Lovely Rainy Day
After grumbling in my last entry about my allergies I felt rather guilty. I certainly don't want anyone to think I find Austin less than divine. Actually I think Austin is a cool place to live and visit. Where else can one find an Airstream with a giant cupcake on its roof that reads "Hey Cupcake!" and view the largest urban bat colony in the US? No place but Austin Texas that I know of!
Even better, there will be a Garden Bloggers Spring Fling 2008 as excellently planned by Pam from Digging. So please check out the link and RSVP if you can. The Garden Bloggers would love to meet you!
Now that the weather in Austin has turned to cold rain, I am feeling much better. Rain means less cedar pollen. Hurray! While cold rain doesn't sound like much fun, my mother in cold icy Missouri assures me I have it very easy. These photos of the colorful leaves near my son's school will attest to the fact that it's still pretty in spots.
It really does look more like October than January, doesn't it? I suppose I'll always have a Missouri mind-set.
While my bleak garden doesn't offer much color, I do have a few flowers inside. I bought the little pot below last week on the last day Potagers was open. Thanks to Annie at The Transplantable Rose for wanting to visit the shop on just the right day! I'm sad Potagers is closed, but will always remember the lovely day with Annie each time I see my very useful pot.
This image of my Wardian Case proves that very few indoor photos can be taken in my house without a cat coming into view, (can you find the cat head in the photo below?) ...
Here's a close-up of Mariah as she sits on my desk. She is very content to be a warm indoor cat, thank you very much...
And thank goodness for inside plants and water-heaters for outside water gardens. The 'lovely' orange cord running along the patio is the life-line for my goldfish. I'm still crossing my fingers that the urn doesn't ice-over with the inevitable freeze. Keep heating water-heater!
I often think the hapless goldfish in my outdoor container garden live rather precarious existences this time of year. They remind me of the Cat-in-the-Hat goldfish. One false move and it's going to be disaster for them. I hope the electricity doesn't go out one dark and icy night.
Though maybe they'll have a more pioneering spirit like the famous PBS goldfish...
Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. ~John Ruskin
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16 comments:
Of course Austin is great despite your allergies. I fight those allergies all year long. There is always something. Clarinex is my friend. ;)
I'm enjoying this lovely rainy weather; it's so nice to not feel compelled to be out gardening. If only we'd get more rain out of it. Jim Spencer said that the last good soak we had (of at least an inch or rain) was exactly 3 months ago.
We've had about 3/4 inches of rain, and it's definitely helping suppress the cedar allergens for me too.
I'm not surprised Potager closed. I visited over the holidays and found the door locked during mid-morning. Another frustrated customer called the store on her cell phone, and an employee came out of a back room to unlock the door for us, with a mumbled excuse and no apology. Weird.
Hi Lisa!
I haven't tried Clarinex yet. And yes, Austin really is terrific. If I wasn't allergic to so much of the flora here, it would be perfect for me. :-)
Hello MSS!
Was the last good rain really that long ago? Wow! Of course, careful what you wish for. Remember last year. Though, I must confess -- other than the people and property getting hurt (obviously) -- I actually loved all the rain last year. I just wished we could have shared it with the rest of the country.
Dear Pam,
Good riddance to the cedar pollen! I'm glad the rain is lessening your symptoms as well.
That is most odd that Potagers had their doors locked during the holiday shopping season. I wonder if they knew then that they were going to close the shop down. I loved their Anduze Pots, but at $600 to $1,000+ per pot there was no way I could swing one. Maybe in my next life. ;-)
Happy Gardening!
Dawn
I'm looking forward to meeting you and the other Texas gardeners in April.
:0)
I've always wanted to go to Austin. It seems cool. I wish I could go to hte Garden Bloggers Spring Fling!!!
Hi Dawn
Thought I left a comment this morning -probably hit the wrong button!
It was so strange to go to Potager's and realize we'd be two of the last customers, Dawn. While I haven't done anything with my souvenir pot but admire it, your addition of the African violet looks good - a nice color for January.
You've done wonderfully well at finding the cool places in Austin in just a couple of years - thanks for sharing them and I hope the allergies stay under control.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I, too, am an allergy sufferer, so I can truly empathise with you :)
I enjoyed your post...but it's Mariah who stole my heart :)
Happy New Year! May 2008 bring you many happy gardening days :)
Welcome ONEDIA
My father was born in Arkansas so I'm somewhat familiar with the wildlife there. I hope everyone takes the time to visit your blog. What a lot of birds and cool critters you have visiting your garden everyday! You've created quite a lovely wildlife sanctuary! Keep watching for those buntings. With all that food you never know, they just might show up. :-)
Wow Nancy!
I’m so pleased to hear that you’ll be joining us for the Garden Blogger Spring Fling here in Austin. How exciting!
Welcome Wicked Gardener!
I love your moniker, btw. I wish you join us, too. Maybe next time? Austin is very cool and is definitely worth visiting.
Dear Annie,
Was it Serendipity that Potagers just happened to be closing the day after we visited? I still wonder if you are a tad psychic, my friend. ;-) Seriously, though. I’m very glad you had a chance to see the place. It was so nicely decorated inside; if a bit pricey. And I was so pleased that I could introduce you to a restaurant that you hadn’t visited yet…with a view no less. Thank you for a lovely day!
As for the allergies, my new mantra is “Better living through chemicals.” Heh!
Hello Wildlife Gardener!
I’m sorry you’re an allergy sufferer as well. I don’t wish that one anyone! (Well, maybe one or two rascals in the world, but that’s a different blog…heehee).
Thanks, Mariah is a sweetie; and likes to pose for the camera as well. If only I could figure out how to take better photographs there would be ‘Cat Porn’ all over my blog.
;-)
Dawn! I loved that video!
Your kitty is beautiful.
I like the quote, "...there is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather." We should all remember that when we complain.
I hope the rain you had helps your allergies. I here that Austin is awesome. It's my daughter's boyfriend's home town.
Lovely post.
I wish you the best with your goldfish. I posted just the other day about my curiosity over how the "critters" outdoors manage through the winter. I'm sure your heater helps!!! Hope the rain eased your allergies -- my head hurts from the changing weather, even if it's from bad to good. I'm curious about what this week will bring us with such strange forecasts. In any case, I hope it eases your pollen suffering!
Lovely photos! Austin is a great town, but I must admit I didn't spend enough time there to know whether or not my allergies would go mad. Hope yours ease soon!
We all have days when we don't like living where we are, it seems perfectly normal to me. I don't believe there is a perfect place to live in this world............
except where I live of course lol!!!
I live in Tyler and don't heat my pond that has goldfish in it. But it is larger and not in a container. Hope yours do okay through the winter.
Brenda Kula
My allergies have gotten better since moving back home from KS. During wheat harvesting season I was close to asthma attacks and now it is all manageable again. Hope you are having a great "pre-spring season". (don't want to use "winter" anymore), Andrea
Hello Mary,
Glad you liked the video too. It's one of my favorites as well.
Austin is a great place to live & visit. If you're ever in this area please give me a ring. We'll paint the town GREEN! ;-)
Hi Diana,
So far the goldfish are holding on fine. I hope your head pain has let up. I vote for a pain-free year. Woohoo!
Mercie Paris Parfait
I'm very glad to hear you missed out on Austin's allergies. Happily, many people never experience that side of the city. I admit I wish I could be one of them. Heehee!
Hello Libby!
I think where you live is perfect as well. So there too.
;-)
Welcome Brenda Kula,
I'm glad to have another Texas gardener drop by. I probably wouldn't heat the goldfish pond if it were in the ground. Mostly I'm concerned that the pot will crack if it freezes over. That's happened to me before. I think we may be over the worst of the weather (though perhaps I shouldn't write that too soon?)
Dear Andrea
I'm glad to hear that your allergies have improved. Sounds like it was a good thing you moved from Kansas if you are allergic to wheat. A very Happy Pre-Spring to you as well. :-)
And Happy Garden Planning to All of You My Garden Blogger Friends!
Cheers!
Dawn
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