Under the Solano Sun

Once upon a time, a couple living in Suisun City built a really big (25 feet X 20 feet) deck behind their house. They chose redwood because of its beauty and its reputation for lasting a long, long time.

If you haven't heard of a yuzu (Citrus junos, synonym Citrus ichangensis x Citrus reticulata var. austera) tree, you're not alone. But the yuzu tree is slowly gaining popularity. The tree is believed to be a natural hybrid of an Ichang papeda and a sour mandarin.

There are those who believe, and I imagine actually experience, gardening, as an opportunity for de-stressing. I find that there is more to it. And some of what I find is hard work that can be stressful.

Toni (Greer) gave my grandson, Tyler, some green bean seeds in the spring. He was very excited, so we made him a little 4' x4' planter while the seeds were sprouting in the seed tray. He was amazed every day by how fast they came up and got big enough to plant in his garden.

We were in Berkeley recently to check on the status of a guitar repair job. While my husband was in the shop, I decided to go for a walk. I've always loved walking in this neighborhood of small, but lush front yards. Always on a look-out for ideas, I stumbled onto these two interesting front yards.