Citrus fruit ripens in the winter, so we are in full picking mode now.    The grapefruit tree is FULL, FULL, FULL, even though we had it trimmed last year, we still need to do some more trimming, especially towards the top so the fruit is awfully hard to get to, even with our long ‘claw’ for picking them.

The orange tree is doing better this year, it was in very sorry shape when we moved in last year but we have pruned some deadwood out and will need to do some more, plus added a LOT of fertilizer last year and it does seem to be coming around.  We’ve picked a lot more oranges, have given a lot away and have some small ones to juice this weekend.  

The grapefruit will last into the beginning of summer before they start dropping because they are too heavy and the animals attack the fruit.  Turns out coyotes love citrus and our park is full of citrus trees.  Of course last year there were also rabbits all over the park - - not this year!  

Coyotes are so ubiquitous in Arizona that the state Wildlife and Game Department doesn’t bother coming out unless there is a den found with little ones in it that they can move up into the moutains.   Turns out coyotes are well adapted to suburban living - - 4'-5’ walls are just jumping exercise for them.

Last summer all the blossoms on the Orchid plant Dave gave me fell off.  I was ready to chuck it out, but Dave decided to try and see if he could get it to bloom again.   The first of January we saw buds beginning to form on the stock that appeared in December.  

Beginning in late January we saw the flower from the first bloom emerging.

Now we have  3 flowers blooming and more to follow!

This is my other ‘new’ thing this winter - - making our own hamburger buns!  They are easy to do and I made it even easier by getting a silicone mesh form for the buns.   Just place a somewhat flatten  egg-rich dough in each, let it rise again, and bake for 18 minutes at 375°.

And this was the result.   We are enjoying them - they aso make great paninis!

Dave’s desire to support democracy yielded a poster from MoveOn which lists Hawkeem Jeffries’ “The ABCs of Democracy.”  It is a well-done a novel and inciteful summary which we wanted to share with everyone.

Next month, hopefully our next blog entry will report on sunny weather, great Spring Training games and Dave’s successful mitral valve clip installation.