A weekend field trip home

Negative covid rapid tests meant we were safe to travel south to Texas!
Annual bluets
Controlled burns on the LBJ national grasslands were visible by smoke.
Briar!
Gracie!
A hackberry tree having a long term discussion with the big mesquite tree.
The big old mesquite tree.
Draba cuneifolia
Mom documents our dispersal of native plants.
Heading back north to Oklahoma, an interesting juxtaposition of old and new energy.

Cold stratification

Various wildflowers. They’d get cold stratification outside too, but they could also get eaten. I have mostly scattered some out then saved some too, to maximize my chances of getting things established.

Moving the Max

Big empty hole in the prairie patch where we dug up the Maximilian sunflowers.
We brought a single stalk here from our old house and now it’s a massive 2×3′ ish patch.
Broader view. Put more cardboard down to kill Bermuda.
Briar just sat here while plant stalks went everywhere.
Such dignity.
Found a lost loofah in the front yard afterwards.

Tropical sage

This plant is nearer to the garage. I think it came from a wildflower seed mix instead of the other seeds I bought. It seems pretty happy over here, doesn’t dry out as much as the other places I have seeded it.

Wet bumblebee and other things

Last night, brought in dwarf tomatoes and purple and chocolate peppers since temps forecast (and did reach) into 40s.
On Thursday night, before another night rain, Paula and I planted more wildflower seeds. Mom sent these Yellow Puff seeds. We scarified them by scraping their hard coats on the concrete patio.
On Thursday morning, I saw this very dew-drenched bumblebee. I was hoping it might be a two spotted bumblebee but I think the yellow on its abdomen was just clumping together with the dew??