Friday Feature - First Friday!

Are you ready for the weekend?  It's going to be a great time to enjoy the night out.  Why not do something adventurous and check out First Friday.  This is the premiere artwalk in the state, and is actually one of the biggest in the country.
Roosevelt Row is the main hub for what's happening downtown, just south of I-10 off 3rd Street.  The scene is so full of energy, they sometime close off a few blocks just for foot traffic (and a bevy of street performers).  The cornerstone of it all is MADE Art Boutique, one of my favorite places to buy cool, funky books and jewelry.  Here, you can find out about what's happening, where to go, and you might even see someone you know.   

And from there, the fun just spills down the block and around the corner, with JoBot Coffee, Lost Leaf Cafe, Modified ArtSpace, Tammy Coe Cakes, and more.   Feeling hungry?  Your nose will do the walking toward the always awesome Food Truck garden.  Don't feel left out, you gardener types.  You have to go see GrowOp, a great little shop with vintage/found goods and fashion.  Oh, did I forget to mention the entire exterior space is brimming with veggies- along the sidewalk!

If you don't want to venture to far downtown, stay uptown and peep Practical Art, on Central Ave just north of Camelback.  Loads of amazing artisan wares and works of art.  The staff is nice to look at too (Love you guys!).  You can take a stroll for more cool vibes at Frances Vintage where you may not find what you need, but you'll definately find something you want; Stinkweeds music shop where vinyl still lives; and Windsor, and Postino for some fine comfort dining. 
Click here for more details on First Friday.  Now get out and support your local community!

(Cool things you see only at Phoenix First Friday)

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All The Buzz at Xericopia

The carpenter bees seem to have discovered their bounty for the season. There are at least five or more every morning when I go out into the garden.
But I discovered something just as amazing, if not better - gold! A golden carpenter bee. WOW! I think it's a female, but that's just my plant-brained guess. (any novice entomologist out there know specifically what kind of bee it is?)

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FROM: The Garden
TO: Your Health


1 - head of leaf lettuce (romaine)
1 - handful of kale
1 - cucumber, small
1 - lemon, small
2 - apples (okay, from the market)
1 - handful of ice

...Enjoy.

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It's Earth Day - Reduce, Reuse, Return

Today is Earth Day. Lots of events and activities will involve being green and recycling and carbon footprints and saving the environment, yadda yadda. But let's focus to the real star - Earth.

Look down. (Well, go outside and look down.) Look at the earth, the ground, the dirt, the soil. What can you really do for the earth TODAY.


Real simple - give back. It's a good time to simply start a compost pile. Even better (and simpler), leave your garden alone and let nature compost. Allow your garden - the earth - the feed and replenish itself. Composting (decomposition) is a natural process that is always happening underfoot. Where the mulch meets the soil, in-between, the bugs and microorganisms are hard at work composting.


When we contribute to the process by adding more layers of mulch - or leaving the leaves where they lay - the earth is enriched with nutrient life. In the end, the earth will return the favor and give to us.


For more cool inspiration about good ol' terra firma, check out what's airing on PBS. Now go let your toes hug some dirt.

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Knock, Knock...

Who's there?
Everybody! Xericopia is bursting with visitors these days. Well, not exactly visitors, more like new residents.

Lulu Bird has been banished to her chair, so now the lizards can workout in peace and everyone can come out and play...

Check out the carpenter bee loving some lavender pinata. (When he lands on the bloom, it droops over like a fishing rod. I think it's the bee version of a carnival ride.)

Mr. Mockingbird enjoys some apple while the shy Mr. Thrasher hides in the shadows while. (He prefer peanuts, or even better, dog food nuggets dunked in water.)

Bumble bees are loving some spanish lavender.(Keep your distance. They are feisty about their lavender time.)

Lizabelle is being her usual sassy self (as we sit less than a foot away enjoying the sunset).

The biggest surprise visitor this season has been a ladybug - and she's making babies!! (I think...)

But my favorites in the garden are the worms! The only critters working harder than me and I love it. Who's in your garden this spring?

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Sayonara Winter!

Top 10 Signs that I know Winter is over:

#10 - Bees are all over my garden.
#9 - Pointsettias are happy to be outside.

#8 - My stray cats are 'singing' (yikes).

#7 - Baker Nursery has orange justicia now!

#6 - I stopped turning on my electric blanket.

#5 - Flowering pear tree has flowered.

#4 - Fungal gnats keep finding my glass of wine.

#3 - Maggie dog is shedding.

#2 - Tomatoes are ripening.

#1 - The bermuda grass is on the move!

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Brrrr!

The rain has been awesome, and now the sky is amazing! Saturday afternoon, my wife and I decided to get out and enjoy the beautiful day by taking a walk through the Desert Botanical Garden.

(Chuhuli yucca at DBG)

The rain had stopped, the streets were dry, and the sun was coming out. One thing we overlooked - the forecast! We arrived at the Garden and by the time we made it through the ticket booth we were freezing! It was 52* degrees and very breeze, with lots of clouds.

(Aloe pavillion at DBG)

Aloes were in bloom, gaillardia was spilling onto the paths, and birds chatting about. But it was cold!!!

(Wild Gaillardia at DBG)

So, we briskly made our way around the short loop hoping the fluffy clouds would spread out and let some sun shine through. No such luck. Maybe next weekend...

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Eureka!

It's winter in Arizona and the bees are here at Xericopia! Hard to believe at 72* degrees it's winter time. Nature is confused! My trees just dropped their leaves (well, sort of) and it feels like they should start budding and blossoming. Even the basil in my garden is still ripe for plucking.

(bee visiting podranea pink trumpet)

But the most exciting thing going on in my garden is the presence of bees. Actually, 'a' bee. I like to believe that it's a different bee each day. Enjoying the lavender, enjoying the salvia, enjoying the weather - like me!

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