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Veggies in…

Okay, so it’s a few days after September 1st, the official first day for planting certain fall veggie garden seeds here in Central Texas.

But we were busy with a full Labor Day Weekend until today. Today — gardening day!

We’re forecast to have several days of rain, so it was now or never (well, maybe not never) today. Perfect timing for planting little seeds so they can get some nice fresh rainwater.

Then I hear from my husband that we’re expected to get up to 12 inches of rain over the next 3 days. Yikes — my little seeds may wash away. But I’m going to think positive.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that we don’t end up flooding.

I planted Calabrese broccoli – transplants and seeds, Provider snap bush beans, Sunshine Mix carrots, leaf lettuce – red and green, Brussels sprouts, Red Acre cabbage, California Bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and finally, flat leaf parsley to replace the giant tree of parsley that served as a host for a gazillion swallowtail caterpillars this spring and summer. I already have summer squash (and yes, you plant it in the fall!), basil, and tomatoes planted.
In two weeks, I’ll plant some more carrot and Brussels sprouts seeds. In October, I’ll put in some beets. And I’ve left a little room for other things that catch my fancy along the way!


Makes me hungry just writing this post. Do you have any going in your garden?

In the line of fire…

I up with Pam of Digging to pass along some of my variegated ginger today, and our meeting place was, of course, a nursery! Barton Springs Nursery — ooohhhh. She was disciplined (and in a hurry) but I was bad and went on a little shopping trip.

I WAS trying to finish projects I have at home before our Labor Day party this weekend, but I was weak and succumbed.

I brought home a lot of vegetable transplants and some compost to amend my soil as it’s time for the fall garden here in Central Texas. Once home, I put them in my wagon and temporarily put them out in the sunny driveway.


It’s a good thing I’m observant and looked around after doing that, because lo and behold — 3 yearling does and a fawn were just down the garden path looking for some water and an afternoon snack!

I filled their water bowl while they watched from a distance. Look carefully beyond the edge of the wagon — see her watching me?


Then I promptly wheeled the portable veggie buffet back into the garage for safe keeping until the deer were gone.

Whew. I would have been steaming if I’d come out to close up this evening and found my wagon devoured!

Lucky me…

Garden things that light up the night…

The ever-so slightly cooler night air draws me outside in the evening, looking around the garden and wishing for more light and more time to spend.

Tonight, the bright flowers of the night shone under the moon and beckoned me.



As did the actual lights hanging about the birds’ favorite gurgling fountain.

No matter how or when you look at it, the garden is a magical place, isn’t it?

Snow in August?

Sitting here after a sweltering August day in Texas, I was trying to muster some creativity for a blog post.

I’ve been remiss in keeping up — I could blame it on the heat, less activity in the garden, summer, school starting — you name it.

But I decided with a few hours tonight, I’d try to catch up on reading and try to post.

Brain-dead. Maybe it was sunstroke. Or simply a lack or recent photos.

So I started scanning my iphoto files. So fun – to relive the exciting and beautiful moments of the past year. Including these wonderful winter wonderland shots of last winter’s big snow. I was immediately transported to that icy day when we all played in snow and marveled at how it transformed our world — and my garden.

They brought a smile to my face, and took a little of the hot edge off!




Wouldn’t mind a little of this right now, would you?

By |2017-11-29T23:27:26-06:00August 31st, 2010|Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, snow, snow in August|0 Comments

Am I blue?

Nope. I’m not blue.

But my pretty new pottery is.

And my new Mountain Yucca is as well.

You know how sometimes you do something with a space and then stop, but feel like it still needs a little “something-something?”

That’s how I’ve felt about the day lily bed. It’s a small space with limitations (access to the air conditioner and the breakfast room windows).

But it felt hollow in the middle. Probably because there was a big hole there!

Sitting at breakfast this weekend it occurred to me that a big ‘ol blue pot with a big ‘ol blue agave would look right nice in there.

And it does!

I made a quick run today to The Natural Gardener, where I knew I could find both items (and a whole lot more) and came home happy.

So, am I blue? Nope.

I’m tickled pink!

By |2016-04-14T02:40:13-05:00August 30th, 2010|Blog, day lilies, pots, Sharing Nature's Garden, yucca|0 Comments

Playing hide and seek in the garden


This amazing moth made an appearance around our Datura the other night – entranced by the sweet scent of the white trumpet-shaped blooms. In the dark, my DH and I both watched it fluttering around.

When I first heard it close by, I thought it might be a hummingbird, but then I caught a full-moon lit glimpse and realized it was a huge moth.

Then yesterday a giant thing blew by my head while I was out pruning, and lo and behold it was our moth. I raced to get the camera, expecting it to be long gone by the time I returned.

Happily it was not. I climbed on a chair to get a closer look and took her portrait.

One of my twitter tweeps thought it might be a leopard moth. I haven’t been able to ID it yet — what do you think?

By |2016-04-14T02:40:13-05:00August 29th, 2010|Blog, datura, moth, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments
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