Poppies!

I've always wanted poppies. Not sure why. Perhaps watching Judy Garland running through them in The Wizard Of Oz, or the poem "In Flanders Fields..." or walking through the field of poppies at The Wildseed Farm in Fredericksburg--I just always wanted poppies! I ordered poppy seeds when I ordered my bluebonnet seeds last summer. I had no idea how to plant them, I just planted. I noticed a few little poppies in the side yard this spring---not very showy, but pretty. Then, early one morning I noticed something standing tall among the bluebonnets in the corner bed. I wasn't sure..but maybe with the size of the buds I saw...maybe it's a poppy I thought. I watched it for several days growing taller and getting bigger. Again early one morning as I went out to check my flowers--there it was. A beautiful BIG red poppy! The blossoms come and go and I enjoy each and everyone. No field of poppies in my yard, but one true beauty standing tall and proud as if to say, "I'm finally here!"

The bees are back!

Last year at this time there were no bees! Susan Albert brought this to my attention in one of her Lifescapes blogs. I began to watch for them in my yard, in my Mother's yard, at the Dallas Arboretum, every park I went to--and no bees! One of the best places in my yard to see bees is on the blooming Indian Hawthorns. Last year there were maybe 2 or 3. Where did the bees go? There were several schools of thought--parasites, mites, other "bee diseases." Whatever the reason, the lack of bees would have an impact on not only gardeners, but everyone that likes to eat fruits, vegetables and honey! I never heard if the entomologist found out the main reason the bees were not around last summer, but my beautiful blooming hawthorns are loaded with the buzzing creatures today, so hopefully the crisis is over. You can see one in the upper left corner of this pictures. The buzzing I hear the minute I walk out the front door is indeed a welcome sound!

It's here!

I have been checking the mail every day since April 1st--and today was the day my copy of Susan Albert's new book NIGHTSHADE arrived! I order my books from The Story Circle Network. A lesson in patience for me because I could go to a bookstore on April 1st and buy it, but I want to support this group as I really believe in what they are doing. This is the 16th in the series. The main character is China Bayles, a former attorney from Houston who moved to the fictitious hill country town of Pecan Springs and opened an herb shop. For anyone that loves gardening and solving mysteries, these books are a must read. For a real treat, visit the author's blog, Lifescapes. You will really enjoy her pictures and experiences about writing and living in the Texas Hill Country.

I've got Bluebonnets!

Well, it's not the Willow City Loop near Fredericksburg, or the spectacular fields of bluebonnets in Ennis, but it's my little Bluebonnet festival--right in the corner flowerbed in my backyard. I ordered seeds from the Wildseed Farm last summer. I soaked them the night before planting, and I had rosettes before the first frost. I watered when I should, and tried not to water when they started to grow. I babied them through the backyard re-do. And when I saw the first blooms--I celebrated.

A New Flower

I know..we're not in Colorado, but I just couldn't help myself. I really had to buy this Original Blue Columbine. It was too beautiful to pass up. I have only had Texas Gold Columbines in the past (which are now gone thanks to a new patio!). I know these blue are better suited to Colorado--but that's exactly why I had to buy it! We love the Rockies...and this flower reminds me of our favorite campsite high up in the mountains. Sometimes flowers seem to call us.."take me home"...so this Colorado State Flower has a Texas home now. Hope it knows about our Texas summers!

It's Spring!

Don't you just love spring! I do, but here in Texas it's spring one day, and late winter the next. It's cool and damp today--not the pretty bright Spring Day we all enjoy. However, it's really nice to look out on a dreary day and see the trees in their spring green attire, and the spring flowers adding such vivid color to this otherwise gray day. Oh my...how pretty they are! The birds don't seem to mind the change in weather. They are still singing away and checking out the birdhouses in my backyard. So on this cool overcast day, I will put on a sweater and go outside. I will pull a few weeds, dead-head a few pansies..and enjoy the hidden beauty in a "dreary" spring day!

A New Backyard

I don't like change. Even good changes take me a while to get use to. So you can imagine how the gardener in me felt when told one of our Bradford Pear Trees must come down---and "be prepared", as that would change the look of our entire backyard! Our cute, little peaceful backyard! The yard I worked so hard to create......with lots of help from a wonderful husband. A tree that was over 20 years old. A tree that provided privacy, shade, and a place for the birds. I couldn't bear to have both trees go, but we agreed to take down the tree closest to our pond. We needed a new fence anyway, so we would create a new backyard. And wonderful husband came up with a plan!

We needed something to replace the area where the tree had been, and we wanted something functional--a place to sit and listen to the pond. A really good fence company came in and gave us a great new space. I miss the tree...but I am happy with our new area.

Change is hard, but as I sit in the new swing at night, and look up at the stars I couldn't see before because of the tree, I realize life is all about change. And there are times that change is a very good thing!