Everything lovely is springing up!

 

It has been a lovely rainy day today and we have been getting much needed rain off and on these past few weeks. With this heaven sent moisture, the acres are dotted with color from the many variety of wildflowers.  There is a sweet fragrance on the April breeze that blows across the wild fields. 

 

From the white ox eyed daisy,

the red Indian blanket, and purple prairie aster,

to the many varieties of yellow and orange daisy, the ground 

floor is covered. 

The woods holds it's own beauty with the red berries of the turkey pear

cactus

and the conifer bush. 

one of my very favorite of yellow daisy that grows here is called 

Thymophylla tenuiloba (Dahlberg Daisy)

It has very tiny, vibrant, yellow daisies and dark green fringe type leaves

I dug up a clump and planted them in a terra cotta pot.

There is a container of purple prairie aster behind this.  They 

make this one spot in the garden......cheery! 

I am not a big television watcher but I do like to watch a movie

now and then.  I just watched the movie .....(link below)

THE DARK DIVIDE

Don't let the title mislead you........it is not a dark movie. 

It is based on a true story of a man who searches for new and rare breeds of

butterflies.  There is a little humor and a bit of sadness in this film.

I enjoyed watching it. I hope this finds that  you are enjoying pretty 

springtime days.  Tell me, what is springing up in your back yard?

I would love to hear!

 

Wishing you a happy Easter

 

“The very first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies.”

 Kate McGahan, “Only Gone from Your Sight”

Hello Spring!

 

The Spring has come again

For the grass is growing green,

And among the fields of clover

Bright butterflies are seen.

The little birds are singing sweetly

As they fly from tree to tree...

The busy bees are gathering

The honey from the flowers,

And the merry birds are building

Their nests in sheltered bowers...

Josephine D.C., "Spring," c.1887

Unusual Hot February Days and Unusual Visitors

 

Here in Texas the February days have been up to 86 degrees.  The Italian Jasmine

is glimmering in the sunshine and is full of buzzing honey bees. 

One day we got a large rain .  Along came the same coyote that I have shown to  you 

in previous posts.  It looks pretty wet this day.  There is a large section of woods that surround our home and for years ,I have taken the kitchen scraps out to the woods.  I no longer have chickens to eat the scraps.

The coyotes and the raccoons enjoy this feast. I have noticed now, 

when I bang the scrap bucket, in just a few moments, the coyote has shown up to 

eat.  If I dare say hello ......it runs away.  It is good that it is scared of me. 

This morning we had two unusual visitors to the feed and water spot.  I am braver to greet a pack of wild coyote compared to these two wild hogs.  They have razor teeth, courage,  and extremely angry attitudes. They can be very dangerous.

I let them hang around just long enough to get a few good photos then I yelled at them

very loudly and thankfully they ran away.  I hope they don't come back for another visit, but now that they have found water and feed, they will more than likely stop by again. 

While these days are almost like days of summer.......we who live in this area know that in a blink of an eye, Texas can get a big snow.  We don't dare plant anything at this time because of this unpredictable weather. 

Are you enjoying sunny and pretty days?  Are snowflakes still falling by your window?

Have you had any unusual backyard visitors?

I would love to hear!

 

Valentine's Day Wishes

Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart.

Author Unknown

Wishing you a happy Valentine's Day! 

 

January

 

Let me start by sending all of you warm wishes that this finds you with sunshine and a warm cozy place during these cold January days.  While many of you have been under a thick blanket of snow and ice, 

we have had just a light dusting of frozen ice from our first hard freeze a few weeks back.  It sparkled in the sunshine as if diamonds had been scattered across the grounds. 

We remained dry but did experience temperatures that were down to 7 at night and only up to 22 in the day.  I am so thankful that our power company did not turn off the power as they had done to us in 2021.  

So we remained in our house on the harsh, windy , cold days, and embraced the sun when it came out to shine. 

How can I complain when I have a pink cotton candy cloud sky?

or

a moon just rising in a pink/blue late afternoon sky?

In the corner of the yard, a tough , determined sunflower bloomed.....in January!

A lone coyote has been coming up to the yard to drink from the icy water container as it goes along

hoping to find something to eat. It's coat looks so soft and silky in the sun.

In that same water, a little wild bird enjoys it's bath

and then sits for awhile to enjoy the sunny day. 

As most of you know, I love these "pincushion" devils claw cactus that I have dug up from the woods and planted into a dry garden. Some I plant into containers.  They are all doing well 

and I am thrilled to discover that there are many little cactus now growing in the same garden.

I have some plans for making some more dry garden spaces and for making some prettier flower gardens this year.  I hope this finds that you are thawing out if you have been under snow and that maybe some sunshine has come into your day. 

Wishing you all warm and pleasant days ahead!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!