Lost Ladybug Project

Harmonia axyridis, the multicolored Asian ladybug. Photographed Feb. 23, 2014, found inside our house and contributed to the ongoing Lost Ladybug Project at Cornell University.

Spider presentation

A big thank you goes out to the Friends of the Kingsland Library for inviting me to be a guest speaker at their February meeting today. My presentation was on -- what else? -- "Spiders of Central Texas." I enjoyed my time with everyone! (Thanks, James, for capturing the true essence of me in the photo below. Ho ho ho.)

Robert L. brought a female black widow (and two egg sacs) to share at the meeting.

February blooms

The daffodils started blooming yesterday!

Ten-petaled anemones

'May Night' salvia

Coral honeysuckle

Dandelions

'Texas Scarlet' quince, gifted to us by the Crofts in tribute to James' mother.

To mow or not to mow

I'd been of the "no mow" persuasion regarding the Meadow. Not James. Of course. Meanwhile, now and then, I'd ask a few folks for their opinion. No disrespect intended to my sweet husband. Just wondered, that's all. Anyway, I did concede. Perhaps it would be best to go ahead and mow the Meadow, I told him. So yesterday, he did. Quite happily, I might add. If he turns out to be right (that the new seedlings plants will grow much stronger and healthier minus the thick overhead thatch), then I'm OK with that. Really. Honest. :-)

Going to seed

The purple milkweed vine is going to seed across the Meadow....I love milkweeds.

Look who I spotted!

Yesterday was SO BEAUTIFUL! Like a glimpse of spring. I was venturing out to the Meadow when I looked up and...OH MY GOODNESS, WOW! So naturally, I ran (literally) back to the house for my camera. Later, James got to see our eastern screech owl, too. Wonderful to see him/her again! (Plus, we spotted our very first robin of the season yesterday, too.)

Guest presentation

Members of the Highland Lakes Birding and Wildflower Society kindly invited me to speak to their group this month. Which I did yesterday. I gave my "Window on a Texas Wildscape" program, which gives an overview of our yard and the work we've done over the past many years. Thank you for having me, y'all!