how does our garden grow?

Well, if you're asking about the pumpkins, quite well.

We've been planting lots of seeds, and transplanting the few random sprouts that turn up in our compost box. The most successful of them all, to date, has been the pumpkin. At least, we're pretty sure it's pumpkin. We had eaten a pumpkin (or moroccan squash, as the farm stand called it) and 'composted' the seeds. But those seeds were not going without a fight, and they've been shooting up in record numbers. The ones we planted a few weeks ago already look like genuine vines. So we're excited about maybe eating our own pumpkins this fall. (Whatever the pumpkin-haters may say) :)

We also have oregano, one of the few survivors of the herb plants we left behind while in London, sage, and tons of little potential rosemary plants, basil and thai basil, radishes, parsley and cilantro. And then last but not least, some happily sprouting California poppies - (the state flower!) - which started in seed form as a present from Drew.

We'll update this if anything really exciting grows, like a beanstalk, or a pumpkin.

i madonnari

I know we've been MIA. Sadly, this is not because there have been more fun things to do than blog. There will be prolific posting in the post-thesis period, which is to say, someday.

Today we took a break from the regular activities and walked up to the Santa Barbara Mission. It's beautiful on most days, but every year there's a chalk-art festival called 'i madonnari' on Memorial Day weekend. So we went to have a look at the aftermath. The drawings did not disappoint. Here's the slideshow:

A walk in Santa Ynez Valley

A kind of gray day in Santa Barbara, so we went over the mountains for a hike. Enjoy the pictures!

Whale Watching

My parents came down to Santa Barbara for a little Spring break. We went whale watching and got to see quite a show!