Merry Christmas Holly

Enjoy these photos of the holly tree in my backyard, loaded with berries, just in time for the holidays.

Here are some "holly facts."

Holly is an ancient plant that was used by the earliest British Isle settlers called The Druids.  They would hang the plants in their homes to bring good luck or for protection.  The old carol, "Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly" is from an early Christian tradition of the church, going back to the earliest Christian times, borrowed from the Druid, Celtic and Roman traditions.

Below is my favorite photo of the smooth holly leaves and the red berries.  The ends of the leaves are still quite sharp and the trunk bears thorns.

Here's another:  I like the way the foreground is clear and the background is more fuzzy.

And another photo of the holly...

Notice the bug on the leaf.

Yet some additional photos of the holly plant.  We could really deck the halls with all this holly!

To all my viewers, have yourself a wonderful, love-filled, peaceful and joyous Christmas!

Esperanza, We All Need A Little Hope

Beautiful Esperanza - the day I took this photo the wind was blowing the little blossoms all over the place so it was hard to get a good photo.

Who Doesn't Love Little Purple Flowers?

 The photography is not so great but the heart was in the right place.

Another Vine, This One Wild

 Don't these berries look just so wonderfully plump?  Pretty enough for a Christmas postcard!

What's Blooming In My Garden Right Now

We've had a fair bit of rain in Houston which makes the plants happy.  (Sounds like a Texan, doesn't it?)  Here are a few things blooming in the garden now.  This little trumpet vine just keeps on giving and I love it!

Oak Leaves

There are so many varieties of oaks in Houston that I cannot be sure these are pin oak leaves.  The sharp tips make me wonder what kind of oak it may be.  Still, love the deep green and the detail that show up in this photo.

Wild Vine and an Old Iron Fence

I just loved the composition of this living and inanimate juxtaposition.  I asked a gardener the name of the vine and he couldn't say.  It grows red berries in the winter.

Nandina - Pretty Enough for Christmas

Little Wildflowers

One of the neighbors has planted a variety of wildflowers.  Love the variety and the colors!  Enjoy!

Varigated Leaves

It is getting really warm in Houston now.  With humidity, it feels like temps in  the 90s.  These two survivors have endured the freezing winter and now the frying heat.   I love both of these plants a lot.

Texas Azaleas In Bloom

All over Houston, the Azaleas are in bloom.  They make such a spectacular showing.  The Redbud trees have all but lost their blossoms now so the Azaleas are showing their beauty.

 

Has It Really Been So Long?

I am surprised that I have not posted to this blog in more than a year!  Today I could see rain drops forming on the tree outside my kitchen window.  Despite the rain and the cold, I ventured outside to catch a few falling raindrops.

How many songs can you think of that have the word "rain" or "raindrops" in them?  The first that comes to mind is, "So many raindrops.  It must be raindrops, falling from my eye-eyes," by Dee Clark.  "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."  "Singing In the Rain."  "Kentucky Rain."  "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head."  "It Never Rains in Southern California."  "I'm No Stranger to the Rain."  "Smoky Mountain Rain."  "I Love A Rainy Night."  "Here Comes the Rain Again."  "Purple Rain."

OK, that's enough to get you started thinking about rain songs.  Do you have a favorite?