Tag Archives: live oak

Catkin time

Posted on March 23, 2007 | Comments Off on Catkin time

The worst thing about spring in Texas, other than the second raking to get up all the live oak leaves that didn’t fall in the fall, is when the trees tassel. The tassels are really pollinating catkins, long dangles which appear before the new leaves do. Then they turn brown and fall in such numbers that they clog the pool and stain the white concrete deck around it brown, and generally make a huge mess. It seems to be almost over, where it counts, above the pool and the deck. So it’s almost time to get out the power washer and try to restore the pool company brochure look to the area.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Texana

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Adios ice

Posted on January 19, 2007 | Comments Off on Adios ice

The live oak branches that were embracing the roof have shed their ice and risen five feet off the shingles. Yippee. Things are getting back to normal at the rancho, with the temperature rising through 40 degrees this morning. Mr. B. is back to school and Mom back to work, and I have the laundry to do before I can get back to working on something I want to do. Going to be busy at the nurseries in another month or so, replacing some of the ornamentals killed by the ice. One cactus I have yet to identify was weighed down by ice and then broke off in the middle. But most of the perennials will come back from the roots. Not sure about the antique roses. They were weakened by the deer eating all their leaves before the fence was fixed, then the ice storm hit and their bare branches were encased in ice. Wait and see.

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Posted in Uncategorized

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