Category: 2019

2019, In The Garden

More Rain & Thunder On Saturday Morning

Tanja

Another night and morning with Thunderstorms came through North Texas, today. Kevin and I can’t really do anything, we planned for the backyard, this weekend. But the weather didn’t stop me to shoot more photos of the moisture, that was still left on the plants in frontyard and the backyard.

Glass Mushroom in the greenhouse
Tomato Blossom Droplets
Tomato Leaf Droplets
Blooming Lemon Basil
Cinnamon Basil
Thai Basil Blossoms
Blooming Broccoli
Iceberg Lettuce Droplets
Peaches in the backyard
Meyer Lemon Blossom on a rainy day
Mealy Cup Sage Droplets
Salvia “Hot Lips” Droplets
2019, In The Garden

First Tomatoes of 2019

Tanja

We have some nice producing tomatoes in the greenhouse. It shows, it was worth taking the time building higher beds and fill them up with kitchen composts, before I planted the tomatoes in one of the beds. The plants are strong and sturdy for holding the big ‘maters, once they are fully grown. I can’t wait for making my Mom’s refreshing Tomato-Bologna Salad in Summer. Homegrown tomatoes are the best!

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First ‘maters in the greenhouse: They grow on about a foot of kitchen compost.
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Now, the hybrids are still small. But once they are big and ready for harvest, I can’t wait to sink my teeth into them. So delicious!

Happy Gardening!

2019, In The Garden

Rainy May Weather

Tanja

It felt so good, when I woke up to a rainy morning. I had my window cracked and listen to the thunder storm, while I was working on the computer. The air feels and smells fresh. It is a relieve from the seasonal allergies and this humidity. Earlier, I had to wear my cardigan, while I was sitting at the desk. After all those 80+ degree days, today in the mid 60s felt a little bit chilly. It is amazing, how fast the body adopts to the warmer temperatures.

There are more thunder storms with a bit of sunshine in-between, in the forecast. Flora and Fauna can use it. But our lake is over five feet above full pool and flooding the trails and some nearby properties, again. All this water has to go down the Trinity River and into Dallas. Let’s hope, it won’t be as bad as it was in May 2015. That year, the lake went over the spillway. It took months until the water receded, and the trails were repaired by volunteers.

Tomato Leaf Droplets I
Tomato Leaf Droplets II
2019, In The Garden

Our Fairies Are Back!

Tanja

As long as Sara believes in Garden Fairies, I will tell her beautiful stories about Tinker Bell and her friends. Because I enjoy it so much when Sara’s eyes begin to sparkle, I hope it will stay this way for little bit longer. When the dragonfly light turns on, Sara knows it’s time for the fairies to come home. Now, I just have to get some batteries for the candles to light up the houses in the Fairy Village. And then our flower garden will be magic, again.

Fairy Mushroom Garden Light
The dragonfly light turns on, it is time for the Tinker & Friends to come home for the night.
2019

Antelope Horn (Asclepias asperula)

Tanja

Antelope Horn is a milkweed native to Texas, which grows in pastures along roadsides and creeks throughout the central path, that most Monarchs take on their migration coming back up north to the US from Mexico. The milkweed got its name from the seedpods, which look similar to the horns of an antelope. In late Spring, I can find them next to the creek behind our street. And I also find them on the meadows of the local parks. From all the milkweed plants I have seen so far, the Antelope Horn is my favorite.

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Antelope Horn (Asclepias asperula)
2019, In The Garden

Our Greenhouse/Garden In Early May 2019

Tanja

The plants are doing great in the greenhouse. We have tiny tomatoes showing under the blossoms. When the fruits are bigger, I will blog and show some photos of them. But right now, they are still very small. One of our Lemon Basil plants began to bloom. The fennel is getting bigger, which will be a great host for Black Swallowtail Caterpillars in Summer. The Shasta Daisies are flourishing. The peppers are still tiny. Once it gets warmer, they will start to grow bigger, too. I have to be patient with them.

Lemon Basil Blossoms
Fennel
Shasta Daisy Droplets
The bell pepper looks like a miniature boxing glove.

Last Winter, I dumped a Jack-o-Lantern pumpkin in the compost. Now, we have seedlings growing out of it. We will leave them all in there and hope they make it. Probably only the strongest will survive. If we get a pumpkin or two out of it, that would be awesome. And if we not, it will be fun to see how far along the seedlings will grow in that pile. Hey, the tomatoes grow on almost a foot of kitchen compost. Why shouldn’t it work for the pumpkins, right?! 😉 The broccoli is done! It blooms and soon will go to seed. I’ll collect them for the next season. I’m surprised, how well the Rosemary does in the raised bed. This herb usually likes well drained soil and not much rain.

We have pumpkin seedlings growing in the compost.
Our broccoli blooms and will go to seed soon.
Rosemary
2019

Crazy Texas Spring Weather

Tanja

The last few days, we had all kinds of weather patterns: Severe thunderstorms, tornado watch, sunshine, more severe thunderstorms, clear skies and sunshine again, … and so on. This evening I’ve watched the sky, when Sara put her bike in the garage. It got extremely windy. We’ve got a few drops in our area, and then everything calmed down again. Looking at the radar, the storms went around us. It was a nice break from last night’s thunderstorm. But I have to admit, that storm was very soothing, which cooled the air nicely. Today, it was not so uncomfortable humid.

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“If you don’t like the weather in Texas, just wait a minute. It’ll change.”
2019

Venus Looking Glass Wildflower

Tanja

I never can wait for May to arrive in Texas. This is the most colorful time of the year, when the Texas Prairie is in full bloom. We live in the Blackland Prairie zone, and I always love to “discover” new wildflowers. Several years ago, I stumbled across this beautiful and delicate purple flower named “Venus Looking Glass”. While I can’t find it on our property, I always sneak over to catch a few photos in my neighbors’ yard. Right now, they have several spots growing along the grass strip in the back alley.

Today, I had some fun playing with the filters on my computer. I wanted to see, how the photos come out. Hmm, they look very interesting compared to all the colorful pictures. But the filtering is not something, I’d do on a regular basis. I like the natural colors so much better. 😉

Venus Looking Glass
A hungry, little hover fly visits the Venus Looking Glass for some nectar.
Filtered Venus Looking Glass