An Early Summer Day

We had crazy big surf over the weekend, and howling winds; we were holding onto our tents yesterday in Rancho Santa Fe with one arm while selling. Here are two pics from the Register today to show you how big the surf was:
This is at the place called "the Wedge" where the jetty meets Balboa Peninsula; it's where the biggest surf can be seen, especially on a south swell; incredible to be there in big surf, finding a parking space is almost as incredible as the surf!

We are getting on to summer, though here in Laguna it's not summer weather yet; we generally have "June Gloom" in the mornings until July. Would it be summer anywhere without tomatoes? California, Wisconsin or New Jersey, Summer = Tomatoes.

Two years ago I redid an area of the garden for veggies, though since I get produce so cheaply at the markets, I quickly went to just tomatoes; I installed a central allee with decomposed granite, one of my favorites for walks in the garden:
This was the first year; the boxwood border is so young; that's my dog Napoleon in front, whom I lost last year at almost 14 years....my beloved little guy....it took two dogs to fill the hole in my heart....
We had such wind today; we are not too far from the ocean to feel the wind when it kicks up; the surf was huge from here to San Diego; this is from the top corner of our property:
When I got got home, I went out to see the tomato plants but got distracted immediately by the birds; a very vocal common shrike:
But soon I saw favorite bird of the year, a hooded oriole which is here every summer; sometimes I find their hanging pouch nest, but here is the bird on its own; it is bright orange/yellow:
With the wind today, the group of family and friends went to the patio, sheltered from wind,

behind the white gate;
On days like today I love our grotto fountain, which keeps the entry cool and gives a little noise...

And the succulents and jasmine....
that line one of the walks....a few of the stairs need to be redone, but they still work; the boxwood that surrounds them is very happy in this cool end of the garden:
the white Hibiscus is there too, so happy:
the water hyacinth is close by in the pond on the patio, and also gives us some calm:
Most of the garden is the opposite; it bakes: here lavender and santolina:
the walk leading up to the citrus trees and bird house, part of the Baking part of the garden:
I collect stone rounds; I dug up the one top right in the garden many years ago; they are at the end of the walkway shown above....

But next to the stone you find some of the roses:
Finally, here are the tomatoes as they are today; the boxwood is more mature, and the granite more bleached.
I hoped you liked the little garden tour; I am looking forward to some fabulous tomatoes this year!