slow week

I don't have much to blog about this week ~ just a wonderful lunch with friends last Sunday at Le Garage, a quirky bistro in Sausalito . . .

where I had a big bowl of garlicky mussels.  It was cool and overcast so we ate inside, but it's definitely a popular (and quite noisy) spot.

This morning's walk took me by the gorgeous garden that has something new every time I go by.  If there's a square inch of bare ground the constant gardener adds an eye-catching gem.

The other piece of gardening news is not so pretty.  According to Jack, there was a short but violent storm at the beach and the high winds, reported at 100 MPH took out two of our almendra trees in the front of the house.  They were not totally uprooted, just broken.  So a neighbor with a chain saw removed all but about 2' of trunk.  I don't know if they'll sprout again or if we'll have to take them out.  They had finally grown up above the wall and although they are terribly messy (and a magnet for the squirrels who love the nuts), they looked very pretty.

This picture was taken a couple of years ago and the trees have gotten taller.  I don't know which ones we lost but probably the one on the right and one on the far left, out of the picture.  They were the least well protected.  Alas.  At least the huge palm (fronds visible upper right) didn't come crashing down in the back.

Currently reading The Master Spy by Phillip Knightly about that scoundrel of scoundrels Kim Philby, who, along with his scoundrel-ly mates, Guy Burgess, Donald  Mclean and Anthony Blunt, spied for the Russians during WW II.  Absolutely fascinating.

Bon weekend!