I can see clearly now the rain is gone.
I can see all obstacles in my way.
Here is that rainbow I’ve been praying for.
It’s gonna be a bright
Bright sunshiny day.
Although I’m not at all ready for all the rain to disappear (here in most of Texas, we’ll be desperate for rain when July comes), there’s been quite a bit of blue sky and moderate temperatures. I made several trips to a nursery or two, or four, or so. I’ve washed almost all of the pots. I’ve cut down all the dead ferns, and new ones are popping up.
The dead leaves from the oak trees in the front yard have fallen, and I’ve raked them all up and am in the process of getting them in the green bins to be carted off by the lawn/leaf/etc. trucks that come by every other week.
These are two different leaves, and I’m surprised, and a little bit impressed, by their being able to drift down, down, down, and to fall exactly into cracks in the driveway. One is from the white oak (rounder edges), and the other is from the red oak (more pointy edges).
I was concerned, after the giant snow and ice and below-freezing temperatures in February, that we’d lose lots of plants. On Tuesday, I raked away all the fallen leaves that had accumulated in the front bed. These two rose bushes have leafed out strongly. I don’t know what the rose production will be, but at least they’re alive! The yellow flowers at the front of the bed are yellow pansies, which will fade away when the weather turns hot. A few years ago, I bought some sturdy yellow flowered plants that reseeded each year and came back, all strong and lovely. There is no sign of them. At all. And there were three, cute, feathery plants with tiny yellow flowers. They lasted three winters, I think. They do not, apparently, thrive when the temperature’s negative one.
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- This is a yellow orange and gold lantana. The yellow lantana at the front of the house has leafed out. This one, on the side of the house, hasn’t. Yet.
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- This is a dwarf pomegranate, that’s been growing there for several years. When I gently bend the limbs, they don’t break. I think it’ll be all right, too.
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- This is a Turk’s Cap. There are SIX of them, in a row. This one is putting out small leaves at the base. So far, it’s the only one that’s shown any sign of health.
I bought this “Wolverine” Hosta rather late last summer. I think it might have been on sale. It has come back full and sturdy. I was planning for a nice array of different Hosta plants. The tiny guy on the right-hand side is also a Hosta. I’m not sure what kind it is, but I appreciate its bravery. It certainly looks healthy.
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- The squirrels, of course, are doing their part. Here’s a potential oak tree, carefully planted by thrifty squirrels last fall.
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- And here’s a pecan tree, showing a strong desire to to become part of the landscape.
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- But the most reliable plants we have growing along the side of the house are the daisies. They have been shooting up, and here is the first bud of the season. The large leaf at the bottom of the photo is a canna. There are several of them along the side of the house, and many new, sturdy leaves have popped up.
I bought a couple of new plants to add to the thyme garden (Magic Carpet Thyme and White Creeping Thyme). I bought a dozen Impatiens for a hanging arrangement. There are some succulents, and some pretty purple and lavender flowers that Peter chose when we went to a greenhouse when he was here last week.
Let’s do our best to know the Lord. His coming is as certain as the morning sun; he will refresh us like rain renewing the earth in the springtime.
Hosea 6:3 (Contemporary English Version)
The weather says “Friday-high of 80° and 6 percent change of rain. Sounds like a great day for gardening!