Ima Hogg

            Ima Hogg is one of the founding mothers of Houston. And, yes, her name really was Ima Hogg. They say she had a sister named Ura, but that is just urban legend. :-) Why would you name a child Ima if your last name were Hogg? I have no idea. But this family was wealthy enough to avoid teasing. . . at least to their faces.  

            Ima and her siblings built a big, beautiful house on the Bayou and named it Bayou Bend. She designed the gardens and collected antiques to fill her home. She also started the Houston Symphony. Now her home and gardens is part of the Museum of Fine Arts. 

           Brent and I went for the Azalea Walk to see the flowers in bloom. Azaleas are one of my favorite flowers-- partly because they grew in the courtyard of the apartment building where I grew up. And partly because one year at family camp we found them in full, wild bloom on the banks of a mountain creek. I didn't know azaleas could grow wild, and it is to this day one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Unfortunately, at the beginning of March there were mostly buds on the bushes instead of flowers. But it was still gorgeous. I'm still amazed every day how beautiful it is here in Texas!

We decided to visit again at the end of March to see if the flowers had bloomed more. Turns out, they had already died!!  So we missed the azaleas this year. I really wanted to see them in the butterfly garden below. I guess there are supposed to be different colored azaleas in the stripes.

 The trip was pretty disappointing, but at least the hydrangeas and wisteria were beautiful. I have been loving spring in Houston. I love having my windows open and hearing the birds chirp. I love going walking around Piney Point-- the richest neighborhood in Houston-- which is only a couple blocks from where I live. I love feeling the cool breeze, with only a hint of humidity in the air. Keep it coming!