I venture outside

Columbine coming up....

 The sun's out again today! So I ventured outside to see what I could see amid the winter browns.....

Mealy sage

Jimsonweed

Heartleaf skullcap

Mexican hat (top) and Engelmann daisy

Meadow meanderin'

Baby bluebonnets!

The sun's out! So Sheryl went out, too. With camera in hand, I carefully stepped around in the Meadow to see what I could see. Which was, hopefully, lots of little bluebonnets. I found some but not as many as I'd hoped. But then, I didn't look real hard because I didn't want to smush anyone. 

More baby bluebonnets...

And the purple milkweed vines are going to seed still.

First axis

Photo by James Hearn

Yep! Our first exotic deer in the neighborhood. We've got plenty of white-tailed deer, but this was our first axis to observe in the Meadow. Observed December 12, 2017.

December snow!

My nutty husband, singing in the snow.

Photos below by James.....

What an honor!

Next month, I'll complete my third two-year term as president of the Blanco Good Samaritan Center, our local non-profit food pantry and thrift store. I've volunteered there since 2004. It's such a wonderful organization staffed by wonderful volunteers, and I so enjoy working there.

In December 2011, I reluctantly agreed to serve as Good Sam president after I was assured that all I had to do was "run the meetings." HA! I still laugh over THAT one! Yes, there was a bit more to the job than just that. At any rate, I truly enjoyed my six years in the leadership role and hope that some good came of the time that I spent in the position. For one thing, we as a board did purchase land in town for a new facility in the future. That took some doing!

Last month, I presided over my final volunteer meeting. To show their appreciation, board members presented me with this stunning sculpture crafted by Blue Bottle Studio! Wow, imagine my surprise! Isn't it beautiful? I think James and I found the perfect spot for it in our native gardens. Come on by sometime and see it!

(It was chilly outside when James took this photo.)

Nature's comedian

This morning, James brought me a glass cup with a tiny bit of something at the bottom. "What's this?" he asked. "It was crawling on the dining table."

I peered down at the tiny blob of dead stuff.

"OH! That's a larvae of some kind," I said. "There's one on my blog. Cool! I'm gonna get my camera."

So for half an hour or so, this debris-carrying green lacewing larva and I had a photo session on our oak table. It was TOUGH to get sharp images of that little beast, but we both did our best. Those are dead insects and other matter that the larvae stuck on itself as camouflage. 

Can you see its pincers?

Beauty among the mistflowers

SO many butterflies, bees, flies and other pollinators right now on our blue mistflowers (Chromolaena ordorata)!