summer day

According to my dad, on this day, I (we) should not wear the following colors: red, white, and black.  He added that it's okay to wear one item in that color, but to avoid wearing an entire red outfit.  For today only, because it's the first day of summer (?) or something.  Sometimes it's difficult for me to translate what he's actually saying.  It's a Chinese belief and today has some meaning to it.  Well it's a good thing I called him today; I changed out of my pink shirt into a green-blue one.  I was actually wearing a pink shirt and blank pants - all the bad colors at once haha oh dear.

He also said to eat something that sounded like 'joong' in Cantonese.  An orange?  No, he said - I can't buy it where I am anyway.  Google is awesome - I searched what food joong is in Cantonese and discovered that it's a traditional Chinese sticky rice, covered with bamboo leaves.

With the first day of summer approaching, here's a recent photo of the weed/wildflower garden out back.  The sweet alyssum are the first to bloom.  Not counting the oxalis that's everywhere, some of which I've been trying to pull out but at this point may just give up doing so.  See that yellow peeking out - that's oxalis aka yellow wood sorrel - Google told me that.

Happy Summer Weekend!

summer flowers

Here are some flowers I bought from Home Depot - marigolds and a lantana plant.  They are supposed to be drought-tolerant, which is good because it's getting really hot around here and watering plants every day is a bit much.

There are tons of weeds growing in the backyard garden, particularly where the wildflowers were sown.  I've been pulling out the weeds, and more keep popping right up.  Maybe if I get a better handle on them, there will be a photo of the back garden to share one day.

hot dog

There was the funniest balloon at the supermarket today.

Memorial Day is the Unofficial Start of the Summer.

Hot Dog!

pink spring

My current favorite color is pink.  Here are some pink features from the garden.

Bleeding hearts...

A tree with pink flowers that just bloomed!

And last, but not least - the very first pink rose bush I've ever planted - a Morden Blush Rose.  I planted it yesterday and I hope it survives!

p.s. I found this post as a draft from April 15th and I don't know why it didn't post then.  So these were photos from back in time.  The rose actually has less leaves now - I really hope it survives this year!

happy mother's day

 

shrubs

Planted some new shrubs from Costco today.  The lady working there helped me pick out the best looking boxwood ('Wintergreen') and holly (Bennett's Compacta Holly).  I picked out the azalea myself - the bright pink one with the prettiest flowers (Hardy Azalea - Rhododendron x hybrid Double Crimson).

I made a bouquet arrangement out of the pieces that fell off during the planting into the ground phase.  I also planted some wildflower seeds today.  Here's to Spring!

sunset trail

There's a trail that leads right up to the sunset, but you have to go quick.  Otherwise you'll miss it!  I think I made it just in time today.

sushi toy

 General advice provided by a sushi roll toy

spring flowers

I planted potted tulips from Sam's Club.  Wonder how long the flowers will last, since I had to break apart the roots to separate them.  At least the bulbs are in the ground for next year!

chocopie

This is more a reminder to myself.  Chocopies (the Korean cake / snack) are dry and don't taste good.  Nobody else around me likes them either.  I thought the same the first time I bought them a long time ago.  However, I must've forgotten and gave them another shot.  Unfortunately they still aren't worth it, and I'm now stuck with too many since they were sold in a box of too many.

The box picture and description are misleading.  You might imagine them being soft, squishy, fluffy, and all the things they're not.  There is marshmallow in the middle, but other than that - the cake part is so dry.  Even when it's far from the expiration date.

Maybe some people like them if they're comparing to even worse things.  But for me, nope.  I did read that some people microwave them to improve the taste, but I'd rather not and won't.

Remember - don't buy Chocopie anymore.  I'm not even including an image because I dislike them that much.