Monte planted a couple of rose bushes this winter. We got them from Antique Rose Emporium in Brenham, Texas. They have a booming mail order business but we drove to their gardens in January to pick them out.
This is a bloom from the Dame de Coeur rosebush. So pretty.
I am not one to complain about all the great rain we’ve gotten this week. God knows we need it. Yesterday was mostly overcast but dry. It was a good day for a drive in the hill country, and for a pickup party at Becker.
During Noreen and David’s visit, we got out and about quite a bit to enjoy our beautiful Central Texas Spring weather.
I spied this interesting conjoined twin Texas Bluebonnet at the Wildflower Center. The stem was wide and flat.
It’s hard to predict because of the seemingly endless droughts and freezes, but the Texas bluebonnets are blooming early and it looks like it will be a big wildflower year.
Monte has been grooming our front yard bluebonnet patch for years. Looking good! More photos to follow.
Monte and I drove out Highway 290 on Sunday. It was a really lovely day for a drive.
Autumn means pumpkins!
Autumn zinnies!
Autumn wine on the veranda!
A good day.
It’s been raining since the end of April in Central Texas. A weird happening. It’s so humid and WET outside. The plants are loving it though.
Life is good on the ranch.
I planted this impatiens last spring. I typically lose my annuals over the winter and just plant new ones in the spring. I babied this one through our warm winter and it has rewarded me with these beautiful late-winter blooms.
Pretty poinsettia. 
As I walked into the kitchen this morning for my second cup of coffee, this glowing orange zinnia caught my eye, backlit by the rising sun.
Good morning!
A pretty purple vine growing on Noreen’s back yard arbor: 
I passed a front yard full of dahlias in bloom today. This one was leaning over the chain link fence for me to take its picture.
Tonight I went over to Laura’s for a girls’ night in: wine, pizza & a movie (The Help). She had this large bunch of lilies in a vase on the counter. The blooms were enormous – as big as your head. Very pretty. And very fragrant.
My dad planted lilacs in the yard many years ago. They multiply like crazy in these parts.
I spent a great Mother’s Day with my mom and 3 sisters and many of my niece/nephews. We also took a trip to Tacoma to visit my brother’s family who just welcomed his first grandkid into the world. A nice day indeed. The array of colorful flowers that explode here every spring is staggering. This is a beautiful place year round, but especially this time of the year. This is one shot from my mom’s backyard.
Sheila365 