Early June 2014 - Day-lilys In Bloom and the Latest Visiting Backyard Critters

It is starting to warm up around here in North Texas this first week of June 2014.  The afternoon temperatures are reaching the low 90's.  We haven't had rain in over a week and cracks are starting to appear in my yard.  Several towns within the DFW Metroplex have severe watering restrictions for yards and are limiting watering to once every other week now.  My particular community limits watering to once per week.

Lately, we have had an extraordinary number of bunnies in the yard this year.  Since my little dog, Festus is slowing down, the bunnies are getting more bold and have no fear of him at all now.  So far our garden fence has been doing a pretty good job of keeping them out of the vegetable patch.

The Purple Martins are busy feeding their chicks now.   Male (left) and female (right)

The Cow's Tongue Prickly Pear is blooming now - there are not as many blooms on this plant as usual this year.

The Spineless Prickly Pear is also in bloom.

 Butterfly weed - can you see the tiny ants covering the blooms?

 

The Petunia baskets on the front porch are still in full bloom.

The Lamb's Ear is blooming now.

A male Cardinal sitting in the Bur Oak Tree.

A female Cardinal on the roof.

I have several different colors of traditional day-lily's blooming this week.

PEST:  Grasshopper

The Trumpet Vine is in full bloom!  Perfect for the hummingbirds.

Another variety of Blue Salvia is also blooming now.  Hummingbirds and butterflies also like this flower.

Mockingbird in a Crepe Myrtle.

The property I live on was a farm field before I moved here.  There were no trees except on the fence row.  I have lived here since 2002.  This is the first year that a squirrel has visited my yard!

We thought we had dug up all our strawberry plants from last year - we decided not to replant.  This is one coming up as a volunteer.

Mushrooms are growing in the hardwood mulch.

A Mediterranean House Gecko is visiting the garden looking for bugs.

Another Mockingbird on the fence.

A Katydid on the dried Columbine flower.