First day of fall - let's plant!

Fall may be approaching.

This cactus had no label. It's actually
about 12 inches tall - looks huge here!

Don't get too excited. Don't put away the shorts and sandals just yet.

Last night we slept with windows open for the first time in three months. It was lovely.

Today, with birthday money in my pocket, my daughter and I stopped at our local nursery. I found a cool columnar cactus and a beautiful Buddleja or butterfly bush. She found the strangest little plant called a stone plant. She told her Dad later it looked like a troll's toe. It does.

This afternoon I spent time in my garden, doing some fall planting. I know that fall is the best time for planting in Central Texas. Unfortunately, I don't always do what is best. This extends to more than gardening. Hence the Friday night chocolate binges followed by Saturday morning migraines.

But I had new plants! And it was beautiful outside! So I planted.

I also piled up some topsoil in a mound and planted a desert willow given to me by my mother-in-law a few weeks back. It looks saddened by its sojourn in its pot, but I hope that it will perk up now that it has been permanently placed. I'm not showing you a picture of that - that's a blogger's privilege. We only have to show you what makes us look good.

This Buddleja did have an i.d. It was on the pot, which I promptly threw away.
Guess I'd better dig that out of the bin.

On another note, perhaps you have noticed it's been a long time since my last post. In July, I picked up a contract job that took a bit of time. A broken camera proved to be another obstacle to posting. I took the pictures here with my phone; the quality is, well, not good.

About a month ago, I started work full time with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. I am working on web content for the state parks division, and I'm tickled pink.

Blogging will have to take a back seat to the paying job, but I will try to post occasionally.

Happy first day of fall!

Summertime . . . .

If you can't read this, it says 105F.

Well, summer has arrived in Central Texas. It's even worse in other areas, but I'm not there, I'm here. And it's hot.

Hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk, if we had one. Which we don't.

Hotter 'n hell. Well, probably not.

From my husband, master of colorful metaphors and similes:  Hotter than frog legs in a frying pan.

And appropriate for our house:  so hot the chickens are laying hard-boiled eggs.

Anyway, you get the idea. If you have any fun things to add, feel free. Keep it clean, though. This is a family enterprise.

This is what my east bed and my beautiful phlox look like after the sun has its way with them - taken at about 1 p.m.

We have to shade our veggies here in Texas. We learned this trick last year, and it does prolong the life of our garden a little while.