Fog on the Fenceline

This past weekend on the Shield Ranch there was dense fog hanging in the pastures.  The fog seemed to accentuate the loneliness of this seldom used gate.

Tiger Lily and River Fern

My wife received this Tiger Lily for Mother’s Day two years ago.  Last year it’s first bloom of the Spring opened on Mother’s Day.  We were hoping for another Mother’s Day bloom this year, but it happened two days later.  Still pretty cool.

Field of Dreams

The recent Spring rains caused this field to erupt in a blaze of maroon and gold.  These native wildflowers are called Gaillardia and are also known as Indian Blanket.  In recent weeks I  had travelled all over the Austin and surrounding area trying to find a wildflower bloom such as this.  I happened to venture out into the weed field behind our house recently and there they were!  It is true that you don’t have to travel far from home to find real happiness….

Spring Wildflowers

Wild Bluebonnets and Verbena in the pasture.  The Summer drought has caused a poor wildflower crop this year.  I am hoping the recent heavy rains will at least give us a late bloom.

Shield Ranch Wildflowers

Even as hot and as dry as it has been in Central Texas the past few months, the arid land at the Shield Ranch still produces some beautiful early fall blooms.  This wild plant was growing mostly out of very rocky soil and is about to spread it’s wealth throughout the ranch land, via it’s seeds, which are designed to be carried away by the next good breeze.

Single Hosta

Another image of the Hosta blossom.  The bloom stalks can be as tall as four feet and individual blooms continue to unfold for weeks.  The top of the stalk looks very much like an artichoke and is the very last section to produce these beautiful flowers.

Cotton Boll

This is a follow-up to the image I posted in June. The cotton blossom is now the cotton boll.  The cotton harvest is due to begin in the next few weeks in Central Texas.

Okra Blossom

There is beauty in the vegetable garden, too,  if we will just take the time to notice.  The okra pod is not only delicious, but looks pretty good in its early stages of development.

Hosta In Bloom

These are the blossoms of the garden plant Hosta and this particular variety is called “Ground Sulphur”.  They are shade-loving plants but will bloom in mid-summer if they are exposed to partial sun each day.

State Flower

The Texas Bluebonnet covers the roadsides in the spring.  These two were surrounded by the beautiful wild Primrose.

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