Full of Surprises Life in the country is full of surprises, and some days are just strange. You never know what you will see or hear. My friend Lisa and I were walking on Saturday morning and heard–as Lisa put it–“something being murdered” in the creek bed. Screeches and squawks went on for a goodContinue reading
Tag: Bastrop TX
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Some Days Are Just Strange
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What the Hawk? Birds of Prey at Little Piney Bastrop Texas
Birds of Prey at Little Piney Bastrop Texas I love to see a hawk fly over, wings and tail aglow with sunlight. When I came to Little Piney two years ago, I couldn’t tell a hawk from a vulture. I’ve been working on that, and now I’m familiar with many of the birds of preyContinue reading
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Beautiful Birds of Winter: American Kestrel, Song Sparrow, Green Kingfisher
Beautiful Birds of Winter As the landscape evolves from verdant to gray, summer birds quietly leave and winter birds (not so quietly in the case of Robins and Cedar Waxwings) take their place. We welcome them back with full feeders and delight. In the past two weeks, an American Kestrel, a Song Sparrow, and aContinue reading
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Red-shouldered Hawk’s Crunchy Breakfast
Red-shouldered Hawk Sometimes all I see of the Red-shouldered Hawk is a dark shadow passing over the field, sometimes, a familiar shape disappearing at the edge of vision. She is in front of me, then behind me when I never saw her move. Sometimes, I turn around, and she is only feet away calm andContinue reading
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When I’m Birding It’s Totally Up to the Birds
It’s Totally Up to the Birds I have to confess, on my first few “birding walks” led by expert birders, I asked myself “Are they making this up?” Most of the time, I never saw the bird they pointed out. When I did, I saw a gray silhouette against the morning sky while the guideContinue reading
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Autumn’s Creeping in Slowly in the Lost Pines
Autumn’s Creeping In Slowly Autumn’s creeping in slowly this year in the Lost Pines. The elms leaves disappeared without any showy display of yellow. The invasive but lovely Chinese Tallows have yet to flame orange or red. Bird feeders in Bastrop County are hanging full in quiet yards, and the autumn birds are slow inContinue reading
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Yellow Warblers and Central Texans Singin’ in the Rain
Relief from Triple Digits Came with Rain! Just when we thought we couldn’t take it anymore, rain and cooler air both moved in over the weekend! What a relief. I spent much of the weekend outside on the porch or out in the rain with my rubber boots on. As the rain arrived, so didContinue reading
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Special Moments in Nature–A Lucky Witness
Special Moments in Nature I pull out onto the highway from a dirt road. In front of me, a single black crow feather spirals slowly down from the sky. The suspended feather spins like a tiny dirt devil as I leave it behind. I step outside to watch for a late delivery truck.Continue reading
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My Field Event–Grasshopper Photography
My Field Event Some of you know that my husband is USA Masters Track and Field World Champion sprinter. We are opposites in many ways–he’s fast, and I’m slow, for example, I’m usually paces behind him. We approach things differently; he’s very systematic in his approach to life, and I’m more likely to have aContinue reading
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Ten Reasons Life is Never Boring in the Country
Some people get bored in the country. Not me. Ever. Here Are Ten Reasons Life Is Never Boring In The Country -One- Because you never know who’s going to stop by for a drink. -Two- You are never alone. -Three- You will hear plenty of free outdoor music. -Four- Family time is plentiful.Continue reading