Critters and Canoes

Our project here in the Big Thicket will be wrapping up here in a week or so. Here are some of the cooler things I’ve dug out of our camera. We’re constantly seeing strange and interesting things, though the heat is getting to us now and by mid day we wish we were indoors!

A bit out of focus but a cool mantis nonetheless.

A creepy spider protecting her eggs

A variegated violet

Some worm or caterpillar was in this cypress needle covered thing and it must’ve fallen loose from the limbs above because we found it dangling at about 5′ above ground. By the time we left it had pulled itself up another 10′.

Getting ready to work on a plot

This is the sweetest dog. If it were a dog friendly hotel we were staying in someone would’ve taken her home by now. Our coworker may be taking her at the end of the project. Anyway, we had to come down a bayou to a picnic area where this dog and its mom were staying. The mom takes off every time and this dog stays around mostly. She started off skittish but now is accustomed to us and will accept food. First we gave her scraps of our own food and then we started taking dog food. Apparently she became spoiled with wet dog food and now refuses dry food. Very sweet dog!

Some tall cypress knees! At least 5+ feet! Can’t imagine how deep it gets when there isn’t a drought! View it Large on Black

Chris measuring trees with his calipers.

Walking in Village Creek. This creek is low so we have to drag the canoe in some areas. Plus, the water feels good, albeit bathtub warm sometimes, in the afternoon heat.

Lots of downed logs to go around in the creek, too.

We had some thick clay at one of our plots so while I was busy getting plants identified Chris had some fun making a face for the tree. I think the Spanish moss mustache is perfect!

Love being outside but the heat is becoming unbearable. And the spiders are getting ginormous. And we’re eaten up by chiggers. You know, the usual outside stuff.