Clear warm winter days have this rosemary blooming once again, and it is covered in honey bees, naturally. It is almost the only thing blooming in the patch, apart from the occasional ice plant that I still cannot decide if I even like!
How sweet must the nectar taste to these bees in the depths of winter (shhh, it is 72 degrees right now) and imagine the flavor of the honey?
Our warm spell is about to end, (I think he senses it), hence the unusual timing and length of this post.
Up is down and down is up:
I confused myself with the next few shots…
The weather was perfect, not a breath of wind stirred the water’s surface in my stock tank, it was as reflective as a mirror.
Each time I see the Upside-Down Man
Standing in the water,
I look at him and start to laugh,
Although I shouldn’t oughtter.
For maybe in another world
Another time
Another town,
Maybe HE is right side up
And I am upside down.
Reflection
BY
Shel Silverstein
Looking down into the water sea oats.
All the above shots were almost perfectly reflected in the water in my stock tank, even the post oak was reflecting sharply in the middle of the pond.
The neighbors China berry also put on a great display in the water.
Back on dry land…
The unseasonably warm weather prompted me to move a lavender container up against the side of my house today which is where it apparently should have been all along.
I was also compelled to plant some smiling purple hyacinth beans, (Thanks Marion) knowing that rain is about to descend once again on central Texas.
Anyone remember “The Black and White Minstrel Show”? I quote:
History of the Minstrel Shows 1843-1900
Before the Civil War minstrel shows gained world-wide popularity, with the American companies performing in Europe and Japan. All levels of society attended: Thackeray and Gladstone were two British fans of the minstrel shows, which also toured Australia. Visitors to the US left accounts of the performances. Joseph Gungl, a German traveler, saw early slapstick as the minstrels of one troupe began to “fight” on-stage. As immigrants worried the people who shared the American consensus, blackface Irishmen and even Chinese began to appear; these must have appeared a little strange. Door prizes and familiar songs were staples; the jokes changed from town to town, commenting on local issues.
I always found the Minstrels disturbing and very odd even as a young child, but they do look like hyacinth beans.
My youngest was a “secret agent” the other day, along with his agent sister. His Bond escapades took him deep under my Cypress ‘blue ice’ where he proceeded to get “sapped”, don’t ask me how.
Oh yes, his hair now has chunks of sticky sap that is elevating his hairstyle (more then usual) in a rather haphazard way (more then usual), he keeps reaching for it and asks: “What IS dat”?
I answer: “Shhh Bond, it is secret agent gel”.
Now, where did I leave my pruners?
Stay Tuned (once again) for:
“Bedding Down”
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A friend of ours has moved to Amsterdam and was shocked to see that “black face” was a traditional part of the Christmas holidays. Apparently Sinterklaas (Santa) has a moorish servant named Zwarte Piet (Black Peter) and spends most of his year in Spain, not the North Pole. All of our gifts were wrapped in Zwarte Piet themed paper.
Hi Les.
Interesting, I lived in Holland for three years and never came across Zwarte Piet, I guess he must have been in Spain :-) and I used to go back home to the UK for Christmas so I guess our paths just never crossed.
ESP.
Phillip, I’m amazed at the detail in your water pics – that is stunning. It WAS a gorgeous day yesterday, though I couldn’t stop sneezing from the cedar. I had to stop myself from digging up and rearranging plants. Winter really isn’t over after all, is it?
Hi Robin.
Yes it was an amazing day, I had to plant out three lemon grasses, I couldn’t help myself, oh and seeds, I almost forgot the seeds…carrots, celosia and the hyacinth beans. I cannot just sit still and enjoy the day after all!
Winter is far from over I am afraid…I will resist the nursery, I will resist th….
The water pictures really do not look like water shots at all, fun to mess around with.
ESP.
Love the water shots. Outstanding!
Thanks Gail, amazing day to capture reflections, not a breath of wind and super blue sky.
Alcohol will take the sap out. At least, this works with pine sap. If you have one of those antibiotic gels, try that.
Hi Jenn.
Thanks for the advice! Has this happened to you?
ESP.
I saw bees out as well but they were on a Coke can that was blooming with sugar.
I hope you planted those hyacinth seed where you have room for them to grow. I had them here one year and they nearly took over the place. They were pretty though.
The solution for the sticky hair—give him a hair cut, he needs one. If you only knew someone that could do it. Oh, that’s right you do, but you’ve worked her so hard lately that her fingers are probably too wore out and tired to do it. Slave driver.
Hi Bob.
Cannot beat a blooming rosemary in the depths of winter to keep the bees going with some scarce nectar! Okay perhaps a coke would be less work!
I put the hyacinth seeds around the perimeter of the patch, in bare places, well mostly bare places. I am interested to see how they will do.
Yes, in fact we had a “family haircut day” last Sunday, it was well overdue…(cracks the whip) :-)
His hair is once again sap free.
Slave driver? Me?
This morning was really tough after putting in nine hours on the chain gang yesterday though.