central texas, driving back roads

creeks flow after the rains

Lake LBJ, created by dams which back up the river

rocky cliffs and cactus 

can you see the red tailed hawk perched on the ledge?
a little to the right of center

deer at our birdbath

last of about 20 turkeys that crossed the road ahead of us

roads with no fences

One of my greatest joys when we visit Texas is to drive back roads, those that often have no fences. There is usually very little traffic, and our only company are the cattle and wildlife. These are private properties, but the roads go through with the expectation that you will  not trespass out of your car.
 That's good enough for me since the temperatures are often hovering near 100 degrees.

On our last trip there had been some recent rains, and the creeks were running and the vegetation had greened.

winter veggies

Cooler weather and morning frosts have made the winter veggies perk up with vigorous growth.

Turnips, Brussels sprouts, pak choy, green onions, cauliflower, various loose leaf lettuces, parsley--all of these grow well in the mild Louisiana winter. However, a strong cold front can wipe them out overnight. It's worth the risk, though, and I enjoy this garden where I can work without sweating or fearing for sun stroke, or adding to my skin cancer risk.
The weeds are mostly dormant, and those that come up are easily wiped out with a chop or two of the hoe. Insects are less of a problem, too.

It's a more leisurely kind of gardening, and the green is pleasant to the eye in the brown landscape.

freeze report

So far the flowers only seem to be nipped around the edges. As the day goes on, I think more damage will show up. The lawns were frosty as snow, and no doubt they will turn brown now.
Actually it's a late frost and freeze, and the shock was in how quickly the cold front blew in.
It's going to be a warm up now.

Louisiana winters can be fickle, but I like it that way.

Lil's chrysanthemums

Another look at Lil's chrysanthemum.....

When we moved to our current location in the fall, 47 years ago, these unassuming plants were blooming up against the north side of the house. I was happy to have a few flowers to pick for the Thanksgiving table.

Mostly they have been left alone. A few were transplanted to different flowerbeds, but the original cluster of plants is still there. Cheery, sturdy, not asking much--they still give me great joy.

Lil was the lady who planted them, and I think of her every time they bloom.

good bye summer

 

 

 

 

 

 Quick! Smell the roses, admire the daisies, salvias, firespike flowers, Lil's chrysanthemums and take some photos!

See the ring around the sun?  Ice crystals---the cold front is coming!

Fierce winds are blowing. Tomorrow all this color will be gone.
Freeze predicted for tonight. There was not even a warning frost this autumn---just winter.

Elijah helped me blow out the candles on the cake

 

a rare western visitor

On returning from a shopping trip, I spied this guy sitting first on the fence and then later on the power lines. It's a scissor tailed flycatcher. Probably a juvenile because the adult tails are much longer. After positively identifying him, I rushed to the house for the camera and hoped he would stick long enough for a photo.
I walked back down the drive, and he was still there. I managed a few distant shots in the overcast twilight.

They are residents of western states, but sometimes get pushed too far east in storms with strong west winds.
Many years ago, before internet, twitter, digital cameras, etc, a pair actually nested within a mile of my house. What a great record that would have been if there had been a way to report it! I do have some dim photos of the family that I took with my little point and shot film camera.

my birthday

my birthday bouquet

Antique roses that I picked from my garden glow next to the window and fill the the room with color and scent.
Alas, the photo is over exposed, but it will have to do.

We plan to spend the day with my new grandson--taking him for an outing to view the lakefront. I'm a little disappointed because the weather has turned cold and overcast.

a great day for zinnias

 

 

A field filled with bright flamenco dancing zinnas and backed with tall smiling sunflowers.

A local farmer planted them and invited folks to come pick all they wanted for $3 a bunch. The roads were lined with cars as people flocked to the field to take photos and pick flowers. Another field was ripe with pumpkins of all sizes, and youngsters excitedly dashed to pick their favorites to take home.

It couldn't have been a more beautiful fall day.

The migrating nashville warbler is thrown in because I was thrilled to get a photo of it when it stopped by for a drink.

not the last rose

.....but most certainly the last gardenia of summer. I brought it indoors and placed it in a vase on the window sill. Now it fills the house with fragrance.

 Sending all the wrong signals to my brain....

While pumpkins and gourds are on the hearth, and falling leaves come down like rain, my brain is sorting memories of balmy spring nights, singing mockingbirds, trips to the beach and youthful adventures.

lost, but now it's found

Brazilian plume plant

white rain lilies

 pink rain lily



Over the years I have stuck all kinds of bulbs and plants in front of flower beds thinking how nice they would look as a border to shrubs. After many decades the bushes and perennials have over grown those in front, rendering them lost--and often forgotten.

In the last few weeks some of these flowers have been spotted peeking out from heavy foliage and reminding me to rescue them. A quick photograph and a surveyor's flag should help in finding them when they are dormant again and safe for me to relocate them.

The white rain lily is especially meaningful to me because I dug them from a ditch more than 50 years ago. 

row by row

Let's just plant a few green onions for cooking...

There's some space left...maybe we can fit in some Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and pak choy.

ummmm..there's room for a row of turnips and mustard greens.

and this morning I added mesclun, arugula, parsley and cilantro.

Inch by inch,  row by row

Gonna make this garden grow.


*the cages keep the rabbits from nibbling

gorgeous gourds

 

 

and pumpkins!

An explosion of fiery color...

wild ones

a wild morning glory

not sure, but maybe  a type of vervain

 passion flower

 wild ageratum

French mulberry or beauty berry


Just a quick walk along the perimeter of the hay fields produced these wild blossoms which I snapped with my iphone. Nature keeps sending color our way

I found a few migrating birds, but didn't have the camera lens to capture them. One of the best was a white eyed vireo that was gleaning insects from the trees next to the pond. Walking has been a pleasure in recent days with cooler temps and mowed pastures.