Winter seems to have blown into Austin! I think we got a double-dose of Summer this year, and truly just skipped Fall. My spooky hanging grove of goblins seems none the worse for the wear — don’t you know I put them out Sunday afternoon — JUST in time for the rain and the vicious storm that got me up at 4:30 a.m.

I can’t say the same for my plants. The new big bed is a little worse for the wear. I had an abelia pulled completely OUT of the ground – I literally had to replant it. And my tree and other abelia were being whipped mercilessly even this afternoon, so I had to find some quick remedies. Not sure how sturdy that stake is, but it seemed to help a little. And the chair is providing a little cage so that this abelia doesn’t meet the same fate as its neighbor did! Necessity …