Dolly Would

Hurricane Dolly smacked into the Texas Gulf coast on Wednesday. I'm sorry for the folks down in Brownsville and South Padre, but the hurricane did bring us some much needed rain up in Central Texas yesterday. I measured only 3/4 of an inch, but beggars can't be choosers.

I don't know if I'll ever cease to be amazed by the rain barrels either. My two 75 gallon containers were completely empty and that 3/4 of an inch of rain filled them to the brim (and probably overflowing). I'll be able to use that rainwater for a good few weeks to water all my veggie gardens, potted plants and some of my perennial/herb beds. That is awesome.

Desert Willow Hawkmoth

Speaking of the desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), John's mom and I were admiring its pink and white, orchid-like blooms when I spotted this fellow:

Upon further inspection of the plant, I found 2 more. These are hawkmoths (if you read this blog regularly, you may know they are one of my all time favorite types of insects). This particular species is Manduca rustica. More on these moths here. These are truly beautiful creatures--check out those sleek blue-gray lines along the side of the caterpillar.

Like a zebra, it very obviously messes with my visual perception, camouflaging them from me and other predators. It's as if they evolved to match the shadows and leaf shape of the desert willow, but in fact, the desert willow and other plants in the begonia family are only some of their host plants.

Interestingly, the 3 larvae that I found are all clearly of different ages, ranging from just over an inch long to about 4 inches (this baby below is probably about to find a place to dig a hole in the ground and pupate).

I wonder if the larvae are from the same brood, but just hatched at different times? Are they from the same female, but she layed eggs on various nights? Or maybe their moms are completely different from each other?

I haven't seen the adults flying around, quietly exploring by garden. But I sure am happy they found it.

Screening the Heater

After the bathroom project, which included converting our big ol' tank water heater to a tankless, we needed to deal with the rather unsightly tankless hanging brazenly on the garden wall.

Here's a photo of the before:

And here's what it looks like now with the new screening fence/trellis that we finished installing this weekend:

What can I say? I love the horizontal modern thing. This is made entirely of untreated cedar (chemically treated wood = gross). Cedar comes with it's own naturally produced insect repellents and it smells good to boot. I used 4x4 posts and 2x2 slats.

I also opted out of cement to hold the posts in. First, cement makes installation a pain in the ass. Second, a lot of good tamping down of our clay soil makes the support for the posts about as strong as cement. Third, I've heard cement can actually lead to rot, because it doesn't allow the part of the post that's cemented in to breath.

I think the trellis adds a nice visual element to the garden, even if it doesn't screen the heater 100%. It will also shield the house just a little from the hot afternoon sun. Now I'm pondering growing a vine or two up the trellis. Maybe a nice Carolina jessamine for spring blooms and fragrance, or a crossvine for the hummingbirds. But, vines could also end up being too busy.

So, I may just leave it like it is, serving as a simple background for the multi-trunked desert willow (Chilopsis linearis). It's in the year-two "creep phase" (I've always heard this plant rule of thumb: Year One: Sleep; Year Two: Creep; Year Three: Leap). Can't wait for year three...

Red, White and Blooms

Despite the lack of water, there are still some plants that are blooming, strutting their stuff during our most beastly days. Of course, that "beastly" bit is merely a matter of opinion. I happen to love the heat...the sitar-like hum of cicadas and katydids, the cleansing feel of a good sweat, the sultry Texas evenings with a warm breeze and margarita. Yum in every way.

It's the Yang.

Sunflowers. Ever happy on sunny days. I clipped a few of these to bring into the house. I paused for a moment and focused my attention on the flowers before I brought them into the house. I noticed the ecosystem that was living on these things: ants gathering nectar and pollen, bees and flies, and camouflaged spiders stalking the petals for a meal. I tried to shake them all off before bringing their home inward...it makes me think twice about cutting flowers just to let them live for a few days on my table given that they are supporting such a diverse life system...

This beastie is a beauty. It was hanging out on my grapevine and was nice enough to let me get close enough to snap a pic. Dragonflies are some of the most ancient insects. One of the things they can't do is fold their wings above their backs. Fascinating creatures and great predators. I'm happy to have them flitting around the yard, snatching flies and mosquitoes on the wing.

This is the time that flame acanthus shines. This is the second year for this plant and it's blooming a ton more than last summer. I've yet to see a hummingbird feeding from its long tubular flowers, but I'm sure they are snacking from time to time.

Winecups are also nice enough to grace the summer with a bloom from time to time. Look close enough and you can see ants feeding in the cup, perhaps drunk with pleasure on the nectar.