- Cholla transplant

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

Cholla cactus transplanted on the west side of the house last year.  It is a fast growing cactus that seems happy where it is!

- Blackfoot daisies

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

Blackfoot daisies like the rock garden.

- Prickly pear

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

Cactus flowers in bloom in the backyard.

- Thistle

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

This is one of my favorite pictures Liz took of a thistle plant.  Four more work days and she can take more pictures like this! Click on the photo to enlarge it.  No photoshop here. Good camera and a better eye...

- Rain matters

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

We had 3.25 inches of rain the past couple of days.  San Antonio had over a foot in places and some significant flooding. This is a picture I took when exploring Canyon Lake Gorge.  It's a good example of how the limestone has holes in it and how the water flows through those holes eventually recharging the aquifer. We hope...

- Prickly pear flowers

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

The flowers on the prickly pear cactus this time of year are short-lived but beautiful.

- Patinated

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

We bought this copper birdbath from Jill at our favorite spot in Wimberley, By the Bridge Antiques.  The blue patina of the bath really stands out. The birds seem to like it now that temperatures are in the 90's. Guess summer has arrived.

Rock from the property added by us

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- Rock garden cactus

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

When we went to the nursery a few weeks back Liz picked out the horse crippler cactus. It now resides in the red rock bed behind the deck. The horse crippler cactus actually does get its name from the fact that horses have been crippled from stepping on it. It grows very low to the ground and is hard to see. I can see it just fine and it is not in the path of any horse...or human.

- Hat dancin'

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

The wildflowers are not as abundant as they were last spring. Guess they are dependent on the late fall and early winter rains we did not have this year.  However, there are certain wildflowers we have seen this year that seem to be doing better than last.  An example is this Mexican hat that is found along the east side of our driveway. Since I was in among the flowers to take this picture you may have to click on the image to get one in focus.

- Sarah's garden

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

I just finished the east side "red rock" garden I previewed yesterday.  This is a picture of the garden from the driveway looking up to the deck. The cactus in the background were given to us when we first moved here by Sarah N. At that point we did not really know what to do with them. We left them in buckets for weeks and finally planted them. Apparently cactus can take such abuse, and in fact, like it that way. They have grown quickly and are putting off pups to beat the band. The grass in the foreground is buffalo grass that grows very slowly and does not require much water. It looks equally good mowed or left to grow to 8-10 inches.

- Rock gardening

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

We just got back from Austin after a day of  playing with Griffin and Skyping (twice) with Jackson and Melissa. You probably thought I'd skip today's blog post.  Oh ye of little faith...as Liz would say. Still highlighting pictures of new plants.  I promise I'll get some people pictures in here soon. These cactus are in a new rock garden on the east side of the deck made from red rocks found on the flood plain.  Liz had mined several piles of these rocks just waiting for a home. Note:  Be sure to click on the picture for a larger view to get a closer look at the rocks.

- Barrel cactus

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

Planted a golden barrel cactus on the west side of the breezeway.  I still need to add some more grey rock around the perimeter. It is out of harm's (grandkids') way, unless they're climbing in the rocks, which should be off-limits for obvious reasons.

- Yucca

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

Liz had the idea to post a picture a day so we would start getting back into the swing of our blogging days. This is a picture of the flowering stalk of a red yucca plant against the blue Texas sky.

Sunny, 82 degrees, 25% humidity, SW winds 10 mph

- Folk art shark

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

I've been working on this shark using the same wood I used to make the whales for Jackson's room. The body needed a tail so I found one in the pile of cedar branches I've been collecting. The fins are made from distressed metal and the teeth are made from shell fragments found on the OBX....shaved down for that "sharky" look.  I decided to leave the wood natural instead of painting it because I thought the natural pattern of the grain gave it a sense of movement.  (Like I know what I'm talking about.) One day it will find a home with the colorful fish paintings shown here.  Liz is in charge of that project.

- Whale of a Tale

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

Now that Melissa has had her baby shower I can share what I made for Jackson's room. These two whales were made from an old screen door we purchased from our friend Jill at By the Bridge Antiques in Wimberley.  She was actually going to just give us the doors because they were in not the best of condition, but we ended up paying her 5 bucks apiece to take them off her hands. The body of each whale is made from the old door. The spouts are shells from the OBX and the flukes are cedar branches from the yard. The eye on the baby beluga is a button from a shirt Liz wore while in the hospital after Melissa was born. All made to fit in with the whale decor in Jackson's room...

- Spineless cactus in bloom

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

There is something uniquely beautiful about a cactus in bloom.  This is the spineless cactus in front of the outdoor shower.  Notice all the candles about ready to bloom.  Maybe a picture for another day...

- Lace cactus

Originally posted by Don in On the Trail

The lace cactus are flowering out back on the floodplain ...