Spanish Oaks roadside Wildflower Bonanza as seen through cellphone camera.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 2007
Memorial Day weekend sights:
Walked dogs. Erosion. Cacti flowers. Wildflowers, many many many wildflowers. Green. Mud. Sprinkler systems on in downpour. Mushy Westend Phone Directories in driveways. Clouds. Lightning. More green.
Friday, May 18, 2007
ON THE WING
Let's see: crows, vultures, parakeet!, whipper wills (and if you've ever had your will whippered you know what I'm talking about), cardinals, archbishop... no, wait... grackles, owls, warblers, roadrunners, hawks, swallows. I'm not into birding much, but I do enjoy watching the crows and vultures ride the thermals which rise up slope to our house. Seems like a pretty good variety here.
What have you seen?
What have you seen?
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
PARAKEET FOR DINNER
A little green one. It seemed almost friendly. As we ate dinner outside it hopped around the pool deck. I made bird noises and attempted to win it to my outstretched finger. It seemed interested but politely flew away.
Only to return for a repeat.
Wouldn't have know what to do with the bird on my finger if it perched. It was tiny. Did someone abandon a pet, lose a pet or do they breed for generations in the wild. I would expect a predator to narrow that chance.
Only to return for a repeat.
Wouldn't have know what to do with the bird on my finger if it perched. It was tiny. Did someone abandon a pet, lose a pet or do they breed for generations in the wild. I would expect a predator to narrow that chance.
Monday, May 14, 2007
62 POUNDS OF FUN...
Dear Friends!
We have a handsome golden retriever "puppy" (he'll be one on June 10; 62
lbs at last checkup) named Yogi that some of you have met. We love him, but he is too much dog for us. He needs older children or people who have more of a doggie lifestyle - or both! He is trained to "sit", "down", "heel" and "place", but sometimes forgets when he is super excited! He has been neutered and is up to date on his shots and heartworm prevention. Do one of you lovely families have a big place for him to roam, play, have other animal friends and big strong grownups who like to play fetch? He is really a sweetheart and wants to please!
Thanks for any leads!
Jennifer Harrison
home 894-3493 cell 964-5215 myjennifer@earthlink.net
We have a handsome golden retriever "puppy" (he'll be one on June 10; 62
lbs at last checkup) named Yogi that some of you have met. We love him, but he is too much dog for us. He needs older children or people who have more of a doggie lifestyle - or both! He is trained to "sit", "down", "heel" and "place", but sometimes forgets when he is super excited! He has been neutered and is up to date on his shots and heartworm prevention. Do one of you lovely families have a big place for him to roam, play, have other animal friends and big strong grownups who like to play fetch? He is really a sweetheart and wants to please!
Thanks for any leads!
Jennifer Harrison
home 894-3493 cell 964-5215 myjennifer@earthlink.net
IT CAME CRAWLING THROUGH OUR HOUSE...
..screamed our neighbor!
Don't know what It is but surely must be female because of all the needs for shoes. OK, cheap shot.
This bug - you can't tell in the picture - is 8 inches long.
I believe it's a CENTIpede. Amazing what's out there, isn't it? We should have a prize for the oddest. Someone saw a porcupine the other day. I smelled skunk the other evening. Scorpions are starting to appear. One was parked in our garage this morning.
Tim Sabo, who enjoys creepy things tap dancing across his kitchen floor, asks: Does anyone have a contact for the bug entomologist who was in attendance at the FISH CAMP get-together?
Or the person who hires such people for the S.O. events?
WATCH THOSE PLANTS!
This reads like an urban legend... if it weren't for the pictures. It comes from one of our homeowners, though I believe it happened to one of her acquaintances.
I almost had a heart attack this week. My son got me a potted plant for my birthday. I kept it on my kitchen counter the whole time. This week it was warm enough to plant outside. It was in a plastic pot wedged into a decorative outer container. After planting the flower, I got a knife to get the plastic pot out of the glass one. When I wedged the knife around the sides, something moved. I told my son it looked like a snake, so he took the liner out. To our surprise, there was not one snake, but two baby copperheads. I almost died! When we took the plastic pot out, there was a piece of cardboard up the side. There must have been eggs in the holes of the cardboard that hatched out when it got hot. I am sending you pictures.
Take my advice and don't bring nursery plants inside. This could have been really, really bad. The plant was bought at a grocery store; I won't give the name because I don't want to ruin their business, plus I'm pretty sure it was the grower & not the store who was responsible. Growers should take more care when potting plants.
I just want to warn you guys not to bring plants inside; who knows what could be lurking way down under those roots. I am only thankful it was not intended as a house plant!<
Wasn't it last year a woman was bitten by a snake in a pot at one of the "big box" retailer-garden centers?
I almost had a heart attack this week. My son got me a potted plant for my birthday. I kept it on my kitchen counter the whole time. This week it was warm enough to plant outside. It was in a plastic pot wedged into a decorative outer container. After planting the flower, I got a knife to get the plastic pot out of the glass one. When I wedged the knife around the sides, something moved. I told my son it looked like a snake, so he took the liner out. To our surprise, there was not one snake, but two baby copperheads. I almost died! When we took the plastic pot out, there was a piece of cardboard up the side. There must have been eggs in the holes of the cardboard that hatched out when it got hot. I am sending you pictures.
Take my advice and don't bring nursery plants inside. This could have been really, really bad. The plant was bought at a grocery store; I won't give the name because I don't want to ruin their business, plus I'm pretty sure it was the grower & not the store who was responsible. Growers should take more care when potting plants.
I just want to warn you guys not to bring plants inside; who knows what could be lurking way down under those roots. I am only thankful it was not intended as a house plant!<
Wasn't it last year a woman was bitten by a snake in a pot at one of the "big box" retailer-garden centers?
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
IT DOESN'T WORK!!!
We all thought the back road would be THE ANSWER to our east entrance trouble. Buuuuuut Nooooooooooooo! In the morning the backup to the turn from 71 to 620 is so long you can't get into it AND can't get across to go the other way either (say, to Marble Falls) because the turn backup blocks you.
Nice.
What we seriously need is a re-programmed turn signal at 71 and 620!
Or maybe a light at our West entrance?
Will the cut behind the new mall make a difference to this situation? NO. Because you have to turn onto 620 from eastbound on 71 to use it.
Nice.
What we seriously need is a re-programmed turn signal at 71 and 620!
Or maybe a light at our West entrance?
Will the cut behind the new mall make a difference to this situation? NO. Because you have to turn onto 620 from eastbound on 71 to use it.
Monday, May 07, 2007
A NEW HOME DESIGN
They are just starting to put up the concrete retaining boards.
This from Paul Streeter:
Robert,
Just broken ground on a new home on Paraiso Parkway which has been designed by renowned contemporary architect "Dick Clark" and may break the mold a little bit of what is being built in here. I have attached a drawing and thought it may be of interest to other residents. I think half will love it and the other will hate it.
Best
Paul
TRAPPED AT THE AUDI DEALER
This is the second attempt at this post. I hit the wrong button and blew out 20 minutes of writing. I'll try again, but my enthusiasm is waning. I'm on the computer at the car shop while they uncover more $400 things to fix on my car. I hope to return home today. (The best car on the showroom is sold, and at $101,000, I'm happy for the new owner. It's not even the top of the line - only a V10. The guy just wimped out when it came to the V12!) If you care, the redesigned TT is awesome. The old TT looks like a VW in comparison.
The back road IS open. The Road Closed signs exist to remind you that workers are in the area. And today - my first try to avoid the Hill Creep up 71 to 620 - by taking the back road, I noted perhaps 2 dozen workers installing irrigation, jogging paths, landscaping, whatever.
Surprisingly (though better than the Westbound hill creep) traffic from 71 to 620 was deeper than the turn lane, and the signal at 620 seems to only allow 5 or 6 cars through at a time. So it took maybe 5 or 6 cycles. This was at about 9:15AM. Probably worse earlier. That light needs to be retimed.
I want to invite anyone who knows their stuff to come up to The Wood Compound. Please let me show you two mystery weeds, armies of which have invaded our property again. Despite my best holistic and chemical efforts, they thrive. After spraying, stomping, pulling, cutting, I am ready to try a propane torch or exorcism. "KILLS 200 WEEDS" didn't work. ROUNDUP wiped out circles beyond the dribble I aimed at each darn weed. Hello, orange patch. Maybe if I know what they are I can use a more targeted approach.
The best advice I've heard is to make the grass grow more vigorously and that will crowd out the weeds. So after days of spreading steaming compost, I have healthier weeds.
We prefer the natural look, but NOT natural enough to include these intrusive visitors from plant hell. HEY, science, grab some of this tenacious DNA and splice it into Buffalograss, will ya?
The back road IS open. The Road Closed signs exist to remind you that workers are in the area. And today - my first try to avoid the Hill Creep up 71 to 620 - by taking the back road, I noted perhaps 2 dozen workers installing irrigation, jogging paths, landscaping, whatever.
Surprisingly (though better than the Westbound hill creep) traffic from 71 to 620 was deeper than the turn lane, and the signal at 620 seems to only allow 5 or 6 cars through at a time. So it took maybe 5 or 6 cycles. This was at about 9:15AM. Probably worse earlier. That light needs to be retimed.
I want to invite anyone who knows their stuff to come up to The Wood Compound. Please let me show you two mystery weeds, armies of which have invaded our property again. Despite my best holistic and chemical efforts, they thrive. After spraying, stomping, pulling, cutting, I am ready to try a propane torch or exorcism. "KILLS 200 WEEDS" didn't work. ROUNDUP wiped out circles beyond the dribble I aimed at each darn weed. Hello, orange patch. Maybe if I know what they are I can use a more targeted approach.
The best advice I've heard is to make the grass grow more vigorously and that will crowd out the weeds. So after days of spreading steaming compost, I have healthier weeds.
We prefer the natural look, but NOT natural enough to include these intrusive visitors from plant hell. HEY, science, grab some of this tenacious DNA and splice it into Buffalograss, will ya?
Thursday, May 03, 2007
WHAM! BANG! BOOM!
Last night hit like the script of an old Batman comic book. We counted 160 exclamation marks! If you slept through that, then consider buying yourself a plot and marble slab with your name on it.
Two of the lightning hits (at least) we so close there was no gap between flash and bang. I think one hit the old water tower on the east ridge beyond the Preserve.
Our dog, Jessie, normally disallowed in the bedroom, was granted special permission as she really gets worked up in thunder storms. All of a sudden she was on the bed, trying to be inconspicuous. It didn't work.
Some of that lightning was so intense...
... our lawnmower started by itself.
... David Letterman lost a letter.
... the garbage disposal shot chicken bones through the ceiling.
your liners are welcome.
We may have lost a shrub.
Two of the lightning hits (at least) we so close there was no gap between flash and bang. I think one hit the old water tower on the east ridge beyond the Preserve.
Our dog, Jessie, normally disallowed in the bedroom, was granted special permission as she really gets worked up in thunder storms. All of a sudden she was on the bed, trying to be inconspicuous. It didn't work.
Some of that lightning was so intense...
... our lawnmower started by itself.
... David Letterman lost a letter.
... the garbage disposal shot chicken bones through the ceiling.
your liners are welcome.
We may have lost a shrub.
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