Spring energy!

 Around the Neighborhood.  I thought I'd snap some photos near our house - while I was out either running or walking - since you certainly don't need to be bored to tears seeing piles of weeds or grass that I've pulled.  I will focus on yards that have zero grass.  Just because I find them more interesting.    I love going by this house, now I realize I should've zoomed in a bit.  They are higher up on a street, and the front yard gets blasted with sun, from rise to set!   

Below, this was redone about 4 years ago - removed all the grass.  I like that they mounded dirt up so the yard is not flat like it was.  

Right by the firelane, I believe that is Pachycereus pringlei, cardon cactus -because of the "wiggly" shape and not a saguaro.  *However, the people who purchased this house in the past few years said they are not allowed to cut the cactus down.  No idea about that, the house was built 1916.

Just for fun, here is Deacon Dave's - this is down the fire lane, and about a block & 1/2 away.  They do an enormous Christmas display every year.  The line goes down the street and around the corner.  We usually just look from across the street and don't bother to walk through it. They start putting this together late August, early September.  This picture shows the beginning of putting it all away, below is from Christmas eve when we walked down to see it. Over 785,000 lights!]

Colorful prickly pear & aloe flower.

The below really doesn't do this justice, for most of the year this yard is fully in flower and very pretty.

Ha, I had to include the purple house.  They painted this about 6 months ago, and removed their grass and adopted a drought tolerant garden.  I don't know about each chair being a different color, but I applaud them doing something bold.  This street faces a vineyard, so all the homes have a very nice view.  Park behind them, vineyard in front, not too shabby!

Pepper trees lining the path to Arroyo Mocho trail, by the vineyard (I believe this vineyard is owned by Concannon Vineyard).

The Arroyo creek runs by the trail.  When we were in terrible drought, this was dry.  We've been lucky to see many birds of prey, quail, bobcats, egrets, heron and of course ducks while walking through.

And this girl was walking her cat, hahaha.  He let out a loud meow, I don't think he liked being in that backpack!

I like how this house in the corner has a prickly pear barricade on the outer side of their fence.  Honestly, I don't know if they planted it.  It showed signs of a recent trim/top off.

There were quite a lot of birds popping in, I'm assuming for the fruit.

And we are getting a little rain this afternoon, very light.  Dr. Feelgood is fixing a nap.

I am very much yearning for Spring.  And longer daylight hours!   What are you most looking forward to, garden or otherwise?