The trees in the woods have all leafed out in their best dresses of green and they sway in the hot blowing wind that has come to us during this time in May. It is 102 today. At this time, the air has a sweet fragrance of honey from the mesquite tree blossoms.
We have gone months with no rain........yet, we are used to this......we have lived in this climate all of our lives. Through the dry and the heat , the trees, wild flowers , and prairie come to life, showing off their colors of green, pink, yellow, purple.
The wildlife have also started coming to the grounds in search of water more than for something to nibble on. I give up my comfy cool spot where I sew in the late afternoon, and get brave enough to go outside to drag the heavy water hose around to my flower gardens and to fill water trays for the wild birds and wild creatures to drink.
I startled a coachwhip snake the other afternoon and it slithered up a tree, eyeing me as I watered the ground beneath it. It was patient enough for me to take photo after photo........
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but just as anyone else would be of constant pestering .......it's patience ran out and as you can see from this photo........it was time to turn off the camera and to say goodbye.
Another visitor has started coming into the yard, just before sundown. One that we really do not want to stay because of it's temperament. Wild hogs are mean and destructive and usually run in large packs.
This hog however has been alone each time we see it.....only wanting to eat the remaining feed off of the ground and to enjoy a drink of water.
My husband has already scared it away 2 times.........hopefully it will stay away.
I still work in my "dry garden" and many of the round devil's claw cactus I dug up and transplanted have done so well and the garden is slowly starting to take form.
on the other side of the path, I have cement pumpkins and leaves that I made one year from my pumpkin patch
My husband made a bottle tree to add color to the dry garden. It is so pretty in the late afternoon when the sun shines through the bottles.
Since I am working on this space by myself and with my hands,
the work and the garden will take a long time to ever complete the way
I have it pictured in my head. But most importantly,
I am enjoying the process no matter how long it takes.
The only type of cactus I enjoy growing is the round "pincushion"devil's claw.
It is easy to handle and blooms beautifully.
Many of the cacti are in large containers. They grow better and are safe from rats.
This one devil's claw I have grown for 6 years. I dug it up when it was only about 2 inches round, now it is 8 inches round and lovely.
I gathered seeds from this cactus last year and planted the seed in a garden container. Many of the seeds have sprouted and are now growing into little cacti. It takes a long time for them to grow big and round. They start out tall and skinny,
and then start forming a round ball.
At this time are you enjoying working out in your gardens or watching the wildlife that come to visit you? Perhaps you are just enjoying staying in the shade or the cool of your home?
I hope this finds that no matter where you are, that you are having pleasant weather and pleasant days.
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17 comments:
I like what you've done with the cement pumpkins and leaves. What a great idea.
Strange weather all over the globe it seems. Here we have broken the record for coldest May ( make that coldest spring). We have showers and heavier rainfall almost every day. No doubt once the rain stops we'll have a drought like last year. One wonders if this is our new 'normal'.
Thanks for your visit and comment on my blog, I had a quiet but lovely Mother's Day.
You are brave... I would be afraid to venture outside if there was a chance that a wild boar would come to visit or even a long snake. I had to look up that type of snake on google and I'm glad it's not poisonous.
Wow, your Devil's Claw cactus is getting huge. The seedlings are cute too. Years ago, I started growing cacti from a package of seeds I bought. I lost interest after a while and I can't even remember what I did with them but I remember it was fun seeing the seeds grow into small cacti. I probably watered them too much. lol...
I like your cement leaves and pumpkins. What a fun project.
We have had a lot of rain but I'm very thankful that it didn't flood in our area this year. I hear about a lot of flooding in many places this spring.
Take care and enjoy your dry garden.
Hugs,Julia
The snake and the hog are fascinating to me. Great photos. Love that bottle tree.
We are currently having the warmest temperatures since the 1950s. Up to 80 degrees, that's a lot for spring... an old farmer's saying says: "If May is cool and wet, it fills the farmer's barn (grain) and barrel (wine)". It finally rained during the night and the fields breathe a sigh of relief... cereals, rapeseed, corn above all... and of course the wine regions... here with us white wine...
Spring is a wonderful time, nature shines in green and flowers and the temperatures are pleasant...
I would like to see your garden, you have a completely different vegetation with you. We also have wild boars in the woods, but hardly any snakes... you took great photos. Thanks. I am happy see.
Have a happy day. Hug
I so love your dry garden...and love those cacti. Of course, I love all cacti. I just have never grown any. The prickly pear cacti grew in some places down home believe it or not. I just loved their blooms.
There must be a pack of wild boar somewhere in this area because we saw one got hit on the road. I never can understand how a driver can drive fast enough to hit an animal on this twisty tight turn mountain road of ours.
I used to enjoy weeding and planting by the pond back home, talking to the frogs who answered with a ribbet that I never could translate. Here in this arid land I can only be a consultant and hope someday my granddaughter-in-laws ideas take seed.
We have snakes here. Rattlers and some non-venomous variety that I can't remember it's name. We also have some kind of BIG venomous one that everyone seems to be worried about in this draught. I tell the Universe all the time if the wild ones leave us and our animals alone we will leave them alone. I fear she does not listen as our little Harley has been bit by a rattlers 3 times since we have been here.
xx, Carol
Interesting about the snake and wild hog. Although we do not have either of those species here, hubby did find a baby Fox Snake. So glad it was not me even though they are non poisonous. Your garden is looking good! Thanks for sharing! Janice
Oh my 102 degrees F?! That is absolutely too hot for me...it was 60F here today and that was spot on perfect for yardwork that's falling behind! I do love the bottles...such a fun idea. Mary
I love your dry garden, and am fascinated with your cement pumpkins and leaves. We have wild hogs here that do so much damage to the fields and meadows.
Well, that is Texas for ya! My brothers in law used to hunt those feral hogs — I just have to cope with the foxes and the possum and occasionally a couple of cats that somebody lets out at night. The coyotes are bad up here in North Texas though — dangerous, scary and multiplying like rabbits. Stay safe and I love your dry garden.
We have no gardens, as you know, Kathleen, but I do enjoy seeing those of others. Admittedly, yours does sound like a lot of work in such a hot and dry climate. I know that cacti do have lovely blooms and look forward to seeing the one you showed. Perhaps the wild hog is just traveling solo and ou will not have more showing up. The bottle tree was an unusual garden ornament and requires no watering too!
Loved my visit here today! Our area is so different from yours-but I do love to see all the critters you have. I'd love to experience that hot dryness. Probablt not the snakes, though! Or the wild pigs! I love your pumpkins and leaves.
Oh wow! I never thought of growing cactus from seed. Not sure how I thought it grew, just never occurred to me 🤔 You do keep some interesting company, don't you. Good to hear you are well.
How attractive you have encouraged your grounds to look! I don't remember ever seeing the round cactus before. How interesting to have all those seeds sprouting and growing! I have been harvesting a new strain of cucumber I bought from Baker Creek Seeds, Parisian Pickling Cucumber. I really like it. I have had a bumper crop already. There are four - one gallon jugs and crocks with the sliced cukes in various stages of being made into my grandmother's recipe for sweet pickles. I haven't made them in years and am looing forward to lots of tasty sweet pickles!
I like your bottle tree. Wow! The dry hot weather must be hard to deal with. Hope you will get rain for your garden.
I like all your new neighbors. All but the snake. If I saw that thing, I'd be long gone, not making pictures. hehe
Beautiful photos, you can feel the dry heat.
Amalia
xo
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