Late summer in Central Texas – a tough time for us imported humans from New England. It’s still extremely hot – over 100 degrees almost every day – no rain and the plants in my gardens are just biding their time, laying low until some sky juice falls and the temperatures drop.
The gardens look dull and lack luster…Although the Rock Rose and Flame Acanthus are enjoying the heat – thank goodness! Otherwise the hummingbirds, bees and butterflies would have nothing much to sample from. Please excuse the messy boarders of my beds. I have to go out there and weed-wack the nasty KR Bluestem grass down. No excuses except for the hot temps. Tisk, tisk….
The Yellow bells are doing well too. What a great drought tolerant, low maintenance plant to have. They truly enjoy the heat.
As I said – a dull garden indeed. The Lantana is slowly budding out – waiting for the fall rain and lower temperatures too.
And I hope both happen for us real soon. I remember back when I lived in New England – right around this time – I would start getting seriously depressed. I would be mourning the loss of sunlight and warm days, knowing full well what was to come not too far ahead: Snow, ice, bone chilling temperatures and dark grey days that seemed to last an eternity. Thinking about that, makes me grateful I am here again, and the current drought – even tough this is a serious one – does not seem too bad. At least I can go outside, start my fall veggie gardening and appreciate the lovely fact that in less than a month my perennials should be in full splendor. If we’re lucky and we get a couple of inches of rain, Fall is the best time of year for gardeners here in Central Texas. It is also the time for the Monarch butterfly and hummingbird migration season, and they usually do a pit stop right here to load up for the long flight south. But for now the garden is dull.
Thankfully to cheer me up I just have cast a glance at my pond – ahhhh – sweet relief! What a difference water makes! It is truly a soothing balm for the brown and dry weary soul.
Everything is looking so lush and green. The bog in the pic below, loving the hot weather is looking mighty fine right now – a safe haven for so many critters.
The Canna are just going crazy too. 
Lots of action in the dragonfly department right now – lots of naughty nooky that is….
(Click on the pic above to see the cool eye-like structures they have on the front of their heads.) The male is the one in the front, while the female tries to dip her tail into the water and lay the eggs.
And their not shy – they’ll do it practically anywhere! True nooky acrobats…
Bystanders or no……
So while the hot temps and dry conditions continue, and my garden waits and sleeps, I will take refuge at my pond for the refreshing adventures that endlessly continue in its cooling waters.
You should have read about the “northerner” moving to Texas before you came here! It might have changed your mind! Hahahaha!! Too late now! You have to stick it out like I do. It’s getting so miserable now I don’t even want to go outside unless it’s a necessity, but if I only had a beautiful pond like yours! Man, that really turns things around! You have every plant so well placed, everything just fits in so naturally. Why can’t I do that??? Grrrrr!!! I love those yellow bells, such eye-candy and so pleasing to look it. But my hard glances are always drawn back to the pond … even the naughty nooky and peepin’ toads can’t chase me away. Love that eye arrangement and naughty antics! They can do more tricks than a pair o’ drunken chimpanzees or a grapevine!! How pleasant it must be to sit there … reflect …. and click the shutter!