A gardener's week - #5

The theme of this week's recap was going to be "another week without rain" but then we got a five-minute shower early this morning, just enough to wet the driveway and spoil my narrative.


'Katie' ruellia after the rain.

I remember that when the weather didn't go to suit him, my dad, a farmer, used to say that we hadn't "paid the preacher enough." That never made much sense to me as a child. What did the preacher have to do with it? Anyway, didn't the Bible say that rain fell on the just and the unjust? For the past several weeks, though, I haven't even gotten my "unjust" portion, so maybe I need to resort to drastic measures and "pay the preacher."

In the meantime, it's been another week of dragging the hoses around. This morning's little shower didn't do much to help, but it did briefly freshen the plants.


This 'Chi Chi' ruellia puts on a pretty pink display in the early morning, but by mid-afternoon the blossoms are gone. It's not one of my favorite plants and I'm not fond of where it is located. I'll probably be moving it...or something...this fall.


The blue plumbago is finally beginning to put on a nice show.



Next to the garage door, the variegated potato vine is still sending out these dainty blooms.


In the side yard, 'Graham Thomas' is reminding me of why he is my favorite yellow rose. If only he weren't such a leggy plant, he'd be perfect.

And, in other parts of the yard this week...


Little Sammy, the baby box turtle that I recently told you about, continues to visit the back porch on a regular basis, looking for handouts. His mama taught him well!


Telling the sex of a box turtle is a chancy thing, but based on the shape of the shell (rather flat on top), I think Little Sammy is a male turtle. No matter - "Sammy" works for male or female.

When I'm not outside watering plants or watching turtles, I'm often in my office/study working at my desk. If I turn my head to the left...


I can look out my window and continue to keep an eye on the action in the yard. This hummingbird feeder hangs just a few feet outside the window and 20 feet or so beyond that is the front yard post bird feeder that always has birds and/or squirrels around it. Plenty of entertainment for me.


Last week, a juvenile male hummingbird was in charge of this feeder, but this week an adult female has taken over. I think the young male, as well as the adult male who battled him for possession of the feeder, have moved on.


She's been able to enjoy her meals without much competition these last few days.

Sometimes when I look toward the hummingbird feeder, it's not a hummingbird that I see.


There are lots of young anoles and frogs and toads in the area of the feeder. Here a young anole climbs the post and...


...then he hops onto the feeder and starts drinking the nectar! I've seen other reports of this happening, but this is the first time I have observed it in my yard. Who says anoles aren't clever?

Although I still can't look forward to much chance of rain for the weekend, at least it looks like the temperatures and the humidity might be bearable. That would make for a nice holiday weekend.

I hope your holiday weekend is relaxing and filled with happy things.