Leave a little sunshine, please?

After two days wih the heat on last weekend, I've had 4 days without and an evening with the AC on again.

Typical North Texas fall.We could have a freeze between now and close to Christmas, which is why you have gardeners jauntily cultivating their surviving-or newly planted-tomatoes along with the broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts. And spinach.

I can't leave the windows open because of another rapaciously growing plant--ragweed. I have found a source through my pharmacy for my antihistimine of choice and am doing well. I just sleep more than usual.

With the high price of pecans, I had high hopes for the tree in my back yard before last summer's drought. Despite some fairly frequent watering, however, it is dying, contrarty to the nearby burr oak that got no help and is thriving.

Pecans grow faster, usually are drought tolerant, and provide nuts. The burr oak is native, can't be moved, grows slowly, but apparently well, and isn't going anywhere. By the time I die, it may provide backyard shade for the deck. Some.

I plan to redo the yard and find a place fairly near the driveway for a pecan in the front. My Bradford tree is huge and old. It, too, will be dying.

The maple in the middle of the front yard died before I moved in. There's a stump.

I can't do anything about the planning, but no trees shade the house. In Texas, that just seems wrong. I need some sunshine for some of my flowers and vegetables. Persons Who Are Not Gardeners planned all this. My dad was a gardener, so I cast no sexist aspersions, but it is true the persons who planted the trees are Men. Just not enlightened ones.

I wish for an enthusiastic one with a roto-tiller. Who wants to till as, and when, I wish. As a mother, I just never guilted my sons enough, and now I don't have enough money. Sigh. I'll make do. I'll plant. I'll dadgum try, and maybe, just maybe,

Come up flowers and tomatoes next spring!