After three weeks of being overseas and in my old hometown of Bakersfield, California I will be flying back to Texas today. There were bulbs blooming in Bakersfield though. One of my favorites was of course the Chinese Sacred Lily (Narcissus orientalis). The plant seemed more compact and not nearly as tall as ours though and I wonder if it was a different variety. Our yard still displays the salvias that I planted almost seven years ago as a horticulture student at Bakersfield College.

We lived on a bluff in Bakersfield, and there was always plenty of wildlife to keep my childhood interesting. One day I looked out and saw a bobcat walking on my neighbors roof. Other times kit foxes would show up walking along the back fence line, but I think the birds have always been my favorite part of the yard. Red tailed hawks, finches, sparrows, and even a chucker. The chucker became our friend and we named him Chuck--very creative. In the mornings we would wake up to see our big dog, Lady, our Maltese, Tugger, and Chuck all sitting together at the back door waiting for food. Where's the horticulture in all of this? It's in the mockingbird. The pyracantha bushes are in full fruit and the mockingbirds are jealously guarding their supply of this nice tasting intoxicant!

Mom passed away one year ago today, so I imagine we won't have the house much longer. It will be sad to loose the house and view of the Sierra Nevada mountains with the oil wells dotting the valley below. I will miss the birds and wildlife, but I know that for everything in life there is an ending.