Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Welcome to Spring


The calendar says it’s Spring. 
Around here, we seemed to have gone from late winter,
straight to Summer. 

We had one morning low last week at 30 degrees,
and the last few days highs near 90. 

Welcome to Spring in Texas. 



The Spring Leaf Clean Up is about to begin,
when the Live Oak trees drop their old leaves, 
and put on new ones. 



The pansies are still blooming. If this heat keeps up,
they’ll begin to wane. 



The Snapdragons are finally starting to bloom. 
Almost too late. I’m thinking they prefer cooler weather. 



My neighbor, Ellie’s Viburnum is blooming. 
I didn’t get these limbs peeking through the fence,
trimmed back. Now I’m glad I didn’t. 
It’ll have to be done though, after the bloom is over. 



There are little fruits, on the Elaeagnus. 
We’ve seldom seen these, even though we notice the tiny blooms. 



The white Cemetery Iris has been blooming a lot. 
There are buds on other colors. All Pass-Alongs. 
The ones I bought, have not done well for the second year now. 



Inland Sea Oats are spreading, just as I wanted. 
The ones all over the rest of the yard, were not exactly my wishes. 
I’ll be moving them around. 
The deer don’t bother them. That makes them a favorite plant. 



Out in the Deer Grove, another plant the deer don’t bother...
Agarita. 
Pretty yellow flowers. 
There are supposed to be berries to follow. 
I’ve never seen them here. 
Maybe something gets them before I see them. 




 Again in the Deer Grove, these yuccas are colonizing very nicely. 
I think they’re Twisted Leaf. 
I’m thinking of trying to move a couple to the house. 
It would be nice for them to take up some room in a flower bed. 
No care...and, deer don’t touch them. 



Of course, the weeds keep coming. 
This will be fun to clean out. 
I tried a little. Ouch!
It’ll take tools and gloves. 
I use some kitchen tongs. They usually work. 

And, lots more weeds and clean up to come.





But, evenings find us sitting on the porch. 
A glass of wine, and conversation. 




And, catching a little light in a bottle. 

Life is good. 

Weeds and all. 

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~

Monday, March 20, 2017

Deja Vu, All Over Again...


Last year, we took a cruise to the Caribbean.
We returned to a garden full of weeds....and a LOT of work to do.

Well...we did it again.

 St. Lucia

This year, we took TWO cruises.
Two, ten day cruises, back to back.

The first ten was great.  Our niece and nephew were with us.
We took lots of excursions, to see these beautiful islands.

The last ten...not so much.
Oh, the islands were beautiful.  But, Mr. P came down with the flu.
I can tell you...having the flu, on a cruise, is not that much fun.

We need to do the second cruise again...without being sick.
Oh...I managed to avoid getting sick.  

Yay me!


The return home was pretty much the same as last year.
Weeds, weeds, and more weeds.


Plus, the hard winter freeze damage.

Another year of hard work, getting things cleaned up.
And, this year, replacing quite a few plants.

I'm not looking forward to the clean-up.

But, there is some Spring beauty already...




The old iris....pass-alongs....are blooming.
The new ones, the ones I bought and planted in September, 2015, 
are not doing so well.  

I'll just hope for better...next year.

So, I guess you can see what will be going on around here.
Pulling weeds...cutting back more freeze kill...pulling weeds...
replanting some things....

Oh, did I mention PULLING WEEDS?

Spring is bustin' out all over, here.
I hope your spring is, too.

Now, I gotta get to work.

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~

Thursday, September 22, 2016

The First Day of Fall....


It's already Fall.
I'm hoping the weather around here
believes it.

We've been pretty warm....
HOT...
for the last few weeks.
And, dry.

Ruby Chrystal Grass

The forecast is for cooler, wetter weather.
We'll see.

Caldium Pot

I haven't been keeping up with this blog too well,
this summer.

Autumn Joy Sedum

I mean...there hasn't been anything much going on here.

Hyacinth Bean

How many times can I whine to you,
about the heat, or the drought...

Inland Sea Oats

...or the floods, or the cold?

Liriope

You've heard over and over,
about the ever present deer.

Yikes!

And the bugs!

Garlic Chives

Of course, nice things happen, too.

Lantana

But, like news reports...
there's no drama in nice things.

Bee on Lantana

So...I run out of things to say.
Yes...even me.

Big leaf Jerusalem Sage...finally blooming.

But, me without something to say,
won't last long. 

I'll try to show up more often.

We did get a new weather station,
that I haven't shown you.


Kinda stands out, doesn't it?
Kinda self important?


It gives us all kind of information.

Look at the lower middle.  
That's the forecast...like the guys on tv...
can't make up its mind.

Just hope that rainfall total goes up...
a little.


So...Welcome Fall.
We are SO ready for you here.

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~

Friday, April 1, 2016

April 1....


April 1...
Already...

Yesterday, it was in the 80s.
Then, a cold front came through, and today it's in the 50s.


This morning, the sun was hitting the tops of the trees.
But the storm clouds were forming. 
Soon it was raining, and we had tiny hail...no damage.

I've been weeding...and, weeding...and, weeding.
Oh, yes...and some mulching and graveling. (is that a word?)


The front beds are done.


And luckily, I finished the Island Bed yesterday, before the cold and rain.


The Veggie Garden is weeded, and ready for some veggie plants.


The Round Bed (which isn't really round.) is ready for mulch.


The Back Bed isn't completely weeded yet, but it's doing pretty good.
The leaves I put down in the fall have done a good job of keeping weeds down.

The purple iris are done, since this photo.


But, the white ones, and this one have started.
The stems on this one are so short, it's like it's hiding.


The Crossvine isn't hiding. It's finally really blooming...for the first time.

Other things showing up...

 'Hot Lips' salvia

 Purple Heart

 Silver Germander


Looks good against one of our fountains.

 Jerusalem Sage

The other Jerusalem Sage 'Edward Bowles', has bigger leaves and didn't like FULL
Texas, afternoon sun. So moved it to the back. It's looking good,
But, no blooms, yet.

And, look at this!
The Softleaf Yucca, at the front corner of the house,
has a bloom stalk, for the very first time.

It has been properly caged, against the constantly foraging
horde of deer.

****************
So, that's what's been going on here.
Still have lots more weeding to do.
And, cleaning up Live Oak leaves, and soon the catkins (brown squiggleys).
Then, more mulching and graveling.

It just never ends.

Happy Gardening...
(and, Happy April)
~~Linda~~

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

The Light in Winter...


We've had an interesting winter, so far.
A few days warm, then a few days cold.


But, whatever the temperature, the winter light is wonderful....
especially the morning light.

This last Sunday was cold...a heavy frost.


But, the light sparkled.
Streaming across the fairway...


On the front side of the yard...


And streaming in the front windows.

It's a completely different angle, from the rest of the year.

I like it....


*****************

Speaking of things I like...


Tomorrow is this guy's birthday.
We've spent quite a few of these together.


And, it's been a pretty fun ride.

Happy Birthday, Mr. P....
Hoping for many more.

'Til next time...

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~