Rhexia + Green Lynx Spider

On Saturday, Chris and I drove over to Gus Engeling WMA east of Fairfield after we dropped off Forest with Chris’ mom and step-dad for a week visit. He’ll then go to my parents for another week after that. To cap off our kid-free time, we drove over to the WMA to look for some bogs that are tucked away in the property and to see the property itself for the first time. It’s been one that I’ve wanted to visit for a few years now and with good reason—there are some very unique habitats and plants there! We will definitely be going back when it isn’t hot as Hades. I asked Chris at dinner that evening if it was this hot in Florida when we hiked and did outdoor activities and I know it was, I’ve just kinda blocked it out a bit. Well, it was never really 100* hot but it was sweltering with humidity. The difference was that in the summer we were often in the swamps and what’s in swamps? Water. It was always a little cooler in the woods and when you are wading through water you stay cooler than traipsing through open savannah and prairie. Of course!

I enjoyed a brief moment of interaction with this green lynch spider on a Rhexia mariana on the edge of a boggy/wetland area, our last stop for the day. The heat had zapped my energy and I was ready for a nap (which quickly happened after we left to head out and the lull of the dirt road put me to sleep) and to cool off inside the truck. There will be more this week on the blog from this unique area! I saw a turkey, a very brief glimpse, possibly the only one I’ve seen in east Texas!