The antique roses--wonderfully hardy and resistant to almost all the ills known to hybrid roses--not only survived the drought (although most lost their spring leaves in July this year) but have put out new leaves and are enjoying a re-bloom. Another indication that "heirloom" or "heritage" plants (non-hybrids) are superior to plants produced by plant engineers. I'm delighted by their beauty and love their fragrance.
Drought note: For the past two years, our bluebonnet meadow has had only a few bluebonnets. Yesterday evening, when I walked there with the dogs, checking out the soil and the grass, I saw strong stands of sprouting bluebonnets, just an inch or two tall. These lupines produce very hard-shelled seeds that require both abrasion and moisture to sprout. The current rains are coming at just the right time. If we get good rain in December, when the plants are putting down roots, we'll have great bluebonnets next April. If you're thinking of visiting the Hill Country, stay tuned for bluebonnet reports. The main bluebonnet area, around Fredericksburg and up 281 to Burnet, has had the same good rains, so their bluebonnets are probably sprouting, too.
Rain this weekend: almost 3" total. The soil is now becoming saturated here and the rain that falls is running off into our creek, marsh, and lake. The creek isn't running yet--that won't happen until the lake fills up, and that won't happen until we get another 10" or so in one "event." Happy days!
Work this week: Three-four more days will see me finished with The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree. Then I need to go back and clean up a few problems, inconsistencies, etc. Planning to turn it in by Oct 20, since I have travel plans for the end of the month. Also need to be picking peas and green beans every day, to keep ahead of the garden. Stir-fry veggies every night, some for the freezer. Still planting, too, for the winter garden: more garlic, more onions, cabbage transplants, bok choi, kale, carrots, spinach. Looking for the first frost by the end of the month or maybe the first week of November.
If you haven't checked out the Cameo-Character Raffle, please do. You've always wanted to appear in a book, haven't you?
Reading note. It never really stops, this business of growing things--garlic goes into the ground agian in October, just as other frost-killed crops are getting piled onto the compost heap. Food is not a product but a process, and it never sleeps. It just goes underground for a while.--Barbara Kingsolver
