February Weather...

We've had some roller coaster weather here, lately. 

First, it's warm and spring-like. 

Then, wham!  

The bottom falls out, and it's freezing...literally. 

There are still some pansies blooming. 

They're not so crazy about the cold. 

They sometime get set back. 

But, the violas seem not to mind. 

                               

Their smiling little faces just keep popping up.  

Sometimes they droop a bit, huddling together maybe, to conserve the heat. 

But some warm sun and they perk right up. 

We're about to have another blast of cold. 

Rain is what we need. 

At least, we're getting closer to spring, every day. 

Hope you're safe and warm. 

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

Winter Weather...

Is it a bird?  Is it a plane?

No...it’s a frozen puddle, in our driveway. 

We’ve been having sub-freezing weather,

here in Texas. 

This is the third one, this winter. 

I know. You up North are saying waaa...waaa. 

But, we just don’t expect this much cold. 

Of course, in between these cold spells, we’re getting up to 70s. 

To say the plants...and, animals...are confused,

is an understatement. 

All the gardeners here are hoping for the best. 

Not sure how much will have to be replaced, come Spring. 

But, Nature’s artwork is interesting. 

I think I’ve shown you Frost Weed before. 

In deep cold, the stems burst and this cotton candy looking stuff 

comes out. When the temperature goes up,

or the sun hits it, it dissolves. 

This was a couple weeks ago. These stayed for a couple days. 

We stayed below freezing. 

So, we just hope for the best. 

And...we’ll enjoy sunshine and 70 degrees again this weekend. 

It’s never boring, at least. 

Hope it’s good weather where you are. 

Happy Gardening

~~ Linda~~

Let It Snow!!....

It's been ten days ago, now.

But, something that very rarely happens in this area, happened.

IT SNOWED!!!

Enough to stick.

That was a Thursday night.

On Monday of that week, we hit 84 degrees.

Welcome to Texas weather.

It kept on snowing...

And, snowing...

Wet, heavy snow...

The next morning dawned bright and sunny.

The snow was already beginning to melt.

But, it was beautiful, while it lasted.

I worried about some things.

But, they came through ok.

They's no telling when we'll ever see this again.

It was SO fun!

When you live with Texas weather...

you just never know what you'll get.

Hope the weather's just the way you want it,

wherever you are.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

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~~

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~~

Frosty Mornings...

Maybe it's because I just never noticed.

Or, maybe it was because the grasses in the Deer Grove

were all pushed over or washed away,

in the Halloween Flood.

Or, maybe I was looking out the window,

at just the right time.

But, I got to see the Frostweed, when it was doing its thing.

I was looking out the kitchen window,

and I could see something white in the Grove.

It was 24 degrees.

Yes...not bad, considering the blizzard going on 

in the Northeast.

So, I grabbed my camera and went out to investigate.

Sure enough...it was the Frostweed.

Frostweed (Verbesina virginica) stores water in its stems.

When the temperature gets really low,

the stems burst open, and the water comes out and freezes.

I didn't touch it. But, it looks like shaving cream.

When I went out a couple hours later, 

the foam was gone....as if it never was there.

Isn't Nature interesting?

I searched my files, and couldn't find one photo of this

plant in summer.

So, I borrowed one from the Wildflower site.

www.wildflower.org

It's a nice looking plant, although unremarkable until it blooms.

The white bloom clusters are nice.

It blooms in early fall.

In the Grove, it lives without much water....none at all in most summers.

And, the deer don't touch it.

Maybe I need to move one up to the house.  

Not sure how well it might transplant.

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

We haven't had any real rain in a while.

Less than a tenth of an inch, over a week ago.

We're supposed to be getting more rain than usual,

because of El Nino.

We'll have to water soon, if nothing happens.

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

I hope you're safe a warm where you are.

'Til next time...

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~~