Winter Project Progress And Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation has been making the world look distorted the past few days.  With roses, rain does the same thing:  'Cressida' is ragged and sagging from Sunday's rainfall:

'Julia Child' looks as though it's been carved out of cold butter:

Souvenir de la Malmaison is looking particularly OGR-ish, frail and pale and dewed:

Clematis 'The President' is awake.  For Clematis here, rain is the prince's kiss.  It looks better than it ever has:  three feet (1 M) tall, with at least a half dozen buds.  After years of being a few inches tall, three feet is impressive.  'The President' is a massive Clematis in places other than this bit of Eden.   

I should be napping instead of gardening, but at least the Winter Project is moving forward.  The slope is almost cleared:

The lower area is mulched and awaiting the 'Reed' avocado I ordered.  It will go where the bucket sits, and provide summer Avocados. 

 Our 'Fuerte' provides winter Avocados; lovely, but there are no fresh homegrown tomatoes to accompany 'Fuerte'.  Lonely without tomatoes:

  The cleared Project area provided a fresh view of the Agonis tree, under planted with Hippeastrum bulbs from Christmas a decade back.  This was originally two bulbs:
  
The problem with a beautifully cleared-out area is that suddenly you have all kinds of ideas for it--a dozen new roses would fit!  It is difficult to hold on to reason and stick to plan.  A good thing I ordered that 'Reed' without delay.  Back upstairs, 'Oshio Bene' is half-leafed out, 

and reflected in the rainwater tub, somewhat distorted.

A nap, and the puppies and day look better.  
Boris:

Natasha: