{"id":587,"date":"2012-05-07T17:09:08","date_gmt":"2012-05-07T22:09:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/?p=587"},"modified":"2012-10-02T17:09:50","modified_gmt":"2012-10-02T22:09:50","slug":"wildflowers-beetles-and-puffballs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/?p=587","title":{"rendered":"Wildflowers, Beetles and Puffballs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Despite the very dry weather we&#8217;ve been having for the last month and a half, wildflowers such as Greenthread (<em>Thelesperma Filifolium<\/em>) are in their element right now. I admire their ability to thrive in very dry soils.<a href=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN24671.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-593\" title=\"DSCN2467\" src=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN24671-1024x838.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"477\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN24671-1024x838.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN24671-300x245.jpg 300w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN24671-366x300.jpg 366w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a>Here Greenthread and chicory have chosen a cool spot\u00a0 in the forgiving cool shade of a Live Oak.<a href=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2455.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-594\" title=\"DSCN2455\" src=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2455-949x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2455-949x1024.jpg 949w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2455-278x300.jpg 278w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a>A close up of the Chicory (Chicorium Intybus). Interestingly this is not a native wildflower. It was introduced to Texas from Europe and is being included in many commercially available wildflower seed mixes. It is therefore well on it&#8217;s way of becoming more prevalent here. And it apparently loves the dry calcareous soils in my front yard. Hey, right now I am just grateful I am finding something that will tolerate my shallow, dry limestone soils!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN24561.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-597\" title=\"DSCN2456\" src=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN24561-1024x858.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"489\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN24561-1024x858.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN24561-300x251.jpg 300w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN24561-357x300.jpg 357w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It seems to be beetle season here in Central Texas. Despite or maybe because of the very dry spell, all beetles in the area have been crawling out of the earth toward shady shelters including the house. Usually we see the plain black ones but this one just was too beautiful to ignore. He is a Southwestern Ironclad Beetle<em>, (Zopherus nodulosus).<\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2479.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-588\" title=\"DSCN2479\" src=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2479-1024x880.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"501\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2479-1024x880.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2479-300x257.jpg 300w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2479-348x300.jpg 348w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2681.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-658\" title=\"DSCN2681\" src=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2681-1024x661.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"376\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2681-1024x661.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2681-300x193.jpg 300w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2681-464x300.jpg 464w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Texas Thistle (<em>Cirsium texanum<\/em>) is also blooming in our back yard right now. I just love it&#8217;s puffball blooms.<a href=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2552.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-589\" title=\"DSCN2546\" src=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2546-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"438\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2546-1024x768.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2546-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2546-400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-613\" title=\"DSCN2552\" src=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2552-903x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"662\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2552-903x1024.jpg 903w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2552-264x300.jpg 264w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The bees and butterflies appreciate it too. It&#8217;s flower bud is equally as interesting&#8230;<a href=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2549.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-590\" title=\"DSCN2549\" src=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2549-1024x925.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"527\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2549-1024x925.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2549-300x271.jpg 300w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2549-331x300.jpg 331w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a>And staying on the theme of puffball looking things, these seed heads are everywhere right now. Since I am letting my backyard naturalize to see what will come up for the next year or two I am letting all of these wildflowers seed out.<a href=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2475.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-591\" title=\"DSCN2475\" src=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2475-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"778\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2475-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2475-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a>A surprising visitor in my front garden. I did not plant this beautiful annual, but I appreciate it showing up uninvited.<a href=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2512.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-598\" title=\"DSCN2512\" src=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2512-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"438\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2512-1024x768.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2512-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/DSCN2512-400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite the very dry weather we&#8217;ve been having for the last month and a half, wildflowers such as Greenthread (Thelesperma Filifolium) are in their element right now. I admire their ability to thrive in very dry soils.Here Greenthread and chicory &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/?p=587\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=587"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":614,"href":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587\/revisions\/614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sun-dancing.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}