Survival of the fittest.

Pink or fragrant mimosa (Mimosa borealis) is one of my favorite shrubs, 

and grows in various places on our property.

What’s blooming today? Not much . . .

Our county is edging toward serious drought conditions – again. Here in Hays County we have two rainfall conditions: drought or flood. We have not had serious rainfall since January (when we had over 5 inches and it flooded), and we had no rain at all in March. According to local weathermen, this was the driest March on record - since 1895. Not only has there been no rain, but it has been warm and windy; the little moisture out there is rapidly wicking away. As a result, the wildflower crop is rather dismal.

Silver-leaf nightshade 

(Solanum elaeagnifolium). 

Apparently, this is a pest 

in some places, and is 

supposedly poisonous.

Antelope-horns (Asclepias asperula) is a funky milkweed,
named for its curving seed pods.

Last year we had a verdant wildflower meadow in the front yard. It was a beautiful riot of colors and forms. After the bloom season, it became a tangle of dried stalks as we waited for plants to drop seeds. My husband kept asking if we could mow. "Not yet," I said, over and over.

As with anything, a constant onslaught would numb us. The next time that beautiful meadow appears, we will be amazed and appreciative, as we were last year.

This year when I look out my window, I don’t see anything blooming in the yard, just scraggly grass and weeds, and a fair amount of bare dirt. Some stunted flowers are there, but you must be standing over them to see them.

Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis)!

When blooms are few, however, the hardy species leap out. I feel I must stop and admire their beauty and stamina. These stalwarts are the very plants I need, because drought happens all too often here. I want these to survive and multiply. They are a physical manifestation of “survival of the fittest.”

So let's hear it for pink mimosa, antelope-horns, silver-leaf nightshade and a few determined bluebonnets! Hip, hip, hurrah!