Features

Most countries around the world set aside a day for commemorating the lives of those who are no longer with us. One such holiday, Día de los Muertos, occurs every November to acknowledge the lives of loved ones who have passed away. Though it is called Day of the Dead, it does not celebrate death.

In the old days before the internet, kids roved the outside world. They camped, they climbed trees, they engaged in playground-wide games of tag.

Mixing native plants and garden art in a traditional neighborhood yard is a challenge which Shirley McCurdy met and won at her home on Lamar Avenue in Spring Lake Hills, November’s yard of the month for Spring Lake Garden Club. Shirley’s collection of yard ornaments include family treasures (her maternal grandfather’s garden planting plow) as well as colorful decor that caught her eye at stores and sales over the years. Two large terra cotta pots from Mexico mark either side of the front walk at curbside, filled with thriving sago palms, subtly accented with colorful ceramic petals on stems. Near the entry pots, other garden ornaments are tucked in among hardy native plants including cenizo (Texas sage), mountain laurel, spiny green sotol, salvia, and rosemary.

San Marcos Public Library

My journey this week takes me to the Election next Tuesday. My wife, Judy, and I voted this Tuesday at an early voting site. We took turns voting because we had one piece of paper — a voter’s guide — that we had discussed and annotated with our choices. We both wanted to take the guide with us to remember all the names we had chosen to vote for in this General Election. Afterward, Judy and I compared that when voting she mark a choice differently on the ballot from what we had agreed on — surprise. But we still love each other…. and we love our family and friends who probably voted differently from us.

Pity the poor armadillo, an animal that is often seen dead along Texas highways, resting on its back with its tiny feet up in the air, a victim of vehicular traffic.

If the plant world celebrated Oktoberfest, lantanas would be front and center leading the party. Shoot as far as The Garden Guy is concerned it could be a Fall Lantana Fest. Now don’t get me wrong they were among the toughest, perseverant performers of the long hot summer but come September and October with the relief of torrid temperatures brings the lantanas even more blooms, richer colors and lusher foliage. They too seem to be in celebration mode.