`Tulips and Rice Owls in Houston – 2026-03-04 03:52:29

Blushing orange tulips greeted me last week in Houston in my friend Amy’s garden. Spring hadn’t yet cracked open buds on trees and perennials. But oh, those tulips — such impractical magic!… Read More

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February 23, 2026

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Blushing orange tulips greeted me last week in Houston in my friend Amy’s garden. Spring hadn’t yet cracked open buds on trees and perennials. But oh, those tulips — such impractical magic!

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Amy told me her designer, David Morello, plants a handful of tulip bulbs each fall in large terracotta pots as part of his maintenance of the garden. The orange-on-orange flowers warm up the garden in early spring, and it doesn’t take many to make an impact.

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With her hot-pink shirt, Amy was giving spring vibes herself.

Meet the Author event at Rice University

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Photo by Friends of Fondren

That evening, Amy and I appeared together at Rice University for a Meet the Author event coordinated by Rice Alumni and Friends of Fondren. In front of a full room (plus a Zoom audience) of alums and other attendees, with Amy leading the conversation as moderator, I shared about my years at Rice and how my writing career and new book evolved.

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Photo by Friends of Fondren

Amy and I go way back — to our freshman year of college — so it felt especially meaningful to sit beside her and reminisce before a crowd of Rice Owls. I pointed out that three of the featured gardens in my book belong to alumnae: Amy’s in Houston, Dacia Napier’s in San Antonio, and my own in Austin. Gardening Owls across Texas!