Mexican Bush Sage Sighting at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

While drinking a Peerless organic coffee from The Market at Pebble Beach )California), I saw a sprawling bush with spiky green leaves along the garden trail.

I used Google lens to identify this plant called a Mexican bush sage.

In late summer and early fall the leaves are full of purple flowers that attract hummingbirds.

Mexican bush sages require minimal watering and seem to do well with ocean fog and drizzle.

According to nursery notes from Mountain Valley Growers, Mountain bush sage offers good ground coverage for a minimum outlay of money.

More nursery information and purchase details follow:

https://mountainvalleygrowers.com/organic-plants/salvia-leucantha-all-purple-mexican-bush-sage/

My husband Laurent brought me a souvenir to go with my nature walk - a bag of Pebble Beach brand espresso Maranello coffee beans for weekend breakfasts.

I thought that was a great souvenir for a garden walk and bird watching at Pebble Beach, California.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

To host an exchange student or study abroad - check out Youth for Understanding reposted by Ruth Paget

To host an international exchange student or have a student study abroad as an exchange student, check out Youth for Understanding for options including scholarships:

https://yfuusa.org/

I went to Japan as an exchange student with Youth for Understanding in 1980.

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Gams

Places to Find Potted Cooking Herbs in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Places to Find Potted Cooking Herbs in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

While making a trip to Nob Hill for bread and drinkable yogurt, I saw that Nob Hill was selling potted herbs and vegetables in the entrance.   Snipping fresh herbs into a dish always makes me think of Nigella Lawson’s cooking shows.

Salinas cooks interested in perking up dishes like eggs, rice with butter, pasta with tomato sauce, mashed potatoes with butter and/or sour cream, and salads might enjoy checking out what the following stores have to offer as potted herbs and/or vegetables:

*Nob Hill

Salinas, California

*Lowe’s

Salinas, California

*CVS

Salinas, California - check online first for availability

*Costco

Salinas and Sand City, California

*Trader Joe’s

Marina, California

Happy Cooking!

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Purple Flowered Brazilian Vervain Verbena Sighting at the Farm outside Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

While picking up an apple crisp pie (around $33) at the Farm outside Salinas (California), I saw a 6-foot purple plant growing the parking lot by the garden.

I used Google lens to identify the plant and saw that is is a Brazilian vervain verbena plant.

The Brazilian vervain verbena is very useful to the Salinas area for several reasons:

-their flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and other crop pollinators

-bees use honey they collect to make honey

-the plant is drought resistant

-the plant is heat tolerant

-the plant is deer resistant

Details on this plant from a nursery and purchase information follow:

https://www.botanicalinterests.com/products/brazilian-vervain-verbena-seeds?variant=43922580373757&country=US&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=19807336947&tw_kwdid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19814964674&gbraid=0AAAAAD5FVGyG5Z3SJOiGbKy1SC-qRpTMH&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoMXQBhDcARIsAH-eEtuj6gP8ILJ6mJhjP9VpXlUMdOcpmusBONpK4EQSTq9kmFWIVXlTjpUaAgS5EALw_wcB

Have fun garden strolling at the Farm outside Salinas, California where you can buy pie and heirloom tomatoes among other items!

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Faux Double Ball Boxwood Topiary Trees on Sale at Costco and Online posted by Ruth Paget

On today’s Costco run I saw people buying faux double ball boxwood trees (about 4 feet tall).  

Topiary trees look good on either side of doorways.(Versailles and other French chateaux use this decorating feature.)  

This faux tree lets you have this landscaped look inside your home with little maintenance (maybe dusting). People in colder climates can have year-round greenery with this topiary  tree.

The following link to a faux double ball topiary sold by qvc follows:

https://www.qvc.com/nearly-natural-34-boxwood-double-ball-topiary.product.H472389.html?colorId=000&sizeId=551&ref=GBA&CID=GGL-SP-GGL%7CSP%7CBrandProducthomedecordecorativeaccents%7CHMD%7CPLA%7CX%7CX%7CStatic%7CX%7CACQ%7CX%7CX%7CX&e4=ACQ&e5=PLA&e6=HMD&e7=16923249340&e8=Cj0KCQjwoMXQBhDcARIsAH-eEtsSbqNfzxnmSuV0VraeLThp9u3c1h-yDX4zCmYZVZvmVbNFoh-jzj4aAuZIEALw_wcB&e9=SRCH&e10=PROD&e11=5349761714&e12=169836202068&e13=pla-2489895218392&e17=H472389-000-551&e24=g&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16923249340&gbraid=0AAAAAD3-fzlEbrbB7XH1Xb9f_sd2O7rkG&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoMXQBhDcARIsAH-eEtsSbqNfzxnmSuV0VraeLThp9u3c1h-yDX4zCmYZVZvmVbNFoh-jzj4aAuZIEALw_wcB&sc=entry

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

United Announces Seasonal Non-Stop Flights Between Monterey and Chicago reposted by Ruth Paget

United announces seasonal non-stop flights between Monterey, California and Chicago, Illinois for a 4 1/2 hour flight.

Art and architecture lovers have a choice of world famous museums to visit here and architecture tours by boat and bus.  

Information about this new flight service by United follows:

https://www.montereyairport.com/press-release/united-airlines-announces-seasonal-nonstop-service-between-monterey-and-chicago

Note: I lived in the corn cob Marina City Tower close to the boat in the photo after graduating from the University of Chicago.

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

PG&E Money Savings for Using Time of Use Plans reposted by Ruth Paget

Using electricity during off-peak hours for laundry machines and dishwashers for example can save on electricity bills with PG&E Time of Use Plans.

I have reposted information on PG&E’s time and use plans below:

https://www.pge.com/en/account/rate-plans/time-of-use-rate-plans.html

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games