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Saturday, September 16, 2017

We're Getting Close to Fall...aren't we?


~ Snailseed Vine * Fort Worth, Texas * photo by Suzanne

Well, howdy there, gardening podnahs!  We are now into the middle of September, and banking on an early fall.  Come next week, Autumn is supposed to become official!  Is it just a rumor?
 Also, I have not been very present on MyTexasGardens this summer, and, I apologize for that.  The weather has been pretty hot and muggy, and I just wasn't up for fighting off mosquitoes and pesky wasps!  Let's hope I become a bit more motivated as the weather cools down! 

The photo above is of a vine on my fence that faces south, and, this plant is a regular every Spring, and, into the Fall before Winter freezes it out.  They call it the Snailseed Vine, or, Moonseed Vine.  When I first saw this climbing the fence years ago, I would try to cut it off to get rid of it.  But, then I noticed the pretty little shiny berries, and have come to welcome the vine with an approving smile.  I don't cut it back anymore either, lol!

* Yahoo images

Snailseed vine grows easily throughout Texas, usually popping up in early Spring.   It is also capable of spreading itself around,  growing on shrubs, and hanging from trees.  The plant does not have thorns, as does the Greenbriar...ugh, I have some of that too!  And, yes...the berries can be toxic to humans, but, the birds love them!  I wonder why this Texas vine is called the Carolina Snailseed vine!  Could it be because it attracts the Carolina Chickadee?  Chickadees prefer nuts and sunflower seeds, but will eat berries in the winter.

~ Carolina Chickadee * photo by Suzanne

*** I had to work to get this photo...Chickadees move fast!  I got lucky on this one!

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~ Here is another view of the Snailseed on my neighbor's side of the fence. 
 My white Oleander is in the background of the photo ~  
* taken by Suzanne 9-16-17 *

Even though I did not plant this vine, I did find that you can purchase the seeds for planting, or harvest your own seeds.  You simply peal the fruit off of a ripe berry and the seed is actually shaped like a snail!  EW!  The berries are pretty small, and I did not want to dive into that one, so I sleuthed (is that a word?) the internet, and found a picture of the seed.  They can be planted in late Fall or early Spring, shallowly, in part shade to full sun, near a fence or trellis.  This plant is not capable of attaching to another wooded plant, so it will travel to find something suitable for climbing.  

Snailseed seeds *  Yahoo images

If the roots don't freeze out in the winter, you can count on this one returning in the Spring.  The berries will stay in order for the birds to enjoy them as the Winter progresses.  Then the leaves will die back, giving the appearance of a dead plant.  But, mine always returns!

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So, there we have it my dear friends!  With a bit of summer left, going into fall, the grounds are changing, and the trees are taking on new meaning,  My Pecan trees are loaded, and the squirrels are busy trying to get some of the nuts buried!

I believe we're well on our way to a productive Autumn season, don't you agree?

* Pecan tree * photo by Suzanne July 29,2017 * Fort Worth, Texas

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Thank you so much for coming by today. It has been a stressful time for many folks who have suffered through recent Hurricanes and devastating flooding.  There have also been some tragic wildfires, destroying wooded areas and homes.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you all!

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The elementary school that my grandson attends, pulled together and reached out to all parents and staff for donations of supplies to aid the victims of  Hurricane Harvey in Texas.  These supplies will be distributed to various churches and shelters this coming week to help displaced families.
Below is a photo of  the supplies donated by my Grandson's third grade class.

Thank you third graders for your kindness!  

~ photo by Suzanne * 3rd Grade pod * September 15, 2017

*Please stop in and say hello if you have time.  I welcome all visitors, of all ages!  And, I appreciate all comments, even if it's just a hello!   
Be safe, and have a great week ahead!
See you next time💝

*Hi Mom!

Thank you:
West Birdville Elementary School
Wikipedia
Google
Blogger
davesgarden.com 
wildflower.org
npsot.org (Native Plant Society of Texas)

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"Be kind whenever possible.  It is always possible!"
~Mother Teresa






6 comments:

  1. Hi, Suzanne!

    I saw your post late last night but needed to get to bed and arise by 5 am today, and so I decided to read it in its entirety and comment as I drank my morning coffee. Here I am!

    Thank you for reporting on your snailseed vine. It is lovely, like putting a ribbon and bow on your property, and the seed is unique. Mrs. Shady is a lover of vines. Over the years she experimented with vines at various spots on the property where we used to live there in the center of the state. I didn't pay much attention to them unless and until they become a nuisance, and therefore I can't tell you exactly which types of vines she selected. I do know that she routinely picked plants, shrubs and trees that yielded berries for wildlife and blossoms that attracted bees to our garden. We had a large iron trellis in one of the planting beds and it hosted a mass of creeping vines. Vines also grew on our side of the neighbor's fence, a scene similar to yours. The problem we had with some of the vines is that they intruded where they were not wanted. Some ran up the side of our stucco house and looked unsightly and some wound around trees.

    Are you going to make pecan pies or let the squirrels gather all those nuts? Here in Central Florida it is hard for me to think about fall at this time of year because the weather remains hot and sticky. In fact it was hotter than usual immediately after Hurricane Irma struck and thousands were left w/o power and air conditioning. It is often still uncomfortably warm and buggy (mosquitoes) at Halloween and so there is no relief in sight for us just yet.

    It is encouraging to see the amount of goods collected by Scootie's school to assist displaced victims of Hurricane Harvey. Scootie is learning good citizenship and how good it feels to help other people when they are down. I wanted to let you know that I love Scootie's roses painting so much that I am using it as my desktop background. Yesterday I summoned Mrs. Shady to my office and showed her the painting but told her nothing about the artist or his age. Mrs. S is an experienced artist who attended the Maryland Art Institute in Baltimore and whose work has appeared in local exhibits. When evaluating the work of other artists she is typically hard to impress and rarely uses superlatives, yet she raved about those roses and was flabbergasted when I told her they were rendered by your grandson in the second grade.

    Thank you very much for an interesting and informative post, dear friend Suzanne. Enjoy your Sunday and have a great week ahead!

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    1. Hi Shady. I slept in just about 30 minutes later than usual, guess I needed a little extra rest! You know, I found the snailseed vine to be intrusive before I saw that it would produce the glossy berries. I would tug at it and cut on it. That made it worse, because the leaves would die where I cut them, making the vine really ugly! The only vine I have planted on purpose is the Sweet Pea vine, and I haven't done that in some years! But, I love the multi-color sweet pea blooms. I noticed that the snailseed vine has traveled far down the fence row on my neighbor's side of the fence this year. Some of these vines are very intrusive, like the briar vines for instance. They are so hard to get rid of, and, they hurt.

      I am hoping the pecans get ripe before the squirrels get to them, so I can pluck the good ones. This year the trees are just loaded. When I lived west of Fort Worth outside of city limits, the pecan trees on the property would only abundantly produce about every other year. That's how mine were last year, and there were a lot on the ground that were not good. If I can get enough, I will surely make a pie!

      When you thanked me for reporting on my snailseed vine, it made me think of Karo. He would tell me that I am a reporter on my blogs, not just a storyteller! He said that he liked the way that I report, yet I always add a little personal humor about my own experiences on the subject I am reporting on!

      I'm pleased that you and Mrs. Shady are impressed with Scootie's roses painting! He brought it home before school's end last spring, and I immediately hoarded it so it wouldn't get thrown out accidentally! He doesn't like his drawings, but I have encouraged him to keep trying. I also love this painting. I don't know if he copied from a picture, or just imagined the placement of the roses, and created them from his mind's eye!

      Thank you so much for having coffee with my blog this morning, Shady! I appreciate all of your comments and compliments. I'm with you on the laziness of summer dragging into October. I remember our "Trick or Treat" days being a bit cooler. We would wear sweaters under our costumes. Today, your ghoul makeup starts running in the 90 degree heat at 6:30 evening time! And, the mosquitoes will get you if you're sitting outside!

      Thank you again, dear friend, and have a great week. Take care and don't work too hard! ♫♫

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  2. Hello, Kudos to your grandson and his class for helping the storm victims. I hope you were not affected by the storm. We tend to let some wild plants grow that have berries and fruits for the birds and wildlife. Those red berries add a pop of color. It is starting to look like fall around here, the trees are turning colors and some leaves are already falling. It is neat you have a pecan tree, will you be making some pies? Happy Sunday, enjoy your day and new week ahead!

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  3. Hi Eileen. I do hope to get plenty of pecans for a pie this year. I haven't made one in many years, and will have to scout around for an easy recipe. I'm sure Paula Dean has a recipe up her sleeve, haha! She uses too much butter and sugar though. And, I like to freeze pecans to use later in brownies and jello! I do enjoy the red snailseed berries on the fence, for as you say, a pop of color. And, I am glad the birds like to visit and snack on them too!

    Fortunately, we did experience some cooler weather and bouts of rain during the storms, but are now back to sultry, hot days. And, my grandson's school really did a good job organizing the supply contributions for the families in need.

    My neighbor's china berry tree is already shedding its leaves, and the berries will remain on the tree for the birds. The berries are not good for humans or other animals though, and, they fall to the ground during wind and rain storms.

    Thank you so much for coming by and leaving a comment! I can't wait to see your autumn pictures when the rich colors begin to appear. Have a very nice Sunday and upcoming week!

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  4. Hello Dear Suzanne, lovely to read your post and to find out about your pretty Snailseed vine... those seeds are amazing aren't they. Also, the pretty red berries are delightful to see and would be a real treat for the birds.
    I love how your Grandson's school has helped with collecting items for those who need them - apart from the practical side, it's a beautiful way to engage the students in an act of sharing.

    As you move into Autumn, we are to Spring - our gardens undergo such changes don't they, thank goodness for the joy of gardening!

    Lovely to catch up, and now I see your other blog is showing a new post (I've been away from mine for a while). Take care, and with warmest thoughts xx

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    1. Dear Sue, it is so good to see you! It seems like you've been away for quite a while, and, you have been missed! The differences in our seasons are so amazing-we will go into a "pretend" winter, and you will have a beautiful Spring! I hope your chicks and Miss Hennypenny are all doing well. I may not have spelled her name correctly.

      I am always glad to see the red berries at the end of the summer. It means that Autumn is on the way, or, else, it's just a daydream of mine, haha! And, all of the cities have been so gracious and giving toward the hurricane victims. And, as you said, it also gives the students a head start into being compassionate and giving. I am so glad we could help, even in a small way.

      Thank you so much for stopping by, with your kind comments, Sue! I hope you and MD are doing well. I'll be watching for a new post from you. Have a wonderful week ahead. Sending hugs your way! xx

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