The Last Week....

The last week of August.

In my mind, the last week of Summer.

Yes, I know...even though the official last of summer is

Labor Day Weekend,

in Texas, the heat will continue.

These guys will still be hungry, and chomping my plants.

But, there's hope in the air.

Well...maybe not today.  It's forecast to be 102.

But, soon.

Actually, we've had MUCH worse summers lately.

But, age and other incurable conditions, have made me more and more

heat intolerant.  Just can't hack it as well I used to.

But, a gardener's gotta garden.

So, I hauled (with muscle from Mr P) some rocks from the creek.

I had an artemisia Powis Castle up and die.

So, decided to replace it with an agave Lophantha.

About the only thing you can plant this time of year is cactus, agaves,

and ROCKS.

I put extra ones around this to hold it down.

Things get pulled up here, if not anchored.

Speaking of pests.

Yep...Leaf Footed Bugs on the prickly pear.

Research says the best way to get rid of them is pick them off.

Sorry....not on a cactus.

This is the only cactus they're on.

I haven't seen any on any other one....big or little.

We still have some tomatoes getting ripe.

They set long ago.

No bugs on them, and the squirrels have left them alone this year.

Even though I haven't been too happy with the way the garden looks, 

all in all, it's been a good summer.

We sit on the porch every evening, once the heat lets up.

Fans help.

But, I'm ready for fall to show up.

Just hoping to keep things alive until then.

Stay cool....

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

Again!!....

Sometimes, I'd just like to throw in the towel.

Two of three of these Yucca Color Guard,

have been CHOMPED!

Maybe we need more metal plants, concrete yard art....

a GUN?

Nope...can't shoot them.  Just would like to.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

Wildlife at the Watering Hole....

August, already.

I'm joining Tina over at 

My Gardener Says...

for 

Wildlife Wednesday.

My contribution this month, 

is short and sweet.

It's getting hot. 

That's normal, for this time of year in Texas.

So, our different 'watering holes' here,

are getting a lot of customers.

We fill a galvanized tub with water, for the different creatures.

The most often customers are the deer.

But, a birdbath comes in handy, on a hot, humid afternoon.

Birds actually come to the birdbaths, too.

We have three birdbaths, and a fountain that the birds really like.

It's just too hot to sit out there to get a shot.

This big guy shows up at the tub, too.

It's almost time to 'cage' some plants.

These guys like to rub that velvet off their antlers.

It really can mess up an agave or yucca.

Be sure to visit Tina, for more 

Wildlife Wednesday.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

August!?!!......

Since last we met, we've been busy.

We did some traveling.

Back to Mississippi, to visit friends.

We go through Luling, TX, to get to I-10.

This time we stopped, so I could stand in the street and take a picture of this sign.

It's hard to tell in the photo, but it's 3 dimensional.

One of our friends retired, and he wanted to celebrate in Biloxi.

So, we went....again.

Back home, you can see we have been missed by the summer rains,

that have hit other areas around us.

The Grass Bed is doing ok.

Not as much growth as I'd like.

The Hyacinth Bean and zinnias are doing good.

The Pride of Barbados is finally blooming.

Love those blooms.  And, inside the fence, the deer can't get to them.

The tomatoes are blooming.

But, not setting fruit.  There are some that set earlier.  

Taking their time getting ripe.

For the first time, we had ripe figs.

Not many, and not big....but, they tasted good.

This Agave Lophantha had been chomped by the deer.

I took it out of the planter it was in, and put it in the ground.

Then, it started developing two crowns.  Very interesting.

We turned this firepit into a planter.

We put in a Soft-leaf Yucca.

Looks better than a bunch of limbs piled in there.

It's being protected by this resin Horned Toad.

So far, so good.

We'll soon put some wire up.  The bucks have lots of velvet to rub of their antlers.

And, last but not least.

Yesterday, my daughter and I went to Market Day, here 

in Wimberley.

I got two plants.

 A Dyckia 'Burgundy Ice'

And, a variegated agave.  I think Agave American 'Mediopicta Alba'.

There were no labels.  The seller just knew they were an agave and a dyckia.

Hope my research is right.

Now to find containers for them.

So...that's what I've been up to.

How about you?

Hope your summer is going well.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~