Well, my goodness, this year just can't seem to get on a good start......

the sickness and death from the COVID virus,  the hardships that many people are facing, 

the unrest, the injustice, the hostility, in our country......and now in other areas

of the world, is about the only "news" on the television these days.

 Like most of you, no doubt, 

my mind has been overwhelmed with it all and I just want to 

run and stick my head in the sand and hope it has all passed when I surface.

However, I have faith that we are a strong people who have a deep love and respect for

our country and each other.....and that somehow......through all of this,

we will come out of this, and see calm and happier days ahead.  

That is my hope at least. 

I try to avoid posting things on this blog , such as this, and I try to keep it 

cheery and light........but , 

I feel, we are all in one way or another, touched or affected by the past few weeks events, and 

I just don't want to seem that I am ignoring what is happening around us. 

So with this being said, wherever you are, what ever you are going through,

my prayers and good thoughts go out to you.

and now................

one can never know what lies ahead on a back road in Texas. 

And I can tell you that I was just as surprised as you probably are 

right now,  to see a herd of Gemsbok antelope and zebra calmly grazing underneath

mesquite trees in a field outside of a neighboring town. 

I have asked friends about these unusual ......and displaced

animals.  It seems that ranchers raise these animals on their ranches 

here........not all ranchers......but a few.  I still do not know if 

there is a reason.......but it is a pleasant sight to see.

As much as I have complained about prickly pear cactus taking 

over the acreage and am constantly trying to remove it.........

I actually love cactus and have a very nice "cactus garden"

growing in containers. ( I know........the house needs a coat of paint....sigh)

This is not the prickly pear, but a cactus that is called "Devil's Claw"

or as ranchers call it "cattle killer"

It is cactus that ranchers will kill and remove because it has hard thorns that

can cripple a horse or cow when stepped on.

I love them for their round shape and have found that when 

grown in containers, they get very large and beautiful.

I also have some growing in a small "ground cactus garden"

but they seem to grow better in containers. 

another round cactus I dig up on the acreage and transplant to containers

is this round cactus that is very pretty when it blooms.

I also purchase any unusual round cactus when I come across

it in nurseries. 

Although it is not round, this cactus blooms so beautifully

that I have to have it in my collection. 

I have found myself enjoying just to walk around the grounds, enjoying what

is blooming and growing at this time.  It gets me away from the dreadful news

and gets my mind to focus on other things.

So dear friends, I hope this finds you all well, 

safe in your homes,  and that your area is at peace. 

  Look after yourselves and keep close to each other.