Showers or Flowers?

They say April showers bring May flowers, but sometimes it’s the other way around. Which rite of Spring do you prefer?

CHIC (Pearl)

Rain has a way of making everything feel fresh and new. Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved the cool scent of the air when you wake up and showers are already falling outside. I even keep my bedroom window open on warm rainy nights. But lately, that’s been a recipe for catching a cold!

GEEK (Kevin)

Living in California, it seems like you turn your head one day and suddenly the world is covered in fruit blossoms, poppies, and crocuses. The colors and smells surround you on a morning hike, filling your soul and making your feet feel like they’re floating just off the ground.

Leap Day DIY

Every four years, we get an extra day on the calendar — February 29th — to account for the extra time it takes the Earth to make a circuit around the Sun. We decided to take advantage of this Leap Day by getting things done around the house.

CHIC (Pearl)

Kevin loves to cook, and he’s super organized. So I’m going to give him a special gift and spend Leap Day clearing out and cleaning up our pantry. And I’ll bring a touch of style with fresh shelf covers and colorful container sets.

GEEK (Kevin)

Pearl loves to garden, and it’s nearly springtime planting season. So I’m going to build her some long wood planters from scratch that she can use in our backyard. And I’ll geek it out with a water-saving programmable irrigation system.

The Best Things in Life

They say the best things in life are free, and that’s (mostly) true. But sometimes it’s fun to splurge a little. What are your favorite splurges and the little things you can’t live without?

CHIC (Pearl)

It’s my job to find our clients stylish homes at a price they can afford, so I’m used to getting more with less. When it comes to food, I can’t resist the occasional “cheat day” to try a new restaurant or bring home premium ingredients for one of my favorite dishes. But at the end of the day, the finest meal is made even finer with the company of friendly neighbors — and you can’t put a price tag on that!

GEEK (Kevin)

I’m also fairly frugal and try to get our clients the most bang for their buck with home improvement. That said, I lose my will power in the power tool section of the hardware store. There’s something about the whirring of an electric drill that makes me open my wallet. But when I come home, I can’t wait to grab a shovel and dig around our backyard garden. It’s very relaxing.

Spring has sprung?

It might be hard to tell with howling winds and frigid temps outside, but we’re officially two weeks into Spring! What do you look forward to the most this season? Showers or flowers?

CHIC (Pearl)

Who doesn’t love flowers? Seriously though, this is typically the perfect time for me to get outside and embrace my green thumb. The cold weather has certainly put a damper on my flower garden because I’m worried about overnight freezes, but that doesn’t keep me from tilling the soil, clearing the weeds, and getting things ready for the big plant.

GEEK (Kevin)

I’ll admit it, I love flowers as much as anybody. So I’m geeked up to help Pearl get our backyard garden in working order. But I also know we desperately need the water and record-setting Sierra snowpack if we’re ever going to escape from this seemingly endless drought. So bring on the April showers, and let the flowers wait for May.

Get your winter gardening on!

It may be colder and cloudier outside, but winter can still be a productive time in your garden. Need some tips for making the most of the slow season?

CHIC (Pearl)

Believe it or not, winter is the perfect time for planting. Visit your local nursery to pick up whatever varieties of bulbs they have in stock, grab a guide on Google, and get your Spring plants in the ground now. While you’re digging around, be sure to clear out all the dead plant material in your garden to make room for the healthy plants and keep pests at bay. And that compost you’ve been collecting? Now’s your chance to mix it in with the topsoil to give your bulbs an extra boost of nutrition.

GEEK (Kevin)

Need a break from planting? Try your hand at pruning deciduous plants (the ones that lose their leaves in winter) like fruit trees, vines, roses, maples, and more. Start by getting rid of all the dead weight, then focus on aesthetics like thinning out crossed or rubbing branches. Just remember not to trim more than 30% of the plant if you don’t know what you’re doing. You may end up inadvertently harming the plant. Don’t know what kind of plant you’re pruning? Take a picture to your nursery and ask a pro.