In the Neighbourhood

Here are a bunch of happy-snaps taken on a recent walk with the dog.  All are taken in Talmadge, the area where Kathleen and Phillip live. Most of the houses are one story, built shortly after the war, on fairly small lots. Many if not most, are uninsulated, have no basement, have their gas fired hot-water heaters outside, and their furnaces in the attic.

Streets are wide, as are the sidewalks, and many streets have  lawn space between the road and sidewalks. There are some pretty serious limits on watering so many gardens are being updated to be water or almost water free. Succulents are everywhere!

Of course, this next picture is the exception that proves the rule: mushrooms, the outcome of the serious rains earlier this month.  A rare sight!

This is a popular hedge in the neighbourhood: this pruning treatment is just brilliant!

A few houses have little follies, this is one near the front entrance that seems like someone's dream house, complete with stone wall, shingles, and a small pool in the side yard.

Here's one of those no maintenance yards, stones, and reduced water needs.

This corner lot chose contrasting stones to set the tone.

Next is a house across the road from Phillip and Kathleen. Don't forget you can click on any picture to see them all larger.

The whole area is surrounded by canyons, but every now and again, you'll find some trees head and shoulders above the rest.

Some houses have a very large tree that has been severely pruned: here's one with a trunk that suggests many decades of age, but the tree itself is not all that big.  Neat!

Talmadge has a fairly large foot-print, and many streets leading to it have these fairly ornate gates.  These gates delineate the old Talmadge from the newer areas. Of course, these particular gates also frame Joan and Maverick.

We spotted this flowering vine which was spectacular. It reached the house eaves and covered a large part of the front of the house. The flowers seem to open a dark pink then fade to white as they age.

Other landscaping efforts are much more subtle but no less interesting.

Here's a landscape consisting of crushed stone 'mulch' and artificial turf.

And the grand finale: 'Our' house with it's own large Chinese Elm.  ..and a dirty convertible from Ontario parked out front
...