Glass On Glass

While we were in Colonia, I found a beautiful old mirrored tray and some glasses. Here are two of the glasses. The bottom of the tray is as pretty as the top. Not sure if this will get hung on a wall or used as a tray.

Door Hardware

We have been talking alot lately about distinctive door hardware. I love the British style front doors and WL has embraced this concept to the full. We have ordered several things from London but I forgot that the Doors of Buenos Aires as equally opulent. So today I went to several door places and spent some time going through all the choices. Too many. But I am picking up some stuff for the new garage door. The rest.... who knows.

Back On The BuqueBus

Yesterday was the perfect Sunday spring time weather in Argentina. We decided to forgo the usual turista traps of San Telmo for a boat ride over to Uruguay's quaint, quieter turista trap, Colonia. We boarded the Buquebus and an hour later found ourselves in another country. The sun was shining, the air was cool. We ate by the water at El Torreon and had some mediocre wine and some excellent sausages. They now rent go carts and mopeds to speed around the old town's cobblestone streets. And with a brand new glass and steel terminal building being built, I suspect the next time I come, Colonia will be a caricature of what it was.

New Canvass

I finished painting the side of the garage yesterday with the new door looking good and very handy. We will try to train some bouganvilla to cover one side of the wall. Now we have to think about the other side which is looking lonely with only the banana tree now.

Mariposas

I happened upon these Monarch butterflies in the garden the other day..... either they were mating or one was eating the other. Not sure.

Snap Dragons

I started doing some more planting around the house. I put in some jasmine and Rosemary and Snap Dragons. The Snap Dragons were supposed to be planted in mid June but as always with these old houses, things get delayed.

Garage Door

Augustine was by today to punch a hole in the side of the garage and put a door in. Again, the door was in great shape and cost only $25 from the ReUse People of Pacoima. The molding I bought from Home Depot this morning cost more! Anyways, the end of the day saw us with a new way into the garage. The handmade garage door from the previous owner is falling apart and we felt we could save some wear and tear by introducing a new egress.

Morning Dog

Seven relaxes after a nice 5:30am walk and a good breakfast. And I'm not adverse to a little dome cleaning as well.

Floors

WL has almost finished polyurethaning the floors to a beautiful effect.

First Shock, Now Awe

The new trees went in last week during a record heat wave. No humidity, high UV index and smoke from the Station fire. The shock to the system was swift. They soon lost a lot of leaves, some of the leaves even seemed burned by the relentless sun. The larger trees lost their lower leafs and branches, seeming to protect the their crowns.
Yesterday we started to see some new growth. Hopefully the Jacaranda and Tipu's are out of the proverbial woods now.

Garden

Some new blooms came up last week with all the heat and smoke of last week. This interesting little grasshopper appeared this morning next to a newbie kumquat.