Category: Flora

Acorns

On By CarynIn dog, Flora
Post Oak acorns

I took this picture because I liked the arrangement of the six acorns. The leaves are still green down here in Texas. We’ve had a couple cool nights and some of the day time temperatures have been pleasant (it has to be under 80 degrees F to remotely qualify for me). I saw fireflies in the woods, which I don’t remember seeing at this time last year, but then again, I’m spending more time outside with the puppy. When all those acorns fall it is going to be a nightmare keeping them out of her mouth. Time to work on “drop”!

Texas sage

On By CarynIn Flora
Spectacular blooms on a Texas sage bush (not mine)

The Texas sage are in full glorious bloom! But not in our yard. We planted a bush shortly after we moved in, and it is growing well now, but it has one bloom. One lonely little bloom. While the neighbors’ and the bushes in town are in dazzling display. Maybe next year our bush will join the exhibition.

Observations during yard work

On By CarynIn Flora, Wildlife

I keep my phone on my pocket while I’m working in the yard, and often use it to document flora and fauna. We have lived here over two years and I am still finding new things!

Single rain lily amongst the grass, even though we haven’t had any rain. Maybe the water overspray touched this one patch of ground.
Yellow puff flower (Neptunia lutea) in the meadow, which looks very similar to the purple powderpuff (Mimosa strigillosa) that grew at our old house south of here. Very different scientific names, though.
Grass spider set up in the rocks and leaves at the side of the house. I think this one ate all the others, she is huge.
Bark scorpion under glass, since I actually found him in the house near where my puppy had just snuffled. Yikes!

Takeover

On By CarynIn Flora

Today I give you the lawn mower surrender. I don’t know if some poor soul actually thought he could mow the growth at the lake side and the vegetation rose up for a hostile take over, or if a non- environmentalist was sick of mowing and she chucked it in the drink. Or maybe it was a fast and furious lawn mower race with an epic three mower crash and it spun off into the water while the sodden jockey pulled himself from the mud, leaving only bubbles behind. Who knows? It was visible at a local fishing hole because the water line is low. I thought it a compelling juxtaposition. (It was too far into the muck to safely remove from the lake. When the water line rises again, it will probably catch hooks and the vegetation be blamed. The reeds will probably snicker. So will the fish.)

Lake vegetation takes over a lawn mower

Bees knees

On By CarynIn Flora
Standing cypress in bloom

The standing cypress flowers are going bonkers in our meadow this year. We have at least a dozen three foot tall stalks bursting with bright red flowers. The bees and hummingbirds like them too!