Moby turns 10 amid tequila party fanfare

August 10, 2015


Only one plant in my garden has earned a name. You know who I’m talking about, right? Moby, my beloved Whale’s Tongue agave (A. ovatifolia), just turned 10 years old. That is to say, I’ve had him for 10 years — 7 years in my current garden, plus 3 in my old garden.

Whale's tongue agave
When I brought him home, in August 2005 (read one of my earliest posts about him), he was a novelty. I’d just started to appreciate agaves and took a chance on this new-to-the-nursery-trade species.


I immediately fell in love with his good looks — like a big blue rose — and uncomplaining disposition. When we moved from our old house in 2008, I was determined that he would come with us and spent a sweaty September afternoon digging him up.


After all these years together, I couldn’t let Moby’s 10th birthday slide by without acknowledgment. And what better way to celebrate the occasion than a tequila party with my gardening friends? Sure, there’s a whiff of cannibalism in it (for the uninitiated, tequila is made from blue agaves), but I set up the drinks table well out of Moby’s view. In his honor, I served pitchers of margaritas and palomas plus tequila-infused watermelon pops, which provided a refreshing and zingy shot of flavor — oh yeah! — on this 100-degree day. That’s David/Mr. Rock Rose hovering over the watermelon pops.


I’m so glad to have friends who get my Moby obsession and were ready to celebrate with me. Here are Julian, Teresa, Lori (The Gardener of Good and Evil), Caroline (The Shovel-Ready Garden), and Laura (Wills Family Acres).


Howdy, Cat (The Whimsical Gardener) and Vicki (Playin’ Outside)!


As the Death Star sank below the trees, the party moved outside, centering around the birthday boy. There’s Jenny/Rock Rose with Laura on the left. On the right are landscape architect Christy Ten Eyck and author and tequila maven Lucinda Hutson.


And here are the smiling faces of Diana (Sharing Nature’s Garden) and Linda (Patchwork Garden). Behind them are Alice, Charlotte (the organizer for Austin Open Day tour), and David.


After a couple of palomas I was feeling pretty good, and so when someone (perhaps even tipsier than I) suggested we all sing “Happy Birthday” to Moby, I was all-in. Mr. Rock Rose kindly took a few photos of Moby being serenaded. Joining me are Chris (Watching My Garden Grow), Lori, and Rebecca (Rebecca’s Retreat). On the right are Bob (Central Texas Gardening), Jenny, Caroline, and Katina (Gardening in Austin).


What a hoot! I had a blast and hope my guests did too. I’m kind of amazed that I threw a garden party in August, perhaps the meanest summer month in Austin and just a week after I whacked back a lot of plants to prepare them for our “second spring” in October. But it turned out just fine — a little sweaty but totally fun. As for the garden, Moby was the star, and he always looks handsome.

If you’d like to try a paloma, it’s easy to mix a pitcher to serve your friends, and it’s a nice change from a margarita. Here’s the recipe I used, from Food52.

Paloma Pitcher

2 parts 100% agave tequila (I like El Jimador)
2 parts Simply Grapefruit grapefruit juice (in the refrigerated aisle of the grocery store)
1 part Fresca grapefruit soda
1 part St-Germain elderflower liqueur
Ice cubes
Lime wedges or grapefruit wedges (optional)

1. Scale the amounts for whatever size pitcher you’re using. For my party, I used a tall glass as my measuring cup, and filled it twice with tequila, twice with Simply Grapefruit, once with Fresca, and once with St-Germain.

2. Stir to mix well.

3. Pour into ice-filled glasses.

4. If you like, garnish with a lime or grapefruit wedge.

5. Sip and enjoy!

Helpful notes: You can mix the pitcher several hours ahead except for the carbonated Fresca, which will go flat; wait to add it until you’re ready to serve. Pre-chill the Fresca and Simply Grapefruit so that the drink will be cold when poured over ice. Don’t put ice in the pitcher, or it’ll water down your drinks.

All material © 2006-2015 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

60 responses to “Moby turns 10 amid tequila party fanfare”

  1. Melody McMahon says:

    Pam, I’ve been admiring Moby ever since I’ve been reading your blog and trying to figure out where I can plant one of his relatives! He is indeed a very handsome guy! May he live many, many years to come!

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Thanks for the longevity wishes, Melody. I’m hoping he lives to a ripe old age too, although I think he may already be old by ‘Whale’s Tongue’ standards. —Pam

  2. Peter/Outlaw says:

    Happy birthday Moby! Looks like everyone had a great time and the guest of honor could not have looked more dashing. My A. ovatifolia has made it through three soggy NW winters and grows larger each year but I don’t know if he’ll ever get as big as Moby in our climate. Thanks for the recipe, sounds delicious.

  3. Patty Soriano says:

    Oh, Pam! What a grand idea! We Texans will celebrate anything for a margarita !! 🙂 Here’s to Moby (clink) and another 10 years !!

  4. Hooray for Moby! What a fabulous idea and Moby seems to be blushing a little during the singing of the song. Great recipe, I’ll have to try that one out. Happy Birthday to you, Mr. Moby!!

  5. Jenny says:

    It truly was a wonderful party with so many great friends and Moby. We have all come to know and love him and his fellow species. I went for the traditional margarita and the watermelon pops. You know they did the trick when I took home all your waifs and strays.

  6. Moby looked quite handsome all decked out for his party. What a hoot. I haven’t heard a better reason for a party in a long time. I remember when you got him and when you moved him. He is part of the family after all and deserved this celebration. Woot woot…

  7. Xericstyle says:

    Happy Birthday, Moby!!!!!!!
    XXxX (blowing kisses, no ouchie hugs)

  8. I love that you did this, what a fun time! Moby is simply dashing in his birthday finery. Here’s to another 10 years!

  9. Diana Studer says:

    (that’s a first – an agave birthday ;~)

    With a blue dress code?

    Happy birthday, Moby!

    Going to reread your transplant story. That was one of the earliest blog posts to make an impression on me. And it stays with me years later. I do admire that Gardening!

    • Pam/Digging says:

      I noticed that quite a few guests were decked out in blue, just like Moby. No dress code except perhaps a subconscious wish among all of us for cooler weather, and blues just feel cooler. —Pam

  10. Laura says:

    One of the better birthday parties I’ve been to 🙂 Thanks for a great time. Moby is truly something.

  11. Denise says:

    Happy BD to Moby! He really does look like a whale breaching out of that planter now.

  12. Nell says:

    There you are living out the blog’s tagline! Congrats to Moby, and thanks for the instructive visual lesson in How Big They Get.

  13. It was a great party.

    Moby is quite the handsome….and, big…birthday boy!

  14. Rebecca says:

    I enjoyed Moby’s party, the gardening friends, food, and the margaritas. Thanks for not kicking us out of your yard!

    • Pam/Digging says:

      I wouldn’t have dreamed of it, Rebecca. I was having way too much fun! And it was surprisingly breezy and cool by 10 pm, wasn’t it? —Pam

  15. rickii says:

    May Moby have many happy returns of the day!

  16. Happy birthday, Moby! Wish I could have been there to celebrate with you. I hope I get to meet you before you leave home for college, never to be seen again.

    But if you decide to stay home instead of leaving the nest, you only have 11 more years before you get to try one of those delectable palomas!

  17. Jean says:

    Hi to all my Austin gardening friends! And happy birthday to Moby! Yes, it is pretty amazing that you threw a party in August and you all didn’t melt but I’m sure the tequila helped. 🙂

  18. It was *the* social event of the season and I was delighted to be there to help you celebrate! p.s those watermelon pops were killer.

  19. Kris P says:

    What a great reason for a party! I can’t believe how BIG Moby is. It’s a little scary really, given that my whale’s tongue agave is just 3 year’s old this month. Methinks I may have to find another place for him…

    • Pam/Digging says:

      I’d say it ultimately needs about 8 feet of space to spread out, at least in a warm climate like yours and mine. And let’s just say it’s as easy as it’s ever going to get to move yours, Kris. —Pam

  20. What fun! A tequila-themed birthday party for ten-year-old Moby is the perfect summer event. Just glad you didn’t let the youngster indulge 😉

  21. TexasDeb says:

    Feliz cumpleaños, Moby! Long may you reign, big boy!

    We use a pared down version of your Paloma recipe I snagged out of an NYT article years ago. It has gotten us through many a torrid summer evening (as far as we can recall, anyway…).

    Your tequila infused party-goers didn’t happen to engage in any rain dancing along with your serenading did you?

  22. Layanee says:

    A great reason for a party! You ‘Moby’ is growing up to be a fine specimen.

  23. Cindy, MCOK says:

    I wish I could have joined y’all … that looks like great fun! Happy birthday, Moby!

  24. Katina says:

    It was a blast – thanks for having us!

  25. peter schaar says:

    Happy Birthday, Moby! Looks like you had a swell birthday party. I’m envious, but I know you deserved it after all those years pulling guard duty.

  26. Last summer we had two brunches in the garden to celebtae 20 years at our house. None of my plants are as big and gorgeous as Moby or I would have had a party in their honor.great idea and great sounding drink.

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Twenty years is an excellent reason to throw a party. You’ll have to throw another one when you finish your stonework out front. It’s going to be gorgeous! —Pam

  27. 20 more death star seasons, Moby! Looks like a fun party

  28. Happy Birthday Moby!

    And thank you for linking to all of your guest’s blogs! I’m still figuring out how “in” I am on gardening (I love “looking”, but I’m still experimenting with “doing”), but it’s really helpful to be able to follow blogs that are local to Austin and relevant to the options I have here.