“God gave us our memories so that we might have roses in December.”– J. M. Barrie
…and if one is fortunate enough to have a blooming bush in December, the memories are even more fragrant!
December came in with a colorful jacket of reds, yellows, and oranges. A late October cold snap was just what the trees needed to show off their beauty. All the trees in my yard are slowly turning. When there’s any breeze, falling leaves are like twinkling lights falling to Earth.
Sweeping them into piles right now is like ‘shoveling in a snow storm,’ except without the cold.
But the garden!
It may look like an abandoned enclosure of just leaves, but there is so much growing. I have peas, brocolli, carrots, beats, swiss chard, sunflowers (I don’t know if they’ll make it), strawberries, parsley, tumeric, and lettuce. There are also many more weed seeds that I have to stay on top of because, although I have had NO weeds at all, when I amended my soil, I used the dirt in my yard and I have hackberry trees surrounding my yard! Ugh. Daily, I have to pull the seedlings, but eventually, they’ll all be gone and I’m going to have better soil this spring than previous years. This alone delights me beyond words.
The Persimmon my boys gave me one Mother’s Day.
That dang hackberry seedling.
A lemon or lime…can’t remember which.
Brocolli!!! This bed is doing great.
Two loquat trees that need to be planted!
A type of daisy that I absolutely love.
Beans and spinach, chard and kale, all in one bed.
My lemon tree presently. In that back boot is a gerber daisy, still growing!
This morning’s pick: kale, spinach, swiss chard!!!
Carrots and beets.
The Granddaddy oak, front and off-center in our yard. Today, I spotted a young hawk perching and shooed him away. Once all the leaves fall, he won’t be able to hide!
As much as I loathe, abhor and dispise hackberry trees, they are pretty when they turn and I am thankful for the privacy they bring us. Once they are naked, I’ll have to see my neighbors and vice versa…not for too long, though.
This right here~! My son gave me this plant about nine years ago and this is THE FIRST TIME IT’S BLOOMED! Lots of TLC with my bunny’s manure, too!
Plant a seed and watch it grow. This is a Pride of Barbados baby.
I love how even the birds have helped me grow flowers. This lantana bush is just that…a gift.
the chicken run netting is very heavy laden with leaves that need to be removed. Another day.
I’ve never seen so many acorns. My hope is that my tree isn’t dying.
This was a seed this spring! Now it’s a very healthy loquat tree!
After being in bed for over a day straight with no strength, it felt good today to take my camera out back and capture the beauty in my yard.
I’ve also planted lots of flower seeds: some black-eyed susans, mixed wildflowers, daisies, and things I’ve already forgotten (to surprise myself next year). It ought to be a fun spring!
Loving that kale!
An avocado tree!!! Compost pit so who knows if it’ll produce, but it’s shade!
Here’s to fall in Texas! It’s a wonderful season.
Enjoy your family during the holidays and keep planting!
