When I shop at thrift stores I’m always on the lookout for outdoor decorations that have utility (such as in supporting plant life) and brightness and beauty that can withstand our moderate climate, rain and in the case of where I live, high winds. There are now areas of the backyard and side yard that have covers, such as under the gazebo near the hot tub, but I also want things to be left in the light.

With a small, sturdy table I got on sale at Lowes, I moved the large fountain in the side yard off of the wood porch to effectively extend the porch sideways. I then added some plants in terracotta pots to make sure that the dogs didn’t accidentally fall in the crack between the porch and the table on which the fountain is situated. This is a good use of space between the rose bush and the porch. The reason why I’m worried about the dogs falling in the crack is that two of our dogs are blind and senior and they are not going to be specifically aware of the movement of these pieces, but the plants with terracotta have them covered.

The recent rains brought a boost in the bloom, which is nice at this time of year when there is so little sun near the winter solstice. I’m always looking forward to days with more sunshine. It will be particularly joyful now that we have five solar-powered spinners going in the backyard, three of which are above the side porch, visible from the kitchen getting more of the afternoon sun.

As we age in place it’s nice to make safety improvements. While we don’t run up the steps to the various tiers in our backyard all the time, it is nice to have safer steps with handrails when we do for various reasons, including “hillside” gardening. Shando put this together for us. My original plan was to build a platform that was safe to climb on top of the deck in our lookout area, but even when we brought it to the lookout and walked up all the way, our own roof obstructed most of the water view of the Carquinez Strait. So much for that theory.

I was going to order a shorter set of stairs for the bottom tier of the garden with one handrail, but after we tested it out, this one fit very well, and the steps are gradual, like the staircase that came with the house up to the lookout. In the end, it was meant to be, and it matches the other decor of the backyard well, as far as I’m concerned. These steps now make the path “around” the bamboo much more practical for humans.

I’m continuing to update the coffee station to best suit our needs. The pink roses on the front side of the house always bloom this time of year, so I’m glad I was able to pick some up off the ground and display them for a few days before they completely desiccated. At least now I can compost them. It amazes me how many of the rose bushes do so well in California in the middle of what other parts of the northern hemisphere call “Winter.”