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The Folks | Then & Now
I was digging through some old photo albums the other day looking for photos for the front of some houses (another blog series I’m contemplating) and found a few old photos of my parents that I loved. On their wedding day. Mom recently went through her clothes and was going to get rid of her wedding dress. At the last minute I pulled it out of the donation pile, though I ended up leaving dad’s leisure suit in. I should’ve gotten it too. I need to get rid of my wedding dress before I have a kid who wants to take it out of the donation pile. I love this…
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Wordless Wednesday | Firestone Building Downtown Fort Worth
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Nature in the City | Cross Timbers Park
I wanted to get out for a walk a few weekends ago and the closest natural area that I knew of was Cross Timbers Park in the same park as Adventure World. For those in the North Richland Hills/Northeast Tarrant County this area you might be familiar to you. I’ve been to a few times in the past while geocaching and I think my brother might have done/helped an Eagle Scout project there. If you need a nature fix, this is a great place with some trails that let you experience it. It was much too hot for wildlife, so we didn’t see anything, not even a snake! And the…
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And so it ends…
February 12, 2010 was my last day of work in Florida. The following day we finished packing up the house and putting our collection of stuff into the POD, locked the door to the house and drove away from south Florida. Then, in my head, I thought we’d be going for our AT hike, and maybe a month or two after returning we’d be settled with jobs somewhere in Texas. Not quite. But, I’m glad it turned out how it has because we’ve been able to hike another long trail, spend time with friends and family and do some interesting field work. In fact, I’m completely glad we did everything…
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Texas Wildflowers | Campsis radicans, trumpet creeper
This beautiful vine can sometimes be mistaken for Bignonia capreoleta, or cross vine. While the similar red flowers might fool you, taking a look at the leaves will change the story as the trumpet creeper vine has pinnately compound leaves. While this is a native plant, it is also quite weedy and can be invasive. If you are looking for a space to be completely covered in vines, then I would recommend this plant. If not, you might just leave it for the woods and natural space instead. As a hummingbird attractor, this is one great plant since the red tubular flowers offer the perfect sipping device for the birds…
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Sunrise A Year Ago
I will wax poetic for years to come about August 11, 2010. A year ago if you’d asked me where I would be today I wouldn’t have had a clue. And now, looking back a year later I would have told myself to stay another week or two in Maine and slow the heck down. We had a good pace, in fact, I loved our pace, but I would’ve like to have enjoyed Maine a bit more. Then again, I wouldn’t take back our summit day, the rare Class I day with a perfect sunrise and summitting Katahdin with some of our favorite people: Cubbie, Dilly Dally and Blue Rooster….and…
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Wildlife Wednesday | Eastern Cottontail
A couple of evenings ago we were walking my brother, niece and sister in law to their car after dinner. I was heading back inside when I noticed something dark in the grass. Thinking it was a mud clump or, well, I really don’t know what else, I went to check it out. Chilling in the shade, even though it was still 100* after 7pm, was this little rabbit. And it was little. My hand here for comparison. A few inches away was a dead bug being feasted on by ants and subsequently some ants were visiting this little rabbit. I got fairly close to the poor thing but it…
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July in the Garden Plot
Not much is dealing with the heat here in Texas. We’re on a triple digit heat streak right now. I realize it is now August but I took these photos a week ago at the end of July and am just now getting around to posting them. Walking around the plot you can tell who is and isn’t doing well in the garden…or I should way, what is and isn’t doing well in addition to who…because most of it depends on water! After our disastrous round of spring crops, when we realized a bit too many coffee grounds had made the soil too acidic, some of that has leeched out…
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Heirloom Seeds and Bookish Thoughts
+Chris has been ordering a lot of seeds lately, mostly for later on. Today he planted these two crops at his mom’s house in lieu of the tomatillo plants that had bit the Texas dust. +We’re moving at the end of the week for the NW Houston area where we will be setting up house again. We’re taking two large potting containers with us—maybe we’ll plant some of these seeds there. +I’m dreaming of a real garden—some day. This time around we’re renting, again, with hopes of finding something of our own once Chris gets a job. Hopefully in time for spring crops! +Been reading lately. A lot of non-fiction,…
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Summer Interview Series Wrap Up
Did you miss an interview from the Summer Interview Series? Take a peak through and see who you might have missed. I had fun interviewing a few folks I knew in my ‘real’ life and others I only know via the internet. There was a vast array of subjects to cover, someone might have interested you! +Chel @ Ginger Blue +Elizabeth @ Miss Wisabus +Kathy @ Analog Soul Photography +Mandy Stewart @ Messy Canvas +Prem @ Florida Native Orchids +Susy @ Chiot’s Run +Randy @ Recipes Randy Cooks +Renee @ Wolfie and the Sneak Enjoy! Maybe I’ll do another round next summer!