A Pleasant (and Sometimes Challenging) Interlude on South Padre Island

Debbie and I recently returned from a very enjoyable and occasionally adventuresome stay on South Padre Island with our good friends Sam and Trish. Their house is mere yards from Lower Laguna Madre (aka “the Bay”) which bounds the island on the west side, and an easy walk from the Gulf of Mexico (aka “the Gulf”… Continue reading A Pleasant (and Sometimes Challenging) Interlude on South Padre Island

Armadillos R Us: A Trapping Update

Update (4/2/2020): Add one more to the armadillo count below; another one became an involuntary guest early this morning. And, yes, succeeded in waking me up at 3:30 a.m. in the process. People have been clamoring* for a trapping update from Casa Fire Ant, and I respond to nothing if not clamoring. Here’s a snapshot… Continue reading Armadillos R Us: A Trapping Update

“Our Desired Future” website launches

Texas has 500 times more water underground than anything you see above the surface.  The question is, how much do we pump and how fast? Late last year I reported on a project called Our Desired Future that focuses on issues surrounding groundwater conservation in Texas. I’m now happy to report that the new ODF… Continue reading “Our Desired Future” website launches

“Our Desired Future”: Exploring the water dilemma in Texas

Alert Gazette readers may recall this post from almost two years ago, where I tracked down and photographed the elusive flow of Comanche Springs in Fort Stockton. To my knowledge, that was the last time the springs flowed, thanks to a combination of drought and continued heavy irrigation in the Belding Draw area just west… Continue reading “Our Desired Future”: Exploring the water dilemma in Texas

First trail run of the season…or “Death in the Desert”

Most of Texas was blessed last week with some of the best rainfall we’ve had in months, and lake levels across the state reflected the results of that bounteous precipitation. However, one lake that didn’t get much benefit was Lake Travis, outside of Austin, as you can tell in the photo below. Sad, isn’t it?… Continue reading First trail run of the season…or “Death in the Desert”