Good news!  Pepper is feeling better.  He is not quite himself, but he seems a lot less confused.

The really good news is that Kitty is taking some steps on her own and has made enough progress that the vet thinks she doesn’t need surgery.  So they still have her for observation, but we will bring her home later this week.  We will have to keep her confined for 4 weeks and keep working with her on her walking.  One way or another, I have got to get her weight down, too.  I am thrilled that she is making such great progress!  Thanks for all the good thoughts– they worked!

Darned dogs. I knew having a bunch of old dogs was going to be bad news at some point. We are now at that point.

Last week Pepper started stumbling a little, and Friday he was diagnosed with a brain or spine lesion. He can still walk, but he is very slow. He is on steroids, but I don’t know what the outcome will be. He is at least 11 years old, but I don’t know how old he really is. Kitty hurt her back last night and is under close watch at the emergency vet. More than likely she will be having surgery tomorrow for a herniated disc. She is a fat dachshund, so it is not totally surprising, but I am really worried about her. She is 12 years old and has a heart murmur. She was my first dog, and she has a great sense of humor. Keep both of them in your thoughts, please!

See what’s blooming all over at May Dreams Gardens, the wonderful host of Bloom Day.

It’s a gorgeous November here! There is a cold front moving in tonight, though, so this may be the end of things. We’ve been really enjoying the nice weather, especially after such a punishing summer. The plants have rebounded nicely, too.

The butterfly garden has blooming Mexican mint marigold, three kinds of shrimp plant, and rock rose– and Sweetpea over on the right sniffing around. I’m really pleased with how far this little plot has come.

The Gregg’s mistflower is still going strong, with butterflies constantly flitting around it.

In the fruiting plants we have the chile pequin thinking it’s Christmas already.

And a succulent… almost there!  With basil flowers in the background–maybe Thai basil?  It has very small leaves.

Some tiny blue salvia flowers next to the horse skull.

And what are these, paperwhites? I didn’t put them there, but I’m happy to see them!

Also blooming: esperanza, mutabilis rose, Gregg’s salvia, Blackfoot daisy, cedar sage, bridal veil.

I have been looking for soft-leaf yuccas for a long time.  I always see them in 5-gallon containers for like $45, and that is just out of my price range.  This weekend I went to Shoal Creek Nursery and found THREE soft-leaf yuccas in small containers for $6.99 each.  I bought all three that I saw, and they were all busting out of their containers– maybe next year I will have SIX soft-leaf yuccas!  Anyway, there may not be any left, but it might be worth a look.  The new little nursery/architectural salvage in the old Howard Nursery spot on Koenig and Avenue F has large soft-leaf yuccas for close to $20 or $25, too.

Yesterday I went to Matagorda County for some work stuff, and took a detour to the beach there. It was very peaceful (other than people driving on the beach, which annoys me!). I picked up some neat shells and walked a long way.

Which brings me to today’s soap box…. There is an election on, did you know? It is for amendments to the Texas Constitution. Amendment 9 will preserve our access to beaches in the state. See this Surfrider Foundation page and this Galveston County Daily News article for more information. Vote YES on Proposition 9!

This weekend, the weather was so gorgeous it was almost surreal.  I felt guilty staying indoors.  We got our chores done Sunday morning, and headed to Bastrop State Park in the afternoon.  The trail map is awesome, and the trails are well-marked.  We found a route that was about the right length (almost 3 miles), and took off with Sweetpea to check it out.

It was gorgeous. I used to do field work in this area, so I feel very at home among the pine trees. I miss them.
There were lots of different kinds of mushrooms popping up everywhere, too. These pumpkin-colored ones were my favorite.

I’ve been scoping out other parks on the map for some more day trips. Actually, next week I’m going to Matagorda County for work so I’ll have to check that area for more.

And the good news… I hear more rain is on the way! Love it.

Because I can bring myself to look at the garden again.  Everything bloomed when the rain returned, making the pollinators very happy.

I picked the satsuma that has been on the tree for almost a year. It was pretty tasty. I don’t think they are supposed to be green, but it was. Hopefully the tree will make more!

We didn’t even make it to the Wildflower Center sale this fall. I don’t have anywhere to plant things! There are some patches of dead grass in the front yard that I have been thinking about digging up, but I haven’t managed yet. My main goal this weekend is to get a gate for the vegetable garden so I can plant something in there. The dogs ruined so much last year, I don’t want to go through that again!

I don’t think there is any passive about it, but it’s hilarious.

It’s been raining here!  Really raining!  The plants can’t believe their luck, and I’m actually contemplating the fall vegetable garden.

I signed up for a darkroom class! I’m very excited. I love shooting digital, but there is something special about shooting film. Yes, I also have a typewriter and a record player. And a land line. Now for some favorites from photographers on Flickr.  Check out those poodles in the bottom right-hand corner!  Hilarious.

1. Untitled, 2. Tupaia – Tree Shrew – Tupaia belangeri, 3. The Dive, 4. The Team, 5. In and Around Hoxton, 6. norway_pro400H_4, 7. Il Caffè di Roma, 8. Egon, 9. Western Patch-Nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis), 10. flickr.com/photos/7944725@N05/3770316577/, 11. Muscle Beach, L.A., 12. LBI, 13. Crazy Heifer, 14. Ginge, 15. love by the adige, 16. happy pooches

Created with fd’s Flickr Toys

The drought here is getting worse and worse. The river authority just closed the last public boat ramp on Lake Travis. In 8 days we will step up to Stage 2 water restrictions, with residential customers only being able to use a sprinkler once a week. Every time the sky darkens just a bit, you see everyone looking up at the sky frequently, hoping for a drop or two or an inch would be nice. Earlier this week we had thunder but just a few little drops. It was frustrating.

On that note, a few of the flowers around her are managing to bloom for Bloom Day. The rock rose is looking gorgeous in the morning, and keeping the bees busy.

Some volunteer sunflowers sprung up in the back flowerbed and I left them alone. Our neighborhood has a lot of sunflowers, and I like that.

Other blooms right now (sparse!):

Yellow bells/ Esperanza
Lantana
Flame acanthus
Salvia greggii

See what is blooming all over the country at May Dreams Gardens, the host of GBBD.