Ca-Rispy, and Harbingers

Been doing a lot of driving lately.  As i have been observing our countryside, i decided that if asked to describe Texas in one word this year, the word would be "Crispy."  In Texian, that would be "CaRisp-y."  Even the few things that are still showing shades of green look crispy.

I will quit whining about the drought as soon as i quit thinking about it.  In the mean time, i rant.

Now, I happen to believe that my Creator has a perfect plan, so i am not questioning the Grand Scheme of things, here, i am just saying that i don't get a few things.  The platypus makes no sense to me.  What part of the ecosystem is the platypus necessary to?  I personally have always thought that the avocado seed was way too big, taking up entirely more room than is necessary.  I mean, look what the teensy tinsy mustard seed can do.  If the avocado seed was smaller there would be more room for all that green loveliness inside the skin. 

But the headscratcher of the season--every year, but particularly this year--is this:

This is a plant (and i am using the term loosely) called "Croton."  (see Oct 2nd posting bottom picture)


Folks around here call it "Goat Weed."

That would be a misnomer.

Goats don't eat it. 

I do not know of a single animal that eats it.

In fact, i do not know of a single use for this weed.

Every year we spend lots of time pulling it up, because it is so insidious, if it ever gets a toe hold, it completely takes over.  Kinda like a ground bound kudzu, but it is easier to pull up.

So what i don't understand is....
There has been NO rain to speak of this year.  Everything is dead, dieing, or crispy.
Why, oh Why--or perhaps i should say How oh How--is the goat weed growing this year?

Who is going to pull it up again this year?
What is it's purpose in the Big Picture????
Where is it all coming from???
Why is it absorbing valuable groundwater that our trees and grasses need?
When will the stinkin' deer learn to eat it?????  They eat everything else, let 'em do some good for once!!

Just wondering.


Okay.  Now that we have that over with.

Around these parts, we have this lovely harbinger of autumn:

I have no idea what it is called, but it pops up every fall in weird patterns all over the place. 

It is one of my favorite wildflowers.

Next to Bluebonnets, of course.

When we lived in The Cesspool, we had a red oak in our yard that was the harbinger of autumn.  Every single year, EXACTLY two weeks before the heat would break, this tree would drop all its leaves overnite.  Like it just got tired of holding on to them, heaved a big SIGH, and let go in the middle of the night.  I was always glad to see that tree naked.

On the other side of that yard, for four years running, just as spring sprung, a mockingbird would take up residence in the same live oak, and would sing, chirp and chatter all night.  Real Loud.  She got to be a joke with the neighbors, coz she kept everybody awake--you could hear her all up and down the block.  But she let us all know that green was just around the corner.