This picture was made while I was still cleaning up, so excuse the mess on the deck. The month of March arrived just as the old saying goes, "in like a lion" only it waited until the 2nd day of the month to turn into the lion. The forecast had predicted high winds with a … Continue reading Roaring March
Category: Flowers
The First Bud 2023
After coming home from church on Sunday, I was hovering over my poor amaryllis plants, lamenting over how straggly they look and wondering if quite possibly there would be any blooms. The winter storm of 2021 and the record wind chill temperatures during Christmas week 2022 wreaked havoc with the amaryllis even though they were … Continue reading The First Bud 2023
The Giving Gift
Last September I ordered three amaryllis bulbs from amaryllis.com and scheduled them for delivery in November. I had several varieties of amaryllis, one going back to the original bulb given to me as a Christmas gift by a co-worker and the others picked up from bins at the grocery store and Home Depot. They were … Continue reading The Giving Gift
The Amaryllis Parade -2021 style
Apple Blossom amaryllis Just a month after the winter snow storm with record breaking temperatures/wind chill/power outages/boil water notices ended the first amaryllis bud stalk poked its lovely head out of a practically dead bulb. I posted about this occurrence here, but now I'm enjoying that first stalk. Actually, I'm amazed beyond just simple enjoyment. … Continue reading The Amaryllis Parade -2021 style
In the bud, there is a flower
In the bulb there is a flower, in the seed, an apple tree, in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter there's a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. (Natalie Sleeth) When winter arrived in South Texas it came with … Continue reading In the bud, there is a flower
The Incomparable Amaryllis
Many years ago, I think it was 2010, a co-worker gave each lady in the office a boxed amaryllis bulb as a Christmas gift. I had never had one and was a little skeptical about it because I had tried forcing paperwhites that came in a similar packaging and had little luck with them. Most … Continue reading The Incomparable Amaryllis
Esperanza = Hope
The vibrant yellow blooms of esperanzas always delight me when I see them. Tecoma stans are a hardy, drought tolerant shrub that is also known as yellow bells. It's easy to see how they got their Spanish nickname. Esperanza means "hope" in English and the color yellow is associated with friendship. And, they truly are very … Continue reading Esperanza = Hope
Amaryllis Profusion
All I have done is water these amaryllis bulbs and cover the plants during the worst of our winter weather. In turn I have been rewarded with an explosion of blooms - 12 stalks with 4 blooms each to be exact. I will not complain about cold weather from now on as I truly think … Continue reading Amaryllis Profusion
Linger just a little longer
All good things do eventually come to an end and so it was time to trim the nandinas. Before this last spell of wet, cold weather I pruned them back, but decided to save this cluster just to prolong the winter season. I always look forward to the nandinas' red berries around Thanksgiving. I just … Continue reading Linger just a little longer
The first hint
With temperatures in the upper 40's, slightly gusty wind and a grey sky the February afternoon wasn't exactly the ideal time to work in the yard, or maybe it was. It was time, I felt, to clean up and trim up a little as well as continue to dispose of the remains of plants that … Continue reading The first hint