The post title is a little provocative but not technically inaccurate. See, MLB gave me one of these for my birthday and I finally figured out how to work it well enough to wear it on our tandem ride today through north Midland this morning. While the actual footage of the 22 mile jaunt is… Continue reading Bicycling 22 miles in 11 minutes
Category: Midland/Odessa
The Goose Whisperer
Sorry about the post title; it’s the best I can do at 6:30 a.m. Anyway, this story does deal with a goose – a one-legged goose at that. Earlier this month, someone noticed that one of the three geese that have taken up residence at the ponds had an injured leg. One of our neighbors… Continue reading The Goose Whisperer
Overheard Bird
All afternoon, while puttering around in the front yard, we’ve been hearing this odd bird call, kind of a plaintive “squawk,” not harsh like a grackle’s, but a bit more melodic. It sounded familiar to me, but I just couldn’t place it. Nor could I discern its source. Then, a few minutes ago, the call… Continue reading Overheard Bird
Passed Grass
So, you’ve finished edging and mowing the yard in the 90 degree heat, and you’re happy to have that chore out of the way. You grab a bottle of water and ease into the chair on the front porch to admire your handiwork. Despite the watering restrictions, the lawn looks pretty darned good. You swing… Continue reading Passed Grass
Random Holiday Nature Scenes
We had a rather uneventful Memorial Day, without much to report. We did go on a couple of walks around the neighborhood, and I thought I’d share a few sightings of local flora and fauna. The first was actually last night, and not local at all, at least not in the “neighborhood” sense of the… Continue reading Random Holiday Nature Scenes
Front Porch Update (or, “Doo doo doo, lookin’ out my front door”)
It’s important to keep the Historical Records up to date, so here’s what’s happening in the front part of la hacienda: Barn Swallows – When last we checked in on the little #@*%& fellows, their nest was almost complete. It’s now finished and positioned so close to the ceiling that we can’t see inside the… Continue reading Front Porch Update (or, “Doo doo doo, lookin’ out my front door”)
Stationary Hummer
So, say you’re a hummingbird trying to cope with 40mph+ winds, blowing dust and smoke from wildfires on the north and the south, temperatures in the 90s and humidity around 5%. What would you do? Probably the same thing this little guy is doing…perching on a tomato cage sheltered by a concrete block wall, and… Continue reading Stationary Hummer
Barn Swallows 1, Us 0
If eternal vigilance is the price of freedom, we’ve just been enslaved due to inattention. I stepped onto the front porch this morning, just before daybreak, and this caught my eye: I swear, that nest was not there yesterday at noon, when Debbie and I did our usual lunch hour tour of the front yard… Continue reading Barn Swallows 1, Us 0
Willie Nelson: A Marvel of Musical Efficiency
Willie Nelson’s concert in a less-than-packed Horseshoe Arena last night was a model of efficiency. His bus backed through the doors of the coliseum at around 7:25 p.m., behind a stage that was a model of minimalism: one snare drum, two beat-up amps, a piano, and a couple of microphone stands. Willie appeared ten minutes… Continue reading Willie Nelson: A Marvel of Musical Efficiency
Avocet Video
Remember the flock of avocets that visited our neighborhood pond last weekend? Sure you do! Anyway, I finally got around to editing the video I shot and I’ve uploaded it to YouTube. You can either view it there via this link, or just click the following embed. Note that the source footage* is HD so… Continue reading Avocet Video