Just a quick note to say that we were far from the hurricane’s path. We didn’t even get any rain from it at all, as we are west of Austin. Just some gusty winds today, but no damage of any sort. It was VERY hot — tropical — and humid today, and they are forecasting a cool front tomorrow that will bring us down to 88. That will feel like winter to us!
It’s coming. Ike is going to hit landfall just south of us during the night tonight.
We’re about 3 or so hours from the coast and 2-1/2 hours from Houston, so we’ll be fine.
We are mercifully far from its real path, but nonetheless, since we are a major evacuee shelter area, out schools closed early today to get people off the roadways when so many are coming here and people were gathering provisions in case of a big storm or heavy winds.
Many of our friends and neighbors are sheltering their family members among the 1 million who have fled this natural disaster.
We’ve been weather-watching for days. We are southwest of Austin, and are only forecasted to get 1/4 inch to 2 inches of rain. But because we live on a mountain/hillside, we always have heavy winds and that, I suspect, will be where we see the brunt of this.
So, this morning, I set about bringing all my plants up onto the back patio area where it’s sheltered and I pushed all the patio furniture against the wall of the cabana. I’m a little worried about my tall, lanky plants, like the Cassia and the new Ancocha Orchid tree.
The clouds were forming, but they may just breeze on by us. These were taken before dinner and now there are none and no rain dropped out of these, in spite of being full of it!
My fingers are also crossed for my DH who is scheduled to fly home on Sunday. He already changed his connection from Houston (which will definitely be down) to Dallas, but the land path projected for the storm will likely make for a bumpy flight as he’ll be flying right toward it. He flies all the time and it won’t bother him, so that’s good. (I, on the other hand, would have postponed my departure to ensure avoiding that lumpy/bumpy plane ride!)
We’re going to keep our neighbors to the south along the coast in our prayers tonight and hope they’ve all gotten to safety.
Doesn’t this picture just make your mouth water? We were so excited to have a watermelon on the vine, but it was so small, I just knew we had to wait and let it grow some more.
Not as mouth-watering now, huh?
Sometimes our plants are just sneaky. This is my Saucer Hibiscus, foolishly planted in the front walkway bed, where the deer and the antelope play! (Just kidding – but only about the antelope part!)
The Indigo Spires are very happy in the back yard – full of tall purple…well… spires!
And then, of course, are the reliable Crepe Myrtles with all their beautiful colors. 
Surprisingly, this exotic little bloom is a Morning Glory.
This trio is white Echinacea.
I realized that I totally ignore this Buddleia, because the deep purple color on my other two is just so amazing. But this bush is tall and hearty and very pretty in its own right.
In spite of its strong aroma, the society garlics are all in bloom, though most of mine are lavender.
And this is a close-up of the Plumeria bloom. Can’t you just smell it? There, put your nose right up next to the monitor there…smell? Just a few pretty things in my garden today. I thought the light was nice on this Bulbine, which I have to grow in a pot inside the badk yard to save them from the deer.
These are shots of my Duranta tree – which I’ve nurtured in a pot for about 10 years. The white blooms and little berries are so delicate, they belie the toughness of this hearty specimen.
I’m happy to say that after some weeding and watering and cleaning of birdbaths, I actually spent the afternoon out back relaxing with my family today — swimming and reading. It was delightful, and something I don’t do enough of because weeds and errant plants holler at me when I try to sit down most of the time! I just ignored them today.
Oh, my. This morning’s sky was so beautiful that I had to run back inside and get the camera.
Also enjoying this beautiful morning was this lovely young praying mantis, perched on top of the trash can. (I’m sad to report that when I came home and checked on him, I found only his legs down on the ground…ugh. Some bird must have had a good breakfast…oh well.)
And here are my attempts at capturing the long view of my Datura all in bloom this morning. 
Dakota had to come see what I was doing out in her yard this morning!