March 9 2013 - First day of Spring break - Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center

 

I had never been to the Ladybird Johnson wildflower center in Austin Texas so on the first day of Spring break I decided to head up there. Fred was going to come with Michael and I but he ended up catching a cold and stayed home...It was raining when we got there and then it slowed to a drizzle and as we left it stopped...It was a beautiful place and I'd like to go back when it's nice out and explore more. We didn't do any of the trails and not too many flowers were blooming yet!

 

 The entrance...Michael found the pond first thing and oh my goodness there were turtles in it too!!

Mountain Laural was blooming

 

 There were wind sculptures on exhibit and they were pretty neat

 

 

 They were having an artisan show too and that is one reason I wanted to go. I love hand made items. One of the exhibitors showed me where the famous owls are at. The owls nest here every year. I had to walk back out to the vehicle to get the 300mm lens. I hadn't brought it in with me as I wasn't sure if I was allowed to take photos. But Michael and I were loving the owl and where she was at...not easy to spot if you didn't know...

 

 

There were a few flowers blooming...

 

I liked the labels on everything...nice to know what I'm looking at

 

 It also gives me ideas of what I'd like to plant at the property

Hello Michael!!

 

 

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Agave

 

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Studying something obviously. I think Michael enjoyed the wildflower center.

 

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Michael definitely enjoyed the little creek

 

 

I want to put in some of this Autumn sage, beautiful.

 

 

Blackfoot Daisy, I wouldn't mind growing some of these too.

 

 

checking things out...he was in a hurry as usual

 

 

Telling me to stop taking photos, lol...Poor kid I drive him nuts with my camera!

 

I might have to try a Mexican plum tree too...

 

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 We found a few bluebonnets too, at the time they were just starting to bloom.

 

 



I asked him to pose and this is what I got...a smirk!

 

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I'm thinking some purple fall asters too...

 

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And maybe a Texas Redbud tree too?

 

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This was my favorite sculpture...loved how they moved in the wind!

 

 

 

Yucca in bloom

 

 

 Another patch of bluebonnets

 

 



 The indian blankets were gorgeous...

 Michael had to have a photo of the turtle...there were several

 Because of the drizzle I didn't want to switch lenses on the camera so I used my cellphone to take these photos of different spots at the wildflower center. Loved the stone they used in the buildings.

 

 



 The plaza where the artisans were located...

 

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Then I found out the real reason Michael came with me and why he was in a hurry to leave the wildflower center...He wanted to stop at Cabela's, lol...the little brat! 

And on the way home I was able to stop and get photos of the Bison. We see them on 183 just North of Cuero but I've never gotten photos. Michael was tickled when I stopped. He wanted to check them out a bit better. The big bison above was the bull and he was huge. I've worked with Bison before at a zoo and they aren't anything to mess with, they can be mean! So neat to see them.

We had a good adventure on our first day of spring break!

 

More to come...

 

 

 

Please take note:

 

 

Some interesting FACTS:

 ◦In six years, one un-spayed female dog and her un-spayed offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs.

 ◦One un-spayed female cat and one un-neutered male cat and their offspring can result in 420,000 kittens in 7 years.

 ◦A female cat can have 29 litters in 10 years.

 ◦A male cat can sire as many as 2,500 kittens in a single year, and a male dog can sire almost as many puppies.

 ◦Only 1 in 9 cats and dogs born in the US will find homes.

 SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR CATS AND DOGS, PLEASE!!!

 

I am so tired of the Feral dogs and cats running around here...They kill wildlife and it's not right. Please people be responsible pet owners take care of your pets!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was going to start...

posting our spring break photos but once again I ran out of time, it's bedtime!

 

 

 

I have a patch of phlox by the deck at the property and couldn't resist taking a photo this week. One of the few photos I've managed. I'm still planting the garden in between doing all the daily and weekly things that need doing. This week has taken it's toll on me and tonight when Michael and I got home from school we both crashed, we were whooped!

We woke up and Fred got home and we headed to Family fun night at Michael's school. I ended up playing kick ball with the kids and I'm sure I'll be feeling it tomorrow. I hate not being able to do the things I use to do, it's very frustrating. We had fun tonight and Michael was pretty darn happy!

Tomorrow I hope to finish up the garden and hopefully things will slow down, ha ha ha. Probably not because I've bought some things, like mulch and landscaping fabric to put around the pool (My next project making the area around the pool look nice).

 

I hope y'all have a great weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



A story by Michael...

(Michael had to write two stories this week for homework. Here is one of them...)

 

I still can remember the day I went fishing with my family. The creek I went fishing at with my family was as dark as night. I was sitting on the bank with my family and they all caught fish, I caught seaweed. I was just about to reel my line in when I saw my bobber go under the water. Then I reeled and pulled the fish in. The fish was a Sunfish and was 9 inches long. That was the longest fish I had ever caught. I put the fish in the bucket and tossed my line back out into the water. 2 minutes later I hooked a big fish and the fish pulled my fishing pole into the water. An hour later my family cooked fish and talked about our day and my lost pole. This was an important memory because I spent time with my family and lost my fishing pole.

(Sorry I've been missing in action. Spring always seems to be a busy time for us. Fred tripled the size of the garden and I've been busy getting it planted. I'm still not done yet, sigh. Michael has had a ton of homework and I've been having to get on him about it as he doesn't want to do it and it takes him forever. I also had to redo the newest chicken coop as it was not chick proof and I wanted the baby chicks out of the house. 14 chicks are not fun to have penned up in the house. We finished getting the coop chick proofed tonight and the babies are outside permanently, yeah. I have a ton of photos to share and all our adventures we've had over Spring break. It was a lot of fun and very busy for a staycation. Hope y'all are enjoy spring, it's sprung. The bluebonnets are up at the property. Not very many yet but more are popping up every day. Hopefully soon I'll have time to post photos. Take care ~ Wendy)

This week...Spring Break!

Sorry I haven't posted lately. It's Michaels Spring Break at school and we've been out and about. Last Saturday we went to the LadyBird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin Texas. A beautiful place and yes I have plenty of photos to share from there. Then Sunday Michael had friends come over. They stayed until Tuesday and the boys had a blast. Weds. we went and worked at the property and Michael took a Cold dip in the pool and then we went to Victoria to visit some friends and have dinner with them. Today, Thurs., we went to the Goliad County Fair (livestock show and carnival). I was a judge for the 4H kids photograph entrys. It was great to see all the photographs they took, lots of talent. Tomorrow Michael said he wants to stay home all day and play video games, sigh. It's his spring break so I will oblige him and maybe I'll get some photos posted too.
Hope y'all are having a great week.

14 new family members...

 

Fred thought we needed some new chickens...I think he's a fruitcake!

 

 There are 10 assorted red pullets, pullet meaning female/hens, and they'd better be as I do NOT need 10 roosters...and then 4 straight run and goodness only knows what you get breed and sex wise! I kind of like surprises but I'm hoping there aren't any roosters!

I didn't tell Michael and when he heard the peeping when he walked in the house he was pretty darn excited! He loves having baby chicks!

He couldn't decide which one to hold so he held all of them for a few seconds. He's also my chicken tamer and when they go outside they'll be use to humans and being touched.

 

 Little cute balls of fluff and in two weeks I'll be complaining, lol

 

 



Hopefully by then it will be warm enough and they can go outside!

One very happy boy!

And one very happy German Shepherd! I'm not sure I trust Jenny though as she was licking her chops...and I'm sure probably thinking "Yummy, chicken nuggets!"...Ekk!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Feral Hogs...Lovely!! (Not really)

As I was getting in the truck to leave the property this afternoon I glanced over at the neighbors property and I was like what the heck??? Is that a Hog...5pm, broad daylight and there's a HOG??

 

 

 Sure enough...

 

 

 And they had piglets with them...ARgh!!

 

 

 There were 4 sows and about 18 piglets and there wasn't a thing I could do about it...

 

 

 They weren't on our property...

I'm going to have to see if the neighbor will let me shoot them on his property!

 

 

This Sow was prego!!

Yes the little piggies are cute but Feral Hogs are so destructive!! We destroy them whenever possible...and here I was staring at a whole bunch of them and not able to do a thing about it!

 

I sure hope they stay over there and off our property!!