Mono Monday : : Agave

John arranged to take the car in for service at 7:30 this morning thinking we could take Spike for a nice walk while they worked on the car. It was not to be, as it was absolutely pouring with rain when he woke before dawn. He went by himself and waited in their waiting room, taking our newspaper with him. Trail House is just down the street and provided a good refuge once the rain let up enough for him to walk there. There are downsides to having only one car, but it would be insane to buy a new one just so we had a ride back from the service place. 

He forgot to bring home the newspaper but I doubt if I missed much.

It has been a spectacular weather day,  occasional glimpses of blue sky alternating with longer periods of pouring rain. I think the high was 49F/9C, and I didn't want to know what the low was as I crawled out from under the warm duvet with an extra quilt this morning. I had a second cup of coffee with John when he got home. Kathy informed us that it was really stormy at her house so we elected to stay home.

We did manage to get Spike out for a walk during a brief lull and throw his kong a few times in the field for him before the heavens opened again. He seems to have developed the idea that John should throw the Kong for him in the house, but only I can throw it outside. I am trying to disabuse Spike of the idea of chasing the ball in the house but am not getting a lot of back-up from John and it is difficult to find ways for him (Spike not John...well, actually, maybe both of them) to entertain himself  themselves inside.  

Although we have a lot of different kinds of agaves, the one featured today is not actually in our garden but in a little strip by the street filled with various cacti . What makes it interesting is that the house belonging to the garden burned down and most of the cacti were severely damaged. It was interesting to see that quite a few of them, encouraged by all the rain we've had this year, are making a comeback.  I don't remember the agave at all, but It has come back from somewhere in all its pointy perfection. I love these plants but this particular variety is a bit too long and sharp to have in a garden with a blind dog.

Sunset is now after 6pm (6:01 to be exact) but it's a little hard to appreciate the the fact when it is already as dark as night.