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Be careful what you wish for…

With 65 days of temperatures over 100 degrees and a disaster-level drought, we have been wishing and praying and yes, dancing, for rain.

We got it.

Imagine my surprise when I went to put out the trash last night at 7:15 and it started to sprinkle…then rain…then blow. I got inside just as walls of water began coming down sideways.

Moments earlier, the umbrella in the photo above was upright. It was really scary as I watched chairs and tables scoot and fly in the back yard. And then the lights went out!

Thanks goodness I am a candle fanatic. I’d planned on going to bed early to keep adjusting to the new school-year schedule, but with no light and no air conditioning, there wasn’t much else to do. I did discover that my iphone makes a great flashlight, though.

Things are back to normal this morning. The power was restored around midnight and the air came back on.

And we got .24 inches of rain.

Yeah!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:40-06:00August 26th, 2009|Blog, rain, Sharing Nature's Garden, storm, weather|0 Comments

My little red friends…

No, not little communists in my garden!

Mr. House Finch, above, has the most interesting mottled feathers. He and his friends love to hang out in the woods outside our breakfast room window and give us a show.

He’s frequently joined by Mrs. Cardinal, her husband and their best friends, the Cardinals #2.

I’m always so interested in watching the birds all interact. Last week, there were 5 cardinals flitting about in there, seemingly unconcerned with territorial issues. Maybe they cut each other some slack in this drought — sharing the food and water in our garden.

We also have White Wing Doves, Scrub Jays, Titmice, Sparrows, Swallows, Grackles, Inca Doves, Purple Martins, Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Hummingbirds, and a rare Painted Bunting.

Thanks to my DH and his new Nikon D90 camera for these great photos.

Do you have some of these friends in your garden?

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:40-06:00August 25th, 2009|birds, Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Dry and drier…

I wish this were the sight outside my window.

But it’s not.

And it hasn’t been for quite a while.

Tomorrow we start severe water restrictions — we will only be allowed to water with irrigation/sprinklers, etc. ONCE a week, from midnight to 10 am. Even numbered houses on Sunday night — that’s us.

You can water by hand any time, so I could, theoretically, stand outside in the cooler hours of the morning and evening (relatively cooler – 76 this morning the coolest temp of the day) and do nothing but water for hours on end by hand.

I can’t do that, and I can’t let everything die. And I can’t break the restrictions because our lakes are literally going dry.

We are predicted to feel the effects of El Nino this fall and winter, with higher than average rainfall forecast for us. Starting in November. November.

So, for now, I will spot hand water things that look like they are losing that battle – trees and large shrubs get first priority. I noticed a beautiful 9 year-old oak tree in severe stress today with yellowing leaves falling to the ground.

I will also keep collecting extra water in buckets in the shower. Did you know, 1 shower’s worth of water – 2 large buckets — can water most of the pots in the back patio area? I know it sounds crazy, but imagine how much water is wasted while you wait for it to warm up so you can get in.

And, I will keep watering the birds and the squirrels and insects and deer who are all starving and dying of thirst.

And my daughter and I will keep doing silly little rain dances in the yard when we see scattered clouds in the sky.

It can’t hurt, right?!

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:42:41-05:00August 23rd, 2009|Blog, rain, Sharing Nature's Garden, water restrictions|0 Comments

Trying to get away from me…

Another post on why I am not in charge.

I plant things on MY side of the fence.

But they slowly sneak away to the OTHER side of the fence, where neighbors and deer and weeds can enjoy them, instead of me!
So, all these photos are from the opposite side of the fence from where they are planted.

I could get a complex. Are they trying to get away from me?

This little butterfly didn’t try to get away from me…well, she did, but not before I got her picture!

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:42:41-05:00August 21st, 2009|Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, vine|0 Comments

Look who was NOT invited into my garden

Ugh.

Look who is trying to crash the party.

While taking my Bloom Day photos, I found these two little nasty clumps of poison ivy hiding under the society garlic.

Guess 1.) Kill Poison Ivy will be on my list tomorrow.

Who is trying to crash the party in your garden?

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:42:41-05:00August 16th, 2009|Blog, poison ivy, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Happy HOT Bloom Day!

In spite of the sweltering heat here in Central Texas, and with some irrigation and some hand-watering along the way, many things are still blooming in my Austin garden.

Thank goodness for the macro lens (and my brand new camera – more about that later in the week), which allows me to edit some of the crispy edges and fried leaves out of these shots.

So, here’s my contribution to Carol of May Dreams Gardens‘ Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

Morning Glory

And because there are so many to name, I will only be listing common names! (I know, I’m being lazy, but heck – I can barely be motivated to water these days!)

Moy Grande Hibiscus