tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:15:51 +0000Birdhouse ThursdaysrosesGreenhouseout and about2010 Christmas LightsYard artCheep RoomsChristmas lightssnowBerry BoatHibiscusrainShadowgarden tourtufawildflowers365 project 2011Downtown Fort WorthNascarStorm damageThe Great North August Get Away2011 Christmas Lights2011 plantsArts GoggleBlotanicalFW Botanic GardensFort WorthFull MoonState Fair of Texasawardsbirdscherry treessunrisetreesAlong Life's Highway GameAustin Art YardsHamletRain lilySuper BowlTom's birdhousescabinettecutter antsplumeriaspringAAYTBloom dayChristmas daytimeDallas CowboysFW Botanical GardensFWDirtFallHalloweenHermineHmmm...Hot loud proudProgress?Quarry GardensSkyWatch FridayWeekend in Aprilbackyardbloomsblueberriesbushescemeterycinnamonfall colorloftneighborhoodpallet wall fencerantrolodexsalviaskysnailsthe booword for Wednesday10/10/101st Monday in Canton2012 Christmas LightsAnvil ShootAstrosAustin TexasBallpark at ArlingtonBig TexBlue ChristmasBoreasButterflies and Moths of North AmericaChinese Button BushChinese Lantern FestivalConcrete Doesn't WiltDallas ArboretumDallas BloomsDentistEarthSkyElvisEspyEupatorium havaneseFW Alliance Air ShowFW DirtFirefly/SerenityFood Safety?FourFragrant Mist FlowerGuadalupe riverGulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)HamiltonHandley. mandevillaHanukkah with The MaccabeatsIRLISSIcebergJerry's WorldKansasLeonotis leonurusLion Sleeps TonightLion's tailMade in AmericaMagic CarpetMcKinneyMemorial Day poppiesMetamorphosis MondayMorning GloryMountain sageMr and Mrs SpikerMr. SquirrelNear SouthsideNovemberOn the way to workOnly in TexasPaint CreekPeruvian sagePittsburgh SteelersRose windowSalvia discolorSalvia reglaSan AntonioSanta off seasonSilhouetteSpanish FortSpiceSt JosephSt. Patrick's DayTCUTexas BluebonnetsTexas BuckeyeTexas SummersThanksgivingThe President and the birdhouseTim's LandscapeTrinity RiverTufa ThingsTufaWorldUSDAWatts ParkWinnie and TululaWinter SolsticeWisconsinYou know you are a Texanarbequina olive treebirdbathsblogsbokehbucolicbunnyburr oakbutterflycamelschandelierchickenschismecollectorcommunity gardenconcrete artcookingcoral vinecorn cribscucumber beetlesdon't go thereflatbed scanningflowersfruitgbbdgracklesgrasshoppersguacamoleguttershackberry heavenhappyhappy dancehatshelleborusideas for laterindoor gardeningindoor water gardeninspiration piecejarkalanchoeslady bugslonghornmattress springsmoney treemotionmowing.native tufanew yardnight's skynurseriesospreyoxbloodpassionflowerphoto editingphotospoison ivyposter artpotsprayerspruningpumpkinsred buckeyerememberrose hipsrose seedsrustshoppingsleetsnow globesnowmansunsetterrariumtextartthe kissing treethermometerto my sweetietomato cagestomatoestrafficurban yardsvideovinewaspsweedswindmillswordless wednesdayAdventures of Tufa Girl!http://texastufa.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)Blogger505125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-3329100494415877963Tue, 10 Dec 2013 16:49:00 +00002013-12-10T11:31:15.877-06:00Below freeezing. Not a record. 2011 (or SuperBowl Winter as the locals call it) was 101 hours. Still not a record - that was December 1983 at 295 hours (12 days 7 hours) below freezing. Looking a bit like an ice monster after my bird feeder... The trees are heavy with the frozen rain and the ground is covered with 3-4 inches of sleet we received in Fort Worth. Ending thishttp://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/12/72-hours-and-49-minutes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-5677641988159390622Fri, 06 Dec 2013 23:17:00 +00002013-12-06T17:18:56.025-06:00sleetsnow Snow? What? No snow.... Just lots of sleet and freezing rain bending over the trees even the little trees big trees without leaves seem o.k. this Mutabilis rose bush looks a bit cold Hurry, quick... Mom's got the camera on me now. Weatherman says we will see 70 hours below freezing this time. Brrr.  Again, this seems a bit early. http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/12/24-hours-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-2504568379891358220Mon, 25 Nov 2013 16:19:00 +00002013-11-25T10:19:00.270-06:00BoreasGreenhouseNovembersunriseA bit unseasonable cold has landed upon Texas this past week.  Historical weather data will tell you this is not the coldest Texas has seen this time of year but I bet this is the longest spell for this time of year. Then, if you add the number of days without sunshine... grim. Ok, ok, I did see it for a brief moment Sunday morning. Then it was gone. This year, my sweetie and I http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/11/boreas-day-5.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-1677866841769012507Mon, 25 Nov 2013 14:39:00 +00002013-11-25T08:39:29.196-06:00It was an other dreary warm (70's) day on Thursday when I went to the dentist. My chair at the dentist's office gave me the best view of a beautiful red oak in all its crimson glory.  Sitting there I thought about the winter storm "Boreas" (The Weather Channel likes to name their winter storms) and how much of the beautiful foliage in the area may disappear afterwards. On my way home I http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/11/pre-boreas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-4454661259478095052Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:54:00 +00002013-11-13T08:54:18.225-06:00This post is for my mother-in-law, just in case she is watching. My sweetie and I have been on a mission to hang a glittery chandelier in the loft apartment.  The ultimate dichotomy of rough and polish ultimately matching the theme of our decor. Originally we had found a rustic Mexican candleabra at a flea market and boxes of crystals at an antique shop that I have been working (not very http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/11/shiny.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-5333721754139983847Tue, 05 Nov 2013 23:03:00 +00002013-11-05T17:03:05.848-06:00Is there more to life than work and watering the garden?  Yes! Cooler weather and rainy days mean I can get to the computer again. Right after I plant up a few things... This pot has lived on the corner of the kitchen counter since we have lived here in the loft.  I usually replant it a couple times a year and here is the latest version. I went to a couple nurseries today http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/11/she-lives.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-8380761416093030302Wed, 07 Aug 2013 02:29:00 +00002013-08-06T21:29:03.921-05:00 When the sun finally dips down below the horizon the sky is a brilliant blue and all the neighbors are out walking their dogs.  We all complain about the summer but I realize it is nothing like 2011 when it was over 100 degrees for months - only had 8 or 10 days here, so far.  Hope your evening finds you under brilliant blue skies, looking at all those beautiful stars with a much morehttp://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/08/when-sun-goes-down.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-209393482554544990Thu, 01 Aug 2013 11:34:00 +00002013-08-01T06:34:11.181-05:00For the last day of July.... in the shade on a sunny street Officially the day will be recorded as 102 degrees F.  Hope you are comfortable where ever you are. http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/08/got-all-our-digits-back.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-8621963476435595012Mon, 15 Jul 2013 22:17:00 +00002013-07-15T17:17:20.034-05:00 "Urban Heat Island" where the built up heat from buildings and pavement make metro areas at least 10 degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside.  (Photo from EPA's website.)  "Urban Heat Island" = another one of those tragic terms to describe how we will all perish from Climate Change. My thermometer.  Inside temp on top - outside on the bottom.  Yep, 70.5 degrees http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/07/our-urban-heat-island-seems-to-be-broken.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-6394490721515805270Fri, 28 Jun 2013 12:06:00 +00002013-06-28T07:06:48.698-05:00 January 2011  October 2012 June 2013 http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/06/then-and-now-mailbox-area.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-1265565618304369205Thu, 27 Jun 2013 13:01:00 +00002013-06-27T09:39:58.596-05:00I don't mean a cute little ladybug, but maybe a spider or a beetle (chewing on your tomato)? Ok, this rant is not for the faint of heart.  I would like to know exactly how we differ.  Really. No turning back, now.... I find it odd that the very women that will not mash a bug would allow a partial birth abortion.  You know the kind where the baby's spine is cut and the baby http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/06/can-you-mash-bug.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-4691494928032029024Sun, 23 Jun 2013 14:29:00 +00002013-06-23T09:34:21.537-05:00In dawn's early light, after I take the dogs on their rounds, it is nice and cool outside.  (Well, we call 76 degrees cool, still.)  I go up the hill to check on the plantings at my neighbor's place. Looks like the makings of some yellow squash! Back at the loft garden, I see my landlord's favorite plant has taken over this corner of the garden.  There is a rose bushhttp://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-anti-social-gardener.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-6066027488249674202Sun, 23 Jun 2013 13:11:00 +00002013-06-23T18:46:14.310-05:00 Ok, ok, so once I did sit down I learned Google Reader has disappeared.  So fancy new smartphone in hand I just knew I could find an app to switch all my feeds.  Went through a couple and decided upon Feedly.  Of course, I am one of those folks who sees something once and immediately adds the feed to the blog stack to be read later. Recently, I have sat down to read feeds but http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/06/its-not-you-its-me.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-4509119538598795798Sun, 09 Jun 2013 22:45:00 +00002013-06-09T17:46:48.218-05:00A couple years ago, creeksiderummager (who has since quit blogging) had a photo of one of her gardens using bed springs as a support for her vines.  Well, having spent much of my previous life scavenging through old rusty stuff, I was certain I would soon have one for my very own garden. Kind of like this, only creeksiderummager's was cuter. (Please, I mean no offense.) Want more bed http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/06/rusty-springs-population-5.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-7267589969886077941Mon, 27 May 2013 04:12:00 +00002013-05-26T23:12:14.426-05:00I am a pretty conservative girl and tend to not push my views on those of you in my circles.  I don't have bumper stickers on my vehicles to save whirled peas or baby snails so when I joined a march on Saturday I felt a bit out of my realm. My neighbor rode her bike, my other neighbor car-pooled with a group of farm market friends, and my sweetie and I walked to the park where everyone http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/05/what-if-there-was-march-and-no-one-cared.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-287089112901143847Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:15:00 +00002013-04-25T12:20:16.098-05:00 Took a couple hours off between chores this weekend and headed to Ennis to view the bluebonnets.   Actually, this year with plenty of cool temperatures and pleasant amount of rainfall, there is no need to travel very far in Texas to see the beloved bluebonnet. Bluebonnet viewing comes with a few hazards. If you look to the left of this photo a gentleman appears and asks my sweetie http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/04/beautiful-blue-horizons.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-1361550735913535889Sat, 20 Apr 2013 13:27:00 +00002013-04-20T08:27:25.423-05:00 My landlord's next project.  This building's bottom floor will be commercial and the top two floors will be rental lofts.  The street was decommissioned and is now part of the building's property. This is just part of the trees for today's project.  (Now, you can see how poorly this photo turned out. I will have better photos of the "after" to post later and on FWDirt.com) http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/04/on-streets-of-fort-worth.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-4137910597294624960Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:27:00 +00002013-04-18T12:27:20.550-05:00prayersrainRain is always welcome in the loft garden. The front currently working its way east also brought our 80 degree temps down to 46 and the northwest wind makes it 37 . Brrr. Rains have brought a street planting project at my landlord's next building to a stop. Trees could not be brought in due to the storm and now the holes are filled with water. Work will proceed early tomorrow and I promise photoshttp://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/04/bit-of-chill.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-3637222220188892999Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:19:00 +00002013-03-15T11:19:50.397-05:00springSpring pops in the Texas Hill Country with redbuds peeking out of the cedars and sleeping native brush. This photo was taken just north of San Antonio as the only time I could get my sweetie to stop.  Seen a few bluebonnets north at Burnet but hard to get at 70 mph. Seen any signs of spring where you are? http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/03/spring-blossoms.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-6710694611429498333Sun, 10 Feb 2013 15:48:00 +00002013-02-10T09:48:41.510-06:00Along one of the routes to my temporary part-time seasonal job (which is now full time [wahoo?] ) is this temple. (Hope I am using the correct terminology.) Saturday, when my sweetie and I drove by the place, it was festooned with flags and a banner.  So it must mean.... Happy Year of the Snake? The Year of Snake. 2013 is the year of the black Snake begins on February 10th shortlyhttp://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-snake-in-your-house-means.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-5968079743850334772Sat, 02 Feb 2013 23:07:00 +00002013-02-02T17:12:57.694-06:00Sorry I have been MIA lately. Internet service down and getting a new carrier has kept me from visiting you all. So sending this miserable little post to let you know what is up - actually down :/ Put some water in the bath and many little sparrows and a female cardinal rewarded me with their presence. Remember, February is "feed the birds" month. See you all soon. I promise. http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/02/bath-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-7081374241949013989Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:08:00 +00002013-01-01T17:11:27.520-06:00HamletShadowsnow My neighbor has switched out her "Happy Holidays" for these lucky paper cranes. (I am happy to see the "Happy Holidays" trinket go as it was always askew.  I constantly felt the need to put a sticker under a corner to keep it from sliding. Yes, I am one of them.) Echinacea - Christmas Eve - thinks it is time to bloom My sweetie has an endless loop of college bowl games on which http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2013/01/tucking-it-all-away.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-741378099268444657Mon, 24 Dec 2012 03:37:00 +00002012-12-23T21:59:27.566-06:002012 Christmas LightsI missed getting out and taking photos of Christmas lights last year.  Got a late start this year and then went out with the wrong camera (perhaps the operator...). So here is the best of the worst, worst of the best? I have a warped sense of beauty in Christmas lights. Sometimes the unusual can be beautiful.  This little yard has Santa, Frosty, and 2 of the Kings on the left side, http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2012/12/wrong-camera.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-686613546773410036Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:12:00 +00002012-12-23T22:00:16.709-06:00cemeteryrosesA gardener came into the nursery on Sunday where I work at my temporary seasonal part-time job needing help with her roses. (She actually came in on Saturday and the staff asked her to come back Sunday 'cause the rose lady would be in then.) She pulled a rose bush out of a bag and asked what was wrong with it. Well, there was no soil on the roots and it clearly had been the same specimen producedhttp://texastufa.blogspot.com/2012/12/is-this-house-call.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345182869978637458.post-5619041780040849375Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:41:00 +00002012-12-23T22:01:08.866-06:00cucumber beetleslady bugssnow  ladybug!    ladybug!    ok, you get the idea   had a bit of trouble with white fly as it has been so warm.  looks like plenty of reinforcements have arrived to help.    lacewing!    aargh! cucumber beetle   another one =  not a good thing to spot   a light dusting of snow in http://texastufa.blogspot.com/2012/12/spotted-things.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)7