Western Pygmy-Blue Butterfly

 Tiny beastie on a Shasta daisy that decided to bloom in November.  One of the world's smallest butterflies, Brephidium exilis oddly has increased in numbers in Southern California due to non-native weeds.  At least something benefits from weeds!   To give you an idea of how tiny the beastie, the center of that daisy is about 3/4" of an inch (~2 cm). 

 I didn't garden on Saturday because some demolition guys were making a whole lot of noise next door.  

Busting all that masonry was noisy.  They are redoing their pool, apparently.  As it happened the neighbors across the street were also making a lot of noise by having their trees trimmed, so I stayed indoors.  

Brilliant sunshine and quiet on Sunday.  I was out there moving/removing plants.  

One of the 'Tasman Blue' Pittosporums died.  The others are okay, struggling with dryness a bit.  I might try another Callistemnon 'Slim' there.  It's becoming my go-to for vertical shrubbery.  

The drainage may be a little too sharp, the summers a little too hot, and the water a little too stingy, to make Pittosporum tenuifolia sections truly happy. 

 Pulled out a nice Lantana on a whim.  I just cut it back hard at first, but then decided to try Leucodendron 'Mostly Silver' there.  There have been some new dwarf Lantanas available the past few years--mostly developed for regions that treat them as annuals for pots;  here they are perennials and their dwarf habit is idea, because they grow as shrubs rather than as trailing plants.  They don't stay "dwarf" here, but they can be cut back to grow afresh when warmer nights return next spring.

There's 'Mostly Silver' and a daylily from elsewhere that was in too-dry of a spot.  Ballotas cut back--they are sprouting new growth from the base.  

 A trio of spare Kalanchoes to replace the Agastache 'Blue Fortune' which simply did not like my garden beyond its first splendid year.

Moved a pretty good rose with a stupid name ('Petal Pushers') to a better spot--this area gets water.  The rose survived but did not thrive in a lot of shade with little irrigation.  It may do better here. 

 Looking for a rock to provide a bird-perch in the urn fountain.  This one may be a little small.  I'll watch for activity.

The jack hammers pounding next door on Saturday were scaring the koi (they feel vibrations) but they were cheerful again on a quiet Sunday and feeling great (aka hungry) now the pH is once again at healthy levels. 

 Green green Algae is regrowing on the pond side and bottom.  The low pH killed most of it off.  The water clarity is great right now.

The noise will be back today.  More jackhammering and all those chunks of concrete must be loaded into a truck and hauled away.  90F (32C) is predicted for Wednesday and Thursday.  

This is California living.