Chicago

What's not to love about Chicago?  

I can think of nothing.  We got engaged there for starters and visit at least once a year.  We both just love it.  I am always torn between which is my favorite city- Chicago or NYC - it is just too hard to decide.  I love them both for such different reasons.  Right now I would say Chicago, only because we just got home after a wonderful visit complete with snow!  I have also decided that my new favorite restaurant there is RL hands down.  The service, atmosphere and the food- nothing to complain about, nothing I would change and would have dined there again before we left if we had the time.  We got a shot in front of the fireplace before we left that I am using on our Christmas cards- yes, I have yet to send them out but the photos have been uploaded and sent in and should be to me soon so I can address them and get them out.   We visited the aquarium on this visit, which I have to say, I was very impressed.  (not with the line to get in... but once in, was an experience not to be missed.)  If you go, make sure and see the jellyfish exhibit- very interesting.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season.  I am taking off from blogging until after the new year- too much going on and been out of town a lot.

Till next year!

Monday Monday

Happy Monday to all and hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

It was chilly here this morning but is absolutely beautiful right now.

I walked around and got a few shots of some little show-off's I thought I'd share.

The Kalanchoes continue to be my favorite- the first photo and the one above being two of them.  I like how this one has the little "fangs" on the underside of it's leaves- hence what I would imagine is why it got it's name.

 The 'Midnight' Salvia is bursting with color- such a radiant purple.  I like both, hard to choose between this and the traditional one with the purple and white.

 The Mandarin Oranges are just about ready to eat.  Can't wait!!!

 The Mexican Flame Vine has finally burst with color on our side of the fence- forever it seemed it was solid orange on the other side but now we are getting it's showy self- the one at the entrance is loaded with blooms- can't wait for that either!

 The Cigar Plant is blooming below the flame vine and I love how it picks up on the orange- it makes it showier.

 The Possumhaw are doing their thing.

 The Valencia Oranges are turning and will be ready soon!

 The Chrysanthemum pacificum are beginning to bloom.  I will admit, I was not so impressed with this plant at first, but it is growing on me- I like the silver on the backs of the leaves the most.

 The 'Black Scallop' Ajuga are blooming away and looking pretty as ever.

And last but not least, I just can't pass up a Maple leaf.  These little guys are a deep maroon and just scream fall to me.

Thankful

Where to begin... What am I thankful for?

• I am thankful for my sweet loving husband. (he would kill me if I posted a photo so I will not.)
• I am thankful for my brother who is my rock next to my husband.

• I am thankful for my brothers fabulous family to which without, he would not be so wonderful  =0)
• I am thankful for my family who is always supportive.

• I am thankful for my sweet little girls who greet me/us upon coming home with enthusiasm on a daily basis.

• I am thankful for Bridget who I miss dearly and daily and thankful we were able to be with her and tell her goodbye.  

 

• I am thankful for my wonderful friend Chris- never judging, never keeps score, never says I told you so and always right there with me to listen to vents, rants and tears- we are LM sisters.  

• I am thankful for all my friends who are too numerous to mention but are all equally as loved and cherished as are the times we have spent together.

ok so I snuck in a photo of him....but it's such a good one!

• I am thankful to have discovered that I not only love working with my husband on a daily basis, but also am thankful that I love our business. (and find I miss it when we are not there!)  I mean how can you not love walking into things like this on a daily basis?

and last but not least....

• I am thankful for the Brazilian hair straightening Keratin treatment.  If you had curly hair like I do, you would understand why I am thankful for this.... 

Bloom Day November 15, 2011

Well today is exciting as it is RAINING in Austin!!!!!!

I was so excited I almost forgot it was bloom day!

We still have quite a lot blooming in the beds though, you can see signs that fall is here and things are starting to winterize.  I went out after the rain so some things are droopy but are really just exhausted from being so happy it rained, so please excuse them!

 To be fair, I am only posting things I have planted in pots or in the beds.  I had to start out with an update on my Kalanchoe- day by day it is getting closer to opening!!!

 The Desert Rose I think is such a pretty little bloom- faint yet striking.

 The front shade "test" bed is rocking right along but the only thing with blooms I have in there is the Tropical Sage, which is doing great in all 4 places I have it there.

The Pink Turk's Cap is still doing well in the front bed next to the Brazilian Pavonia (which was not up to being photographed today as you can see in the background).

The Beach Vitex is doing well in the front side bed under the Palo Verde.  (which by the way was loaded with blooms yesterday but after the rain not a single one that was pretty enough to photograph).

 The Rock Rose is huge and full of blooms in the back bed.

The St. Elmos Firecracker Fern is blooming away as well.

The 'Mystic Spires' Salvia is still as blue as ever- this is such an easy plant to grow.  I have it in two places since it is one of my favorites.

 The Panicum Switch Grass is blooming away in the front outside bed.

 The Butterfly Bush in the front is doing well- I love the screaming purple.

The Black Prince Echeveria in the front planter is blooming and getting ready to open up, but since it had two bloom shoots I felt he deserved a spot!

Hope everyone in the area got some much needed rain.  From the looks of the radar, just about everyone got some.  YEA!!!!

Stop by May Dreams Garden and see all the other Bloom Day postings!

Little of This and a Little of That

 First off let me begin by saying that I am very excited to announce that the oranges are turning.  It is like all of the sudden the oranges and the lemons just burst into color.

The Cape Honeysuckle is bursting with color as well.  These are such a vibrant orange and are like little neon lights beaming with color.

 When I was out and about today, I came across a few little guys I thought I would share with you.  Here is a little caterpillar which was on the Milk Weed, no shock there.  I imagine he will soon make a cocoon and turn into a butterfly, of which kind I do not know.  I barely have my birds down, have not mastered the caterpillars yet....

 The Moy Grande Hibiscus are so huge I just love them.  The flowers are big saucers of color. 

I am anticipating the opening of the Donkey Ear Kalanchoe.  I have this guy planted right by the door in a large pot and he seems to enjoy the spot.   Every day it is opening more and more, I can't wait till he really "does his thing"!

This little guy was watching me it seemed all day.  I took his picture and then he flew off.  I guess he was waiting to be noticed.

 Another big guy that was checking things out was the hawk.  We have a few in the field next to us and they tend to like this pole, it makes a great perch for them.

 Like I said, a little of this and a little of that...  The cold front is gone but now there is a pretty decent chance of rain.  We shall see.  

Burrrr!

There is a definite chill in the air and it is FABULOUS!!!

A cold front rolled in yesterday and is supposed to stick around for a while.  It is so pretty outside right now and feels fantastic.

Before I get to any of the shots I got this morning, I wanted to say a big THANK YOU to J Peterson Garden Design , Rock Rose, and Sharing Nature's Garden for the write up's they did on the nursery!  

If you have not read their blog entries on us, please click on their link.

The 'Grassy Lassie' Aloe is stunning.  It has blooms all over it.  

The Possumhaw's berries are starting to turn- this is such a very cool tree.  The berries turn red (they have just started to turn, they will get more red) and then they drop their leaves so you have these sticks with berries.  They are similar to the American Beautyberry which does the same thing but those are purple and look more like little grape clusters (also very pretty).

The Ocotillo is mesmerizing to me.  I love the striations on the branches.  

The fruit of the Pineapple Guava. I have never tried it but I have heard many people find it tasty.  Maybe this year I will give it a go.

The Pyracantha berries are turning as well.  Like it or not fall is coming, or is here.... just ask the plants. ( I for one am ready! )

Salvia Wars

First of all, I do not know what this is- a moth of sorts it looks like.  Can anyone identify?  Either way, he was very fascinating to me so I ran and got the camera.

 He was all over the salvia.

 I thought it was so cool how I could see his proboscis.

 I was totally mesmerized watching him.

Here is a shot of his back side.  He was all about the salvia.  Well, apparently someone didn't like that much..... out of the blue came this hummingbird who proceeded to chase him.  It was bizarre to watch.  They were going so fast- I tried to get a shot of the chase, but was unable. 

 Here is the hummingbird after chasing him off, going to the salvia.

Either I got the hummingbird or the moth (?) but never both in focus on the same frame.  

The hummingbird would swoop down and chase him, then go to the salvia for a while, then go hang out on the branch and watch for a minute then go right back to chasing him off.  It was so fun to watch.  

 Here he is on his lookout.  He would get so close to me I could have touched him.  It was so fun.

 See- like here- only the hummingbird was in focus.

 Hope you enjoy the shots.