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So far this month, approximately  1,466,330 gallons of rain have fallen on Six Acres.  That is 50% more than all of 2011, the worst of the recent draught years.  Though our temperatures remain mild, any savings on A/C bills will probably go to gas for the mowers.   No complaints, though.  This deep watering was much needed.  The mosquitos teetered on the edge of extinction but have made a nice comeback and have been removed from the endangered species list.

Early in the week we got to see a performance of Tom Jones by Abigail and her merry band of thespians.  It was entertaining.  The next day they, along with the rest of the city’s eighth-grade theater troops, performed for the judges and I’m told they got the highest score the judges give any group, not to say other schools didn’t do as well in the scoring. Continue reading “Recharging the aquifer” →

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Most of the week was devoted to mowing the south end.  Kari was having a bible study at her house and wanted her place mowed.  No problem.  I was going to mow it anyway.  It only takes around three hours to mow the south end but it takes at least that long to trim it.   That may not sound like a lot of time, but that’s a net figure.  Add in time spent spraying weeds and a morning spent working at Wildcat Bluff and it seemed a lot like work.   Wednesday I was rained out so those net hours were compressed into four days.  However, even if I do say so myself, by the time I was finished the south end looked like J.A. his own self was back in action.  The north end will get a similar treatment in the coming week. Continue reading “the Alibates” →

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Our first Grady flower blossom of the season appeared Sunday, May 3.  It was on a volunteer I let grow in the xeriscape.  There are several other volunteers that sprouted in acceptable places around the front yard, even a couple in one of the flower  beds.  Some six or eight years ago Grady Howard gathered seeds from a wildflower he saw on a golf course somewhere in the Panhandle, sprouted them in his greenhouse, and gave some of the seedlings to Joyce.  We’ve been enjoying them ever since.  Joyce first planted the sprouts given her in front of the kitchen window.  The next winter was a wet one and they came back in profusion.  We began to refer to them as Grady weeds.  Since then we’ve learned how to control them and have changed that to Grady flowers.  They are perennials, put on a nice daisy or galardia-like yellow flower and aren’t too bad about reseeding themselves so if one sprouts in a good spot it is welcome, but if not, well, those are easily eliminated.  It is sort of handy to have some nice flowers on the cheap. Continue reading “Grady flowers” →

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There are two hummingbirds of the black chin variety, I believe, that are taking advantage of the hospitality at 1911.  One may be Pondacherry who was with us from about this time last year through September.  We were a little more on top of things this year and have had the feeder out since the first of the month.  There are also a couple of things blooming in the xeriscape that they should find attractive.  We welcome them and hope they stick around all season to quarrel over the feeder. Continue reading “Dueling hummers” →