Easter Sunrise

We left the yard through a different gate. There is mowing in my future* and I wanted to survey the work ahead.

The waning moon was still bright in the sky and, as I stopped to take a look at it, groups of birds began to fly overhead. Some eight or so groups -  3 to 10 - of large birds flew southeast. They were white with long legs behind. They must have been some kind of egret or heron.**

The morning gave us a beautiful sunrise. It  disclosed a white cat on the prowl and one deer in the park. A hawk crossed the dirt road and disappeared into the woods. A huge black bird (Crow? No, juvenile buzzard.) perched on a telephone pole. And one small dog protected his yard from us.

Here are the pictures taken along the way:

Easter moon high in the sky.

Birds flying south southeast

Closeup of the birds flying over. While dark from this perspective, they were white (no black wingtips - darn)

Sunrise over the neighbor's house promises pretty views in the park.

The sunrise reflected pink off the clouds to the southwest.

Sunrise in the park.

Amazing clouds

I love the new fresh green of young mesquite leaves against the darker cedar.

Sunrise over the far meadow.

Signs of the rain we have had. DH walks along-side deep ruts in the road.

Dewberries?

Spear-grass for my sister.

Wild verbena insists on blooming even in the middle of the road.

Wild honeysuckle

The road was covered with little piles of worm castings - more signs of the recent rains.

The mud had dried in spots leaving a web of cracks.

Big prints left in the drying mud...wait, I know these tracks...Paddy and Scruffy are kids at heart and have to get muddy.

Dandelions prepare to seed my side yard.

A close-up displays a yellow beetle on a nearby leaf.

A riot of roses.

Iris blooms welcome the day

*I mowed for a few hours. The backyard was an embarrassment - one could lose a dog back there. The wild garlic has tried to take over and was a powerful hindrance. Still, no vampires will approach the house from the back.

**A close examination of the photos disclose the long necks I did not remember from my early observations. I suppose I was more interested in grabbing a photo or two. Now, why they were flying over as if they were migrating south was not answered. I found this great article on migration, but I quickly got bogged down in it and I don't have time to figure this out today. Here is the link to it:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0511.pdf

It is Texas Parks and Wildlife's Migration and the The Migratory Birds of Texas, Who They Are and Where They Are Going : Fourth Edition by Clifford E. Shackelford, Edward R. Rozenburg, W. Chuck Hunter and Mark W. Lockwood.

FINALLY: I have searched the web and thought about it. I think great egrets...maybe.

Full moon

The full moon was hanging low - enormous in the western sky. Mars blinked to the north of it. Venus was bright in the east.

We missed the blood moon - too early for us.

There was a convergence on the way back up the hill - a small "barker" we have never seen was guarding his turf on the north side of the street (we walk on the south sidewalk). The pups noticed, whining and pulling a little as if asking me to let them go and play. Then the dog started across the street towards us, my pups moved into the street, and  running man came from the west jogging. I shouted, startling everyone.

DH warned running man about the dog in his path while I pulled my puppies away from the confrontation.

I supposed this was a good way to get the blood flowing on a Tuesday morning.

Remembered to bring the new camera along. It will take some adjustment, but may work for me:

Moon over the park woods (see the no parking sign on the left)

Moon through tree branches...

Scruff - won't pose today

 

Paddy not willing to pose either. Perhaps they heard something in the woods.

Gault

 Our museum has established a relationship with the Gault School* and provides a field trip to the "dig" every other month. One must sign up long in advance, sign a release, and prepare for a 1.5 mile (or so) hike in a rocky rural area. We figured we were up to it and that it would be something to consider for an adventure with the nephew.

So we "geared up" and met with BC for an early breakfast and headed south.

Our guide was the executive director of the school, Dr. Clark Wernecke (and the guy is a great guide - he tells a good story). We listened to Dr. Wernecke and read the signs describing different digs and items of interest. Of course, I started noticing unfamiliar wildflowers, familiar trees, spring-fed creeks and a few creatures (some wild, some not) wandering around**. All the while we walked across the remains of early civilizations - the chips of chert*** - some flakes and some worked tools - could be seen all around us.

I loved it all...the time spent with friends, the beautiful day, my understanding of ancient man turned upside down. It was a great Saturday morning.

Here are a few of the sights and sites. I took many more photos than are posted here. [I am tired of fighting the download. I may add more when my patience returns. You are missing the bluebonnets, the bur oak and a few other things. I believe a few dewberry bushes were blooming as well.]:

Differing permeability of limestone ledges explains where the water is and where it goes. Chert nodules noted.

Clark describes the discovery of an early foundation - earliest house in North America? Pre-Clovis!? (This one is out of order,  but I have fought to post any photos)

Explanation of the layers of the dig.

Small dig

The big dig - will be filled in during June. This pit is huge. And unseen in this photo is the water running below the plywood platform. They have pumps going constantly, but the trees are now helping.

Visitors listening to the explanation of the big dig.

BC waiting...no shade on much of this walk.

DH

Worked chert and flakes on top of the mound of worked stone.

Yes, this is a "guard longhorn"

Spring-fed creek

Thistles already blooming.

Love the variegated foliage of this thistle

Prickly pear covered in buds.

Close-up of prickly pear buds

NOTES:


*http://www.gaultschool.org/Home.aspx

** We saw and heard wild turkey. A few longhorns wandered. Pecan, walnut, and oak shaded the valley.

*** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chert

[All photos taken with a Samsung smart phone of some kind. My old camera stopped - dead battery-  after a couple of photos. I have needed better quality photos for some time and I am trying another pocket camera on the next few walks.]

Not really a story about a walk

Our walk today was uneventful. We hurried a bit and the dogs were not cooperating, but all in all it was a normal morning. We started before the papers were thrown, but ended after.

DH had to be at work early and so I hustled into the house, fixed his breakfast and sat down with a cup of coffee.

After about 45 minutes I realized I was still wearing my neon green baseball cap - including the flashing red lights I use to make sure drivers see me.

Maybe you had to be here. How weird to be sitting in the living room "all geared up" while DH never mentioned the beacon on my head.

I guess we are getting old...or just distracted...

Springtime! (And that means ICE CREAM!)

How could I forget that I would have time some bright evenings when I could take a stroll - to the ICE CREAM STAND!

DH has dibs on the television on Wednesdays. So I grabbed a couple of dogs and headed down the street towards the park. We goofed around - no need to hurry as there was nothing to hurry for.

Lots of people were outside enjoying the beautiful cool evening.

We saw birds and flowers and weird signs painted on the ground. I will save some of the photos for another day, but here are some others just for fun:

Pay attention - a circle around a pole.

"Locate"?  (Or is it Spanish and pronounced like "Tecate"? Hahaha!)

Are you following me? More circles around a pole...Celtic symbols? Aliens? Crop circles? Mower having fun?

The cat watched us as we headed home.

 OK. We know you are waiting to see these. The girl at the ice cream stand overfilled our bowls and I had to stop the pups before they ate too much. A little vanilla every now and then is fine. But we must not overdo:

Paddy enjoying her bowl.

Paddy takes the bowl on a trip - pushing it around until she slides up next to Scruffy.

Cujo and other weirdness - kind of early to be fishing

We were up and walking before the papers were thrown this morning. Realizing that, we noted the one neighbor who had not picked up yesterday's paper. Further down the street the garage door was open at the cat man's old house where the artist, Jane, now lives. The car was in the garage. She never leaves the garage open. So I will be checking on these folks today. After the news of yesterday,* I am once again reminded that we are neighbors and need to pay a little more attention.

We also saw signs of a large - big - HUGE dog wandering loose. I won't go into too many details, but the paws were as big as my fist. How do I know this? Well, at the top of the hill near the park is a storm drain. The sidewalk is uneven there and dirt collects in the corners. We are careful there (we have slipped there multiple times when not paying attention). There in the mud was the print - Cujo.

See the print to the right of my foot? [I wear a size 9 folks!] ~ CUJO ~

I was glad to have DH walking along today.**

We have had storms over the past few days and the signs were everywhere. One of the big trees in the woods is now stacked in pieces along the roadway.***



We walked almost to the pavilion before turning around. Just after we turned I saw headlights from the far end of the parking lot. I had not noticed a car until then. A sedan drove away followed by a pickup. Wonder what was up with that. It is not unusual to see vehicles in the park. Walkers and runners and dog trainers often would share the place with us. [And we are no longer law-breakers. The hours of the park have been expanded - formerly the ridiculous 8:00 a.m. to something or other and now 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.]Still, most folks park in the well lighted area at the front of the park, not in the dark far lot.

Of course, fishermen might park closer to the small deck/pier, but this was kind of early to be fishing.

Once again I told DH I was relieved he joined the pups and me.

So here's my list:

1. Check on the house where the papers weren't picked up****
2. Check on Jane*****
3. Beware of a big footed dog wandering in the neighborhood******

NOTES:

*http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/skeletal-remains-twin-brothers-found-tennessee-home-article-1.1748267

** He knows better to skip his usual morning run. Maybe he wanted to come with us today.

***These neighbors finally picked up their old newspapers. Still, the cars aren't being moved and I haven't seen any people. I will keep watching.

****Jane came to the door and thanked me for being worried about her. She left the garage door open by accident. Whew!

*****BIG tree trunks.

These are the larger stumps. The other wood was picked up before we could take a picture.

****** There were chickens loose across the street when I ran errands at lunch yesterday. I am less concerned with an attack chicken, than a big dog.

Our sad oak tree

Exhausted (yesterday was a long day), we arose and made ourselves walk the dogs.

I turned the corner from the side street to the busy road that passes the front of our house to discover an enormous tree limb had fallen from the big red oak that once graced the front yard. I say it once graced the front of the house because limbs have fallen and the utility companies have "gotched" it up by cutting limbs back.* There's also a scar from the day the police officer shot a raccoon that had terrorized the children (he mostly hit the tree the first time and had to shoot the poor raccoon** twice). This should have been the best "climbing tree" ever. It never was.

The limb isn't completely down. It hangs down waiting for us to call a tree person. We no longer climb up to saw things down. We leave it to the professionals. But it is another thing on the list of yard work. I already knew I had mowing ahead - and planting - and throwing stuff away.

This is the bottom part.

Limb is still connected about 20 feet up.

Putting the waiting work behind us (DH and the dogs didn't even notice the tree limb), we pressed on towards the park. First the dogs alerted on a yellow cat*** prowling in the next block. Scruffy was especially excited as he is the hunter. We walked on.

Our neighbor down the way (she generally has the beautiful flowers in spring and summer) had come out to pick up her paper and waited to talk to us. She had wondered where we were. We explained that the time change and our schedules didn't always allow morning dog-walks. She agreed that the time change always played havoc with her wake-sleep cycles. I am always happy to visit with our neighbors. We don't have many "permanent" folks. The neighborhood is becoming more and more a rental neighborhood.

At the park we encountered running man. He spoke about the construction blocking the park running/walking path.

Even though we were late starting (and finishing) it was good to see some neighbors. It made us wonder what has happened to all the park walkers. We have not seen Banana man David or any of the walkers who shared the park when we started walking there. We also have not seen the robot dogs, Dewayne, or Sissie in a while either.

Perhaps they walk at different time. And they may have wondered what has happened to us. I miss them. And I will have to change my walking goals as I do not enter the park unless someone I "recognize" is there.



*They utility crews have no clue what they are doing and leave horrors in their wake. My blood pressure rises just thinking about it.

**It turned out the raccoon was not "rabid." We had been concerned because the nocturnal raccoon was out in the middle of the day, chasing children in the yard. I managed to gather all of the children (mine and neighborhood kiddos) into the house (there was a Patton saber involved, but that is another story). The raccoon charged down the tree at the police officer and the oak tree received  its scar.

***We believe that most yellow cats in the neighborhood are relatives of Hobbes as he wandered into our lives after a walk 14 years ago. In any case, we believe chasing yellow neighborhood cats would be improper behavior - seeing that they are kin.