A New Hope Springs Eternal

At least he ate most of it.

Please forgive the Wheel of Fortune Before-and-After style title. I couldn't decide on one or the other so I split the difference.

It seems as though my pepper spray squirrel deterrent is a resounding failure (Thanks a lot, Andrew). Three(!) more tomatoes have gone missing as of this morning. At this point I'm starting to worry that even the store-bought tomatoes in my refrigerator are at risk. I've considered adopting some hungry cats from the animal shelter to keep chained to my tomato cages. Unfortunately, I know too many "cat people," like Travis, who would probably frown on this. But, I am an optimist. Well, maybe not exactly, but I do have a borderline-unhealthy confidence in my own problem-solving skills. I am sure that eventually I'll come up with something.

In an effort to lift our spirits in these dark tomatoless times, I have decided to post pictures of tangible gardening hope. I don't know about where you live, but here in Austin spring is winding down and summer is upon us. We're quickly approaching the time of year when some of the best flowers flower. Also, I like the look of flower buds because they remind me of the plant from Little Shop of Horrors that demands to be fed by Seymor. So, here are some soon-to-open or just barely opened flowers from around the garden:

Exciting things to come from one of my favorites. This is the first gladiolus flower to bloom and it's got a stalk covered with buds that stands literally 2 feet high above this one.

Lily-of-Denial (cliche joke, best I could come up with)

This will one day be an enormous orange hibiscus flower unless squirrels also eat these.

This begonia is a trooper, still blooming in the brutal heat.