Life is good in the neighborhood! Our tire planters are looking great—and they don’t even break if someone backs into them. They are bendable! Putting out a couple more this weekend along with my “Welcome to LODA” sign on the side of an old metal filing cabinet—that’s what you do on the ‘southside’!

Those wonderful folks at Domino’s Pizza raised over $2,500 for the Jaiden Rogers family. I think of all the “chain” restaurants and businesses and I do wonder how much they give to our community. I think back to the old days of Nacho Martinez/Best Western and Clancy/Holiday Inn and Lloyd Nelson/McDonalds and Jack Mozzetti/Comfort Inn and I know how much they invested in our community. The only owner I know now is Manny—who owns Super 8, Comfort Inn, Arby’s and IHOP. He gives hugely to Society Hall and ALMA, and I’m guessing others. Thank you Manny! Please let me know if you are working with other “out of town owners and business who donate locally.”

Larry and I had to evict renters from our duplex this past few weeks—it takes so long! We were certainly educated in how the legal system works, and how the landlord/property owner don’t have many rights! It does feel good to have previous tenants out and be able to work in the gardens again. I was able to water and dig up rose starts for Cathy Morin—thank you for your donation to my causes. If you have been on my list for bushes, now is the time to come get them. I will be keeping them moist.

When I have been watering I have been noticing those dang little green cabbage loopers—especially on any and all ornamental cabbages. This means that they are also getting on your eating cabbages, broccoli, and cauliflower. Plus, hollyhocks are starting to show damage on their leaves. There a number of different methods for killing loopers. BT is one of the more organic methods and there are also a few not so organic ones. Come by the store and I will share my knowledge.

Mom’s Garden, on Highway 285 is finally to the point of being ready to transplant into. I had some help from Benjamin and Leticia—really, really helped! 

I am hoping to start planting some new Iris’ this weekend. Mary Ellen Fleming brought me some purple Iris and George Garcia brought in some white ones. I have some for sale for a buck or so with proceeds benefitting “my causes.” I absolutely hate digging and planting Iris’s. My least favorite flower to plant but my favorite of all flowers in the spring. Maybe even my favorite flower of all!

So persevere I will, and keep Mom’s Garden up to par. If you would like to help with the ongoing creation of this area, please come by the Green Spot and we will figure out a time to work together.

Meanwhile…here’s how the little thieves got in my building….not through the open door, but by climbing up the pallets that have been holding up the swamp cooler for 20 years or more. They got on the roof and pulled the boards off the elevator shaft, climbed down the shaft and kicked a door in. How does a person protect themselves against this kind of thief? I just got off the phone with a friend who woke up a few weeks ago with someone shining a flashlight in her face. Talk about feeling violated. I know of at least two other homes where intruders did the same thing. This is in the El Rio neighborhood, so it’s not only on the south side. Protect yourselves, folks. Lock your doors, put up motion lights—isn’t it sad our community has come to this? 

Another neighbor had her porch door yanked open, and her bike stolen. So fast. Another neighbor has someone camping in their back yard and can’t get them to move—that’s the rumor—I need to find out more about this. We all need to get to know our neighbors and watch out for each other!