And the heat goes on…but not the lizards, perhaps

Hey, y’all…is it hot where you live? This is the time of year where we resurrect General Sheridan’s quote about preferring to live in Hell and rent out Texas, which makes a lot of sense until you wonder just who, exactly, would be willing to rent Texas during August? Alert Gazette readers will recall that… Continue reading And the heat goes on…but not the lizards, perhaps

Texas Spiny Lizard Nesting Behavior

One late afternoon last week, Debbie was looking out a dining room window and spotted a strange sight in the courtyard. She called me over to have a look, and for the next couple of hours, we watched a fascinating process unfold. Alert Gazette readers will recall the previous post in which I described, by… Continue reading Texas Spiny Lizard Nesting Behavior

Neighborhood Nature (Pt. 4): Circle of Life Edition

I don’t know whether it’s because we’ve been stuck at home more this year, but I’ve noticed more evidence than ever before that spring in our neighborhood is a matter of life and death…and I’m not talking about COVID-19 at all. If the Circle of Life was unrolled and laid flat in a trend line,… Continue reading Neighborhood Nature (Pt. 4): Circle of Life Edition

Neighborhood Nature (Pt. 2)

This is the second in a possibly endless series of posts about the fascinating details of nature in our figurative Texas Hill Country back yard. Part 1 is here. I hope your weather has been as nice as ours over the past few days. Cool mornings and warm afternoons mean that we get to spend… Continue reading Neighborhood Nature (Pt. 2)

More Turtle Eggs…And An Unfortunate Twist

A couple of weeks ago I spotted something in the adjacent vacant lot that looked out of place. It was a turtle — a Texas river cooter (Pseudemys texana) to be precise — in the process of creating a “nest” in which to deposit eggs. Being the insensitive-and-nosy jerk I am, I immediately set up a… Continue reading More Turtle Eggs…And An Unfortunate Twist

Baby Horny Toad

As I’ve noted before, horny toads seem to be making a comeback, at least in our neck of the woods. Here’s further evidence – a baby lizard, one of the smallest I’ve ever seen. I didn’t actually see this one, though, as Debbie came across it while walking this evening with a friend. That’s Debbie’s… Continue reading Baby Horny Toad