Morning Walks (Summer 2009)

August 2009

above, Tony, a very nice, very smart, very, VERY friendly kid. No, we're not related; I'm just a fan:)

Victory Garden on Woodrow, hanging in there through the heat..

God Bless Gardeners and Volunteers,

especially gardeners who do volunteer!

(The 8 photographs immediately above were taken on Saturday, August 22nd.)

above, Plumbago still hanging in there (as of August 19th)

above Three pairs of parrots having breakfast on Yates
These flowers on Karen Lane still manage to bloom...

...even the wild ones! above

Pride of Barbados above and below blooms happily thoughout drought and heat

above Drought-flattened cactus

The neighborhood parrots don't seem to mind the heat

Early morning clouds promise rain but never deliver anymore; why won't it ever rain?!

above, Forecast for Austin, courtesy of the National Weather Service

It's way too freaking HOT!
It's supposed to be hot in Texas in the summertime (except sometimes in the Panhandle, which everybody knows doesn't count), and it always is. But this summer is shaping up to be one of the hottest, even for Texas. Worse, it's one of the driest so far, and the combination is starting to take a toll on things. The Aquifer water level is dropping a foot a day, every day. Obviously watering is rationed, and even if it wasn't, turning on a faucet to water something ornamental feels like a very wrong thing to do! (Possibly because I had to live for over 7 years without any running water).

Have you ever seen such flat, dehydrated cactus?

Meanwhile, some people waste a LOT of water...

Impressively laden apple tree (above) Well, this is just about everything that's still blooming...

above, A still-blooming cactus flower!

I'm not sure what the sage is so happy about today because it NEVER freaking rains anymore!!

Even the crepe myrtle is cooking in the heat

above, Beautiful exceptions

Claude and I are still out there early almost every morning, but these days, spotting anything actually blooming is rare, so I'm grateful to find anything that still looks healthy and bright in this high heat.

above Season's last magnolia.

First Week of July, 2009
Woo-hoo! A vertically-hung American Flag that's NOT backward!
Hi Daisy! (As usual, Daisy is saying "Barkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbark")
Literal yard art!
The cool thing about decorating with rocks; regardless of how bad the drought gets, they always look just fine!(below) What blooms in July in Crestview
Gaillardia (or Mexican Blankets) grace Lynette's front yard. A little Lantana

The "Pride of Barbados", the beautiful e flowering shrub above, is very hearty. It's been 103F most days lately, but this plant still looks bright and cheerful.
(The 9 pictures above were all taken on July 7th.) Heat-loving plumbago is still blooming nicely. Bonus: deer don't like them, so you can grow them in the country. (above) Tropicals don't mind this crazy heat at all (below) What else can bloom in this heat... above, Beautiful flag hung backward as most are, but beautiful
Happy yard art above, Don't s'pose these folks are UT fans?
Yard gnome teaming up with seahorses(Check out the heart-shaped cactus above)

above, Awesome bunting for the Fourth!
Yay! They turned the backwards flag around! (Guess what day it is?)

above, Lovely flag, but it's backward.(hint: The Union belongs at the upper LEFT.)

Happy weekend:)
Tuesday morning, Sweet Daisy
American Ingenuity under the Flag Beautiful chickens on Ruth
(above) Monday morning- Daisy, Claude's new friend.

We finally got a little rain! Somebody's all ready for the 4th

End of June, 2009

It's CRAZY hot and dry in Austin, even for summer

Backward flags & the eternal parliamentarian's

dilemma - should I tell them? Leave a note?

Claude (good dog!) taking a breather in the shade....

Fourth Week of June, 2009

above, Check out the hawks in the tree!

Peace wreath, retired to the garage wall

Somebody followed somebody's heart

Blonde squirrel

(Another backwards flag...but the yellow shutters are nice)

above, (My Texas Blue Lacy is no slouch, either!)

OK, I'm kinda obsessed with these parrots

Third Week of June, 2009

It's so freaking HOT...

What can bloom in this heat?

I smelled honeysuckle and found it here...

Yay! Previously backward flag corrected!

This huge magnolia tree must pre-date the neighborhood

Magnolias are fading, but here's a nice one

I finally got a camera with a telephoto lens, so I can really see the weird little green critter above

Homegrowing Eggplant!

Birds stuffing themselves as cats plan their lunch of stuffed birds

Claude catches up with his pal Davis

Until friend John gave me his old camera

(with a telephoto lens), I never knew the

parrots had beautiful blue under the green...

We got a little rain...seriously need more

OMG so do I...just ask my son, bless his heart!

(above) This under-sidewalk lighting fascinates me.

Very neat fence

How 'bout them Cowboys?

Arroyo Seco Mermaid

Tomatoes are finally happening

Another groovy lizard

Squirrel Feeders

Saturday, June 6th, 2009

This morning Claude met Daisy, a sweet, VERY energetic dog!

One Big Flower

For the Birds...

above, Congratulations to somebody for something!((Graduation?)

above, Witchy Yard Art...

Thursday, June 4th, 2009:

I like the "Scare Python" guarding the garden...

I don't know what these flowers are, but I like them...

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009:

I finally got pictures of the train!

Here it comes!

...and here it is...

...and there it goes...

This is a GREAT time for Purple Sage...

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Monday, June 1st, 2009

Amazing Camouflage House!

(Check out the hawks in the tree above)

Somebody followed somebody's heart

Blonde squirrel

(Another backwards flag...but the yellow shutters are nice)

Hey, my Texas Blue Lacy is no slouch, either!

OK, I'm kinda obsessed with parrots

May 31st, 2009:

...another nice place to hang out...

.....an offer found on Brentwood this morning...

Saturday, May 30th, 2009:

....a Pointless Minority Opinion...

Thursday, May 28th, 2009:

Groovy art car

Something for the birds...

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009:


More comforatble places to hang out

A place to sit under the stars

More thriving Victory Gardens

....run away!

Click on the picture above for a better view of the neat little sculptures

Promising clouds and thunder didn't really deliver...

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009: