Grads and Flowers and Weather – Oh My!

  

Last time, I mentioned that Granddaughter #2 had just graduated from the University of Montana.  Well, two week later, Grandson #1 graduated from the University of Texas, San Antonio (UTSA).  And, although, San Antonio is only a few hours drive from here, I didn’t get to attend.  Again, graduates were able to have only two guests but I did get to watch it on the computer.

He graduated a year early with a BA in History, specifically Medieval History.  And, once again – I swear just a couple two (okay, okay, maybe 3 or 4) years ago he looked like this –

Sigh . . . . . do you think I may be getting old?  Hmmmmm – nope – just have extraordinary grandchildren!

This past Saturday, I went out to Boling (a tiny town just south of Wharton) to Bobby’s house.  He’ll be moving soon and had decided to have a garage sale.  There were not a lot of customers, however each bought an armload of stuff so, all-in-all, it was successful.  While there I look a few pictures of some of his blooming cacti.

Red Yucca

Noleana nelsonii – Blue Beargrass Tree

 

Yucca constricta x pallida.  

This is a hybrid, parents being Yucca pallida and Yucca constricta.  Ooopsie – I didn’t get a picture of the plant parts.  (FYI - I took pictures of the flowering parts and googled the plant parts.) 

Agave gemniflora or Twin Flowered Agave

Amazing how pretty spiny things can be.

And, finally Weather.  Ugh.  We are having weather!  Last Sunday it started raining and, oh goodie, rained all day.  

Monday a huge, very scary looking storm blew in, and it started seriously raining again.  Ellen and I were in El Campo when we were advised on the approaching storm and raced it back to Wharton.  (I hate to drive on Hwy 59 in big wind AND blinding rain.)  We did miss yoga but got back before the worst of the storm hit.  

Yesterday it was supposed to not rain.  HA!  Thunder and lightening started in the early evening and it poured rain, along with the T and L all night long.  

And, today we have an 86% chance of rain in the morning (yes, been raining off and on all morning).  A 93% chance of rain in the afternoon (oh joy) and a 57% chance of rain tonight.  PLUS – as an extra added bonus – there’s wind – 25-30 mph.  

As of this morning early and LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority), we’ve had about 3 inches of rain in the last 24 hours. 

I have a river in the front (aka, the ditch)

and more water standing in the back

but all is not too bad – just very, very wet.

Well – y’all have a good day.  Stay dry or whatever works where you are.

 

 

19 May 2021

Not Lost

 

So, I’m not lost, dead, ill, MIA,  or anything like that.  Just been busy and still having a vision issue that has kept me off the computer after an hour of reading, writing, and looking. 

May (and a Happy

1 Batman Day
1 Beltane
1 Herb Day
1 Hug Your Cat Day
3 Garden Meditation Day
4 Intergalactic Star Wars Day
5 Great American Grump Out
7 Tuba Day
8 O’Henry Pun-off Day 
One of my ancestors was once hired by Henry VIII
to teach his son to play the trumpet.  He was a Tudor tooter tutor.
11 Eat What You Want Day
12 Limerick Day
There was a young lady of Niger
who smiled as she rode on a tiger;
They returned from the ride
with the lady inside,
and the smile on the face of the tiger.

to everyone), is the last real month to work outside before someone opens the gates to hell

and summer arrives.  Therefore, I have spent the cooler mornings working like a wild woman and the afternoons recuperating. 

Seems like I did mention the death of my canopy during a huge rain storm - yes?

Moved all the plants, took the crumpled bent thing apart, and arranged a semi-shade location for said plants.  Then, a couple of days later my sister and I put up her tent (which I am going to borrow for a time).  That was interesting.  It was sort of like the three stooges minus one.  But after several starts, stops, and redos, we got it up and together.  Then, I spend another day rearranging all the shade lovers (and as it happened, the shed) and it all looks nice.

I have a few things blooming

The Purple Coneflowers are looking bright and pretty.

and the drift roses are drifting nicely.

All my herbs are doing moderately well.  This is the first time I’ve done serious container gardening so we all are still adjusting.  I had to repot a few and got a few more so right now the patio in front is the de facto herb garden.  A work in process. 

And my tomatoes and lettuce are also doing very well. 

OK, one tomato is doing very well and producing little tomatoes as fast as it can.  One is dilly-dallying around.  I recently told it – GET BUSY!  DO YOUR JOB!  MAKE TOMATOES!  Or, I’ll jerk you out of that pot and toss you on the burn pile!  I think that worked as I noticed today it has two tomatoes on it now. 

Granddaughter #2 graduated from the University of Montana last Saturday.  I didn’t get to go as graduates were only allowed 2 guests (and, of course it was in Montana which is about 8000 miles from here) but I did watch it on live TV.  Yaaayyyyy!!!

She graduated a semester early Magna Cum Laude with a dual major - a BA in Political Science and a BA in Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, and a minor in African American Studies.  Proud grandma?  Oh yes – proud, thrilled, happy, and wondering how it can be that she’s old enough to have accomplished so much when just last year she looked like this –

okay, m a y b e  a couple of years ago.

That’s all I got for now.  Still waiting on my new lenses and the eyeballs are beginning to act up.

 

A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill holds more than his belican.
He can take in his beak,
Enough food for a week,
But I'm damned if I see how the helican.

Ogden Nash

 

12 May 2021