Friday, July 27, 2012

The Weather Forecast....

...is,
August is coming to Texas.


It happens this time, every year.
BUT....look at that forecast...only THREE hundred degree days.

Last year, we'd had over 40 days over 100 degree.
This year, only about 10.

We'll take it.  Along with the rain we've had this summer.
So very welcome.


The other morning, when I was putting the bird feeders back out. 
(The raccoons have convinced us not to leave them out at night.)
There was so much humidity in the air, we had a rainbow.


Our Texas Sage is finally blooming.
It's been blooming all over the neighborhood...except for ours.
So...finally.


They're really pretty blooms.  And, they love humidity.

That humidity plus high temps mean it'll be HOT.
But, after living under a broiler last summer, it'll be so much better.

Have a Great Weekend...
~~Linda~~

Monday, July 23, 2012

Happy Hour....

And, all the usuals show up.

It's not quite 'Cheers'.  No stools for them to sit on.
But, still they come.


The girls and the boys.


We supply a beverage.


But, they seem to think we should supply snacks, as well.

You can see how frightened they are of our fierce watch dog.
Do they know she's on a leash?


She seems to be saying, "See?  Nothing to fear here."


"But, hey!!  The people here have planted things we don't really like!!"


"What's up with that?"

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~

Friday, July 20, 2012

On Squirrel Patrol....


But....luckily...she never catches one.

Have a Great Weekend...
~~Linda~~

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Sweet Tooth....

These little Titmouse juveniles, like to hang out on this hummingbird feeder.

By the way...if you have two of these, are they Titmice...Titmouses?  What?

We thought maybe they were after ants.  Or maybe dipping into the well of water that supposed to keep the ants out of the food.

But, they stick their beaks in the feeding holes.

Who knew what a sweet tooth a Titmouse has?

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~

Monday, July 16, 2012

Bloomday and Foliage Follow-Up....July 2012

Here I am again...combining two days in one...
  Garden Bloggers Bloomday
and
Foliage Follow-Up


I really don't have much new to show you.
But, here goes.


The basil is doing pretty well.

The orange Esperanza is finally blooming.

There are two different types of Ruellia blooming....the dwarf purple...I think it's 'Katie'.


And, a taller pink variety...maybe 'Brittoniana'?

The purple coneflower is blooming.
It doesn't do too well.  I think it needs more sun.

This is the sum total of blooms.  The cage is to keep Willow..the cat...from jumping from the fence onto it and breaking it down.

I got a Pam's Pink Turk's Cap the other day.
It's on the opposite end of the Fenced Yard,

from a red version.

Purple heart with lamb's ear.

And, purple heart with sweet potato.
The purple foliage brightens up a lot of things.  And, it likes sun and shade.

I took down the pot tower I had before.  It's was listing quite a bit.
Just two pots make up this stack.
Top one has Dianella..Flax Lily..and the bottom has Angelina sedum.
Mondo grass is growing around it all.

More Dianella and silver ponyfoot.
And, one of several pots of begonias we have.

The narrowleaf zinnias are putting on blooms.

And, I found one plumbago bloom left from last night's rain storm.

This purple morning glory hitched a ride with the ruellia from our old garden.
Once you have this, you will always have it.
It's pretty, though.

The Hyacinth Bean has been blooming and putting on beans for a few weeks now.

Good old green liriope is blooming.

We have two varieties of liriope...this is also known as Aztec grass.  It's bloom is white.

The cannas are putting on foliage...but, no more blooms yet.

Out front, the Island Bed is holding it's own.
Funny, we had a lot of rain yesterday and the mushrooms didn't show back up this morning.

The fig did have a lot of fruit on it.  They're all gone now.
It's way too close to the house.

But, I like the foliage.


I mentioned we had a lot of rain yesterday.
Almost two inches in 45 minutes.
That's fast.

I'd been over to check out the creek the night before.  It was completely empty as far as I could see.
Then last night, we were on the porch and could here it coming.  It's what they mean by
'Flash Flood'.  Suddenly it was rushing like a white water river.

I'm not sure you can tell from this picture.  The grasses are laid flat by the rushing water...maybe 20 feet from the creek bed.

The roaring water had settled way down by morning.

You can see it almost dug up these grasses.  But, they're tough.  They held on.

It was light enough to see, but too dark to photograph last night.
The power of water is awe inspiring.

That gives us a total of a bit more than 5 inches for the week.
We'll take it.  Just prefer slow and easy.


So...how's it going in your garden?

Don't forget to go over to May Dreams Garden and Digging for
Bloomday and Foliage Follow-Up.

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~

Friday, July 13, 2012

Invasions....

We've had a great week of rain.
After almost nothing for two months, we racked up about 3 inches, this week.
Love it!



Along with the rain, comes the invasion of mushrooms.
Look at them!


The Island Bed has the most.

I think the spores of these come in with the mulch.


I only found one of these little beach umbrella ones.

They all disappear, as the day warms up.  Then the ones in the Island Bed are back the next morning.
Interesting....


Then, there's more of this.  See the green tomato on the fence top?
I don't know why the squirrels drag them up there, and then run off.

Ah....the joys and mysteries of gardening.


Have a Great Weekend...
~~Linda~~

Monday, July 9, 2012

Raindrops....


We had some rain...finally.

Not much...about a half inch.  But, it's a start.
We're promised some more this week.

Our weekend was busy.  Our daughter and family made a surprise visit.
So good to see them.  

All good things come to those who wait.  Or, something like that.

Hope your weekend was great, too.

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~

Friday, July 6, 2012

The Great Ongoing Battle....


So, OK...these guys are cute.  But, we have an ongoing battle with them.


Whatever road block we throw up for them on the feeders....


They find a way to get around.


On top of the trees being stressed and losing leaves, the squirrels 'trim' off small branches.
We spend a lot of time cleaning all this up.




But this is too much. 

This is six feet up, on the fence around the veggie garden.


They drag the tomatoes off the vine, and chomp a big hole.


I think a bird did this.  It was still hanging on the vine.
Yep, that doe is expecting to have a bite, too.


Both sides of this have holes pecked.

I know...we could put netting over it all.  But, that's just too much trouble for me.
I'd rather whine.


So, this is our solution.  
As soon as there is enough color, we let them finish on the window ledge.

I know they'd be better if they ripened on the vine.  
But, we at least get to have some.
The heat is causing less and less to set.  We'll be buying them again soon.


But, for now, we'll enjoy these.

And, we'll keep fighting the battle.

Uh, yes....those are dancing flowers.  Why do you ask?

Have a Great Weekend...
~~Linda~~