Just a picture

The day was perfect for walking and picture taking.  Just one is worth putting here.
The  persimmon trees are so beautiful in the fall.  Unfortunately, the drought has killed most in the neighborhood.
This is one of 3 trees that have fruit.                                                                                

Couldn't resist. This one is from December 2009.
 Natures Christmas tree ornaments.

Sadly, this tree is gone now.

Mystery solved

Last year, we had a plant come up in the back yard by our feeders.  We/I pondered, took photos, asked around, with no luck.
Today, over a year later, searching for something else, I came across the solution!

I LOVE THE INTERNET!!!!!

Jimson weed   Click here

Salvia

I have found a few web sites with loads of salvia/sage information. Looks as if this site is for South Carolina. If you are interested in the variety of sage species, this might fit the bill.

when you get to the site, I could not make it open on sages. However, if you type in perennial Sage, you will find good information on this species, sort of what you would find if you dug through the library garden encyclopedia for a few hours.

Click here
sage information


This site is from the Native Plant Society of Texas for sage/salvia

Click here
 sage north Texas.information

Now, I have a favorite salvia (Tropical) that can be a pest. A good pest.  She will sow her seeds wherever the wind blows them, kind of like our least favorite weeds.
She turned up this summer in my stone walk.

tropical salvia next to the house

This is one of my favorite pictures.

Unfortunately, the colors are not as brilliant as in my pictures, but my camera caught the essence of the blossoms.

Tropical and Scarlet sage.  This was planted in the area close to bird feeders.  They bloomed all summer long.  Both plants self seeded and became rather a pest.  I still regret I could not have kept the garden full of these beautiful plants.







This web site is just for fun: mind you that the red Salvia can become a noxious weed!!

Click here
Salvia pictures,

I don't feel so bad about my mistakes in the garden

I have been checking out garden stuff on the Web; came across a site that makes me laugh and say "oh, no! how could anyone be.............."
Fortunately, no one was in the yard when I discovered mine!!


click here
STUPID GARDEN MISTAKES   

Post frosty morning

While watering the plants this AM, temperature was in 50's, I noticed that the salvias suffered frost "burn".  It had to be the frost that I took pictures of the previous morning. There was no frost on plants.

The Country Girl mums don't seem to have any burn.  They are not pretty (photographer wise, but still a joy).

While I was out watering this morning, I spotted a black butterfly. I have no idea what it was. The odd thing about it was it had something attached to the lower wings. When I disturbed it, it flew and the wing had some sort of bug attached. I have no idea if it was a spider or what.  This is a good time for a SLR camera. What ever it was was not normal.

New Mexico magic

Since I don't have face book, this is my photo collection of Aspens in Colorado, Oct.2012.
Our son lives in the four corners area and these drives weren't far from there.  I was concerned that some of these areas had been burned off this past summer.
We took 3 different scenic routes and even though the colors and subjects are the same, the locations are quite different: the first 4 are the Mancos area

I need to make a calender just for this one!

I love the black branches!

There was no wind and perfect for mirror image!

 

 

 

On the way to Silverton

Taken from a moving car with my Canon Power Shot;10 pixels

 

 

Our son wanted to visit a place called Box Canyon in Ouray, Colorado.  A side trip sort of on the way to Silverton. There is a lot of information about this area on the Web. I had never heard of it.  He did a lot of climbing around and I am sure, took wonderful pictures.  Here are a few of mine.

Not too shabby for my little Canon. 

 We were at an elevation of around 9000 feet and climbed down some spooky stairs to this. Wouldn't have missed it for the world!

Try to enlarge this, very interesting

On a scary terrace overlooking loud, rushing water

And then, all good things must end and we took a different route home to Texas.The highway is 64 from Farmington to Chama and on from there to Taos and points east.  I highly recommend it.  Beautiful road and scenery. And more aspens!!!

These plants were fascinating, the tall spiky ones are some sort of Mullein and the gray Rabbit Brush

 

 

Have you ever seen such a sky?

While taking these picture, a British couple stopped and the woman said it was almost a waste of time taking pictures as the camera cannot do the scenery justice.  I agree, the vistas are so large, the camera cannot capture that.

Fall, I hope

Oct 29, 2012

The temperature is 32 degrees and reminds me I failed to finish my early morning thoughts of yesterday.

Yesterday, the temp was officially 30 degrees. As I have done for more years than I care to admit, I panicked and had to cover my lovely mum bushes (just in case).  The theory in my mind? Frost hit by sunlight can burn the leaves and petals.  Well, not the case.

Salvias are hardy enough to stand a frost. The leaves and flowers are more beautiful than my picture, but you can see the frost.

My precious mum (Country Girl) was covered with frost as well.  The petals and leaves are more "tender" than the saliva and I wanted to save a few blossoms.

As it turns out, they weren't bothered at all. If I remember correctly, last year the petals were frozen and very papery feeling. (snapped and broke in two when bent) Some burned and died, some did not.






This pot holds snap dragons, a cone flower and a verbena.  All were covered with frost. They are fine as well.

My lovely lavender glowed in the sunlight with frost. She is fine.   The lesson being, I never learn!!
I purposely choose perennials for this area (North Texas) because they can stand a good bit of temperature extremes.
It will reach 60 today and 80"s by Wed.

This lavender prefers the "poor" soil I set her in.  Unfortunately, The plants I attempted 2 years ago, gave up this summer.  I think I over watered.  So, trying again.  This Provence (Latin name,Lavandula  x intermedia )makes a lovely bush, 18 to 36" tall.  Part of my problem was I planted the two bushes too close together.

No frost in the near future, so I can relax (heh, heh)  The weather will be perfect for weeding and perhaps taking down the rabbit fence?