Meet Kerre (Community Relations Manager at Barnes & Noble in College Station) and Tony. The two of them organized yesterday's great events. Thanks, guys! You made it fun for me. (And you did all the work! All I had to do was talk.)
After the B&N event, we drove over to the Brazos Center for an evening with the Brazos County Master Gardeners and a discussion of southwestern herbs, including yucca (of course!), buffalo gourd, and prickly pear cactus. Here are some of the folks. They're not blurry--that's the photographer's doing. (Moi.)
Somebody asked a question about our Texas native "smilax" that I couldn't answer. I looked it up this morning, and found that this is the plant we call greenbriar, over here in Burnet County, which grows like crazy along the fences and which I have used in making herbal wreaths. I also discovered that some species of this plant are the source of what my grandmother called sarsaparilla and used to treat rheumatism. I love questions like these, that push me into an extra bit of research I wouldn't have pursued and teach me something I didn't know. Thanks to the lady who asked the question!
Speaking of Texas natives, this foxglove look-alike is blooming in our meadows. This is Penstemon cobaea, and there is much more of it than the usual half-dozen plants, thanks to the wonderful rains we had during January. Penstemon cobaea, or wild foxglove, belongs to the same family, but does not have the same properties, as Digitalis purpurea, the "true" foxglove. True or false foxglove, wild or docile, she's absolutely beautiful.
I didn't have to stay over in College Station last night--drove home (flying low), and got here before the heavy rain arrived. The storms went mostly to the south of us. Eagle Pass got hit hard by a tornado.
Today, San Antonio, Remember the Alibi and the Cody Library. Are you coming along? (No umbrellas today, people. The sun is shining in a brilliant blue sky. Bring your sunscreen.)
Reading note. Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.--Hans Christian Anderson (with thanks to Linda M for sending it, and the bouquet of peonies!)