Wonderful Weekend

Wow - what a great weekend this has been! OK - for some reason I've been feeling puny for part of it, but the good definitely outweighs the bad.


First of all, Eric and I went to the Hummingbird Festival at Kleb Woods.  There was a good turnout of people, not so much from the hummingbirds.  As I said yesterday, I think they are all in our garden!  

There weren't many hummingbirds to be seen, but there were a couple, to the delight of the eager crowd with binoculars focused on the feeders. And the organizers made sure there was plenty to do, even in the absence of hummingbirds (like last year). There were demonstrations and lectures in the Nature Center, and out by the Kleb house and garden, there were tables set up with various wildlife-inspired games.

The most notable event happened as we went for a walk through the woods.  It RAINED! It started out as a gentle rain and then got steadier. By the time we got back to the car, we were pretty wet, but it was such a welcome relief from the endless days of drought, we laughed as we dripped.


When we got home, we could tell it had rained there too.  I took a stroll round the garden and could almost feel the relief.


And look who came to visit...

 This is the first Monarch I have seen this year.  The garden is certainly ready for them - we have some impressive stands of milkweed.  

This was still visiting the milkweed on Sunday (and I hope she laid some eggs).  She wasn't, however, the only butterfly enjoying the milkweed.

This Pipevine Swallowtail enjoyed an afternoon nectaring on it as well. I wonder if she laid some eggs on the Dutchman's Pipevine I have growing underneath the Southern Wax Myrtle?


On Saturday afternoon, I got up close and personal with a hummingbird in the garden.  You could call it a rescue mission.


Since it was cloudy, and not blisteringly hot, I was determined to get some decent photos of the hummers by getting closer to the feeders, rather than taking photos from in side the house.


There were several hummers buzzing around the feeder under the crepe myrtle, but I was shocked by what I saw when I got closer...


One of them had got stuck!!!

I have no idea how she managed to get stuck like this, but after snapping this photo, I carefully put my hand underneath her and lifted her up so she could free her wings and fly out. It was amazing to touch her, she felt so tiny, light and delicate.


Once she was free, she hovered six inches in front of my nose for a few seconds, as if to say thanks, and then took off over my shoulder.


After that, I took lots of photos of them on the feeder, and another short video clip.  I wonder if the little one I rescued is among them, or if she is wary of the feeders now? One of the hummers has been enjoying the Dallas Red Lantana, and the milkweed - perhaps that's her.  I guess I'll never know.

I think the photo below is my favorite photo:

Looking at these photos, it occurred to me that most of my hummers are girls.  There are a couple of males out there, but they are way outnumbered by the females.

So all in all, it was a great weekend. With yesterday's rain and the cooler temperatures, it's easier to believe that fall isn't too far way.


At least I hope it isn't too far away.


Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.

Hummingbird Haven

Eric and I are going to the annual Hummingbird Festival at Kleb Woods today.  We went last year, and although we had a great time, there wasn't a hummingbird to be seen!  This year seems to be a bumper year for hummingbirds, so there should be plenty of them at Kleb Woods.  


Although, come to think of it, they may all be in our garden.  How many hummers can you see in the photo below? (click the photo to see the enlarged version).

Now see if you can count them in this video I took this morning.

I have to apologize for the out of focus video - not quite sure what happened, but I think it still gives you an idea of what's going on in Hummingbird Haven :-)


Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.

Rosemary and Thyme

I got a catalog from AcornTV in the mail the other day.  I've never ordered from them before, but I probably got the catalog because I have purchased DVDs of British TV shows from other outlets -- you know how that goes.

Anyway, I was  browsing through and came across a British TV detective show called Rosemary and Thyme.  I wasn't familiar with the show, since it originally aired from 2003 - 2009 and I moved to the U.S. in 1982.  

How's this for the premise for a show?

"Glorious gardens and classic whodunits combine in this hit British series seen on public television" (apparently I missed it there too). "Rosemary Boxer (Felicity Kendall) is a former professor, Laura Thyme (Pam Ferris) is a former policewoman. They share a passion for horticulture and a talent for sleuthing. Filmed in location in English and European countryside settings."

That sounds like something I would enjoy watching, I'm off to order it now!

Rosemary and Thyme - AcornTV Online


Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.

Winged Wonders III

 While I have some uncertainties going on in my life right now, I've been rather distracted and haven't blogged in a bit. 


But one thing that has brightened my days recently is the fact that our garden is full of hummingbirds.  I've posted about them twice already this season, but I'm just so amazed at how many we have this year.

Here's a minute and a half of video I took of them earlier today, on the patio.  


I hope to get back to my regular posting schedule next week.




Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.

Winged Wonders II

At the end of July, I posted  about how my garden was thriving, in spite of the heat and the drought. 

As we suffer on through August, the garden is winding down now.  There's not much blooming at all, except a few lantana in the front border.  In the back there are still some milkweed and the crape myrtles are still blooming.

But the star of the show right now has to be the Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii (A. wrightii), known as Flame Acanthus, Hummingbird Bush or the Texas Firecracker plant.  It's a Texas native plant, drought and heat tolerant so it's right at home now!

The reason I mention it now is because of the spectacle I witnessed this morning.  I'll just let the photos speak for themselves and you'll see why this post is called Winged Wonders II.

As always, you can view the full sized image by clicking on the photos below.

The Flame Acanthus is in the back border, within easy view of our patio.  As I sat outside with my morning coffee, a flash of movement drew my attention and I realized that the hummingbirds were out and about.  As I watched, three of them darted, swooped, hovered and generally played around the garden, and finally they settled in around the Flame Acanthus.

I just kept clicking - sometimes there was a hummingbird in the shot, sometimes there wasn't!

They really do love the Flame Acanthus and so do I.  It survived the onslaught of the kittens in the garden last summer, it survived the freeze this past winter and it's acting as though this summer's heat is nothing.  

I need to plant more of these!  But in the meantime, the sugar water feeders are out too, to help the hummers prepare for their migration.

Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.

Winged Wonders

Even though we're still locked in the worst drought ever in Houston history, I thought I'd blog about something more cheerful today.

I had seen a hummingbird in the garden a couple of weeks ago.  Although I thought it a bit early, I decided to go ahead and put my feeders out.  This weekend I have been entertained by at least three hummingbirds zooming around the garden, performing an aerial ballet that wears me out just to watch them.

I've only been able to snap a couple of photos, but I thought I'd share them anyway.

Our pine tree was the perfect place for them to sit and watch guard over the feeders to make sure no other hummingbirds came close.  Several times this weekend, I've glanced out the back door to see this little figure up in the tree.


I can never quite figure out how people get those photos of several hummers at the same feeder. The ones in my garden seem to spend all their time chasing each other away from the feeders, even though there were enough feeders to go round. 

I was pleased to see that in between taking sips from the feeders I had put out, or chasing/being chased away from those feeders, the hummers also seemed to enjoy the blooms on the crepe myrtle tree and the vitex. 


In addition to the hummingbirds, there have been some other winged wonders in the garden this week.


Overall this year, I haven't seen many butterflies, compared to years past, but this weekend saw some activity which I was able to get photos of.

I saw this little skipper on the white Texas Star hibiscus - he was so intent on collecting nectar, he was still there after I had gone indoors, got my camera, put fresh batteries in it and came back outside again.


The "Yellow Gold" lantana in the front garden seem to be favorites of many butterflies, including this Giant Swallowtail...

... and this Gulf Fritillary.

As I look over the monitor of my computer and out the back door, I can just catch a glimpse of my little hummingbird friend, resting in the Crepe Myrtle, next to the feeder.  All is peaceful... for now...



Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.

Mission San Jose - part of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

On a recent trip to San Antonio, my husband and I went on a self guided tour of some of the historic Missions that make up the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

Specifically, we visited Mission San José, where the visitor's Center is located, Mission San Juan and Mission Concepción.

The park was established to preserve the chain of Spanish missions that were built along the San Antonio River in the 1700s.

We started our tour at Mission San Jose, where these photos were taken.

Around the visitor center and throughout the park, native landscape can be seen and there are impressive cacti and succulents, as well as other native plants which were shrugging off the heat and drought as if it were nothing.

 

There were informational signs throughout the park, illustrating what the buildings originally looked like, how they were used and detailing life within the Missions during that time.

This is what I meant by "impressive cacti and succulents." These were everywhere!

Mission San Juan is, I think, the most complete of the missions.  Not only is the church intact (although it's currently undergoing interior renovations) but the surrounding walls, gates, Indian quarters etc. can still be seen.

Here's the front of the church.

 Behind the church are the remains of the convento, where the missionary lived, which had an attractive garden growing in it.

 The exterior walls of the Mission compound contained the Indian Quarters, storage rooms and fortifications.

I'm pretty sure this isn't original, but it certainly made a nice shady place to sit and people-watch for a while :-)

In fact, porches with climbing vines seemed to be quite popular.

The main gate was rather imposing, with heavy doors and a row of ports, I guess you would call them, through which marksmen could fire when necessary.

And what's that on the right?

Yup - more cacti, this time growing on a lean-to roof!

Mission San Jose also has a grist mill, now mostly reproduction, and a 270 yr old acequia, or irrigation system. 

During this drought, there was virtually no water in the grist mill, although the acequia still held water, much to the delight of these birds.

Here are some snippets of information from the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park web site that you might find interesting:

* Spanish missions were not churches. They were Indian towns, with the church as the focus, where, in the 1700s, the native people were learning to become Spanish citizens. In order to become a citizen, they had to be Catholic; that is why the King of Spain sent missionaries to acculturate them.

* The four mission churches within San Antonio Missions National Historical Park are active catholic parishes, and hold regular services. They are open to park visitors during park hours, except for special services, such as weddings and funerals. (The church at Mission San Jose is currently undergoing renovations, but should be open again by the end of the summer).

And finally, I'll leave you with a couple of photos of plantings outside the Visitor Center.

Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.