Blossom where you're planted...

 

Is that a reference to life in the desert?  Kinda.

I mentioned that Joan has been working on her plants in a previous post.  The numbers keep growing and there is an interesting variety: some cacti, some flowering, etc...

These little guys are my favorites...

She could probably tell you what each kind of cactus is represented - I just like the colorfulness.  Steph has planted stuff in their yard, including a raised planter that has some herbs.  Look at us, being all horticultural.

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Gotcha Covered...

More Vine acquisitions, this time another patio umbrella.  We love the patio umbrella we bought several months ago: it is large and solid; heavy duty enough that it can withstand some wind.  With the weighted base, it is not something you will easily move around.

No, that was not a Vine acquisition, but we did find it for half price at Lowe's (off season).  Joan has been wanting another umbrella that we can move reasonably easy - something on wheels, preferably.  She found an umbrella on Vine, but no stand for it...

That is the umbrella - that is not in our courtyard (manufacturer photo).  There was some assembly required - I took it outside to put it together... no tools necessary.  This umbrella sells for around $75 and is pretty lightweight construction.  The fabric isn't as heavy-duty as our first umbrella.  The price was right: $0, thank you, Vine.  Joan had to pay real money for a weighted stand on wheels for it.

The umbrella was delivered today, and I put it together.  The stand should be here tomorrow or Monday.  I think it is going to do what we want: to fill the "gaps" that the other umbrella can't reach.  We cranked it open to check it out... it goes up, it goes down, and it has a "hinge" so you can tilt it.  If the main umbrella is a Mercedes, this one is a Kia Rio... we'll see how it does the job when the stand gets here.