OPENING LINES “TEXAS GARDENER”
The magazine for Texas gardeners, by Texas gardeners
STAFF Editor & Publisher Chris S. Corby Managing Editor Michael Bracken Contributing Editors Greg Grant Skip Richter William Scheick Office Manager Deborah Corby
CONTRIBUTING ADVISORS Vegetable Specialist Sam Cotner, Ph.D. Entomologist Bastiaan M. Drees, Ph.D. Fruit Tree Specialist Larry A. Stein, Ph.D. Plant Pathologist Larry Barnes, Ph.D. Organic Specialist
Malcolm Beck Turfgrass Specialist James A. McAfee, Ph.D.
TEXAS TOUGH PEOPLE
About the same time as we were working on this issue of Texas Gardener, Hurricane Ike slammed the Texas coast near Houston, flooding much of the area with rising sea water and blowing down towering pine trees like they were matchsticks. It was a tough time for our friends and fellow gardeners in the area. Our hearts went out to them, but we had faith they would rise to the challenge. And rise to the challenge they did. After all, Houston isn’t New Orleans and Texas is no country for pessimists or quitters.
I know there were lots of you who hung in there, kept your spirits up and just dug in and started getting the job done, and I know there is a lot more to get done. But near the top of my list has to be Lillian Illig, Houston gardener and frequent writer for this magazine.
Lillian is 99 years young and can tell you a thing or two about gardening (see her article on cuttings on page 24 of this issue). Over the past years, she has written on just about everything from bougainvilleas to compost for Texas Gardener, and I have learned something new from her every time she has put ink to paper. I hope you have too.Lillian didn’t run for the hills when Ike came knocking. Lillian rode the storm out at her Houston home. And after the storm she stayed to be with her plants, enduring 12 days without air conditioning while the power was knocked out.
Each day after the storm, Lillian cut fresh flowers from her garden, placed them in baskets and, with the help of her daughter Carol and son Dale, traveled the neighborhood in her chair providing encouragement and cheer for her friends and neighbors.
Once again, I know there are others out there who suffered even more. Folks like Margaret Prosperie whose home and garden were severely damaged by rising salt water. I have faith that your spirits will improve with time as well. It may take longer but things will get better because Texas Tough people like Lillian and Margaret don’t give up. They persevere. They are “Texas Tough.”
Until next time, great gardening! Chris S. Corby Editor & Publisher
TEXAS GARDENER ! NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ! 2008 www.TEXASGARDENER.COM