Sunday, April 14, 2013

Spring Has Sprung

Sage in my side yard

"For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;" -- Song of Solomon 2:11-12 (KJV)


Despite having a fairly mild winter, our spring this year has been rather cool (for Texas).  Today I have my windows open and it's very pleasant, but another cold snap is predicted for later this week. So it seems that spring is lingering a bit longer than usual.

These photos were taken a week or so ago, all in my yard.  I really enjoy peeking in at your worlds through your blogs, but if that is all I do, then it can make me feel dissatisfied with my life and inadequate. It's very easy for me to overlook the beauty around me as I do the daily rounds of cooking, laundry, picking up messes, etc.  Part of the reason I started my own blog (and maybe why some of you did as well) was to remind myself that there is beauty and wonder and fun and even finished projects in my world, too:)
I know the dandelion is supposed to be a weed, but it is a marvelous combination of engineering, beauty and whimsy.

Irises do very well here (in North Texas).  These white ones -- I think of them as 'ghost irises' -- have naturalized in the tiny finger of woods in my backyard.  I also have some tall purple ones, which are just now coming into bloom.  I can't take credit for any of them; they are gifts left behind by former homeowners.
This is a blossom on one of my trees, the live oak if I recall correctly.  We have oak trees aplenty here -- live oaks, post oaks, and other miscellaneous ones.

Some more sage.  Sage is one of the few plants that has done well for me with almost no effort -- a plus in my book.
We have two lovely crepe myrtle trees in our front yard.  Their leaves are just beginning to come in, but the bark is beautiful year round.
And here are my two sheep, Mocha and Latte, enjoying some fresh grass in the backyard.  Originally purchased to eat our sand spurs and awful stickers, they have basically become ornamental pets.  Not the most practical of decisions, in case you are similarly tempted:)

5 comments:

  1. Such lovely flowers, especially the sage and the iris. I had some gorgeous blue iris at my old house and wish I'd brought some with me now. I really enjoy peeking into your world :-) x

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    1. Thanks Julie -- I like peeking into yours, too:) I would love to have some blue iris myself.

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  2. Thanks for the pretty pictures. Fascinated by the pigs.

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  3. You are right about the bark of the crepe myrtles. I have five of them in the back yard and they make the yard beautiful all summer. Your sheep are so cute! Have you ever sheared them for their wool?

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    1. Unfortunately, these sheep are more for eating than for shearing (I guess better for them since I live where it gets so hot in the summers). They are Barbados black-bellied sheep and are more for hot weather.

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