susiejbws's Favorites

It made fruit this year! I found this growing on the land 5 years ago, knew it from the flowers and end leaf so transplanted some to the back flowerbed. Even transplanted babies from it to replace the invasive Japanese Honeysuckle. This one has grown up to the bottom of the top deck and still barely alive after the drought. Not sure if this is considered cultivated?

She’s been there for almost an hour now. I told the blue jays to schuss and they went away. She’s sitting where the wind is blowing mist from my upper deck on her sometimes and that’s when she opens her mouth to get some moisture. The hummingbirds are still flying around and I saw a titmouse sitting on a branch close to her.

Resident Jay gets a drink from the birdbath. The water table is lower now with no rain lately so most of the creek is getting dry on the surface, except for a few trickles that appear then disappear a few feet away. Keeping the birdbaths and bee watering stations clean and full helps them and gives us the opportunity to see them closer.

The first sighting was on 6-22-2017 at 8:29pm from a wildlife camera in the section of the spring-fed creek that is directly below the house. The video shows it was eating a fresh-water shellfish.
The second sighting was on 6-15-2019 at 6:44pm when we were in the garden and a couple flew into the top of a Red Oak tree above us. They seemed to be looking out across the Pocket Prairie and stayed there for for quite a while.

First bought this Native Texas plant to replace invasive Nandinas, then found it growing wild in several places! September picture is from them growing naturally on top of the Jellison Slope and October picture is where I found it coming out from between cracks in the limestone along the front walkway.

This is my all-time favorite bush so I was thrilled to find a small one on the way to the creek about 3 years ago. It was actually a large bush that had been hacked by someone who was unknowingly trying to “clean-up” the underbrush. I keep the vines off of it and it’s doing great now!

Found this Texas Native growing wild on the Jellison Slope alongside the invasive English Ivy and Japanese Honeysuckle. Working on removing all invasives. Seeing Natives like this gives me confidence that they can be restored everywhere at the JBWS.