.....God Blessed Texas!

Oh my, we've experienced rain!

I've quit keeping track of the 100 degree plus days,

the long string of no rain days,

just too depressing to think about!

We've had to quit the garden,

concentrating only on keeping  the trees and herbs alive.

Today?

God truly blessed us with rain.

AMEN!

I can see a difference,

really.

My herbs?

I may lose some.

Sage

The sage is hanging in there along with the rosemary,
 but the lemon balm, lemon verbena, mints,
 oregano, basil and thyme are not doing as well.
Grasshoppers are also wreaking havoc!
The fruit and nut trees?
They'll make it by the grace of God.

Young Mulberry Tree, Happy

Notice the icky brown grass?

Mature Mulberry Tree Lookig way Sad!



Walnut Tree

More icky brown grass, cow food?
Where's that combine?

The Mesquite Tree, Protecting my wild blackberries!

Don't bother me now Grandma!

Till next time,
 Bonjour

How We Grow Lavender

Well....

Let me just start by saying, lavender doesn't grow well in North Texas!

If I lived about 3 hours south down interstate 35 I would have fields of it.

Down around Austin there are real lavender farms, acres upon acres of lavender.

It's the new cash crop!

Austin is hilly... read.... loose, drainable soil.

We have tight, not so drainable soil.

What grows well here are cotton and maize, useful crops I'm sure,

but...

 cotton and maize don't make for a good soap or bath tea....



SPANISH LAVENDER



So,
What to do, what to do?

We've tried and failed with the elusive lavender

until we talked with a master gardener.

She was one of the speakers at the lawn and garden expo a few years ago.

Her advice was....

Dig a large hole, add about one gallon of pea gravel, 

insert the lavender plant,

backfill halfway with pea gravel,

backfill remainder of hole with your native soil,

ring your lavender from the stem out, about two feet,

with a layer of white marble chips.

Viola....

 The dynamics are...

the pea gravel mimics the rocky soil, aiding in drainage,

the ring of white marble chips reflect the sun into the plant center

aiding in faster dry time of the foliage during wet weather.

Seems to be working, we have eight lavender plants all doing great.

As to the type of lavender,

we have one spike, huge plant but the flowers are very elongated,

the other seven are Spanish,

it's more compact, with bushier (fatter) flowers.

I prefer the Spanish.

Lavender it seems, likes loose, rocky, well drained soil.

Don't over water.

I hope you give lavender a try, it's a lovely plant and our bees love it,

 they also love the buford holly and the rosemary.

Let me know if you have success with this method.

And, as usual, it's way past my bed time.

Till next time,

Bonlour

No Dallas Super Bowl Sunday For Me!!!

WELL....

I had another quilt post scheduled for today

but since the weather was so super, I was able to venture

outside for some much needed sunshine!!!

Laundry was hung out, carrots and fruit trees were planted,

spray painting projects were finished, herbs were meddlied, bees were checked on,

and many pictures were taken.



FRUIT TREE




LADY POSING IN FRONT OF THE ROSEMARY

 






RED DOG



STEVE PLANTING CARROTS

























BEE HIVE



NATHAN MIXING HERBS






REDOING AN OLD FLOOR LAMP



POND AND MORE ROSEMARY





Also made some herb bread for Nate to take to his mom,

un-molded soap, and generally just enjoyed the warmer weather.

BAD weather on it's way!!!

Till next time,

Bonjour