Posted on March 26, 2022March 26, 2022Beautiful day but some people just keep having ideas Wes said he wanted to go to Lowe’s today and somehow one of us (all three of us?) Decided we should finally get our compost pile in shape. It was hard to access for turning over, surrounded by chicken wire that kept collapsing in. Wes helpfully volunteered his plastic recycling bricks to be a small scale model. I’m not sure loading the car with 40.5 cinder blocks was a great idea. Beetle larva found during clearing the edges of the pile for the concrete cinder blocks. Decomposition is happening! The first two layers mostly laid out. I’ll take a picture of the completed structure tomorrow. On one side, we encountered a mysterious wire on the ground surface. We thought it might be for cable TV as it wasn’t marked by the call before you dig flags. It was above ground maybe for four feet, then both ends went deep again. To be safe, we put it underground a bit, with Wes’ plastic bricks as markers to prevent cutting it later. We moved these giant concrete corner stones (that came with the house) from compost pile corners to become the new stand for the heated bird bath. The salvaged iron plant basket was previously being the pedestal for the heated bird bath, and now is marking and protecting the baby Mexican plum. While resting after the compost pile was done, I checked the rock garden. The seedling next to the pebble might maybe perhaps be the desert bluebells (Phacelia) that I seeded directly in fall???? More of the mystery plants are up. I’m suspecting blue stars. Dropped a chip in the garden accidentally and later found it covered with Tapinoma sessile (the odorous house ant, a native species). Thanks Diane for the identification.
Posted on November 20, 2021November 20, 2021Borders Mom and Dad gave me some very nice rocks from their past travels. The purple and blue bed is completely edged!
Posted on October 18, 2021October 18, 2021Lunch surprise The fluttermill primrose made two seed pods!!
Posted on October 2, 2021October 2, 2021Succulent flower attracts hairstreak “live forever” flowers got a Gray Hairstreak.
Posted on September 19, 2021September 19, 2021Afternoon things More pink flowers on succulent Beans and okra
Posted on September 9, 2021September 9, 2021Experiment Abby kindly gave me her extra prickly pear cactus pads (Opuntia humifusa) which I shall attempt to grow. This succulent from Judy in my rock garden has a surprise pink flower!
Posted on August 26, 2021August 26, 2021Weekend things Texas mallow might bloom soon? Goldenrod from Abby thinking about blooming too. A pupa! I bet the Black Swallowtail. Side view. Tepary beans begin! New crystals from Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge! Closeup of two fancy selenite crystals.