Sunday | 22 November 2020 | La Quinta, California: Ta Da! One month after our "one-or-two-week" project began, our courtyard and side-yard walkway project has completely finished. And by "completely" finished, I mean, there are no loose ends. Nothing to be picked-up. Nothing left unattended. FINISHED.
Dave and I can't be happier with the results. Finishing-off this space - that connects nearly every room in our house - makes our new home complete. It makes us so sad for the past owners - living here with an ugly cement slab.


Herbs were planted in the blue pots, plants were placed throughout the courtyard. Irrigation was installed.

Our gardener delivered the "color" this week, and the next morning, planted yellow pansies along the driveway, inside the courtyard, and all along the poolside beds. (PS: he also planted yellow pansies in our garden at the Motorcoach Country Club. Still for sale.)

And now for the BIG MOMENT! The palm tree was cut free.
It will open slowly over the next week or so... unless helped by a good wind.

With all the color in our courtyard, we have had many birds visiting. Hummingbirds. Mourning Doves. Songbirds. But we were most surprised to see our "resident" roadrunner enter the courtyard! I guess s/he was just curious as to what all the fuss has been about the past month? Or maybe s/he was attracted to the bright yellow? Who knows? The bird walked right up to the front door and spent quite a bit of time looking into our living room through the screen door. Critiqing our taste in decor? It was fascinating to watch this incredible creature venture into our space. As I have written before, this Roadrunner is so entertaining, so clever, and so interesting, and hangs-out around our pool/rear garden most of the day.
The other part of our project was to have a pathway installed along the north side of the house. Previously, the side yard was sandy dirt. Never paved. As I said, everytime DT went to the garbage can he had to change his shoes. Just a mess. No more:
Now we have a clean, sturdy, place to walk and still have drainage during a rain storm (remember? no gutters).

PS: We golfed this week. Just us. A two-some, driving our own golf cart. No touch. No masks required. The course is still "under repair" from the scalping, so "cart path" golf is required. Golf is a terrible terrible terrible game. I shot a 10 on the first hole (Par 4), then went on to get one-over on the next two holes. These two good holes only lure me in... only to be completely disapponted later on. Hit a great drive, then three-putt. Welcome to My World.
In other news:

to use as a




Until my next update, I remain, your happy correspondent.
Now your place feels like yours..everything is beautiful! Glad you are checking in. We need any form of entertainment these days..cold and dreary Oregon is definitely here..Peggy.
The courtyard and side yard look so colorful, fabulous and welcoming now. And by looking at the other dark door by the roadrunner, that door behind him would look fantastic in black too, it would stand out more 🖤
Years ago we spent the winter in an RV park in Palm Springs. There was a roadrunner that showed up daily and I started feeding it (small balls of raw ground beef). It got so it would come to our door and call me (clack) until I would come out and feed it. A very interesting bird!
Your yellow pansies look beautiful over here at MCC. Always so pretty and sunny!