Suburban Wildlife Garden

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Spring in October

The rains have started falling and the drought may be slightly on the wane here in Austin, but as Robin at Getting Grounded explains in her entry Recapping the Summer from Hell 2009, it will take a whole lot of heavy showers before our lakes are full again. Still, my garden is finally happy after a long torturous summer. The sweltering 100+ temps started in May this year and stole spring from us. Now the cooler temperatures, wet weather and colorful flowers make me feel like spring has arrived in October.

This is the first year my Senna (Cassia?) flowered well. When I planted it several seasons ago it was little more than a twig. This summer the caterpillars clung to the foliage and butterflies drop in for an occasional sip at the blossoms...

Since space is at a premium I'm attempting to train it rather flat against the stark white brick wall...

The blooms are so luscious and plump, it's no wonder the butterflies can't resist them...

The drought scorched most of my groundcover this summer so I tried covering my mulch with some purslane (Portulaca oleracea). It flourished in the heat and the honey bees approved of all the flowers.

Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha), Bush Daisy (Euryops) and Prostrate Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) are blooming all at once today...

This butterfly bush (Buddleia) is surprisingly attractive to humming birds as well as the butterflies.

Here's the view of the front flower bed from the lavender-skirted birdbath...

My basket of begonias looks so healthy you'd never guess the scorching summer heat ever bothered them...

Inside, this pink orchid is blooming in my breakfast window for the 3rd year in a row...

Mariah, my Siamese Cat, has completely recovered from her run-in with steroids. Here she seems to wonder when we're adding a screened-in porch for her bird-viewing pleasure.

From the window she can see the flower bed I've begun planting in the back garden.

I removed one of the dwarf yaupon holly under our family room window and am in the process of replacing it with salvia, bulbine and assorted flowering plants. I plan on replacing the remaining yaupon as well with hummingbird-friendly flowers like my new Salvia coccinea 'Coral nymph', seen here looking extremely pleased with itself...

Finally, I'd like to share a little good news: As some of you may know my son's former one-on-one school assistant inexplicably quit her job without giving notice. She just didn't show up on the first day of school this fall, which left the administrator's scrambling to hire someone and my son with substitute aides for the past month. I was very proud of him for coping so well despite the upheaval; not always easy for someone in the autistic spectrum. The good news is the school finally hired a nice lady for the job last week. I met her today and she seems like a lovely person. We're all breathing a collective sigh of relief, hoping things will get back to what passes for normal in our lives. Whew!

And with that, here's wishing all of you a very contented Autumn Gardening Season. If you get tired of your rain, please send it here, we're enjoying every drop in Austin.

"The best kind of rain, of course, is a cozy rain. This is the kind the anonymous medieval poet makes me remember, the rain that falls on a day when you'd just as soon stay in bed a little longer, write letters or read a good book by the fire, take early tea with hot scones and jam and look out the streaked window with complacency." ~Susan Allen Toth, England For All Seasons

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Sweet September Get-Together

I'd like to say "Thank you!" to Diana of Sharing Nature's Garden and Robin of Getting Grounded for hosting a lovely get-together on September 26th for the Austin Garden Bloggers. What a beautiful garden you have, Diana. It was a pleasure to meet our new Ag Extension Agent, Daphne Richards and visit with so many garden bloggers from the area.

I didn't take many photos, but couldn't resist a pic during the plant swap at the end of the party when the ladies exchanged some wonderful horticultural goodies...

Diana was kind enough to give a nice seed pod to me from her hibiscus plant. It posed nicely in my Blue Willow funnel.

I'll try to propagate the seeds and plant some successful seedlings in my garden. Who knows, maybe I'll even have some plants to swap next time we get together.

"To know someone here or there with whom you can feel there is understanding in spite of distances or thoughts expressed That can make life a garden."~ Goethe

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Galveston: Recovering and Ready for Visitors

Our vacation in Galveston seems like a pleasant dream now that we're back home in drought besieged Austin again. The beach certainly was lovely this summer. We were relieved to see the island recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Ike. My son enjoyed the beach this year; this time without any surgery worries. What a difference a year makes!

Since the beach house we stayed in last year survived the hurricane we went ahead and rented it again this summer. We wanted to show our support for the area while having a nice vacation. It worked out well.

The owners of the home made many repairs on the house post-Ike, so it looked nice inside.

Of course, there was still a lot of evidence that the hurricane had hit. The sand dunes on the West end of the island were completely washed away, so we did not see any beach bunnies this year. Though incredibly, many of the bunnies survived and are living in the cow pastures behind the houses. As you look southwest from the top deck you can see how flat and rather bare the beach looks now compared to last year.

We were happy to see that some of the home-owners to the northeast are rebuilding the dunes and boardwalks once again. This will be very important for wildlife in the area as well as future storm-surge protection.

The outside of the house was different from last year. Gone are the BBQ area, swing and hammock. The huge waves of the storm managed to pick up the big concrete slab under the house and sweep it away. It's hard for me to even imagine that sort of power to be honest. In the photo below, the entire space you see under the house was covered with a concrete floor the year before. It's amazing that the pilings stood firm.

Speaking of standing firm; KHOU has created a memorial page entitled, Hurricane Ike: One Year Later, which offers moving visual perspectives on the power of the storm and how the people of Galveston are recovering.

I imagine the owners of our rental were relieved to have a repairable structure. The house just up the road leans so precariously on its pilings no one is allowed inside.

It's apparent everyone in the area has been hard at work. The huge piles of debris which once lined the roads are mostly gone from San Luis Pass. But we saw many houses being repaired and several homes wrapped in blue tarps. While rebuilding in an hurricane-prone area might seem an exercise in futility to some, the Wall Street Journal's Susan Warren explains why she is determined to maintain her family's water-front vacation home in the area...

Mother Nature has a way of healing as well. These wildflowers were volunteers growing on what used to be the dune between the house and the beach.

The seagulls are still plentiful. This little guy sat on the piling we used as our 1-mile marker during beach walks.

He may have been watching out for this dude with his powered paraglider a few hours earlier. After watching them whiz by from the relative safety of the deck for 3 years now, I admit I'm still not tempted to try it.
The brown pelicans glide a lot more quietly...though we couldn't resist saying, "Zoooom!" as they rode the wind currents above the decks. We could set our clocks by them. They traveled Northeast every morning and Southwest every afternoon.

My step-father flew his kites once again. The kite he's working with below was a bit trickier this year since the railing he'd tied it to last year was swept away by Ike.

My son's favorite outdoor activity was building sand castles under the shade of his own umbrella. Please notice his straight spine! ;-)

Since the Island is still recovering signs of damage were still apparent as we drove around. Here is the Flagship Hotel with its gaping hole on the end. It seems they plan to tear down the hotel at some point in the near future.

As we drove through the area to look at the beautiful historic homes we saw unhappy proof of the many oak trees that are dying from salt water damage. In the photo below you can see the palms are fine, but the big old oaks look dead.

Despite a great deal of loss the residents are trying to rebuild and move forward. This group of Segway riders brought a smile to our faces one Sunday morning. Amid the ancient and melancholy oaks, they were determined to have a good time.

We found that about 75% of our favorite stores, galleries and restaurants in Galveston had repaired and reopened this summer. The rest are either still renovating or may be closed indefinitely. This recent CNN report explains how well Galveston businesses are recovering...

Fisherman's Wharf is opened for business. The Tall Ship Elissa next door sustained some damage to its fore lower topsail which was repaired by sailmaker Jim Brink. As we ate at the Wharf we enjoyed watching the ships roll by in the Port of Galveston.

I love the Wharf's mosaic floors...

We discovered some new favorites in town including The Mosquito Cafe. The charming owner, like almost everyone we spoke with, shared the story about the damage his business and home had sustained. He said Ike's flood waters reached well over the front door inside the restaurant and stood there for days. He restored everything to its former glory. It looks fantastic and the food tastes delicious!

He even replanted the little garden in courtyard out back.

We found the best antique store on the island: Big House Antiques and made friends with their parrot, Hadley.

Last, but not least, we stopped by our favorite local book store, Galveston Bookshop. We shopped and my parents donated several boxes of books that they'd brought down from Missouri for the owner. If you go to the site you can see photos of the shop after Ike and the incredible cleanup they accomplished. The store looks great and I'm happy to report that Gus the bookstore shop cat is doing very well.

We love Galveston and hope to visit again soon.

"Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever remains to them?" Rose Kennedy

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Off to Galveston and an Update

First an update on my cat, Mariah: She is much improved; having almost finished with her antibiotics and is eating on her own. I'm extremely relieved since it was a bit touch and go there for a while. She and Lily will stay at the vet clinic for boarding as we travel to Galveston.

We are renting the same beach house as last year. I'm sure we'll see a lot of differences in the island since Hurricane Ike hit, but we're told the portion of the beach we're staying on is now clean & safe. I'll share photos when I return.

Hope all of you are having a lovely summer.

"The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea." ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Mariah

I hope all of you are having a pleasant summer. I was planning on sharing some fun images from my & my son's birthdays as well as my mother & sister's visit and our trips to the gardens in the area.

Unfortunately, all my plans have been put on hold because I'm taking care of my cat, Mariah, who is extremely ill.

When we took her to Lakeline Animal Care for her yearly checkup on June 6th she was just fine. Then the vet recommended a steriod shot for some 'cat acne' and I was unwise enough to agree to it. Five days later Mariah looked as if she was on death's door. We were told that the shot lowered her defenses enough to allow "a virus she already had" to attack her. She's not eating well and has already lost two lbs. I've taken her in for subcutaneous fluids and nebulizer treatments almost every day for a week. Today the head doctor finally saw her and sent the nebulizer home with me for treatments 3x's per day. I'm now supposed to try to force-feed the poor kitty in addition to all the meds I'm attempting to get into her.

Here's the nebulizer at the vet's office with Mariah inside getting medicated treatments for her lungs (she doesn't like it)...

We're hoping she'll get better before our vacation at the end of the month. I'd feel very guilty to leave her at the vets' for a week while we’re at the beach. It breaks my heart to see my little friend feeling so badly.

“The cat, it is well to remember, remains the friend of man because it pleases him to do so and not because he must.” ~Carl Van Vechten

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Fantasy Islette or Guppies Gone Wild

My front garden is filling out nicely, but only one out of three of my red yuccas are blooming in the same bed. It's sort of odd since they all bloomed at once in the past couple of years. If anyone has an idea what might be going on, please let me know.

Inside, I finally had my kitchen project finished this week. Whoever built my house put in this tiny, 12"x 24" island in the middle of the not-so-large kitchen. Since the island was so small I dubbed it my 'islette'. And as something that was always in the way, it became one of the most infamous objects in my house as well as the source of great amusement to my friends and neighbors. I often threatened to give it away as a gag gift at parties, but I don't think anyone took me seriously. Believe me, if there hadn't been electricity running through it, I would have popped it out myself long ago...

Today the contractor who did Robin's (GetGrounded) beautiful kitchen brought in a couple guys to disconnect the electricity & remove the islette and then re-tile the floor once it was gone. I'm thrilled with the results! My next project will be granite counters, stainless appliances, cabinet handles/knobs and perhaps a farmer's sink with French faucet. As you can see, I'm rather giddy with my success.

Back outside, the one dozen guppies I'd put in my container water garden last fall have experienced a population explosion. I fear my goldfish are having an identity crisis at the very least; being overrun with these frenetic live-bearers. I am now planning to separate the guppies from the goldfish. I've never had live-bearers take over in a water garden so completely before, but this group is certainly robust. I only added them last year to keep mosquito larva down that the goldfish couldn't reach, unfortunately the guppies seem to be staging a coup at this point. So, anyone want to give a few guppies a good home? :-)

I hope all the mother's out there have a very Happy Mother's Day. My Mom and sister will be down during Mother's Day, which will be a treat. May all of us learn to be as relaxed as my cat Mariah...

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." Robert Heinlein

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Green The Grounds for Earth Day

Most gardeners I've met are fairly environmentally conscious. This follows our chosen hobby naturally since we deal so closely with plants, soil, weather patterns and the animals that interact with our gardens. Susan Harris at Garden Rant is one of those special gardeners who cares about the environment; managing to inspire other garden bloggers involvement as well by creating Green The Grounds.org. Thanks Susan!

Recently the First Family started an Organic Victory Garden at the White House. This was exciting news. I continue to hope that the media attention will influence others to learn more about gardening without herbicides and pesticides. A world where more people start their very own Organic Victory Gardens seems like a much better place to me.

Hopefully, the Obama's Organic Victory Garden at the White House is only the first step. Green The Grounds is "encouraging the First Families -- in the White House and governors' mansions -- to adopt more sustainable landscaping practices."

One fine example of public lands being use for the good of the community is the huge Organic Victory Garden in front of San Francisco's City Hall...

While Victory Gardens are cool and certainly have their place, I would also love to see more native plants added to the First Families' grounds. Native plants need less water, feeding and overall maintenance. It would be terrific if plants were included in these public gardens that would attract birds, butterflies and other animals. Adding permanent, naturalized water features would benefit native wildlife and be a pleasant focal point for visitors to the mansions as well. If I had my wish each governor's mansion garden would be a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat. Well, I can dream, can't I?

Unfortunately, the Texas Governor's Mansion suffered a fire in June 8, 2008. At the present time they are focused on restoring the building to its former glory. Recently there was even a suggestion to make the Pease Mansion the new Texas Governor's Mansion. Hopefully once the mansion's problems have been resolved there will be more time and energy to concentrate on its gardens.

In the meantime we can all try to make our own gardens as green and environmentally friendly as possible. I try to limit my use of biocides on my property, though I admit I used Roundup on a tenacious section of poison ivy when we first moved here. But by using organic gardening methods and including food, water and cover for wildlife, almost any garden can make the most of its environmental potential. Mine is still a work in progress...