What's in that hole?

Last week, I noticed this half-dollar-wide hole in a flower box in our front yard. I aimed my phone's flashlight inside but couldn't see anything except the bottom of the hole. Then Saturday, I checked again....

 Can you see him/her?

It's a toad in a hole!

Gulf Coast toad, to be precise. Fun!

Streaks on horns

Two evenings ago, I spotted the most I've ever seen of hairstreaks nectaring on our antelope-horns in the Meadow. These are oak hairstreaks (Satyrium favonius). Pretty cool to see!

Hill Country rain lilies

Yesterday I finally remembered to check our two resident Hill Country rain lilies (Cooperia pedunculata). For the past week, this native species has been blooming like crazy around the Hill Country. Sure enough, our two lilies–which grow on their own (I did not plant them)–are on the tail end of their magnificent bloom period. I'm so glad I snagged a photo before they went into seed mode!

 

A different kind of find

I just never know what I'll find in our native gardens. A dollar bill?!

Milkweed survey 2021

Antelope-horns (Asclepias asperula) in our Meadow right now: 18!

What the lizard left behind

So James spotted these yesterday. They're at least four eggs that had just been deposited by a Texas spiny lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus). I must have scared the mama off while I was planting some salvias in a nearby bed. We vacated the premises in hopes that she'd return. But she didn't. So I brushed the dirt back over the eggs for her. Looking forward to meeting you, little ones!

Prairie nymph

My parents have lived at their Kendall County home since nearly the mid 1980s. In all the years of visiting, I never noticed this beautiful wildflower bloom until just a few years ago. It's called prairie nymph (Herbertia lahue), In April 2018, I dug up three and transplanted them into our yard. So far, one has survived but hasn't bloomed. Meanwhile, I got some photos of one or two in bloom at Mom's house this week. So breath-taking!