By now, most of the summer "make mine hot" perennials are beating a steady retreat as days grow shorter. Not so with Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha.) It is just hitting its stride, starting to open velvety purple calyces from which extend white blossoms beloved by both hummingbirds and butterflies, along with nearly every other pollinator known to man. I like how its stems bend in graceful arches, echoing the form of native grasses now heavy with seed. Plant information states that it is an evergreen perennial in Zones 8 to 10. I garden in Zone 7(a), but because winters have been consistently warmer in the last few years, I have a large stand of Mexican Bush Sage gracing my middle garden. It came back so heartily this spring that I actually divided it for the first time. Even in those years when it doesn't return, I still plant it...

'The Fairy' rose. Good question. It's one my friends have asked, along with others like whether I'll have anything to write. I hope so. Tucking infant plants into much-amended sandy soil and caring for them throughout Oklahoma's blisteringly hot summers takes imagination and determination. Creating a blog requires the same. It hasn't been easy. Although I operate a Sony digital camera and a lime green iPod with some success, I know very little about computer code. And, having a little html knowledge would come in handy right now. But, I am undaunted. I want to show you lovely pictures and share a little bit about myself and the place I call home. So, welcome to my ramblings, which include roses, jaunts through the countryside with Bill looking for the perfect shot of a dirt road, and other things to come . . . . Again, Bienvenue. Thanks for stopping by.