Wednesday, July 18, 2007

The big and small of it...

You may be familiar with the Dr. Seuss story, "Horton Hears a Who!" I couldn't help thinking of the story -- and the little pink flower Horton holds -- when I saw this legume in an Austin parking lot.


The flower was intriguing to me as it looked almost like fiber-optics, even up close. I am guessing it is some sort of tiny mimosa. If any of you know the name please let me know.

Austin has so much beautiful flora; from the tiny to the huge. I found these gorgeous live oaks only a few yards from the pink flowers. They are more than just trees to me; more like gigantic living sculptures.

Some relatives are coming down to visit this week. I hope to show them even more Texas Hill Country this year. There is so much to see here.

Back at my house the Sugar Squirrel continues to drink from my hummingbird feeders each day. It's amazing how long she can hang there.

It must be exhausting work, because she turns into a complete slacker after her drinks...

Hope you're all having as much summer rest and relaxation as my little friend.

"The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common. If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world." ~ author unknown

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's a hilarious photo of the sated squirrel! She looks drunk on the stuff.

Libbys Blog said...

Just like me when I have had one to many!!! (Joke)That is a beautiful flower though!

Please could I ask you and all your blog readers to take a look here http://taljs-balcony-paradise.blogspot.com/ there is a 13 year old girl with a brain tumour who would like to recieve cards from all over the world.

Thank you in anticipation
Libby

Sanna Tallgren said...

How funny! I have never seen anything like that :)))

Anonymous said...

That squirrel shot is priceless! How cute. I have a couple of squirrels in my yard who sprawl that same way on tree limbs and I always get a kick out of seeing them in that state.

I agree that the pink flower is a mimosa. I looked through some references to see if I could identify it, but so far I haven't found a positive match. It doesn't look like a native variety though.

NM High School Sports News said...

I wonder how many pull ups that squirrel can do during hummingbird season? Thanks for the funny photo!

Ron

quu said...

He or she is really relaxing :D I wish everyone could enjoy their time like that!

Annie in Austin said...

Dawn, do the leaves fold if you run your finger down them?

there's a plant in the Marshall Enquist book, Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country that looks kind of like this, called Sensitive briar or Schrankia. It doesn't come up on the Wildflower Center site, but I did find a photo on this link.
Must be some relative, anyway.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Nancy said...

It isSensitive Briar. It is lovely, isn't it?

Mary said...

Dawn, that's hilarious! Those squirrels work so hard. They irritate me but I do get a lot of good laughs from them.

I enjoy those fiberoptic flowers, too. They're so intricate and delicate. No help from me with IDs...

Dawn said...

Hello Everyone! Sorry for the delayed response. I was enjoying a visit from out-of-state relatives over the weekend.

Hi Pam, Sannie, Ron and Quu
I've noticed the squirrel seems to like the sugar water after it's been out for a few days. Maybe it's a little fermented and giving her more than just a sugar high. Heehee!

Dear Libby,
Thank you for the link. I recieved Katie's address and have sent her a postcard today. My heart goes out to her and her family.

Hi Carol!
I really enjoy watching the squirrels in my yard. We have an excellent feeder that closes when anything heavy like a squirrel sits on it. Lucky for them the birds are toss enough uneaten seeds to give them a nice treat each day.

Dear Annie & Nancy,
Thank you for the links. I think you are exactly right. I visited the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center yesterday and saw the plant there marked as Sensitive Briar (mimosa nuttallii). It's nice to finally know what the mystery plant is.

Hi Mary!
I'm very tempted to get one of those bird feeders that spin when the squirrels get on. I don't want to hurt the little guys, just give them a fun ride. http://youtube.com/watch?v=X8YZIhlWpS0

Happy Gardening!
Dawn

A wildlife gardener said...

What a wonderful post, Dawn. I love the little pink flower by the wayside, and the dreamy little squirrel who comes to your garden to make it come alive...what a joy:)

Susan Gets Native said...

Dang. That squirrel is HOT.
I mean temperature-wise, not in actual "hot-ness"...Oh, never mind.

: )