Category: Nature Observations

Field Full of Flowers

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

The pastures at our place did not get mowed during the time we normally do that this spring. I really hate to mow at all.  Too many little things live there.

The rain and strange weather threw our normal twice a year mowing off. So, we have very high grass with dewberries and other various stuff everywhere.  You cannot even walk through it. 

The wildflowers have stopped blooming. So, while we thought we should mow it. But, I looked out and there were morning glories on top of all the grass with hundreds of butterflies everywhere. What a beautiful sight.

So it is always good to consider who is using your pastures.  You might need to wait until they are finished and then mow. Mother Nature never mowed her fields…I like to learn from her.

So just to make my other half happy, I said she could mow just around the edges. So now the butterflies were happy, but something else was not. The toads starting hopping for their lives.  Oh boy!  Most of them were Gulf Coast Toads.

So I walked ahead , caught all I could see and carried them to safety elsewhere. I just couldn’t let them get run over. I rescued about 20 or so.

Another day in the life of a Master Naturalist.

Milam Wildscape New Acquisitions

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Catherine Johnson

Wholesalers are offering sales now, so new natives have been acquired for the Milam Wildscape. They include Mexican bush sage, Convent sage, Benny’s acanthus, Mexican flame vine, Dwarf Barbados cherry, and Fragrant mist flower.

Humidity is causing fungus on some plants, but most are thriving.  We will have many native plants, seeds and cuttings to give away in the fall.

Please click on any photo to see the entire image.

  • Adagio grass in bloom
  • Buffalo grass for picnic area
  • Carolyn’s spinach vine
  • Girl Scout milkweed growing
  • Flame-leaf sumac
  • Hibiscus
  • Guinea fowl on patrol
  • Repurposed door
  • Pink Turk’s cap
  • Statuary
  • Frogs
  • Frogs
  • Cindy’s thrift store finds

Donna’s Garden in August

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

Here is what my garden looks like here in the hot month of August. Many wonderful things wait until it’s really hot to come out and look pretty.

Star jasmine vine

This year the weather has been a little crazy.  Something I think will be the norm going forward. We just need to be flexible in our expectations and go with the flow… and share our experiences.

Click on any of the photos to see an expanded view.

  • The entrance gate with Passion Vine and Cypress Vine
  • Pipevine coming back after fifth time being eaten to the ground.
  • Zinnias

More Flowers from Donna

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

Here is the next set of wildflowers and other things I saw on July 28, 2021. I will break the blog posts up to include a few each time. Look for more tomorrow!

There are so many amazing plants outside right now.

1. Cowpen Daisy.  This bad boy gets going and likes to spread everywhere. It does not need rain nor help in any way.
2. Coral Honeysuckle. This is the hummers’ favorite plant at our place. So easy to grow, and I have lots of babies to share.
 3. Zinnia. An old-time favorite that every species of butterfly likes, really worth having in your garden.
4. Fire Wheel, native plant that grows in the pastures.
5. Xemia. Sweet little yellow flower, looks great in the garden.
6. Sedum. The flowers attract lots of butterflies.

I bet all of you have these flowers either in the pasture or in your garden. If not, then plant some for the pollinators, and you will enjoy the beauty of butterflies, hummers, and many more beautiful little creatures. 

Things at Donna’s House

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

To follow up on the post about things Suna has been finding on her property recently, here are a few things Donna Lewis has been seeing!

by Donna Lewis

Just look around there are amazing things outside.

The first photo is a Cypress Vine. It only blooms when it is really hot!  Perfect for us. The hummers love it.  It looks great mixed with other vines.


#2 Photo is a Garden Phlox, an old species that is hard to find now.  A Tiger Swallowtail is getting some nectar from it.


#3 is our Passion Vine that we all love. It’s soo easy to grow and is the host plant for the Gulf Coast Fritillary butterfly.


#4 Turk’s Cap:  The hummers love this plant also. It likes a little shade and appears late in summer.  Very easy to grow. 


#5 Fennel Herb:  The host plant for the Black Swallowtail butterfly. Its roots are edible for humans.  The extreme freeze didn’t phase this guy.


#6 Creeping Cucumber Vine:  This is the first time I have seen this plant on our property. The freeze and early rains have brought in some interesting plants to our pastures.


I’ll send a few more blogs showing things I’ve found here.