Stormy Weather...

We've had some stormy weather, here in Texas.

Brought to us by a guy named Harvey.

We had some wind...

and 18 inches of rain!

But, it was slow...over two days...so no flooding here.

A lot of it soaked into our SO-DRY soil.

But, enough ran off to make the creek flow again.

That's a lot of water.

Our daughter lives a little over 100 miles southeast of us.

They were inside the center circulation, for three days.

LOTS of wind.  They lost a few trees.

And, over 30 inches of rain!

The trash can saved the fence.

But, miraculously, they had no damage to their 100+ year old house.

And, there was beauty, under the debris.

They've gathered up supplies, and have a pallet of water, to take to those less fortunate.

The jeep looked worse than this...

with MOSQUITOES...

before they got back from the first trip over to Corpus Christi.  

Horrible monsters, making things even more miserable.

We've greened up here.  Amazing how fast we've gone from dead,

to back to life again.

There are people whose lives will never be the same again.

Towns all along the Texas Coast, almost wiped away.

Towns who don't make the news.

But, Texans are tough...

and, stubborn.

They don't give up easily.

Another monster is bearing down on America.

Let's all pray for the people in it's path...

and hope it doesn't make it all the way.

Stay safe....

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

Hello, Again....

Halfway through January, already.

It's been fun.

Today it's 75 degrees.

Last Friday, we didn't get above freezing.

A few days before that, it was 85.

Whew!

Too crazy a ride.

This was the morning it was 13.

If you look closely, you can see the ice at the edges.

We were in the 60s by afternoon.

All this makes gardening here verry interesting.....

I took this photo before the freeze.

It's worse now.

But, as you can see, the deer have done their thing.

My fault...

I should have put wire around it.

I usually do.  But, I let myself get lazy.

The bucks didn't seem to have velvet on their antlers, to wipe off.

And, you just can't cage everything.

They messed this one up, too.

Worse now, since the freeze.

And, this one...

they chomped it.  AFTER they moved this piece of wire off.

I put it back.  So far, they've left it alone.

I won't show you the lovely frozen plants in the rest of the yard.

I'm not sure what to go ahead and cut back. 

That might make them put on new growth,

and I know we're not done with cold weather.

I'll cut a couple of the agaves back, and try to keep them alive.

So, I'll just show you one of our Christmas gifts from our Son's family.

Pretty, huh?

It twirls in both directions.

We put a solar spotlight on it.

A nice view from the porch, on these warm evenings.

We got another garden gift from our Daughter's family.

There is some assembly required.

So, we'll show you that later.

And, oh....

This is our oldest granddaughter.

These two here, under the Wimberley Trail of Lights big tree,

are giving us a GREAT grandson, in just a few days.

We are truly blessed.

Hope your holidays were happy also.

This year is going to be a good one.

Stay safe and warm.

Seems we'll be warm, here.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

If the Creek Don't Rise...

We live beside a wet weather creek.

It goes on two sides of our house.

It comes along the back, and turns at the pond

you can see in the photo below.

This little feature was built by the young man next door,

so his elderly Golden Lab could get wet, without swimming.

This was back in June. The water was flowing over the cart path,

making a little waterfall, on it's way to the Big Waterfall.

Sunday...three days ago...this creek was dry.

The pond...which is four feet deep in places...was dry.

Dry.

Not today.

I'm not sure how much rain we've had.

Our digital rain gauge chose Monday,

as a good day to die.

It's coming across the cart path with a lot of power.

It's rushing down to the Big Waterfall.

I didn't walk down there....it was still raining,

and I didn't want to dodge the runoff.

The pond is full, again.

And, I'm wondering if Nate's wall is still there, 

so Carly can swim.

Water is an amazing thing.

We are thinking about those in Louisiana,

who are dealing with WAY too much water.

Flooding is such a sad thing to deal with.

I hope you're safe, wherever you are.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

This and That on Friday...

Well...another week gone by.

This year, is flying.

We haven't had any real rain, for over a week.

I'm having to water...yes, water.

It's pretty amazing how fast things can dry out.

But, the creek is still flowing.

It comes across the cart path here, and the path gets really slippery.

But, it sounds nice. Here, and the waterfall, further down.

Kids have built another place for the water to make noise.

The Mexican Hats are beginning to take off.

And, the grasses.

I'm not a fan of Johnson Grass, unless it's on the other side

of Elli's Meadow. The seed heads are really pretty.

Especially, backlit with the sun.  

I ran up to our local garden/feedstore the other day,

for a few more plants. (can you have too many plants?)

 And, there looking like some

strange thing peeking at me, was this

Giant Silk Moth...

Antheraea polyphemus.

Really cool...and, about six inches across.

Never know what you'll find, at the garden center.

That's about all from here. Watering and weeding

have taken up the week.

And, I do believe Summer may be here.

Have a great weekend.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

February Foliage Follow-Up...

Hello...

Seems I've been neglecting this blog lately.

It's already the middle of February!

Time to join in with 

Pam at Digging,
for
Foliage Follow-Up.

Gold Dust Acuba

It was warm and overcast yesterday.  I got out and did some trimming.
I should have taken my photos then.  It's 30 degrees colder today.

Japanese Aralia

We're due for some freezing weather the next few days.
It just can't make up it's mind.

Japanese Holly Fern

It's been an interesting winter.

Asparagus Fern

Even though we've had lows in the low 20s a couple times this winter,
there are things that haven't gotten frozen back like usual.

Ruellia brittoniana

The Ruellia, for instance.  Very strange.

Purple Heart

And, things already peeking their heads out.

Plumbago auriculata

Canna lily

That makes me nervous.  Too early could mean things bitten back, and not recovering.

Dusty Miller

Feverfew

Softleaf Yucca

Some things just never seem bothered.
Guess I should try to protect some things this week, though.

One good thing...we've had more rain this winter.

I took these photos of the creek a couple weeks ago.

It's not flowing as much now.  We could use some more rain.

But, it is flowing.  I love to hear that sound.

This water helps the wildlife.  The frogs are enjoying it.
They sing their songs for us to enjoy, as we sit on the porch....weather permitting.

So, that's what's happening in the garden here.
Be sure to visit Pam, for more February foliage.

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~

This and That on Thrusday...

Yesterday was drizzly, all day.

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The day before, the low was 12F.

Yesterday, it was 39F

And, today it was 54F!

As they say....If you don't like the weather in Texas,

just wait a minute.

Whitewing Dove

After a bit of fog this morning, the day has turned out to be 

beautiful.

Squirrel harassing Maggie

I got out and took a walk around the back.

The creek isn't running much.

It's quit coming over the cart path and waterfall.

It stops here, in this pond area.

It must soak into the ground here.  

Looking back from the pond, through the Deer Grove, to the house,

you can see that the rye grass is still green.

This tree, which didn't make it through the drought,

fell a while back.  When we had the Halloween Flood,

the water rushed through here, to just beyond the first upright

trees you can see.  WAY to close too the house, for my comfort.

Back up to the house....the sun makes the bottle tree look like stained glass.

The hummingbird feeder our oldest granddaughter gave me for my birthday

dropped its feeding tube.  But, it still makes a pretty ornament.

Makes 'stars' on the siding.

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From the other side, the sun shining through it is just beautiful....

like the day.

***********

7-365

By the way...here's my offering for #7 of my 365....

silicone potholders.  A gift from our daughter.

I love them.

*******

'Til later...

Take care...

~~Linda~~