spiders

“Stop Larking Around”

ESPatch Apr 16, 2013 8 comments

I don’t know why but I seem to have more than my fair share of strange goldfish escapades. This latest one had me scratching my head, something this goldfish could never do, because this goldfish had been…

…been…

…decapitated!

It also had had it’s tail removed. Brrr.

This cold blooded (ahem) murder was made all the stranger due to the fact that I located the corpse on the side of this bird bath that was looking particularly unattractive being full of post oak catkin sludge, and now apparently a random fish part.

Now I know Kumo has a fondness and a reputation for finding and lodging the odd rotten fish-bit around his collar, but this time I am quite sure he had nothing to do with the crime.

http://www.eastsidepatch.com/2012/04/exploding-goldfish/

I know this as when confronted with something and he is guilty, his expression morphs into something like this:

Not that I really thought he could catch a fish, expertly filet it’s head and tail then position what was left strategically on the side of my birdbath.

Gollum I can only assume this is Gollum’s handiwork, perhaps he was looking for some water to wash the fish down?

Moving Along:

Seedpods from my stargazer lilies…talk about bizarre.

What did you expect?

Lots of firsts this week in the Patch.

The first tropical bloom from this butterfly iris.

The first croaks and visitations from our Gulf coast toads,

and the first flowers on my lizard’s tail,

Saurusus cernuus

also called breast weed as it has historically been used to treat inflammation of the breasts and other portions of the body.

As the greenish seeds develop, the “tail” takes on a wrinkled appearance, hence the common name.

Lizard’s tail has distinctive heart-shaped leaves and a curved raceme with many white, inconspicuous flowers.

lizards tail

The flowers have a sassafras aroma to them very similar to Hoja Santa.

A great pond plant but keep it in a container as it spreads aggressively by rhizomes.

This ‘Black Pearl’ ornamental pepper provides some great shade color,

with its eerie iridescent purple-pink flowers.

Larkspur are also just starting to open up this week.

I recall shaking some spent larkspur plants over this bed last year, no shortage in here now!

African hosta,

Drimiopsis maculata

has enjoyed our recent rains.

I divide these every year and dot them any place I have space.

More inconspicuous flowers.

This plant tolerates part sun, light shade and even deep dark shade.

Here is my first line of porch-defense against mosquitoes this year:

Lemongrass.

I am interested to see if this deters them.

Critters observed in the Patch this week:

Bee-Fly

Bombyliidae-Hemipenthes eumenes?

And to finish a very small Mygalomorph hiding under some leaves I was clearing out, perhaps a baby tarantula?

Stay Tuned for:

“Bare-Bones”

All material © 2013 for eastsidepatch. Unauthorized
intergalactic reproduction strictly prohibited, and
punishable by late (and extremely unpleasant)
14th century planet Earth techniques.

“Oops! I did it again”

ESPatch Jun 20, 2012 5 comments

Feeling rather proud of adapting my wife’s new (rather retro) summer swim cap into a slim iced turban (no wrapping or skill required for this one) I thought I would take it out into to the garden for a Patch trial run / consumer testing in the field as it were. I was quite impressed functionally-how it held up to the death star, but alas, the overall aesthetic was, well embarrassing. I did have an impromptu conversation with my neighbor who must of decided not to bring up my new “adornment” (perhaps in fear of confronting the fact that I may have somewhat of a “disorder”) as apparently I do…I never seem to learn:

“Oops! I did it again”

were not the exact words that came out of my mouth as the back of my hand slammed against cactus #2 after once again pulling on this final stand of Bermuda grass that insists on tucking itself tight into the base of this large barrel cactus. I typically use a set of pliers performing this extracting activity, but on this occasion I was so irritated I just went for it…and subsequently took my punishment.

The cactus spike snapped off and lodged into a tendon above my knuckle where I could see it move north under the skin about and inch when I made a fist…brrr, and upon making a fist there was an uncustomary and rather disturbing “clicking” sound present, but enough of that.

One of these barrels is erupting some rather frosty bloom anomalies.

Talking of anomalies…

This rather ominous-looking sotol beanstalk has had a few developments of its own of late…

…it continues to climb to new heights,

and the top of the slender panicle is now turning a hue of crimson.

Aw come on Sid!

Great contrasting forms.

This shot almost granted me a

award as the front feet of my step ladder started sinking into the surrounding pea gravel.

American Indians roasted and ate these young flower stalks, they also used to roast the trunks before fermenting and distilling them to make alcohol. There is still an alcoholic beverage known as sotol made today in parts of Mexico. The beanstalks have also been put to use as corral, porch and house roofs within its range.

Big Bend sotol house : photo by John W. Schulze

Moving Along:

Summer has officially descended on Central Texas making dragonflies smile,

and the anoles agitated,

In fact, there has been a significant amount of agitation in the Patch, (excluding the back of my hand).

Agitation that I missed some holes when I duct-taped my redneck pool (I should have paid more attention to Kumo whose attention was focused on the leak).

Agitation that the mystery “brains” that I planted some time back had not grown, in fact they had just rotted.

http://www.eastsidepatch.com/2011/11/the-incredible-bulk/

And agitation that once again there were dark clouds, thunder and no rain.

On a more relaxing note,

if you happen to own a black car, make sure to plant a stand of celosia along your driveway for a very dramatic effect.

A rolling wave of shell ginger brightens up a shady spot, while

pride of Barbados and a single Bauhinia vine go to work in the sun.

Finally:

A recent excursion to a family members land near Blanco cooled some of us down with its aquamarine creek, and

interesting rock formations.

Oh and how could I forget the bobbing reception on the back of the barn door.

This next ridiculous video goes out to my friends over at the fantastic food blog: http://troutcaviar.blogspot.com/

(Watch it all the way to the end Brett, I hope you have continued to practice :-)

Stay Tuned for:

“Stressing Out”

All material © 2012 for eastsidepatch. Unauthorized
intergalactic reproduction strictly prohibited, and
punishable by late (and extremely unpleasant)
14th century planet Earth techniques.

Everything is bigger in Texas you know.