Creeks, Rivers, Streams – Page 5

Hey Suna, Why Do You Travel Alone?

People sometimes look at me like I have two heads when I tell them I go to places far away from the ranch all by myself for weeks at a time. Plus, my spouse if fine with it. Why, why why?

And why put this colorful ginger (I think) flower here? It’s pretty.

A quick answer is that we are both hermits (hence the blog title) and enjoy time alone. That’s true, but not really why I do it. One of my traits is that I tend to take the whole “Pisces” thing to many levels (I find some of the personality aspects of astrology helpful, but no, I don’t base my decisions on it). Most aspects of my personality have two distinct and often contradictory aspects. For example, I enjoy dressing in a gender-neutral fashion, but I have those long fancy fingernails and slap flowers on most of my shirts.

That goes along with how I always come out borderline on tests of introversion versus extroversion. I’m one way sometimes, and the other when the situation changes. And I crave alone time but have never lived alone. Ever. People I’ve broken up with tend to hang out with me until someone new arrives. And when I had two houses for a few years, because I was still working in Austin, I had my friend Anita in the Austin houses.

It’s the Austin house (Bobcat Lair) showing lovely dark rain clouds. Ah.

My point is that I found it odd that I insisted on having a companion wherever I lived. Was I incapable of living alone? I tested that by traveling to these condos alone. (Note that I’m not camping in the wilderness; I still want to feel safe.) And what I’ve found is that I have a hard time coming up with a daily routine without someone else to build the routine around. My first few trips it felt very strange deciding for myself what to do, where to go, what to eat, how to entertain myself, without having to negotiate it with someone else. I was uneasy making decisions with no input.

I decided all by myself to pick up thistle seeds and watch them blow around, to make more thistles.

This week I’ve realized that I’m totally comfortable alone. I don’t need a routine, because one evolves naturally. I get up, dress, make coffee, write in my journal…etc. and it becomes a routine. And the silence is glorious. If there are sounds, they’re my choice. Now that I know I can do it, maybe I don’t need to be alone for parts of my travel so much. Still, Lee hates to be away from home for long, so this might continue.

I’m sure he’s not as fascinated by pelicans as I am.

With that musing out of the way, I’ll hit the highlights of my solo day in Hilton Head yesterday. I’m making the most out of having no car by exploring all the nooks and crannies I can walk to. There were no raptor sightings, but I did get startled by unexpectedly encountering a Great Blue Heron in a little pond. The herons here are much more accustomed to people than the ones at home, who fly off if they detect me anywhere near them.

Otherwise, I did another walk on the Prayer Trail, with so many pretty warblers, Painted Buntings, and Great Crested Flycatchers. I even came across a new life bird, the Wood Thrush, who looks a lot like a Hermit Thrush but sounds different.

I then found a trail in the woods next to the Prayer Trail. It had signs on either end admonishing folks not to ride their motorbikes on it. As far as I was concerned, that meant it was perfectly fine to walk the trail. Nothing said, “no trespassing.” So, I went on it.

What fun that was! This was a much less cleared trail through similar virgin woods (well, it IS the same woods) to the other one. I saw many lizards and skinks (not skunks, as autocorrect changed my Facebook caption to), and some gorgeous trees. I felt like an explorer.

Later in the day, after a delicious veggie flatbread at the bar, I walked down the beach again to see what shore birds were around. I was delighted to find some Royal Terns among the gulls. They are beautiful in flight, but I find them quite comical on the ground. Their crowns look like old man hats, and the way they were walking around chatting with each other just made me smile.

Later I saw some doing mating flights, which was fun to watch, as well as very loud.

Otherwise, I spent much of the walk dodging dozens of Cannonball Jellies that had washed up. I was glad not to be barefoot, as there were also many sharp-looking pieces of crabs strewn around. I guess the birds only like the middles of crabs.

When I came home, I gleefully read my book and watched whatever television show I cared to watch (this time it was Matlock). I have no doubt that by the time Lee gets here, I’ll be happy to have a companion to plan around, however.

Still Here, Saw Owls, Binged on Books and TV

I didn’t write last night because I was being a self-indulgent vacationer. After a truly excellent walk to the lagoon area near where I’m staying on Hilton Head Island, I had an indulgent lunch of eggs Benedict and grits, then spent the rest of the day indulging in various media. I don’t think I’ve ever done this before. It felt weird, mostly because I sat in one place for so long. I’ll get to that momentarily.

very burned pizza — I would like to know the story of this poor pizza I found lying on the ground. It’s well cooked, all right.

The birding walk was most excellent. I saw and heard all kinds of birds I don’t usually run into, including a pair of Eastern Kingbirds, an American Redstart, and an Ovenbird. The trees were alive, both by the lagoon and at the nearby park, where there were also many turtles and a little alligator that really got kids excited. The only downside was that, even though I wore jeans and closed-toe shoes, I got all bit up by mosquitoes. I now need a Benadryl, which will probably put me to sleep.

The highlight of the walk was the payoff for standing quietly in an alcove at the end of Lagoon Road and watching all the birds. I was thrilled to see a Barred Owl fly right in front of me and land nearby. As I was trying to see where it was, a second Barred Owl also flew by! I figured I’d stay and see if they made any calls that Merlin could hear. I also got quite distracted by an interesting caterpillar that crawled onto my pants. This thing has many bells and whistles on it.

caterpillar — It’s a Fir Tussock moth, *Orgyia detrita*. I read the Wikipedia article on Tussock moths, and it told me those white tufts are the tussocks. I was also wise not to touch it. Those long hairs sting. Also, in the moths, the male is large and attractive, and the female is very small. Read the article!

I guess that moth really excited me because I didn’t notice the owls moving. As I was about to leave, I turned to look once more, and there was one of the owls, sitting close enough to me that even in the dark shadow, I could get a reasonable photo, once he or she moved their head. Interestingly, there was a crow sitting close by, glaring at it. As I’ve learned at home, crows aren’t very fond of owls.

barred owl — This is the closest I’ve ever been to an owl. The ones at home hide.

I got to show the owl to a couple of folks walking down the path, which was rewarding. I headed back to the Coligny shopping area, where I truly enjoyed that breakfast, all by myself. I also had a bloody Mary. I’m trying to learn to enjoy this retirement thing.

I was impressed that my meal matched my nails.

I came back to my condo and thought I’d watch another episode of the Netflix series, The Residence, which many people had recommended to me because the detective in the series is a birder. I also discovered it is set in the White House, and as a fan of The West Wing, I wanted to see how they treated it. Well, many hours later, I finished all eight episodes, the last of which was 1.5 hours. Some of the humor is very subtle, which I loved, and the birding part is okay (though the bird names were not always accurate). But I LOVED the heroine, a large Black woman who is a genius. It’s about time we had more protagonists who are different from the norm. Most of the characters were fun. I recommend this if you have a Netflix subscription. By the way, I figured out how to stream from my phone all by myself. Maybe I am the technology whiz people keep accusing me of being.

Condo view — The place I watched television from. Look, I bought healthy bananas in addition to Goldfish crackers.

I figured that I was already watching television, so I made myself a delicious Publix meal for one, got out my temperature blanket, and caught up with all the sitcoms I secretly like to watch. Lee is not fond of sitcoms, and I can see why. They are often predictable and dumb (especially poor Reba on Happy’s Place, which I doubt gets renewed – edit, Wikipedia says it did). I got that one out of the way and well into St. Denis Medical (which also got renewed) by the time I finished eating and crocheting.

Spiderwort, the Ohio kind that’s more common than the Texas ones.

I’m not totally mindless sitcom fodder, though. I did read the Eve book I talked about in my being judgy post until I fell asleep. Learning about the history of human development from a female point of view is fascinating. Much of it I didn’t know about, though having read the book about the senses a while back, I did know how male and female vision differ. I’ll write a full book report when I’ve digested all 500 pages, but now it’s time to go fight the mosquitoes and listen to more birds.

I always think of my mom when I see bottlebrush trees. She thought they were so cool, but had to explain what exactly a bottlebrush was to us as kids.

I Do Love Me a Good Woods

Nothing earth-shattering today, just a wonderful, restful, respite from anything negative. I wish we could all have such a day occasionally, where we do our favorite things at a leisurely pace.

Nothing better than an undisturbed woods.

I’d been looking forward to going back to the Prayer Trail at the nearby Presbyterian church since I left Hilton Head Island last time. It’s just the most tranquil, green, and quiet oasis imaginable, right off a busy road.

The old-growth woods embrace you as you walk the trail, and you’re immersed in bird song, squirrel chatter, and frog croaks. There were mosquitoes, so it wasn’t perfect, but wow, the warbling warblers and trilling vireos put on a show! It was hard to leave.

Leaving was made much easier when I realized I hadn’t been on the path that is next to the church. I guess I didn’t realize it went through. Ah, but it does, following a ditch or canal all the way to the next main road. There are cypress trees and many other hardwoods, like sweet gum and sand oak.

I even got to meet a guide dog in training, who was off work, so I could pet her. I went on and realized I now have a walk I can take from my condo that has woods and birds the whole way. If I don’t have other plans, this route awaits! There is always lots to see.

After doing some Master Naturalist work and checking out the new Netflix show, The Residence, which features a detective who’s a birder, I walked on the beach.

More fun dogs entertained me with their joy at being near sand and water, and dozens of Brown Pelicans sedately flew over, then went to work diving for fish. I had some good quiet beach time, but also I found it fun to watch teens playing games and laughing.

Maybe tomorrow will be more exciting. I’m going right instead of left when I leave the condo! Ooh!

What’s the Hurry?

Today I was feeling quite fine, perhaps even groovy, while I was on my walk around Nails Creek State Park on an uncharacteristically cool April morning. I was reminded of the Simon and Garfunkel song that reminds us:

Slow down, you move too fast!
You’ve got to make the morning last!

That was from “Feeling Groovy,” if you aren’t old enough to have it pop right into your head. That’s how I was, too, taking my time, feeling the sand beneath my hiking shoes, and in the groove.

Life, I love you. All is groovy!

Groovy soapberry flowers

While I was walking and walking (fast enough to keep warm but not very fast), I realized that when I walk rhythmically I can’t think about anything negative. I just feel my body moving. Maybe that’s why people like running so much?

One thing I’m glad about is that I don’t need to run to get the effects of exercise. I love moving more slowly. I also think my focus on perceiving my surroundings with all my senses helps with grounding me. It’s like a walking meditation! That’s it! I’ve learned to meditate while looking for plants and listening for birds.

Even if that’s not true I find the idea comforting. Hobbies can be healthy! I plan to control my meanderings and take my time exploring the wide world around me, slowly and intentionally. It may be what keeps me together through unprecedented challenges.

I spent my original groovy years surrounded by Spanish moss.

What do you think? Am I onto something?

A Camping Dilemma

Any day out I nature is good. It did rain much of today, then got cold, but rain sounds good on the roof and I have warm clothing stashed in Seneca’s closet. However, the rain was not enough to dampen the spirits of our fellow campers.

Two, perhaps three (hard to tell) groups of incredibly enthusiastic Scouts are here, with one taking up three sites across from us. They are having FUN. So far I haven’t detected any actual scouting activities from this group, unless bellowing, screeching, and making siren sounds can earn you a merit badge. The adults coped by yelling back.

I coped by trying to leave, but it kept raining on me.

The other group was set up in the other camping area by the lake. They even had on uniforms as they blasted through empty campsites screaming instructions. One of them saw me and yelled, “Stranger Danger.” I was annoyed by then and reminded them that scouting encourages them to respect other campers.

I’m under a shelter. They’re scampering off.

They were on their way to a ceremony (I’d heard, ha ha), so by the time Lee had picked me up from standing in the rain and we drove by, they were doing a lovely ceremony with flags and saluting. Of course, THAT is when the park police went by. Such good little citizens.

I got to see a gun millipede while in the shelter in the rain.

Note that I did get a little walk in between rains and found a couple of interesting plants. I was trying out the new and improved iNat app, too. It identifies what I see immediately, so I don’t have to do it when I get back from a walk. Fewer Master Naturalist hours, but that’s fine.

Meanwhile, Lee and I took a drive around the area and looked at a couple of cute small towns. When we came back, the local kids were back outside, now throwing a football. I left again, and had a pleasant, if chilly, walk on the Nails Creek Trail, featuring lake views, more fun plants, and an owl.

A better picture of Sandyland Bluebonnet

The dilemma for me is whether I should have gone over and talked to the adults about the noise levels. I see two sides. One is that these are children who are outdoors. They don’t need to use their “inside voices” and that’s probably fun. Knowing how structured and protected the lives of kids are these days, this was probably a rare opportunity for free play with their friends, and that’s exhilarating for sure.

On the other hand, those of us who weren’t in their party could not enjoy our campsites when it wasn’t raining. In fact, we could only enjoy inside the RV with music or television on. I’ve been told that the training for the adults covers how to act when camping. I didn’t see a lot of buddy system or respect for the leaders.

I’m just not sure if I should have asked the park staff to talk to them or talked to them myself. I know how people react these days, so I said nothing. I honestly don’t mind kids having fun at reasonable volumes and staying in their own sites or the road. They were running all over the campground while the adults mostly sat in their chairs. I wish they’d gone on a hike or something but they’d have scared all the birds and animals.

My fervent hope is that they all pack up and leave early to go to church. Fingers crossed.

By the way, I want to thank any readers who went to peaceful protests today. Sign creativity was high! Since 2020, I can no longer do big crowds. But I’m grateful to those of you who fought through introversion and showed up.

And hey, here’s the first row of the 2025 temperature blanket. It’s warmer!

Nature Church

I’m easily excited, I guess. When I see a new or unexpected plant, bird, or insect, I get a thrill in my heart. I smile in the middle of nowhere, all by myself. Yesterday was full of such moments. The only thing that could have improved it would be to have had a companion also iNatting and Merlining with me. I made those verbs up. It’s good to have a companion in your spiritual experiences occasionally.

On my first walk yesterday here at the Nails Creek Unit of Lake Somerville State Park, I took the Overlook Trail, after revisiting the Lake Trail, where all the White Pelicans, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Forster’s Terns, Northern Shovelers (charmingly shoveling away), Blue- and Green-winged Teals, and mystery sandpipers were in full force.

Forster’s Tern. Lee took the next few photos.

The Overlook Trail was breathtaking in its subtle way. First, it smelled wonderful, thanks to the blooming trees. There were Honey Locust, Honey Mesquite, Eve’s Necklacepod, and a lot of yaupon. That stuff smells so good.

Every turn I took revealed new vistas or secluded nooks. I realized that I felt spiritually a-tingle, like I was in a religious service and being moved. Mother Nature’s church was what my soul needed.

I enjoyed the viewing platform and all the lake views, though the little plants also enchanted me. I couldn’t have felt better. No news, no noise, no distractions.

Next we took an exciting trip to the grocery store in Somerville. This yard where someone planted a LOT of wildflowers was a highlight.

In the late afternoon it wasn’t too hot, so I went on the Cedar Creek Trail. It goes into the middle of the park, through beautiful post oak Savannah. The prairie parts were covered by wildflowers that like sandy soil, a few of which were new to me. The photos don’t do the scenery justice, plus all those little pointed phlox smelled better than perfume. I was often stopped in my tracks by the views. Wow.

I realize this isn’t the Grand Canyon or Rocky Mountains, but to me this part of Texas is incredibly beautiful. I hope you enjoyed the photos.

It’s Texas—Everything Stings, Bites, or Pokes You

…or it gives you allergies (all the beautiful flowers). I know this, having lived in east-central Texas for nearly thirty years. But, you know what? I chose to stay here long after my reason for arriving (a spouse’s job—the job left him, then he left me) no longer was pertinent.

Texas is beautiful and dangerous. These Northern Shovelers are harmless.

Upon arrival, it was immediately clear that I wasn’t in the Midwest anymore. I recognized oak trees, but they were tiny. I recognized a couple of birds, but what were those grackles? And why are so many things trying to hurt me?

I could have chosen either of two options. I could have complained about how strange and awful it is here, nature-wise, or I could learn about why all the flora and fauna are the way they are. I chose to study the plants, insects, reptiles, etc., and figure out how to coexist safely. That’s why you see me wandering all over rural areas and parklands feeling safe and happy. I know what to look out for.

I will not stomp through that grass without appropriate footwear.

So, when I went into the hen house today to get eggs but didn’t find but one, I was not surprised to see my old friend the rat snake reclining above the nesting boxes. I asked it to go eat some rodents, please, and left. That’s because I know what a rattlesnake or cottonmouth or coral snake looks like. And copperheads aren’t common where I live. This snake is useful.

Here’s where I find myself being intolerant and judgmental. I apologize in advance. I live in a rural area and spend a lot of time outdoors. If I screeched every time I saw a rat or a bee, it would be really screechy at the Hermits’ Rest.

Or a worm-like insect. We sure have our share of caterpillars.

I just wonder why people choose to live here in the land of mesquite, greenbrier, cactus, and poison ivy without learning to identify them so they can avoid them, and dress safely when straying off sidewalks and manicured lawns. And why not learn which are the very few insects, spiders, or snakes that can actually hurt you and just let the others be? Or study them. Dang, this bold jumping spider is CUTE.

Look at that face! I know it’s a friend. Black widows don’t get to cruise around on my shoes.

There’s enough human-made nastiness right now that’s flooding us either fear (or sadness; I felt like weeping from the loss of hope today). It’s such a good feeling to know your place in nature and appreciate that every living thing has a “job” or reason to be in the ecosystem. Why scream at a rodent when you can deal with them and then observe them outdoors? Besides, cute li’l bunnies are rodents!

No rabbit photo, so here’s some rabbit tobacco. It’s a plant (Diaperia verna)

And those mean plants? Many are delicious! I’ve eaten greenbrier shoots every day this week, and anyone who’s tried nopales knows cactus is yummy. You just have to learn about it.

You can’t eat this, but isn’t it pretty? Wild indigo sepals after the petals fell out. Baptisia leucophaea

Yes, I’m judgmental about the squeamish. I’m probably lucky I wasn’t born with any phobias and learned to deal with my fear (flying roaches) pretty early in adulthood. Once I learned more about them, I’ve become very comfortable around the diversely defensive plants and animals I see. I hope more folks who are fearful out in nature can try this! You don’t have to become a Master Naturalist, just read about our world’s inhabitants, their habits, and how to deal with them safely.

On that note, enjoy White Pelicans, who are harmless except to fish.

I’m still working on that other topic from yesterday. I’ll get to it now that I’m in a very quiet campground on Lake Somerville. It’s pretty darned nice.

I Can Do Whatever I Want

It feels that way, right now, even though I don’t want to do things that cost money (if a recession comes, blame me, because this consumer has stopped spending on anything not horse related).

He’s not too expensive. Just some fungal spray.

All right, then, why do I feel so free? It’s obvious! There’s no pesky job eating up my time. That feels very freeing. I’m liberated, from a scheduling point of view.

She’s free as a bird, or in this case, a turkey with her favorite water bucket and some chickweed.

For example, I had a dental checkup today. Once I got the gas pump to work at the old Cefco station (second time in a row there that I’ve had problems), I made it on time, zipped in, and 40 minutes of cheerful conversation and scraping later, I was free to explore my old stomping grounds in the vortex between Cedar Park and Round Rock, Texas.

Google maps provided this photo of the actual round rock in Round Rock, which was part of the Chisholm Trail.

First I went to the grocery store, the fancy H-E-B where our problem ward Edie used to work. At least I’m over my terror of that place. I had so much fun. Clearly, I’ve not been getting out much lately when seeing the vast offerings of a US grocery store is exciting. I got a lunch sandwich, some rice and couscous side dishes, and hair accessories I’ve been needing for months. It felt weird to spend money. I’m getting the hang of my new frugal lifestyle.

Carlton points out that while he is not free, he’s pretty inexpensive.

I took my lunch over to Brushy Creek Lake Park, a place I used to go pretty often before it was fancy. Brushy Creek is beautiful in this part of Williamson County, and I thought it would be fun to see what’s living around there. Why not? I didn’t have anywhere else I needed to be!

The lake is still nice and had some shore birds and even white ducks, domesticated I guess. I found many familiar plants that grow in limestone karst areas, and of course, bluebonnets.

One warning, the wooded areas near the lake are covered with very healthy poison ivy!

But there are also fun water plants and friendlier vines to enjoy.

Smilax rotundifolia or Round leaf greenbrier

I ended up hearing or seeing 45 birds there, which is challenging considering I spent much of my time next to or under Parmer Lane, with its many lanes of traffic.

There were many American and Lesser Goldfinches, the usual Great-tailed Grackles of the greater Austin metro area, and plenty of titmice and sparrows.

The biggest highlight for me was hearing two Cooper’s Hawks communicating then seeing one swoop down into a tree right next to me. I couldn’t get a really clear shot, but I was nice and close!

On my way out, I checked to see if the labyrinth was still there. It was, and appears to be maintained at least some.

After I said a silent word of gratitude, I turned to leave. I’d noticed some of the matting under the gravel was showing, making it look like garden hoses, or something.

I realized one of the hose-like items was shinier than the others. It was a pretty rat snake sunning itself on the rocks. I enjoyed looking at it for a while. I felt like it was my gift for checking on the labyrinth.

On my way home, I drove along the creek to downtown Round Rock. I passed the rock. I was sad to see more new houses, but glad to see at least some of the beautiful wooded areas still thriving. It’s a wonderful bike or hiking trail.

My hiking was to the left. My old house was somewhere near the word “Google.”

There was plenty of time when I got home to hang out with the family and try to clean up Apache. He took so long I didn’t even try to de-mud any others. Mabel has the huge mud balls on her mane again, sigh.

I was glad to see Apache still doing fine, other than a bit sensitive around his face. Funny thing. I raised up his jump as Tarrin suggested. Apache zoomed towards it, then saw it was higher. He put on his brakes and slid in the muddy ground to stop. I’ll have to work on that!

Indicating they’d like to be left alone.

I wonder what crazy stuff I’ll do tomorrow? Whatever I want!

A Tale of Two Hiking Trails

And two ecosystems

Yesterday, I walked along (and off of) the Texas Oak Trail here at Lake Brownwood State Park. It runs along the lake shore and the ridge above it.

The terrain went up and down among wooded terrain with beautiful rocks that looked like stacked stone and some open areas as well. There were mostly oak and cedar elms but other trees were scattered around as well.

My favorite was the Mexican Buckeye, which was blooming away in pink splendor and attracting all kinds of insects. These are cool trees because they have pretty leaves and interesting seed pods in winter. I don’t think they’d do well in our soil, though.

I found many plants among the rocks, which made up for how hard some of the rock scrambling was for me.

Blue curls (a beautiful flower) Phacelia congesta

I heard many birds, and even got to see some Spotted Towhees under a big live oak.

When I got off the lakeside trail there was more karst terrain with mesquite and many cacti. I really like the lacy ones.

At some point the trail got harder and harder to follow and I ended up going astray a couple of times. It ended up okay, because I got to get good looks at some old Civilian Conservation Corps benches, tables, and a fireplace. After that, I just plunged down the hill.

I did enjoy many vistas from the top of the ridge, though, so the complexity was worth it. I really enjoyed the varied terrain and diverse plants, though I was pretty tired when I got back. I needed a nap!

Never fear, though, the idea of eating Japanese food for dinner revived me, so I was fully present when we drove to Brownwood to eat at Katana. Wow, the former Pizza Hut hides a gem. They had interesting and reasonably priced rolls, and the ramen I had was divine. It was in a beef bone broth and had all the perfect additions. I ate every drop. No doubt about it—I miss GOOD Japanese food a LOT.

These are genuinely Japanese signs, judging from the misspelling of “daily.”

Today I went on a very different hike. It’s much quieter here now that the spring break crowd has left. Lee reminds me we can camp on weekdays now, too. Ah, peace and quiet.

That’s exactly what I found on the Nopales Trail today, three miles of peace and yes, prickly pear cactus.

Yep. It wasn’t too cactus-y but they were there.

There was much goodness about this hike. First, it was a little cooler than yesterday with a pleasant non-gale breeze. Second, it was mostly flat (it’s the bike trail) so a little easier on my aging lower limbs.

The part that was less exciting was that there wasn’t much variation in the plant life. It was a combination of oak mottes and fields dotted with mesquite. That’s about it.

And bird life was quite consistently Cardinals, Bewick’s Wrens, White-eyed Vireos, and the occasional Spotted Towhees. All nice birds, but that’s all you heard other than incredibly loud fighter jets on training runs. Yow, they were loud, but fun to watch once I could find them with the binoculars.

This hike was blissfully relaxing. I stopped whenever I wanted to, enjoyed listening to a roadrunner, and just basked in the quiet. It was just about perfect for me. I was truly happy, at least for an hour or two, leaving the cares of the world behind. It was an interlude to treasure.

Friends, I know you’ve been reading endless suggestions to go out in nature to help you cope with uncertainty. It’s not a bad suggestion at all. I feel practically human again after this trip, ready to face the next challenges and even do some of that activist work Georgia has mentioned.

You, too, might find an Olympia Marble (Euchloe olympia) butterfly!

Visiting Aransas National Wildlife Reserve

Yesterday we reluctantly checked out of our cute and convenient hotel, and after I bought a new hat (my Master Naturalist hat is now part of the oyster beds), we embarked on the journey to the nearby wildlife reserve. We’d seen the water side of it when we went on the boat ride. Now was time to see the land parts (and more water).

The Inn at Fulton Harbor is a pleasant place.

We were somewhat hampered by the fact that the headquarters had no power. But we wanted to be outside anyway. There were many plants and birds to identify. I went over to some oak trees and saw a Couch’s Kingbird and Great Kiskadee. That was a nice switch from all the water and shore birds earlier.

The bonus was an alligator, conveniently located in the alligator viewing area.

We next drove to Jones Lake, a freshwater lake on the reserve. It was really low, so all the life was concentrated around it. There was a group of Blue-winged Teals and one Greater Yellowlegs off on one side, and a family of feral hogs on the other. In the middle, in what little water was left, was an alligator.

Only after a while did we realize there was another gator on the shore. It was huge. It looked like it had eaten a piglet. I bet it’s famous in these parts!

Next we ventured past the bay on our way to the observation decks and boardwalks. No one wanted to go up but me, even though there was a ramp to go up, not stairs. The view was beautiful across the islands and water. I saw herons and egrets, but that’s about it for birds.

After that we walked the boardwalk and trail with our cameras going like crazy. Watching Linda Jo and Ann discussing the plants they encounter is quite educational. They know so much about nature. I’m privileged to get to spend time with them.

Once we were done, we took the long way back along the nine-mile interior road. It’s not spectacular scenery but it’s certainly an interesting ecosystem for all the animals, plants, and fishies. one thing is for sure: this place is huge. I’m glad we made this trip.

There definitely was a lot to see in this unique habitat.

Whew. We were done! We chatted on the way home and it seemed like no time until we were back.

I was wiped out when I got home but of course took care of the horses. Then I collapsed.

Today I did chores and more chores, but it was such a pleasant day that I enjoyed it all. As a bonus I went out in our former woods to see if any of the interesting wildflowers were blooming yet. Yes! The spring beauties were where they were last year! I do love those stripey darlings.

I also verified that although it’s dryer than usual, both our springs are still flowing. That’s a relief.

I also found a few bluebonnets starting to bloom, just a couple weeks late. I feel more settled.

Apache didn’t feel settled this afternoon. I was proud of how well he handled many trucks driving around and a lawn mower attacking his area. He didn’t get upset until we were done and Lee pulled the lawn mower up. I wish I’d gotten a picture of the stink eye he was giving Lee.

Instead, enjoy Penney in a rare display of dignity.

I guess in summary we had a great trip to the coast and it was equally fine to come home. On to week 2 of unemployment. I mean, retirement.