The Englemann Daisy Adds Yellow to the Wildflower Color Scheme

If you wanted to know what I consider 

one of the most profusely blooming 

wildflowers in Guadalupe county,

 I would have to include the Englemann Daisy.

 Named after a German botanist, George Englemann, 

who classified many flowers in the

 western United States in the 1800's, 

the deep yellow flowers abound in fields and meadows. 

Englemann Daisy

Englemannia pinnatifida

Seguin ARTFEST CelebrARTe 2015

The Seguin Commission on the Arts hosted its annual 

Artfest Celebration 

with fun and special events all day on Saturday, March 21st.

  The goal is to raise funds to promote art in our town. 

The final event, a gala at the beautiful and historic Texas Theater, 

featured art work donated by area artists

 to be auctioned off to help restore 

the Seguin Art Leauge's "new" old building 

located downtown, across from the county courthouse.

Here are some of the people who volunteered, 

some who attended, and some of the art.

Thanks to all the folks who made it a success.

By the way, if you look closely, 

you will find your humble servant and blogger 

taking a selfie in one of the vintage mirrors. 

Silly but that's me!

The Real Thing, Not a Saturday Night Cowboy

I love the real Texas look….there's a difference between a Texas cowboy who has no idea his "look" is iconic or desired. He wears his Stetson hat because that's just what he's always worn. There are crisp blue jeans and button up shirts, nothing fancy about that.

This gentleman cowboy was spending a little time outside on the sidewalk during the Artsfest CelebrARTe gala on Saturday night. I asked if I could take his photograph and he was visibly pleased but surprised. I explained that folks in other countries would love to see a real cowboy dressed up for the evening. He grinned and commented that he could hardly wait to tell his wife. Anyhow, here he is.
The real thing, not a Saturday night cowboy.

Texas Wildflowers Bloom in Churchyard

Texas Paintbrush or Indian Paintbrush

Bluebonnet

Texas Paintbrush and not yet identified yellow flower

Seguin Art League Silent Auction at Artfest CelebrARTe

Texas Wildflowers in the Springtime FALSE GARLIC

False Garlic

Nothoscordum bivalve

Lily family

also called Crow Poison

These little beauties get overlooked when the fields are full of bluebonnets and Texas paintbrushes. False Garlic may stand anywhere from 6 to 21 inches tall, but the blooms are only about an inch across. 

Here is a bloom growing next to the star of the Texas wildflowers, the bluebonnet. You can see why it might be overlooked.

Spring Time Babies on the Way

House Sparrow

passer domesticus 

Well, you can see why this little beauty 

is called a "house" sparrow, can't you?

He and his wee wifey have  built a snug nest

 inside the hole in our eave.

Pieces of their building material 

keep falling onto our back steps.

Oh well, they won't be there long. 

I don't know if they have eggs in the nest yet. 

I suppose they do, but I haven't climbed 

up an extension ladder to check.

Once the babies leave the nest, 

the momma and daddy will go on their way,

 and I won't have to sweep up straw 

on my back steps until next spring.

Texas Wildflower Season Has Begun!

Texas Paintbrush

Castilleja indivisa

Texas boasts a glorious spring wildflower show 

when rainfall has been plentiful

during the preceeding months. 

This year, we have had an unusually

 wet winter, so the flowers should be both

 bountiful and colorful. 

This morning, even though the skies were grey

 and the lighting was miserable, 

I took my camera out to see what I could find. 

One of the flowers that is already

 covering some fields and roadways 

is the peachy, pinky, coral, salmon or red Texas paintbrush. 

Come back often in the next few weeks

 for more Texas wildflower photos. 

I look forward to lots and lots 

of trips around the Texas countryside 

in the days to come!