Sea Turtle Inc ~ South Padre Island

Last Sunday Morning on our vacation to S. Padre Island we visited Sea Turtle Inc.

The volunteers did a really great job with the program and it was very informative. Did you know there is a Sea Turtle that can be 8 to 9 feet long, Wow...now I don't remember what species but if you click on the Sea Turtle Inc. you can check out their website. If a sea turtle is washed up on shore or found in a net and it has 3 or more flippers it can be re-introduced to the wild...They have quiet a few sea turtles in tanks around the facility and we were able to interact with them too, Michael loved that.

Here Michael is using a scrub-brush to scratch one of the turles backs. This turtle loves to be scratched and Michael was thrilled to do it.

This turtle above is a female and is not able to be released back into the wild. She really took a shine to Michael.

This is Freddy the sea turtle. You show him the lettuce and then throw it into the tank and he eats it. Freddy lost a flipper due to a predator and was released 3 times but came back each time. Guess he thought it was safer to live in a tank...

We decided to adopt Freddy for a month and will recieve a photo and information on him in the mail...I was really impressed by the volunteers and what they have done with the sea turtles on the Gulf coast of Texas...amazing people and amazing turtles.

There are more photos on my flickr site...

We're Back!

We are HOME!! YEA!!

I took over 600 photos and have them on the computer but it will take me a few days to sort through them...I made a HUGE photographers mistake at the Gladys Porter Zoo...Batteries died and guess what...no back ups!! Ekkk....I had put new ones in before we went to the Zoo but they must have not had a full charge as they gave out...Stupid me and I know better than not carrying spares with me....

We had a good time...the weather was slightly hazy and over cast, which was okay as we didn't have to worry about getting sunburned or getting heat stroke...lol...Our Hotel will not be a repeat it was awful but the Island itself was neat and I really, really liked the beach at Boca Chica...few people and lots of seashells...now if we could have only got Michael out of the truck, lol...he hates the heat...I need to start turning the a/c off here at the house and condition him!

I also seem to have caught a cold our first day there so I was not feeling up to par, Ugh!! I want to go again but hopefully this time I'll be healthy and maybe just Fred and I can go so we can do some beach combing...I've worked on two photos of us to give you something to look at while I work on the other photos...

I let Michael have the camera so I could get a photo of Fred and I on our 5th Wedding Anniv. He didn't do to bad...This was at the beach at Boca Chica.

A young lady at Sea Turtle Inc. took our photo with "Freddy" the sea turtle, lol...I told Fred he had to have his photo taken with his namesake...

Michaels slidshow April ~ May

I happen to look at Michael's memory card on his camera and Whoops! He had some photos and I thought I'd share a few of them with y'all...Enjoy!

In Honor of Mothers day ~ Photos of a few Mommas

My favorite little cow had a calf a few days ago...I call the cow "Heifer" as she was a little heifer when we moved in here and the friendliest of the bunch. She still comes up to me for Alfalfa cubes. Tonight I used the Alfalfa cubes to entice her to bring her new baby up to me for photos...She was leery but knows I won't hurt her or her sweet little babe.

Yes Momma she's all yours!

Hey who are you? I love newborns they are so curious!

Bath time

Yep here's that Momma Brahma...The "Afrikan" cow...

Ekk I gotta Itch!

I had to try that photo in black and white...

Gotta love that little bubble she's blowing...

There is just something about newborn calves that I love...they are so sweet and cute...thought I'd share these photos with y'all...

Toadly Toads

The other night Michael and I were outside. I was watering the lawn and there are a few holes in the yard from where there used to be stumps and we filled the holes with dirt. The dirt washed down in to the old root system and we had neighbors move in to those small holes...I always pour water down them to see what comes out...I was in shock and Michael was laughing...We counted 12 toads, from BIG to little come out of ONE hole...it was to dark for photos at the time, so today we went outside with camera's in hand and started sending water down the holes...once again Toads started coming out...8 from one hole, 4 from another...The good thing about all these toads is that of course they eat bugs but it also means there are no snakes in the area...or the Toads would be dinner....Yikes!!

A shower on a hot day!

A little guy.

4 toads coming up for air...

4 more toads coming out...

Ahh nothing like a good soak...

Double YEEHAW!!

I am having such a GREAT day!! Excited about our trip and another BIG news items is we have a water well on our property!! YES!! I didn't take the Cannon Camera down there today but used the camera on the cellphone...so excuse the nasty photos!!

First off we sent Daddy a photo...or Michael insisted we send Daddy a photo...You would have laughed at Fred and I...Fred was in Laredo shopping for clay/ceramic pots for me...and he would send me photos of what he found and then I would call him and tell him what I thought...I ended up taking photos of the plant pots here at the house so he understood what I was after...I'm wondering what he is going to bring me home, as he took photos of bath tubs, sinks, HUGE ugly gaudy pots, etc....I was laughing at him. I think him and Trey were having way too much fun! The well they are working on was being Fraked (sp.) today so they were not needed on site and spent the day shopping...Amazing enough but my Hubby loves to shop...He loves to Shop so much he drives me crazy....

Hello Daddy...it's me your Son - Michael...I love you! Long time no see....
I know it's a terrible photo but I forgot my camera and wanted one of the guys drilling the well.

Here's another one that I took through the truck windshield...(see the vent reflection)...

I ~ We are so excited to finally have a well...it's been a long time coming and each little bit we accomplish brings us closer to having a house on our own land!! My goal for this year was the water well and electric...the year isn't quiet 1/2 over with and we have done it!! Now to save, save, save and start the house and get the septic put in...OUCH!! But we will have it and within 3 yrs...We still have a cement pad, submersible pump and pressure tank to put on the well but the hole is there and it shouldn't take long to do the other items....I can start planting trees too...I planted 6 last year and had to haul water to them...we lost 3 of them but the other 3 are doing good and will be even better when I can water them as much as needed....

On a last note, while I was out with the well guys Michael and Jake stayed in the truck with the a/c running...it seems Michael decided to take photos with the cellphone too...I was laughing when I saw this one of Jake's big nose!! KIDS!!

YEEHAW!!

We are all very excited...

as this weekend we are headed to South Padre Island for 4 days!! YES!!

Fred has been before but I have never been and I'm ready to go check it out.

...our trips are not R&R...but go go go...

Today I have been sitting here making plans...

An ariel view of the Island...it's a barrier Island. You can read more about South Padre below.

I am in the process of booking a dolphin tour. Fred and I took one a few years back in Port Aransas and really enjoyed it. This time of year there should be babies and I know Michael will enjoy seeing them.

I was laughing as they offer SandCastle/Sculpture lessons...NOT something we will do as Michael is in the search and destroy mode...LOL

They do have a Sea Turtle non-profit group and we will be sure to go to their meet the turtle program.

There is also horse back riding along the beach but I don't see that happening either...maybe in a few years. We are going to drive over to Brownsville to check out the Gladys Porter Zoo. If you click here you can check out the Zoo's website...I was surprised as it is quiet a large Zoo.

Michael is much better and his temp is back to normal and he is back to NORMAL, lol...Another words he is working on destroying the HOUSE!! Ekkk...

Michael and I are both excited about this weekend...Our Hotel is right on the beach with a pool, yes!! Hopefully it is a warm pool, lol...

About South Padre Island
The Town of South Padre Island is located at the eastern edge of Cameron County in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, just 30 miles north of the Mexican border. Bordered by the Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre Bay, this little slip of land-a 34-mile-long barrier island, 1/2 mile at its widest point-is not your ordinary beach destination. The island's thriving coastal town provides activities and amenities, while wide expanses of unspoiled dunes preserve nature and privacy. According to the 1994 census estimate, about 2,028 residents live in the Town. However, depending on the tourist season, some 2,000 to 5,000 people work on the Island, providing services to the Town's 20,000 to 200,000 visitors. The Town of South Padre Island is linked to the mainland by the Queen Isabella Causeway, a 2 1/2 mile four lane bridge to Port Isabel Texas.South Padre Island was first charted, in 1519, by the Spanish Explorer Alonzo de Pineda. He named it "Isla Blanca" or "White Island." Then in 1804, Missionary Priest Padre Jose Nicholas Balli established the first settlement on the island after the initial grant was made by King Charles IV of Spain. The Port Mansfield Gulf Channel was completed in 1964 which separated South Padre Island from Padre Island. South Padre Island was incorporated in 1973 and one year later the Queen Isabella Causeway was completed.
South Padre Island is a year-round vacation destination located at the same latitude as Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Island enjoys a sub-topical environment with mild dry winters, and warm breezy summers. With a winter average temperature of 65 degrees, a summer average temperature of 82 degrees and and an average of 253 days of beautiful sunshine, it's no wonder why so many people love South Padre Island.