Leaves, Leaves, Leaves...

I hope your Thanksgiving was good.

Ours was great!

Now, back to the continuing saga of leaves.

This was a couple days ago.

We got those picked up.

This is now.

Not much, actually.

And, fewer seeds.

But, more are coming down.

When the wind blows, it's like a leaf blizzard.

And, the trees still look full.

This is over the back porch.

Which looks like this.

So many leaves.

So little time....and, energy.

But, there will be weeks more leaf clean-up.

And, it's time to pack away the pumpkins....

and, get out the Santas.

Time really flies by when you're having fun.

OK...out to clean up leaves...again.

Hope your garden chores are easy ones...

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

October!...

October!

Wow! This year is flying by.

At least, it FEELS like fall now.

We had a 'cold' front come through.

It brought us some rain...

five inches, in two days, here.

We needed it.

AND, the lower temperatures.

You can stand to work outside.

The Big Muhly, Mulenbergia lindheimeri, has really taken off this year.

I love those bloom plumes. 

It's about six feet tall.

All that growth had swallowed up this Barberry 'Tangelo',

I planted last fall.

So, I moved it out to better sun and room.

It's supposed to be orange.  I hope it does that, in its new spot.

That's all I have today.

Just checking in.

Now, back to work.

I have some other things to move.

Hope the weather's nice, where you are.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

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~~

This is Fall?....

The calendar says Fall.

But here in Central Texas, 

the thermometer still says Summer.

We're still hot...upper 90s...

and SO dry.

Still no rain here....

for almost FOUR months!

 across the Grove to Elli's Meadow

All the rain we had in the spring caused the

grasses to really grow.

The Grove

Now, all that grass is just fuel for fire.

It's a bit scary.

The Texas Sage keeps on blooming.

As the story goes, when the sage is in bloom, rain is close behind.

Well...as a friend says...we should rename it

Liar's Bush!

But, a few other things are blooming, too.

A few of my favorites....

Lion's Tail.

Leonotis leonurus

Mexican Bush Sage

Salvia leucantha

Big Muhly

Muhlenberia lindheimeri

And, I've been doing some more clean-up.

Here's a before, during and after.

Yes...I finally got the Veggie Garden cleaned up.

I'll be fighting those grass seeds for the rest of my life.

But, for now, it's good.

I hope you're having a beautiful Fall.

We're hoping for cool, WET weather here, soon.

Maybe the Liar's Bush will come through, after all.

Now, I have to go sweep up leaves.

Yes....it's that season....again.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

We're Still Here....

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

it seems

We've had some health issues around here this summer.

So, not much gardening has been going on.

In fact, we're way behind finishing even some Spring projects.

But, we've kept most things alive. 

After the wet spring, the rain faucet was completely turned off.

We've had a third of an inch of rain, since June.

But, things aren't too bad.

On this side of the yard, anyway.

Even a few things blooming.

The Hummers love the Firecracker Fern.

Pots of succulents are pretty easy.

There are signs of fall.

Seed heads turning on the Inland Seaoats.

Sedum blooming.

Even a new pumpkin showed up.

She's pretty, coming and going.

Then, there are the leaves. 

Yep...it's that time again.

And, with that tiny bit of rain we had, stains have set into our nice, clean

power washed driveway and deck.

It's always something.

But....life is good.

Hope all is good where you are.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

Happy Thanksgiving 2014....

The table is set.

Let the cooking begin.

We have SO much to be thankful for.

Hope your Thanksgiving is a happy one.

Happy Thanksgiving...

~~Linda~~

'Tis the Season....

Leaf Season.

There is a lot of beautiful fall color here, this year.

Maybe it's because of the early cold weather we've had.

This Oak is out by the Veggie Garden.

The sun through the leaves yesterday, made me grab my

camera and make this my 

365 Project Photo of the Day.

I think it's a Spanish Oak.

Then, there's this.

I love the trees, but.....

Keep in mind....I swept these up yesterday...twice.

Looks like it'll be twice today, too.

I have to do that, so the inside of the house doesn't look like this.

And, the driveway is just as bad.

half a pile

We're past the 'seed stage'.  So, I can put these in the flower beds, for mulch.

Some 'people' just like to lay around,

watching other people do all the work.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

A Different Foliage Follow-Up....

Late...as usual.

But, thought I'd join 

Pam at Digging,
for Foliage Follow-up.

Since I have the same old, same old....
chomped yucca, agaves, etc...
and, I know you're tired of hearing my
whining about the deer, the drought, my disappointment
with my garden,
I'll take you way north.

Last month, we were in
Glacier National Park,
in Montana.

It's a beautiful place anytime.
But, we were lucky enough to be there in Autumn.

Enjoy....

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~