JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU

If there's one thing worse than August in Texas, it's early September in Texas. By this time, most everyone else in the country is talking about their first cool snaps and ripening pumpkins, while we're still stuck here in Hades, swatting mosquitoes. It's way too hot to crank up the oven or stand out over a hot grill, but our veggie growers are doing the summer-to-fall-garden segue, so there's not much in the way of fresh local produce to inspire a light, simple meal. Which is why I have no foodie pictures to post. The swimmin' holes have shut down for the season, but the fall-festival-frenzy has not yet begun, so there are no outdoor adventure photos to post either. And, on top of all that, pretty much everything on our property is brown and crispy right now. So what's a gal to blog about?

Early this morning, before the sun came out and we worked our way back up into the 90s once again, I took my camera out and wandered around, desperate to find something, anything, to photograph. I'd all but given up hope when suddenly, I spotted this...

two little succulents -- sedum Autumn Joy and this thing I've always called Cow's Tongue, but just discovered is not -- which found themselves next to one another purely by chance. Both spent most of the year a solid gray-green, but have suddenly dressed themselves in these gorgeous russet tones that blend so beautifully with one another. Two perfect little autumn harbingers.

Just goes to show you. If you look hard enough, there's always something to be grateful for!