~Wyoming Wednesday~
Remembering cool mountain breezes and wide open spaces.
There is no place like home~
Posting a photo from home today.. I have been neglecting my web page for the last week.. and I apologize, I have been working on a new project.. I am going to be doing some video editing from Elk season last Fall.. and in the process of setting up my computer to get ready… I discovered that the external hard drive I have been saving all my photos to for the last 2 1/2 years is dying a slow and painful( for me) death. I have spent the last 3 days trying to copy them off of the drive and on to a new one.. but it is not working well.. So keep your fingers and toes crossed and I will continue to plug away ..
Another bird that is common down here in Texas.. but not a stranger to Wyoming either.. I have seen them often fishing in a pond outside of Powell..
Interesting fact about the cormorant ~ For nearly 1300 yrs they have been used in China, Japan, and Macedonia for fishing.. fishermen would capture and train the birds to return to them.. then they would tie a small noose around their necks so they could not swallow large fish(only little ones) .. Cormorants are exceptional at fishing.. so when the tried to eat a large fish and it would get “stuck in their throat” so to speak.. they will return to the fisher”men” in the boats who would remove the large fish..This practice is still used in some of the small villages in these countries though not nearly as popular as it once was..
Please enjoy your July Free Desktop Calendars~
This month I bring to you two options.. one made from a calf elk from the North
and the other is a Sea Turtle from the South~ Both unique and beautiful creatures who survive in very different wilderness’
Just click the links below to download your Free calendar today.. and feel free to spread the word and share with your friends and family~
Finally got a photograph of a wild animal down here on the beach that has FUR on it.. I know you are getting tired of all the birds, but there are soooo many new and cool birds down here on the coast..
Saw one of these running across the sand dune a week or so back.. but as hot as the sand gets.. it is no wonder you don’t see them much.. This day was a cool(er) day after Hurricane Alex passed by and we spotted an adult spotted ground squirrel and when I stopped to take a photo of it.. this baby stood up to see what was happening.. talk about an adorable little creature… it reminded me of a meerkat.. and now I know what the coyote eat.. I didn’t think they survived on seafood and garbage alone..
When I left home on this trip.. I decided that I wanted to take photos along the way. .to show people that natures beauty can be found anyplace. Well, I have to confess that as we traveled south.. I did not take the time to stop and photograph the beautiful mountains in Colorado and New Mexico.. or the beautiful golden colored antelope fawns that we saw standing in the fields with their mothers as we traveled.. or any of the other beautiful sights and sounds that we encountered on the trip.. some times when you are traveling time dictates how often you stop.. by the time we reached the northern pan handle of Texas, I think my shock at not being able to see, or smell the mountains that I call home was starting to wear off.. and the first night we actually pulled off the interstate and into the city that I would be saying in for that next week.. I had to force myself to look a bit outside the normal.. to even find anything “natural” .. I had to readjust my way of thinking and seeing.. all while still trying to adapt to a world full of more people than I had ever seen in my life.. Hawk drove me around and showed me how to get from the motel, to his job site.. (and I was silently thinking.. NOT going to happen… I will just wait in our room..lol) Well the next day.. I took the time to venture out.. down the road from our motel.. I had spotted a sporting goods store.. and wanted to pick up a few things for the fishing trip we were planning..
I got to the sporting goods store about 10 minutes before they opened.. so our son and I just waited in the parking lot (much safer than trying to drive anyplace else at this point..lol) As we stood there watching 6 lanes of cars zip by … I spotted a small little reminder that it doesn’t matter how big the city is.. or how many people there are … nature will always find a way, and a place to call home..
and I for one~ sure did love this little birds choice, of a place to call home and raise her family..
and we both stood there with our “young” watching the cars and the world whiz by.. and I wondered how many actually took the time to notice this beautiful little family of birds.. and if the store owners would remove them if they did…
to end the story.. I have to tell you that the store finally opened and I went inside.. A young man came up to me asking if he could help me find anything.. when I told him that I was looking for bow fishing supplies.. he actually took a step away from me.. and made a face.. as he told me ‘No! we wouldn’t carry anything like THAT here” As my eyes scanned the store I realized that it was filled with bicycle equipment and camping items.. but only a very small section of camo and fishing poles could be seen in the back corner.. So I asked him if he knew of anyplace in the area that might carry what I was looking for.. and he curtly stated.. “I don’t think so, you might try Dallas!” (Dallas.. 200 miles away and WAY bigger than the town I was in.. no thank you)
I learned a lesson that day.. I assumed that just because the store stated sporting goods.. it would have like minded people working inside.. and he assumed that just because I asked for “bow hunting” equipment.. that I must be a cold blooded killer with no respect for nature…
As I walked out of the store.. I glanced back at the little bird family…. and found myself wondering… if he even knows they are there?
Well it seems that the bird I was asking about in my last post is called a reddish egret… Never would of guessed that one.. lol.. not a speck of “reddish” on it.. but I was lucky enough to get a photograph of one of the Reddish Egrets that they get their name from..
Watching Hurricane Alex closely.. sounds like the main part of the storm will make land south of here.. but Corpus Chrisit (where we are currently staying) is expecting some pretty good rain fall (8-12 inches) from the edges of the storm.. and possible power outages.. they have closed most of the beach roads and issued a voluntary evacuation for South Padre Island.. Rained here all night last night, but as of yet.. no wind..
Reddish Egret..
and the black feet that gave it away..
The hot summer sun was cooled by the soft ocean breeze as I tried to sneak closer to this beautiful bird.. I went as far as I dared and stopped and crouched down to steady the camera and take a few photos.. This beautiful snowy bird.. turned and looked at me as I snapped a few photos.. then to my surprise it came closer to me.. I am guessing that he/she was just trying to get a closer look as well..
When I set out after photos.. I thought this bird was a snowy egret.. but when I looked up snowy egret this morning.. it said that they have yellow feet.. and I know that this one did not.. it had black feet.. so if any of you know what it is.. please let me know..
Enjoying our time here in Texas.. we have been here a few weeks now and I have to say it is Hotter than the dickens.. especially since I left temps that were only getting into the high 60′s.. Had some culture shock and still find myself looking NW to see if I can see my mountains, but there really are so many new things to see and experience every place we go..
Took me a while to get this computer set up so I could upload pictures..
Saw antelope all the way to New Mexico and even a few in the far north part of the Texas pan handle.. We have been fishing, caught blue gill, sunfish and lots of cats, played with turtles and weathered a heck of a rain storm in Wichita Falls.. today finds us on the beach in Port Aransas Texas.. I have fallen in love with the seagulls.. yeah.. seagulls.. I know.. most people hate them, but I think they are great.. poop and all.. our boys spend hours catching hermit crabs and playing in the shallows … Last night just before dark, Hawk and I wadded out up to our chests in the ocean surf and went fishing.. I think the people around us though I was a crazy woman .. .but it was Fun.. even when the unknown fish that was twice as large as me, swam by.. trying to catch the same fish we were catching..
I am slow at uploading photos to this new computer, as I haven’t figured out how to save them to my hard drive yet. But will work on it more when the weather is less desirable..
My advise to anyone visiting Texas, is not to forget to look up.. they have some pretty amazing birds in this state.. and the fish are pretty cool too… as I said when I started this trip.. I am on an adventure, and I will share with you the beauty that nature has to offer.. even in the towns and cities.. it is still there.. all you have to do is look..
Took this picture of this turtle sitting on a log, in a city park.. the pond was full of little fish, turtles, ducks and geese.. Never even saw the baby turtle until I uploaded the photo to my computer.. What a cool surprise.. and thankful our youngest didn’t see it either.. as he would of been soaking wet, trying to capture it..
Squirrel below was also in the same park.. Lucy Park.. in Wichita Falls Texas.. a very cool , shaded park.. with a ton of walk paths along the Red River..
