A Davis Garden Tour (& Friday Links)

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A fun local event, the 24th annual Pence Gallery Garden tour is coming up: one gets to peek into the neighbors’ yards as eight gardens are opened to visitors for inspiration, while a local artist paints or draws the landscape. I just came across these pictures of my favorite house on last year’s tour.

While most of the homes last year had large lawns and colorful blooms, this one featured more drought-tolerant plants (though there is a pool and some lawn here, too). I’m curious to see how the tour will be different this year to reflect the water shortage in California, and will be looking for ideas for our own backyard.

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Here’s an interesting article on the drought in California (in defense of those beleaguered Almonds), and some other things of note… 

This cucumber-avocado salad is on my “to-make” list.

What a toddler can teach you about decorating.

And I got the Design Mom book about living with kids a few weeks back (at the Oakland book signing!), and I’m loving her advice.

So happy the rumors were wrong, and they’re still selling: for closed-toes alternatives to Salt-waters, these are my favorite summer shoes for Hudson. Love that he can pull them on himself. (Toms just started making something similar, too!)

“Diffusion of responsibility” and “the Bystander Effect.” (Or, why you should assign tasks in case of emergency.)

The $70,000 minimum wage.

Comparison is the thief of joy.” (It’s not all Facebook’s fault.)

Hacks for Netflix binge-watchers. (Aron used to be anti- by the way, but Freaks and Geeks changed it all. Do you remember your first binge?)

And finally, guess what’s coming to California? (Los Angeles, to be exact!)

Brilliant! Filling water balloons for a party can be such a drag and, on a drought-related note, prompt kids to leave the water running.

Have a great weekend! I’ll be in New York for a workshop; you can follow me on Instagram.

P.S. Last weekend was UC Davis’ picnic day. I posted some pictures from the event, if you’re curious. (& Here’s from last year.)

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