Is it Fall already?

Where does the time go. Last time I looked it was April. And now it's November and we're still back at our new RV lot here in sunny southern California, land of swimming pools, movie stars and a whole lot more. It's hard to beat the comforts of heated pools, tennis courts and good walking areas here at Glen Eden Sun Club especially with Trader Joes just up the road. We've enjoyed a great time this many months rediscovering the joys of digging in the dirt and talking plants. Tom completed a 10 month Master Gardener training program with the UC Riverside Coop Extension in June and is now "certified" for whatever that means; like his Master Composter designation from a few years ago, piled high and heated up. Nancy thinks it's just one more proof of him being "certifiable". Our arrival back in April was met with feverish push to transplant the many seedling starts we'd grown from seed in the motorhome. The garden beds needed completion, the fence needed extending, the shed needed moving, the esaplier fruit trees needed wires, as did the grapes, the shed needed a workbench...you get the picture. It's been fun. I've also gotten to know the area better through volunteering with Master Gardeners at the UCRiverside Botanical Gardens, the GrowLab, many "Meet&Greet" community information tables at nurseries, garden tours public events. Tom managed a couple of short camping trips with one up the coast near Malibu and the other in the Santa Ana mountains west of Lake Elsinore. It's surprising how remote and beautiful a lot of southern CA can be, and yet within a few miles are all the trappings of freeways and people. We try to imagine the beauty of the lands here before being discovered by so many people seeking a mild, Mediterranean climate with ocean, mountains and desert so near.

We've also made good use of our time and are now trying on clothes that only a few months ago were way too tight...I've followed the progress of Ms. Nancy who has lost over 40 lbs during these few months and me along for the ride. Quite an accomplishment for her, and good luck for me.
Looks like we'll be around here until the 20th of December when we will shove off on our first cruise through the Panama Canal and on to Miami and visit with son, William. This will be a special birthday for Ms Nancy on Christmas day and our 32nd aniversary on the winter solstice! More at that time.