Wednesday Vignette: Visitors

It's been awhile since I've had visitors come by to share a meal.  In the "before times," a group of local friends and I used to meet at least weekly for lunch.  That came to an abrupt end in March of last year when Los Angeles issued its "safer-at-home" guidelines and our usual lunch haunts closed.  We met twice last year in my back garden for a socially-distanced meal but the last of those get-togethers was in November.  Now that we're all vaccinated, we're assembling again today.  Like the excursion two weeks ago, it feels like another milestone on the road to a semblance of normalcy.

I scrubbed all the furniture and cushions late Sunday afternoon to give them time to dry.  My husband hauled out our large sun umbrella after I took this photo.  All I still need to do is add the tablecloth and bring out plates, glasses and cutlery.  We've ordered take-out food this time so (yay!) no food preparation is required on my part.

The Ginkgo biloba 'Autumn Gold' off the patio is not a visitor but it's welcome too.  I ordered it in late February to replace the dying mimosa tree we removed in late October.  I subsequently had to size up my selection to get what I wanted.  After a difficult time getting it home in one piece and then moving it from our truck to the back garden, we're going to get some help putting it in the ground but it looks nice even in its wood box.

There are going to be six of us for lunch so, if the sun umbrella doesn't provide adequate coverage, some of my guests may elect to retire to the south side patio, which I also cleaned up.  It's expected to get up to the mid-80sF (29C) today.

Not all our recent visitors have been welcome.  Another kind of visitor has been paying nightly calls on us.  Here's the fellow in question:

I snapped this photo last Friday from inside the house as night was falling.  The following evening, while my husband was in the backyard spa tub, he and the coyote locked eyes until the coyote decided to continue his way down our back slope into the canyon beyond.

The coyote prowls the garden, presumably hunting for prey, marking our property as part of his territory by leaving scat behind with each visit.  He's diligent.  He may have a family to feed as this is mating and pupping season, when they're most active.  However, if rabbits were on his shopping list, all he found in my garden was bunny tail grass (Lagurus ovatus).

I sowed seed of this ornamental grass in an adjacent area of the garden 2 years ago and it keeps coming back, albeit in different spots  

There are actually real bunnies here.  They like to eat my Gazanias.  But there's no sign that the coyote has sent them packing yet - I still find half-eaten Gazania flowers every day.  Based on the coyote's calling cards, at present it looks as though his diet consists mainly of fruit.

For more Wednesday Vignettes, visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party