Garden Delights: A Fig in November

by Lydia Holley November 18, 2024

I looked out my window and gasped. A fig! A fig in November. My tree produced abundantly this summer and has lost most of its leaves already to the changing seasons. I am not certain I have ever had a fig in November on my tree before, but it was a delight to see.

This time of year is my favorite because it brings so many delights. One is the abundance of butterflies. Some are migrating through. Others seem to have multiplied throughout the year and are getting ready for the scarcity of winter.

Also abundant are blooms. Summer flowers such as roses, lantana, dwarf ruellia, and other are still flushed with color. Fall blooms such as chrysanthemums and asters are opening. Fall-blooming camellias are sporting large, multi-petaled flowers. Grasses are sprouting colorful plumes. Leaves are turning before falling off the trees. Berries are ripening on shrubs and trees. My nandina and some holly berries have not yet matured, but my yaupon is full of bright red clusters.

The weather, too, has been about as perfect as Texas weather gets. Not too cold to go outside, and not too hot, either. It is just right for working outdoors and getting chores completed before temperatures turn chilly.

Recently, I have noticed a different kind of delight. It is both odd and beautiful, and like a fig in November, it is something I have never seen before. My cat, Daisy, sits on the windowsill inside and stares out. From her vantage point, she watches bees, butterflies, and wasps. She also has noticed a lizard running along the outside of the windowsill around the same time each day. As the days have passed, the lizard has moved slower and slower in front of the cat, while Daisy has begun timing the lizard’s appearances.

I do not think the lizard understands Daisy would not be such a good friend if she were not behind a glass partition. The other day, Daisy was asleep in her cat bed instead of in the windowsill when the lizard came out. The lizard stopped, walked up to the glass, and put its hand on it as if to look for its new friend. The lizard missed Daisy. It continued to pace and peer into the glass until Daisy appeared. Since then, Daisy and the lizard continue to watch each other. It warms my heart that Daisy is enjoying her own style of garden delights even though she is not allowed outdoors.

For those of us that can go outside, there are many delights to enjoy. Do it while the weather is nice.

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