The negative and positive

Well, we're back from a week visiting family in northern California. Just as we were leaving home it was pouring and, as you can see from last week's posting, there was quite a bit of rain. And when we got back, same thing - rain. It's very ironic that it was cooler and wetter at home than it was during our visit to CA. (And let me tell you, it's dry, dry, dry out west. Lots of smoke too.)


Today it stopped raining long enough for me to check things out in the yard. Yesterday as you can see, I pulled some of my succulents/cacti under the carport to keep them from drowning. That's the negative with all this rain. Why I insist on growing these things here, I don't know. Actually, yes I do. I think it's a combination of appreciating their sculptural beauty and missing the wilds of Texas. But Louisiana isn't really the best climate for them so they continue to struggle.


On the positive side, it's really remarkable what real rain will do. I can water my potted plants every day during the summer but I'm only just keeping them alive. When they get rain, they really thrive. This picture is of my brugmansia. It must have sprouted a hundred leaves since I left. Good timing too because for some reason, this thing only blooms in September. I've tried fertilizer, cutting it back in winter, not cutting it back in winter, covering it with black plastic to make it go dormant in winter. But I've been unsuccessful in getting it to bloom at any other time. Anyone else have any ideas?

Ah, to be back in the cool wet weather, ha!