Tag: houston

Painted Rock

Late afternoon/early evening, we got rain–glorious rain!–and the wind was blowing so hard it flipped open the top of our recycle bin that was waiting on the street to be picked up. Tom went out to close the patio table umbrella (because of the wind), and then he went to close the recycle bin so it wouldn’t fill with water. He found this on the street: someone’s painted rock.

I thought it was interesting because back in June, I blogged about wanting to add memorial painted rocks to Aaron’s Garden. Looks like we just got our first anonymous donation. No plan yet for whose name will go on it.

Wish you could know their scent

The various things we planted in late May are a good diversion from watching the price our lawn and shrubs are paying for this drought. We have a little more control over the potted plants, and they’ve flowered, lost flowers, greened up, and come back in cycles that are new to us. In addition, Tim has a lot of herbs and Debby a lot of flowers in pots. It does help my perspective to see things thriving despite the weather/climate.

A few of the knockout roses:

Their fragrance is delicate and sweet.

We did get some rain yesterday and maybe a little overnight, too. I’m hoping the scattered showers in the forecast over the next couple of days land on us, too. Houston covers a lot of territory, so predictions of rain are hit and miss.

Meanwhile, in news outside my little world, there have been satisfying moments of seeing justice meted out to some of humanity’s villains. I never know if it’s a good idea to show the restraint on here that I do, but I don’t want to be just more noise amidst the cacophony that bombards us all daily.

So you get flowers.

It’s the heat

I was up early this morning. Took care of a few business matters, showered and dressed, made sure our dogs and Tim’s had some outdoor time (both Tom and Tim being elsewhere for the morning/day), and got on the road to run errands around ten. I did that–not all of those successful–then got home around two. Ate lunch, moved my sanctuary table into the big office to start handling novel-related issues… Then I realized how drained I was by the heat. I thought I’d rest my eyes for a few minutes and get my energy back.

“A few minutes…” It’s now almost 6:30, and I’ve accomplished nothing on the writing/editing agenda. But I have water and grapes, the set-up still awaits, so I’ll try again.

ETA: Took me until 8/2, but NOW I have a fully revised draft of the fifth book and can officially move on.

Photo Friday, No. 816

Current Photo Friday theme: Heatwave


Sitting outside during the dogs’ midmorning recess, iced coffee and a coloring page next to me, but staring at my poor scorched grass. It’s 87°F before 10 AM, partly cloudy, with afternoon showers in the forecast. I hope the forecast is accurate.

ETA: The forecast wasn’t accurate. We got a few minutes of a very light drizzle.

Houston and Drought

If you follow me on Instagram, I’m sorry for repeating photos, but for those who read the blog, this is an example of what we’re dealing with in Houston right now. We are in a drought, and we are limited to watering two nights a week between the hours of 7 PM and 5 AM. The extreme temperatures are exacerbating the situation, and we just aren’t getting the help from the Gulf that we usually get. No idea how this will affect hurricane season, which usually really kicks in for us in August.

This is a shot of our backyard on May 30.

I took this shot today.

It’s likely to get worse, and we have no idea how much if any of the grass might be back. When we moved here, there were four large dogs (Tim’s three, Debby’s one–her other is a small), and our dogs, two mediums and one small. Now there are two large dogs–one senior, one adult (Tim’s), Debby’s one small, and our three small/one tiny. We don’t need the amount of running space for dogs we used to, and we’re hoping that eventually, we’ll mix grassy areas with more bee and butterfly friendly plants and flowers. It’s a long-term plan.

Right now, we’d just love regular subtropical rain–nothing of the hurricane variety–and a break in the heat with its three-digit temps. We are conserving water and electricity, because we are also subject to power grid outages and rolling blackouts.

How are things in YOUR part of the world?

Tiny Tuesday!

That time you’re about to take your purchases to the counter at Cactus Music, but as you walk by a shelf, you glance over, and you can hear Jimi singing, “And the wind cries…”

What? Did Jimi just say “And the wind cries take me home with you?” Pretty sure that’s what I heard, and one does not, DOES NOT, ignore a request from the greatest guitar player of all time.

Button Sunday

Yesterday (June 18) was Paul McCartney’s 80th birthday. Tomorrow (June 20) is Brian Wilson’s 80th birthday. I can’t even begin to measure how much impact these two legends have had on my life and my creative life. Without them, life would have had a very different soundtrack.

Happy birthday to both of them.

I received these buttons free with a purchase I made at Houston’s Cactus Music yesterday. The buttons are the reason I went, because what I purchased would have been available anytime, but the buttons were only as long as supplies lasted.

Photo Friday, No. 810

Current Photo Friday theme: Broken

It’s hot as blazes in Houston. I’ve had to take my website private while I repair damage done to it by malicious jerks. Around 7000 corrupt posts covering 18 years. Terra cotta pottery isn’t the only thing broken around here. Technology and its villains have made me feel a bit broken, too.

Broken pottery can be used in the bottom of other plants to give them better drainage. With time and work, I’ll be useful again, too.