Scene on the Street: Another side of the neighborhood

Each spring my neighborhood holds a garage sale weekend for the entire community.  It's a great time to get out, talk to the neighbors, and see what's going on across this roughly one square mile of houses.  The neighborhood was built one house at a time over more than 60 years which makes for an interesting mix of styles.

Today's post features scenes from the older section which is quite popular for its large lots and big trees.  The lack of curbs along the street gives it a country feel.  This house on a large corner lot has an old stone planter with opuntia and a low wall.  The pretty patch of bluebonnets seen in the distance return every year.

At the Plant Swap

Spring is for swapping plants.  Our little group of about 25 - 30 avid gardeners meets twice a year to swap plants and share advice about gardening in San Antonio.  It was chilly (50F), cloudy,  and windy this past Saturday when we met at a local park but we're not just fair weather gardeners so we persevered and the sun came out eventually.  I've been attending four years and hosting the swap for the past two years.  I'm still trying to figure out how everyone seems to go home with more plants than they brought!

Here's Tally setting up her trades, she makes the four hour trip from Galveston to visit with us and share plants.  Her garden was wiped out by Hurricane Ike in 2008, yet she always has so many plants to share, especially crinum and hymenocallis bulbs you can see on the bench in front of her.  

What a Weekend! New Plants and Creepy Bugs

After a fun day of plant swapping on Saturday, I was busily getting the newbies settled into their nests (who's this "I"?, DH would ask).  The action was frenzied, and that's when this guy appeared from under my bag of potting soil.

That's a six inch long Giant Redheaded Centipede - Scolopendra heros

Just for the guys, here is another gratuitous icky bug photo

Sometimes I am into the potting soil with both hands.  I understand that a bite from this creepy crawler won't kill you but is very painful.  This encounter was close enough to remind me to be safe in the garden, always.

The centipede wasn't the only giant bug visitor to the garden that day.  When we were digging a hole for a new plant by the shed, the shovel turned up this Texas Brown Tarantula. 

Tarantulas are not at all dangerous and are very gentle creatures -- they just get a bad rap from the movies.  And they are not nearly as creepy as the centipede, but I still wouldn't want to be surprised by it crawling across my hand unexpectedly.  This is only the second Tarantula we've seen here.  We found this guy a new home under the shed.

So where did I get all these new plants that are keeping me busy?  From the plant swap I attended on Saturday.

Plenty of plant sharing and lots of good plant talk

I brought home plenty of new plants for all those beds we've been building. DH was pleased to see all my new plants (hahaha).

Thanks to all you generous and fun-loving San Antonio gardeners!

Oh, and stay safe out there in the garden!