Settling Into Our Routine

 After a few days of adjusting to the new time zone we are settling into our usual routine 

here in the desert Southwest.

Dixie overlooking the irrigation canal

We do our morning walks along the canal

Walking along the canal

We had a necessary laundry/shopping day, refilling water in the tank and getting propane.

 all natural laundry drying

The clothes usually dry within two hour in this low humidity and nobody

cares about the laundry hanging out on the line. Saves a lot of "dryer" coins.

Peter preparing his traditional German Christmas cookies 

The cookie baker

and I decorated and sat up our

traditional three small trees in the front of our spot. 

unpacking our desert Christmas trees

We have had them for about 10 years now and they are only used when we are here.

Ready decorated, at night they are illuminated with small solar lights

It must have rained earlier in the fall, 

Investigating the flowers in the sand

some of the small plants in the sand are in full bloom.

and with me having an eye out for birds.

There are not the pretty coloured tropical species around but

some are here among the shrubs.

House Finch

Near sunset, a young Cooper's Hawk sitting in a dead tree

Translation

______________________________________________________

Es dauerte ein paar Tage bevor wir wieder in unserer gewohnten Routine waren.

Morgentliche Spaziergänge entlang des Bewässerungskanal, Einkaufen und Waschtag. 

Die Wäsche trocknet hier in der trockenen Wüstenluft sehr schnell und keiner beschwert

sich daß sie draussen auf der Leine hängt. Es spart uns eine Menge Kleingeld.

Peter bäckt nach dem Rezept seiner Mutter Weihnachtsplätzchen während

ich die kleinen Weihnachtsbäume schmücke.

Die haben wir schon seit über 10 Jahren und benutzen sie nur hier in der Wüste.

Es muß hier geregnet haben denn überall blühen kleine, gelbe Blumen.

Es gibt hier keine bunten, tropische Vögel, aber einige leben hier draußen in den 

Büschen. 

One more task done

NOV 19th and still blooming! 

I was so tempted to let it go on for ever.

One of my Geranium plants

But the days are getting shorter and darker, 

and for another two month, or more, 

there will be no chance of growth here in my greenhouse. 

Therefore I decided: today is the day.

I manned myself up and took all planters apart. 

The begonia corms are now dry and will be stored on cardboard, 

in a dark cool spot.

Begonia plants are getting prepared for a
slumber in the basement.

All geranium plants are reduced by a third, and placed in our light, cool entrance. 

I forgot to take a photo of that place, but I will bring it up soon. 

Watering is reduced so that the soil is nearly dried out. This, and the 

low temperatures  should start dormancy. 

In a few weeks time these plants will be hung upside down 

in our the cool, dark basement until I can revive them come March. 

The debris was gathered and moved to the compost bin. 

I could have started new plants from the clippings, you could argue, 

but I lack enough window sill and lights to be able to do that. 

Debris destine for the compost bin

I have only one clipping, taken from a geranium with white flowers, 

that is growing roots in water right now. 

I hope to keep it growing throughout the winter season.

It is hard to let go of summer. 

There are still flowers on my Calendulas (Marigolds) outside. 

After I had cleared and organized my greenhouse 

Some hardy Calendula are still showing flowers

I picked some of the flowers and went inside to 
to bake peanut butter cookies.

Comfort food. 

It seems so long until spring will be back again. 

Peanut butter cookies right out of the oven!

Lots of dark, snowy days lay ahead. 

I have to find something positive in that picture.

_____________________________________

Auntie's translation

Im Gewächshaus blühten noch immer die Topfblumen. Aber

heute habe ich mich aufgerafft und sie fürs Überwintern 

zurecht gemacht. Geranien und Begonien sind jetzt

so trocken dass ich sie im kühlen, dunklen Keller

lagern kann. Hoffentlich klappt das.

Die Reste wanderten auf den Komposthaufen.

Draussen wachsen immer noch Calendula. Davon habe ich

mir ein paar Blüten mit ins Haus genommen 

und dann zwei Bleche Plätzchen gebacken.

Man muss sich ja irgendwie trösten.

Jetzt kommen nur noch die Monate mit den langen, kalten Tagen.