-looking out — so wet and windy — that I almost want to begin weeding … almost …

Sloping wet

… instead, I decide to continue my tour with the slope that faces 14th street. Clouds of cassias, peppered with bright yellow new blooms, provide a soft contrast to the spiky agaves and aloes here … by Christmas day they should be resplendently solid gold. Spurred on by these rainy days, all the plants seem to be going through a late winter growth spurt. Like their cousins inside the fence, the rainy day light really brings succulent details into sharp relief and heightens their colorful cool.

Agaves and more

Agave, aloe, bougainvillea, and cacti, all are hitting their strides with all this water. I have to admit I’m a little worried about some of them, however; I fear they’ll become waterlogged in all the rain predicted for the coming week. I’ll have to wait and see, of course … in the meantime I’ll be hoping that this wintry deep-watering is really providing the foundation for a great plant display come Spring — just in time for the garden tour!