Lunch With The Masters

 

That was me! Yesterday, I presented my "Spiders of Central Texas" program at the McLennan County Emergency Services Education Center in Waco. I was the August speaker for "Lunch With The Masters," a monthly series that the McLennan County Master Gardeners host. My invitation to speak stemmed from a hearty suggestion given by member John Sponenberg, who has followed this blog from nearly the beginning. 

 

Darn, John, why didn't we think to get a photo of us together? I'm so glad we finally got to meet in person! And yes, I'll do better at posting more here. 

 

UPDATE An email from Laynie M. with the chapter: "I have to tell you what a great hit your talk was. Yesterday we had a work day at one of our gardens, and everyone was on the lookout for spiders. Then when one of the ladies found one, they all had to come over and see if it was a boy or a girl!"

 

My work is accomplished.  

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.  

 

UPDATE I am sad to report that my little milkweed died. I failed to keep it watered because we've been out a lot this past month, helping my mother move out of her house. Win some, lose some. 

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!