Last woolly ironweed...

This is the story of our last surviving, full-blooded woolly ironweed (Vernonia lindheimeri). We planted our original one in October 2013 in the back yard. A year later, we planted western ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii) in the front yard. When the deer began to eat those, I attempted an ironweed rescue and planted the westerns on the other end of a small bed where the woolly ironweeds lived. (Are you keeping up with which ironweeds are which?) Well, the western ironweeds ADORED the back yard. In fact, they fell in love with the woollies and produced a hybrid. Well, the hybrids took over and crowded out the woollies. This past spring, I noticed one surviving woolly and decided I'd swoop in and rescue it.

Finally, that happened today. But it was a JOB! In the top photo, you can see how long the root was. I poured water into the hole and dug and dug and dug and got it out intact. Then I replanted the woolly WAY across the yard, where hopefully it can grow and reestablish the species in our yard. Stay tuned!

New digs for the woolly.

Circle shows where the woolly was growing, surrounded by hybrids.

Western in the foreground, hybrids in the back. 

Milkweed transplant

This is a photo of one of the many plateau milkweed (Matelea edwardensis) vines that grow on our rural land. When I spotted what I thought was a seedling vine, I decided I'd dig it up and take it home. Why not? 

 

WOW, look at the root! It's older than I thought. And it sure is true how milkweeds establish thick tubular roots. Somehow I managed to get nearly all the roots of my "seedling." I've put it in a pot with dirt that it'd been growing in. That should help it feel at home when it gets established. Then later I'll find a place in our back yard to plant it.  

 

Notes to myself

Last Saturday I collected just a few seed heads from American basket-flowers (Centaurea americana) that grow along County Road 102 not far from Blanco. I didn't take many. Later I tossed the seeds in the Meadow and my flower corner in the Pasture.

Another treasure on the land

James recently found what's likely the nest of a black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla) on our rural land northwest of Blanco, Cool, eh?  

Liberal Ladies

What fun today! The Liberal Ladies came by to tour our gardens this morning. Then they had me join them for their monthly potluck and meeting. After lunch, I read excerpts from my middle grade novel, Charnell, and they loved it! They gifted me with their enthusiasm and encouragement for the book. I am honored. Thank you, ladies (and one husband who came for the garden tour)!

New tumbling flower beetle species

Yesterday this teeny tiny critter caught my eye on a Mexican buckeye leaf. I snapped some photos for iNaturalist and discovered that it's a tumbling flower beetle by the scientific name of Paramordellaria carinata. It's a new species for my list. It also ups my tumbling flower beetle species to seven in our yard. 

 

Entomologist Mike Quinn noted that it's a first for Blanco County on iNaturalist. (So was my recent Mecas marginella, a flat-faced longhorn beetle). I'm always excited to get a "first" in our county! 

Cool Christoval critters

While I was visiting with Cathy Brown at the Hummer House, James sent me a text. When I saw the tarantula photo, I excused myself for a few minutes and RAN out to see him. Naturally, I had to get a photo of this handsome fellow crawling on an outside window of her home. He's likely a Texas brown (Aphonopelma hentzi) but hard to know for sure.

This giant mayfly (Hexagenia limbata) landed on my arm. And below is a firefly (Pleotomus pallens) that I found outside our cottage door.