Suz and Paul

I wish things were different. I wish Paul was still here. And I wish Suz and Paul were off on one of their crazy anniversary trips. The 30th would be 16 years for them. It was a beautiful wedding on the shores of Lady Bird Lake (Lake Austin then) in the evening just as the bats were flying. Across the lake, the Statesman, where they met. Suz and Paul did some climbing in Mexico. I'm pretty sure Suz had Paul cement this little statue in the yard. I put a power candle out there tonight for Paul.

Rose

What a beauty!

Ipomopsis Rubra

Standing Cypress is classified as an herb.   Humming birds love it. This little guy hasn't grown up. I think he's hoping the deer will miss him, as they love this plant. Standing Cypress is all over the Davis Mountains. I'll post a pic when he grows up and shows his stuff - gorgeous!

Christmas Tree

Suz and Paul planted this tree. It was their tiny Christmas tree at least 10 years ago. 

Lantana Montevidensis

White lantana. Not a true native and needs a little water, but I adore the white flowers and so do the hummingbirds

Solidago

AKA Goldenrod. Don't blame it for your hay fever as the pollen is too heavy to be blown by the wind. Ragweed blooms at the same time. 

The young leaves are edible. An interesting fact is that Thomas Edison experimented with it to produce rubber, which it contains naturally. 

Leucophyllum Fratescens

Texas Sage. Not a true sage. Texas native and in the figwort family. The one in front of my house has gotten a little crazy. What is awesome about Texas Sage is that it produces tons of these blossoms all the time. Bees and butterflies love them. Birds, especially the cardinals love to hang out in the branches. 

Bubble

Just before the really big rain hit, there was some light rain that created this awesome "dome" in the center of a buttercup blossom. The ants were crawling on it and did not break the surface tension. 

Cactus Coreid

Otherwise known as Chelinidea Vittiger or just plain old cactus bug. Turns out, this bug keeps Opuntia in check (see earlier post), which is just fine with me. The sideways pic is a decent shot of his specialized appendage that bores into the tough skin of cacti. 

Agarita

Little snail curled up in an Agarita leaf. 

Eriobotrya Japonica

Loquat. Not a Texas native. The name tells you where it originated. These fruit trees are all over Texas, even so. This pic is a close up of new leaves. The deer like my little tree, so it is surrounded by wire. Hoping for fruit next year - but maybe it's a boy. Have never seen flowers. Hmmm. 

Opuntia

Prickly pear. Bonus bug on the pear. They are edible. The biggest bang for your buck is the fiber, magnesium and vitamin C. 

Ainphiachyris Dracunculoides

Prairie Broomweed. This blossom is only about 3mm across. I love to get up close with the camera. There's so much more to see. 

Happy Hour

A wildlife habitat includes water for all. This particular species of wasp wasn't very common until this year. I'll leave him alone while he gets a drink, but anybody I find making a home in my walls will wind up in a bad way. Their sting packs a serious punch. 

Diospyros Texana

Texas Persimmon. Shrub or tree. Drought tolerant. The fruit is small but edible. Birds love the fruit. This picture is just the beginnings of a new tree. I'll post another next spring with fruit. Yes, it's another native. It just showed up one day.

Didn't buy it, plant it or water it. 

Duranta Erecta

Also known as Golden Dewdrop. Perennial. Plant and seeds are toxic to "children, cats and dogs". Birds can eat seeds with no ill effects. Hoping it's another plant the deer will hate. When it seeds, I'll post a pic of why it is also called Golden Dewdrop. 

Salvia Greggii

Or Cherry Sage or Autumn Sage. Yet another Texas native that loves sun and doesn't need much water. This little shrub blossoms darn near year round. I love the color!

Momordica Charantia

Also called bitter melon. I don't know if that is what this is. I have never seen it blossom or produce a seed pod. It keeps coming back and doesn't care if I water it or not. And it loves this spot. 

Suck it up Buttercup

Ranunculus. Poisonous to cattle, horses and other livestock. Hoping this includes the bloody damn deer. 

Tecoma Stans

Also known as Texas Yellow Bells or Esparanza. Up close. These perennials need little attention, die back in the winter, then return early and stay until the first freeze. Love them. 

Rosemarinus Officinalis

Rosemary. Not the most glamorous photo of my rosemary, but note the long stems.  Suzy made kabobs once using denuded stems as skewers. They were perfect. I have a new grill. I'm going to skewer up a few things while trimming up this monster of a bush. 

Monarda Citriodora

Lemon Beebalm is an annual that does need much water or sun. It self sows. Can't wait to find these next year since I now know that the leaves can be used for tea (cold and respiratory) and for cooking. The essential oil of this plant is citronellol and a mosquito, flea and tick repellent. Wish I could have a field of these all around the house.

Agave

You look them up.  So much info out there about agaves. And so many varieties. And so many uses - beyond tequila. Cy and Kimberly gave me this one. It's about three feet tall. I moved in a pot and then to at least five differ spots until it ended up here. It stayed quite small until getting here. C & K also gave me Beamus, whom I killed - not on purpose. Beamus was a "mother of millions " plant. 

Hiding

Attempting to hide until mom returns.