The Devil in disguise...

I woke up during the night with a sore throat.  I know this sore throat, as I have had hundreds of them over my lifetime.  It is that precursor of a full blown upper respiratory infection - one that only occasionally can be quelled before making life not so pleasant for a number of weeks.

Yes, along with the absolute sheer beauty of the spring in Houston comes the absolute terror of oak, pecan, and flower pollens that wreak havoc on those of us whose immune systems go into overdrive.  Add to that the extra workload of said season in a garden environment, and voila!  People get sick.

At least this year, there were plenty of opportunities for me to drink in my fill of the loveliness before I succumbed to the unpleasantness.  These gardens are a place of solace, joy, amazement, triumph, comfort, peace, reflection, and discovery - and I'm ever grateful to have had them as my "backyard" for these nearly 6 years.