I love sedums

Okay, I can see that I could go nuts, trying to figure out the genus/species on sedums. I bought my first one last year or the year before that. I can't remember. Anyway, I thought maybe I could online and figure out what I had. So I found SedumPhotos.net but–oh, my!–too many sedums!

On with my sedum story: This spring, I broke off a little piece and stuck in the ground in one of our new backyard beds (below). James stacked rocks around it, which I think turned out cool.

Then I broke off a little piece of bluish sedum (could it be blue spruce?) from a pot at the Blanco Bowling Alley. I think it's James stacked more rocks....


Then I bought this sedum from Blanco Gardens because I thought it was pretty. James stacked more rocks....


One more sedum from Blanco Gardens, this time with a garden label, Sedum 'Ogon'. Yep, you guessed it...James found more rocks for me!

I love sedums!

Load number two

Yes, this is our second load of mulch, compliments of our Pedernales Electric Co-op. They delivered our first load about two weeks ago. James zipped right through it so I requested another load last Friday. Steve with National Tree Service called yesterday before 8 a.m. and came by a half hour later! We're putting in new beds in the back yard, which is why we're using mulch so quickly. (Below, James is pointing out the back yard to Steve.)

That's all you do: call PEC and request to be put on the mulch waiting list. It may be just a few days or up to three weeks before they'll have a load ready to dump at your place.

Peaches peaches peaches

We're getting an armload of peaches off Lindsey's two peach trees in the side yard.

Case closed...and soon to be cut down

So this afternoon, I'm researching goldenrod and, in the course of my work, I read about ragweed. One by one via www.Wildflower.org, I look at photos of different species of ragweed.

"OHHHHHHHH!" I exclaim after see photos of giant ragweed. "So THAT'S it!"

We'd been watching a huge plant in a front bed keep getting HUGER and taller taller taller. Yesterday, I had James stand by it so I could show some perspective on its height. I wanted to wait and see what the blooms look like so then I could identify the species.

Well, no need to wait! In fact, we'd better cut that thing down FAST. Because James has enough problems with allergies! I don't want to be responsible for more.

FYI: According to Wildflowers, Trees and Shrubs of Texas, this species can reach 16 or MORE feet high! "An infusion of the leaves is useful in treating poison ivy," authors Delena Tull and George Oxford Miller state.

Farewell, giant!

Hungry hummers

The hummingbirds are really active right now. I took this not-too-great photo through our kitchen window.

For anyone who's interested, I change out my sugar water every second or third day. It's so important to keep fresh nectar available, not soured or moldy (would YOU want to drink something yucky?). I make two or four cups of sugar water at a time and refrigerate what I don't use. I also only fill feeders about one fourth full so I waste as little as possible when changing the water.

My recipe (one-to-four ratio): 1 cup sugar, 4 cups water. Microwave on high for three or four minutes. Stir and cool. NO RED COLORING is necessary!

(Smaller batch: 1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups water)

Black swallowtail kiddos

Meet my cute caterpillar children in the fennel, black swallowtail larvae. I did have three, but when I went outside last evening to take photos, I found only two. Sniff.

While shooting, I watched one munch munch munch. So I shot a series of pictures as it quickly devoured a fennel leaf. Reminded me of someone slurping up a strand of spaghetti!

I nudged it in hopes of getting a photo of its smelly osmeterium but no luck. According to Texas A&M's online field guide, the orangey V-shaped structure, which appears and disappears, emits a "strong odor that is apparently distasteful to predators." Well, I can vouch for the smelly part! I had no idea about that structure thing when I touched a caterpillar the other day, the V shot out, and I smelled something yucky. Cool!

Anyway, here's the spaghetti-eating series:

Robins robins robins

For the past several days, we've been watching the robin couple....correction....now a robin family forage together in our front yard. I just stood at our bedroom window and watched a robin child follow its mother, begging for food. It'd flutter its wing and open its mouth. Here she'd come with a worm. I'm pretty sure they have three kids. Because yesterday we counted five robins. They don't seem to mind our presence either. I feel so honored that they chose OUR Wildscape.

I really, truly do.