I wanted to share with you the view from my kitchen window. This is where I'm looking most of the day it seems. Three meals a day and two snacks in between for the kids, and we are often in the kitchen. When we open the window we can enjoy the scent of alyssum. I let the alyssum take over the front bed. Better that than the red clover that's trying to conquer my entire garden. 
We acquired three California Wax Myrtles. They are evergreen and native to the area so they should do well. It was either them or arbor vitaes, but I do like the color and look of their leaves better. We hope that they grow quickly to create a nice screen. We were told they should grow at least 8 inches a year. I think I'll make a little bulb garden in front of them.
A report on fall vegetable gardening:
The radishes have done well and have not been eaten up as badly as the spring batch was. We (toddler and I) pulled a few more carrots yesterday. What's not growing well is the lettuce. The lettuce is just sitting there a few inches tall and doesn't seem to be growing at all. Must be too cold. The cilantro and dill are gone. Parsley has not sprouted, but there are two volunteer pea plants. I think I picked the last 3 green beans yesterday.
