Pink Saturday Morning Walk to the River

This morning I want to share my morning walk…It’s a sunny day and there’s still lots of pink to be seen even though it’s November. So come along with me…the flowers we’ll we admiring are not exactly wildflowers but naturalized volunteers that have just appeared along side the fence.

First there’s this sweet pink vine, my mother calls it “That pink vine that we had by the carport in McAllen; you know, coral vine.”  Most of our plants have a family association and every thing is called by its common name not the Latin proper name…

It looks so pretty against the morning sky…

This is an old favorite in Texas and is frequently found thriving around abandoned  home sites. It will provide splashes of pink until the first frost. As we walk along the fence, there’s a Lantana with a cluster of pastel flowers. This one just showed up one spring…probably a gift from a visiting bird.

Lantana is native to Texas and it grows wild along roadsides and in pastures and meadows. It’s one flowering shrub that the deer generally won’t eat. When we are in a deep drought, they will browse on the tender new growth -if there is any. The pink Salvia has naturalized from the flower beds up by the house. How it got down here is anyone’s guess.

The hummingbirds and the bees are happy to have it. There’s a little breeze moving the flowers in and out of focus…they are going to seed, so there will be even more next year.  Same thing with the Rock Rose…it just volunteered and started to bloom. The flowers close at night and this one’s not fully awake yet, but come back in the early afternoon, and it will be showing off.

I don’t know if you can see the seed pod between the flowers at top, but they pop out like the bluebonnet seeds do  and so this group should be joined by lots of little seedlings in the spring.

The Four O’ Clocks are not fully awake either…but they are prolific re-seeders so I’m not surprised to find them along the way…

And now the best part, the Guadalupe River as it meanders through New Braunfels…the Cypress are wearing their fall colors…sort of pinkish wouldn’t you say?

I love the way the river looks in fall and admiring  it is such a peaceful way to spend a morning. Last night the sunset was a perfect pink, but we were not at home for me to come down here to capture the sky and river together. Look up river toward the Common Street bridge…

  Yes, it’s my favorite time of the year…a slower time, perfect for a dose of Pink…so stop by Beverly’s to see who’s posting this Saturday. http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Have a Pink Week…I’ll be busy here in town as we get ready to host Weihnachtsmarkt, a wonderful German Christmas shopping event…75 different booths,  with everything from handmade German ornaments, wine and gift food baskets, rhinestone cowgirl glitz, monogramming while you wait, delicious lunches and our famous bread pudding with warm vanilla sauce, Christmas wreaths, clothing for young and old, custom made tailored menswear, pet gifts , pictures with Santa in an antique sleigh…it really is an amazing event. If you live in central Texas, it’s worth the trip. Bring your Christmas list and your appetite!

 http://www.sophienburg.com/weihnachtsmarkt.html

See you next Saturday! LaVerne