Ode to the Bug, um, er...Insect...

Last summer's drought meant more than a lack of moisture. There were no bugs. Really, there were no bugs. So, no bugs, no bats. No insects, no birds...the insect eaters were hungry or migrated to find food.

Much of the color was gone from the spring and summer. Much of the music of the summer was absent.

This year's insect experiences have pointed out that we have to take the irritating with the lovely so
I have been taking stock as insects, bugs, and the other creepies have appeared the past few weeks...in our yard, in the house, along the walks...who did we miss last year and who do we wish we missed this year?

We missed:

dragonflies
butterflies
skeeter eaters (crane flies)
moths
lightning bugs
true bugs
pop beetles in small numbers
June bugs in small numbers
cicadas
grasshoppers hopping out of the grass and weeds and surprising the dogs


We did not miss:

skeeters
roaches
little midges
crickets (This was a hard one, but they are nasty even though their song means summer.)
pop beetles in numbers (esp. the one in the living room we heard night after night, but could not find)
June bugs in large numbers (makers of scary noises at my windows late at night)
grasshoppers eating everything they can find
those crazy things that fly up your nose
flies
gnats

Other creatures we did not miss:

pill bugs
snails


Other creatures present last year that are back in greater numbers:

spiders (just wish they didn't weave their webs across our paths)
earthworms



My friend, Steve (aka the central Texas dog-whisperer) is a photographer too. He took all but two of  these amazing photos of bugs and such. I begged and he let me share them with you...

[Actually, all the amazing photos are Steve's. The last two are mine. While they are just OK, I worked hard to get them and crop them so I am including them.]

 Bee and dandelion

Bee and gaillardia

Bee and spider wort

Butterfly and ?

Butterfly and "beggar's lice" (wild carrot)

Woolly worm (not sure what caterpillar this is)

Butterfly on grass

Same type of butterfly as with the wild carrot - better photo of the insect, but I love "beggar's lice"

Tiny bee or wasp

A true bug on cactus

Bee on sunflower

Spider with prey

Butterfly with an unfamiliar wildflower

Garden spider - master weaver

Grasshoppers

More grasshoppers

OK. I took this photo in my garden. It was almost a "Where's Waldo?" photo as the greens are all the same...

Another of my photos - unknown insect on purple leather flower (clematis)





I should note that I love insects. This obsession began with the children's 9th grade biology insect collection assignment. It continues...



Three crows under the waning gibbous moon

I was never much of a number cruncher.

But there is something in me that needs to count things.

The pups and I got an early start today. We left the house in the dark of pre-dawn, under the dim light of a waning gibbous moon. We hustled down the deserted street at a fast pace as the rain had washed away "the good smells."  No one felt the need to braid their lead or stop short or jerk the walker to and fro.

So, undistracted, I started counting - to mark how early we actually were.

I suppose it will become a game...numbers listed at the end of each post. [Only counting on the way to the park. We often dawdle too much in the park to count everything we see on the way home.]

The humidity was better than it has been the last few days, but still high. The clouds in the east were grey and oppressive, but those facing us on the walk west shown bright white with blue shadows. [This makes no sense for a morning walk, but there is was...brighter in the west.]

On our way back up the street we stopped to talk to the lady of the lovely yard. She mourned the fact that the volunteer sunflower would soon be gone. We talked of shrimp plants and zinnias and she reminded me of all the gardeners I have known who shared plants and waited to see what would sprout.

Some say angels hang out in the library. That may be true. I think they hang out in gardens too.


The morning count:

cars - 17 (passing us)
dogs barking - 1
cats - 1 (stealthily prowling)
people in yard - 1
crows - 3 (perched on the dead tree across from the park)
people in the park - 4 (Dewayne, Sissy, running man and man in white truck...weirdly waiting...)

And all under a waning gibbous moon...

Flags (and tomatoes)

Neighbors' decorations for the 4th

A friend asked me what I write about...

How do I explain that it is this?

And this...

My neighbors' tomatoes turning red

Good Sunday morning...firecracker plants and flags

Storms blew through the area last night cooling things off I had thought. But this morning the humidity condensed on our bodies as soon as we stepped out the door.

Still, we all needed to walk. And so we did.

It is full dark at 5:30. And we noticed our "glow in the dark" leash does shine in the flashlight beam. The lights on the other leash have been blinking for two days -since taking a dip in the creek. The lights grow dim, but continue.

We started our preparations for the walk at 5:00, but packing and feeding, coffee making et al. ate the time. And packing for the pups is as involved as packing for babies - plastic bags, water, flashlight, treats, phone, wallet, keys, and coffee (OK, the coffee is for DH and me). When I walk alone I have even more gear, but DH joined me today so I was less "loaded down."

The deer (we knew they would be there) ran along the ditch that spans the length of the park. One doe stood facing us until we were within about 25 feet before another, hidden in the brush, gave the warning bark and all disappeared.

We took our old "round the park" walk. The park was empty of people on this damp and hazy Sunday morning.

We decided to check the ash seeds (we are not sure when they will mature enough to be harvested) and walked down the dirt road to the meadows. More deer could been seen in the far meadow. This was definitely the right time to see animals, but it was hard to celebrate as we were humidity-weary.

The birds flitted around us as we walked the road, as if they thought this was some Disney movie.

The air smelled of damp and dust with a slight floral overtone - like the back room of an old house.

The mud we expected on the road was absent. The ground is so parched that the rain of last evening was absorbed into the dust and cracks with barely a notice. More rain is forecast for the next few days and the ground is still thirsty for it.

We dragged ourselves back up the hills towards home buoyed by the sight of the line of small American flags along the top of a the chain link fence (of the family of munchkins who humor my bad Spanish).

After releasing the dogs and recovering the cane I left hanging on the gate, I noticed a hummingbird at my firecracker plant. 

Good Sunday morning.


[Cannot catch those hummers with my camera, but I will go back for a flag photo...watch this space.]

A Whirlwind of dragonflies

DH and I headed to the creek for a ramble with the pups. We walked upstream about 100 yards and found that peaceful beauty Texas streams have provided me all my life - gurgling rapids, skeletal falls of trees, buzzing insects.

The mostly full moon was a ghost above us as we frightened the fish with our twelve splashing feet...and we were delighted by the whirlwind of dragonflies along the water.

View down to the creek

Tissue paper moon

Creekside

Looking east as the sun starts to clear the trees

Fallen tree at rapids

[Only as we turned back did we note the "GO BACK" written on the concrete sewer surround higher up on the creek bank]

"We'll be scared" - For my siblings

The park was almost empty save the workers getting trash cans and such ready for the parade. Then a stranger drove in, nodded at us, and parked over by the river.

We decided that we would just wander back down the street and take a few photos at angles we do not normally see.

Then we spied a loose dog sniffing around the ice cream/raspa stand...I hustled the pups up the road. No reason to invite an altercation of this kind either.

We were back home for breakfast before it was too hot...and smiled a bit as the floats passed by on their way to line up for the famous parade...that is all of the parade we will see...other things to do on this red, white and blue day...

Sun rising just over the tree line.

Deserted ball fields in the early morning light.

Tennis ball tree
 (Maclura pomifera, commonly called Osage-orange, hedge-apple, Horse-apple, Bois D'Arc, or Bodark)

Clouds

Our woods

More of our woods

River Bridge

We'll be scared

Weed filled creek bed

Wild gourd vine growing on the side of the creek

Dead trees in the pasture - the drought took a heavy toll

Wild petunias

Gailardia and horse mint surprised us  - still blooming...

Sunflowers face the sunrise

I don't know the name of this one, but it makes me think of my grandmother and old lace..
Looked it up...I don't like the name so I am not going to put it down here...

Silver-leaf nighshade
 (these are everywhere now)

Beautiful little variegated leaf on this weed along the sidewalk

Sun is getting high and will soon break through the clouds.
It is time to head for home.

Grey and still // tracks and cracks

Everything was grey and still -- from the concrete and asphalt and dusty road below to the cloud-cover above.

We heard the whistle in the park that meant Sissy and Dewayne were already there training the labs. We have heard a mockingbird with a surprising facsimile of Dewayne's whistle so we always look to see if the truck is in the park (and retrievers milling around).

The deer left tracks in the grey dust near the places they enter and exit the woods (area of knocked down brush). Scruff and Paddy caught the scent, but we saw and heard no deer this morning...

Deer were here.

 I love these weeds. The are some of the few GREEN things left in the meadow.

The ground is already cracking. No rain.

This is the dirt road in the park. The cracks in the fields are more frightening.

You can see most of the cycle of the clematis - vine, flower and seed head.  We watch these almost every day to see if they are dry enough to harvest.

 More seeds of the clematis very close to being dry enough to pick. I wonder what has happened with all the others as we have seen blooms for a month, but few seeds past the "green spiky ball." Perhaps the deer or birds are eating them. We have managed to pick a very few seeds.












The pecan trees are bearing, but some trees are dropping the tiny pecans. The sidewalk is covered with them. We need more rain to have any kind of a crop this year.

These are native pecans in the park. I think the drought is easier on the native trees than on the hybrids.



While the walk was dull and grey, the progress of the pups is encouraging. Paddy is still a little jealous, but is fine as long as she gets the first treat. She is a fast "sitter" so that first treat is always hers. You can almost see the wheels turning in Scruffy's brain - "Oh, yeah. I am supposed to sit now."

Scruffy slept outside last night and we heard no frantic barking until three joggers ran by this morning.

While he is so excited to walk that he sometimes barks as his collar is changed, he did not bark while on the lead to eat (Paddy is food aggressive and Scruff is reported to be. We have decided to keep both on leads while they eat to avoid any theft or other altercation. The most frightened I have been with Paddy and Oreo was a food fight. Dogs are not as amusing as "Animal House."). He used to bark until I could get outside to release him. Today he and Paddy were both laying down and waiting for me.

Routine? Almost.

No rescue in sight...

We should have walked last night. At 8:30 it was lovely, but the baker had to go to the store for supplies and it was dark before the return home.

Instead there was a late start this morning...and the clouds came and went. The temp was humid, then nice, then unspeakable. And we were left with a miserable walk uphill before the welcome shade of our yard.

 Clouds retreating...

The (ir)responsible pet owner was prepared for anything, except she should have brought two bottles of water for the pets and one for her. The pets shared their bottle in the park and the human gambled on making it home without trouble - only a little discomforting thirst.

This was the kind of day designed for a DH (usually home watching Sunday Morning) hearing a distress cry for rescue and riding up on his ugly green steed. Some people pride themselves on independence and an ability to take care of anything. However, the DH does come in handy. But today DH is training to save the state in case of emergency and we had to quit being babies and walk ourselves home - straight into the sprinkler and then the tubs of water always at the ready in the back.

The rest of the walk, the early cooler part? It was much like any other (the sun snickering behind clouds...waiting until we were far enough away from home to catch us unprepared). We checked out the drying seed heads of wildflowers and listened to creatures in the cool depths of the wood.

The grasshoppers and their ilk are on the move. It is almost impossible to take a step in the the grass without flying insects taking off for a less disturbed spot to eat...and eat...
 

Lichen on mesquite trunk

 Tracks on the road - ??? (OK, the shoe print is mine)

Scrufalufagus in the weeds.

Master weaver...in the yard

I have been watering the yard all day. About to move the ferns, I spied a another web and the web-maker.

I seem to have spiders everywhere (Come on. They eat pests. Spiders are good. They just look scary). They love the corners in the house and the pathways in the yard. And garden spiders love this spot just off the front porch.

I am leaving the ferns alone for now...

What is that by my ferns?

Garden spider, master weaver

Wonders and wonders

darn...

The story of yesterday's walk disappeared in draft. I suspect a tired writer hit "delete" instead of "edit." The rewrite will likely leave out some moments, but it cannot be helped.

The walk was a delight. Cool at the start and, as we were early, it did not grow hot (and we did not grow tired and cranky). The heat only found us as we were near safe in the shade of our yard.

The lady of the beautiful flowering yard was out for her paper as we passed by.

Towards the bottom of the steep hill (before our turn into the park), movement drew our eyes to the right. The creek that runs through the park passes under our street and flows off to the south towards a later conflux with the Leon River. In the high grass and weeds along the banks stood a small doe. She saw us too and then moved down into the creek bed.

This was a day that became cooler in the park and cooler still along the dirt road. It must be a combination of diminishing concrete/asphalt that would normally hold the heat, no blanket of clouds to provide insulation, the proximity of the cooling water of the Leon, and shade.

I don't care why it was cool, I just enjoyed the oasis that was once Hander land. And I think of how they must have loved it and felt blessed by it - as I do.

Having already seen one deer we were confident that others waited in the meadows. We were not disappointed by the empty first meadow as we quickly saw a huge doe standing at the edge of the road/woods in the far meadow. We walked slowly and deliberately towards her. She stood unstartled and appeared to be moving to graze in the meadow. Walking to within fifty feet of her we wondered how close she would allow when a cicada near us started its piercing cry. The doe turned and dashed into the woods.

We dawdled a bit on the way home, checking the drying seeds and noting the few flowers stubbornly continuing to bloom - sunflowers, verbena (blooming almost from first of spring to this oven of summer), iron weed...and the clematis...

At the top of the steep hill were three (THREE!) grey cats - one lounging, one hiding in the high grass, and one perched on the fire hydrant. Of course, on a day of wonders, there was no camera in my pocket.

We watched two yellow/green breasted birds chasing and fluttering across our street (I have no idea what, exactly, they were).

Today was another matter. We started late. It was already hot and the glowing sun, full-over the tree line seemed to be laughing at us as we moved along.

The pups were distracted by everything - smells and bugs and each other. It was a constant battle to untangle the leads, keep them out of the street, and move forward.

Heat = cranky for me. And I was. Uncooperative dogs did not help.

The only respite from my mood came on the dirt road. As we walked towards the spot where we saw the large doe yesterday we spied her again, although today she was on the road between the meadows. She wasted no time before crashing into the woods. And today, as we walked, we could clearly hear the movements of large animals in the brush and brambles and woody areas on both sides of the road. The pups noticed the noise - stopping and pointing at the snapping twigs, crunching grass and general crashing noises to our right and left.

We noticed long trails of small hand-like tracks in the dust of the road. We choose to think they are raccoon tracks rather than possum or skunk. There are so many creatures in these woods.

Only a pair of cardinals could be seen in a clearing in the brush. We have watched these cardinals on many walks. They often fly back and forth across the road as we walk along. Today the female flew to a cedar a few feet from my shoulder. She perched for some time watching us. I wonder where they are nesting. It must be close.

We continued the frustrating tangling and untangling of leashes/starting and stopping of walkers (and tripping of the unwary) most of the way home.



[There was a camera in pocket today. It captured the creations of some of the weavers/web makers. This summer of creepy crawlies is weird and wonderful, if not entirely beautiful.]

Clematis seeds - about to mail to dear brother

Weavers at work in the fields

More webs

I appreciate the weavers who do not set traps across paths and roadways.

Not webs, but wispy seed carriers. Click photo for a closer view.

Routine? What routine?

With work reaching the frazzle point and the record heat (106 on Tuesday!) of this week our routine has been shot.

Yesterday evening Houdini dog achieved an elaborate escape from the yard. She greeted the girls as they arrived home and then almost ran into traffic. Scruffy, confused, stood at the gate and barked.

Padimus was so proud of herself..."See, how clever I am." She came into the house and wanted to be praised, but instead received the ignominy of the crate. Scruff happily trotted into the house and into his crate. He seems to be very happy there and it is his only consistent "trick" (and he does not bark when crate-bound).

DH growled, "I thought we got Scruffy to keep Paddy company and in the yard. It does not appear to be working."

We were all exhausted and could not muster the energy to take even the shortest walk. Apparently it is a bad idea to walk pets for more than 10 minutes in the heat. So, I guess no harm, no foul.

Everyone overslept this morning and so at 6:00 we now wait patiently for a very very short walk if the temperature drops below 90 before it is pitch black. Or, if I get my second wind, we will drive to the park along the creek and wade. It would be lovely to splash a bit - provided there is no duck chasing.

Stay tuned...

8:35 p.m. Wednesday

OK. We were impatient. It was still 99 at 7:45 and we just thought we needed a ramble...and the water would cool us down a bit...

So we borrowed DH's car (yup...you know. There is junk in my car and no room for two pups) and headed to Nolan Creek.

The park was busy, but a couple of parking places were available. We only needed one...

We went as directly as we could to the water. The irresponsible pet owner did have to scrounge around for litter to pick up after one excited pet, but we left the place better than we found it.

There are many places to get in the water and we tried a couple of them.  One is upstream of the foot bridge. It was deserted (as no parent wants a kid getting caught in the minimal current and dragged through the culvert - it is a bad thing to teach 'em for the floods will come and the culverts pose a real hazard). The dogs didn't swim, but they waded in and cooled off. Then I was cooled by the dog shake. I will have to try and capture that on film, but I had no help today and it was all I could do to contain the pups.

An amazing number of dragonflies and maiden flies scoot around the water and greenery on the banks.

The creek bed is gravelly, but it is not a real gravel or pebble bottom - the creek is lined with fossilized shells. As kids we called them devil's toenails, but I am sure there are many different types of fossils present. The dogs don't really care to do any rock hunting and I do not stop to pick any up. Scruff and Paddy are more interested in the people milling around in the park...the girl on the scooter, the boy bouncing a basketball, the family running and especially the family eating on the gravel-bar near the bridge.

We tried another dip in the water and found perch swimming. At one point Scruff put his head entirely underwater. I don't know if he was trying to see the fish better or if he just loves water, but he looked at me as if to say, "What?"

I think I project my sarcastic and disrespectful attitude on my sweet dogs. Really - they just want to smell things and track and get a treat now and then, no?

After our last dip we wandered back to the car and headed home. We expect to enjoy a few more of these creek trips - especially when the lazy do not rise early enough for the morning hike.

Big Orange Ball

The sun hovered at the tree line - a big orange ball floating in the pink morning sky.

It promised a scorcher today. But, the rays had not yet reached us. And we felt a little fresher with each step towards the early cool of the park.

Out ahead of the sun and the rush of traffic we enjoyed the sounds of the morning.  The birds were all warming up their songs. It was like those few minutes before the orchestra starts playing or the moments a choir tunes up for a concert. Each bird tweeted or chirped or warbled its own special music...melodies unknown by woman or dog. We stopped and watched what we thought was a woodpecker or sapsucker singing atop a utility post, but he disappeared and we moved on.

We marked our own time with the slap of shoe and click of dog nails on concrete as impatient pups  moved me down the street...to the park.

We found a few seeds browned by the warm dry weather and pocketed them for sharing. It is anyone's guess which seeds will make it in the ground and which will be lost to a forgetful gardener's laundry. These are for the brother who plants. He was so kind not to tease me as I admitted my inability to identify all but the most obvious of bird (I know cardinals, robins, jays, scissor tailed flycatchers, caracara  - yes - easy ones.). I promised  seeds of  cyclamen and ash and mallow. His are  more likely to find fresh earth and water and sprout for next year.

We headed for home just ahead of the first wave of heat as the sun cleared the trees.

Ch-ch-ch-Ch-ch-ch-Ch-ch-shhhhhhhhh!

Spent most of yesterday on the road and followed it up with a late and heavy meal. I am feeling almost "hung-over" today so the walk was late and hot.

I know I will appreciate it as soon as I cool off and hydrate, but right now, as the salty sweat burns my eyes and my head aches a bit, my words fail me. There were wonders on this walk and simple good moments. But right now I can only think about this sticky T-shirt smeared with the leftover makeup of yesterday mixed with dirt and sweat and tears from stinging eyes.

The pups and I walked on the north side of the street most of the way to the park today. Our late start meant the sun was already all too hot and too bright on the south side. At least there was some shade remaining on the north.

We did cross the street once as a neighbor was having a garage sale. While not interested in buying anything, THIS is the neighbor with the salmon color Althea. THIS was the opportunity to request (beg?) cuttings in the fall. SUCCESS! She was only too glad to scratch the ears of the pups and consent to clipping of the Althea come October.

Crossing the road once again we tried to hurry to the park, but the sun was taking its toll. We three cranky walkers tangled in leashes and leads, around trees, shrubs and telephone polls...

Finally we reached the park - but there was little reprieve. There was no  degree temperature drop we often receive. It was still just as hot and our walk now largely unshaded.

We sought out the places where smells are good (for dogs) and I could take stock of the seeds we plan to save as they mature. Yesterday, my brother, R, showed me that the wild spiky things left after the purple clematis blooms die are, in fact, the seed casings. How wildly fabulous!  I knew they had to have a reason besides providing a crazy looking growth on the vine, but it was good to have more information.
 

 
He also shared that "old man's beard," that fluffy blooming stuff that hugs barbed wire fencing across central and south Texas, is also a clematis - making the spiky seed pods more understandable.

He and I shared the long drive yesterday and it was a wonderfully soul affirming trip. I can ask my "plant questions of the uneducated." The drive was through the hilly north-central Texas area and provided much to discuss. A plant exchange almost always follows visits with my siblings.

On the return home from the park we greeted more neighbors on bikes and walking. Then my friend, V, drove by waiving.

But one last comment - remembering water for my dark coated friends, we stopped for a break and both dogs shared a drink from my cupped hand. I think there is nothing sweeter than drinking dogs - tongues lapping the water and then nudging up for a quick kiss or sneeze. (OK - sneeze not so sweet).

Oh, and the title? "Ch-ch-ch-Ch-ch-ch-Ch-ch-shhhhhhhh!" is the sound of this hot summer day. It is the sound of the sprinklers watering thirsty lawns and the cicadas in the trees...