All things bright and beautifulAll creatures great and smallAll things wise and wonderfulThe Lord God made them all…–Cecil France Alexander, 1848 The Great Cottonmouth When I saw this creature swimming fast, tongue flicking, heading down Piney Creek, I was standing safely on shore. The strangest thing is, the snake was so much bigger than anyContinue reading
Tag: Lost Pines
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All Creatures Great and Small–Water Moccasins and Hummingbirds
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Pondless Fountain for the Birds
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Pondless Fountain Burbling water in a rocky stream, light bouncing off drops and splashes–we are all attracted to flowing water. In addition to the pleasure of sight and sound, fresh water attracts birds and wildlife. Fountains and bird baths provide a water source any where you want to have one but most require frequent cleaningContinue reading
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Little Piney Updates–All is Well
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Gas Pipeline Update Two weekends ago, I rolled up 800 feet of temporary fencing and pulled all the metal fence stakes. I delivered the stakes to Audrey’s place where we put them on her trailer for another friend in need. A couple from Cedar Creek picked up the rolls of fence to reuse at theirContinue reading
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Loblolly Pines
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I have always known that the loblolly pines at Little Piney are special, but it’s nice to have my idea confirmed by experts. Texas Forest Service Forester, Gretchen Riley, and Certified Arborist, Vince Debrock of Heritage Tree Care came out to measure our largest pine to see if it qualified as a Texas champion. HereContinue reading
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Fall Light at Little Piney
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Fall Light at Little Piney I love the light of late fall and winter when sunset illuminates the trees and fields with stunning color and contrast. Here are my favorite photos from this weekend. River of Light On the Road Spotlight on an Old Cedar Cool Green and Long Shadows Wildlife Share This:
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Reflections: Spirits in Nature
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Reflections: Spirits in Nature This project began with a late afternoon canoe trip. As the light changed and the breeze died, the surface of the creek grew smooth and reflective, and I directed my camera to the mirror images of the shore and its reflection. That night when I downloaded the pictures, glowing eyesContinue reading
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Adventures with Arthropods and Photo Reflections
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Our heavy canoe is tied to a large pine tree right down by the lake so it’s always available but it can’t float away when the creek rises. The oars are shelved on a branch above. Saturday, we walked down to the lake with late afternoon canoeing in mind. However, when Ken flipped the canoe over, up poppedContinue reading
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Piney Creek, Bastrop, TX–Part II
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Piney Creek originates in the Northeast part of Bastrop County, then heads South and West through Camp Swift, under FM1441 and wraps itself around Little Piney before heading through town to the Colorado. At some point–maybe at FM1441–the creek becomes Sanders’ Lake for a mile or so. Sanders’ Lake is basically a wider area ofContinue reading
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Piney Creek, Bastrop, TX–Part I
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Piney Creek A thick line of pines and oaks marks the steep bank of Piney Creek; below lies the running stream in its sandy bed shaded by giant cottonwoods and old pines. Bird songs mingle with the burble of water flowing over shining stones. Dagonflies and mayflies catch the dappled light and sparkle while tadpolesContinue reading
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Lost Pines Texas Master Naturalists at Little Piney
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Lost Pines Texas Master Naturalists Texas Master Naturalists are certified citizen scientists who spend a year training, studying, and volunteering in an intensive program to earn their title. Once certified, they commit much of their time to volunteer for parks, education, and nature projects. I recently learned through the Lost Pines Chapter newsletter thatContinue reading