New Ranch Butterfly

While doing some roadside brush clearing, I saw this low and slow flying butterfly that I immediately recognized as a Red Satyr, a new ranch butterfly species.  I had to rush back to the Ranch house to get my new Canon SX 50 and return to find a 2nd one further down the road.

Marcelo Early Birthday Party

Dianne and kids came down for their school break.  While they were here we had a private birthday party for Marcelo.  Also took him fishing where he caught a 13 inch Large Mouth Bass and both kids help paint the garden ground steps.

 

Sherry made a rainbow cake that was delicious.

 

Marcelo's 13 inch Large Mouth Bass

 

Emilia and Marcelo did a great job of re-painting the garden steps.

 

A little Lego construction

Albuquerque - Emila's Birthday

We continue to travel.  This is an 11 hour drive to visit my daughter and family in Albuquerque, NM.  It was also a chance to visit with our grandkids - Marcelo and Emilia.  Emilia turned 5 while we were there and spent lots of time working puzzles, fishing and playing a baseball game in the backyard.

 

New Ranch Dragonfly

Found this beautiful Flame Skimmer at the Oasis - it stayed about 3 days and then was gone.

49th Anniversary

Sherry and I celebrated our 49th Anniversary with a steak dinner and desert at the Cowboy Steak House in Kerrville.

4th of July NABA Counts

During June and July I was very busy with Butterfly counts - a total of 6 this year.  the highlight was the 61 species at Love reek Preserve.  43 folks showed up for the free breakfast sponsored my me and the off in 7 teams to the preserve, Native Plant Nursery, and multiple large ranches with lots of clear streams.   61 species was a new high for the count which will be either #1 or #2 this year in Texas.

The most difficult butterfly to ID was this Texas Powered Skipper....The first picture looked like a moth or butterfly buried into a flower.


The first picture is unedited and appears to be either a moth or butterfly buried into a yellow flower.

 



The next picture was edited using Photoshop and it really brings out the key marks on the butterfly.

A Texas Powered Skipper

Agarita Berry Collection and Making Jam

Late May I spent several hours out collecting Agarita berries.  We have several hundred bushes on the ranch and this was a banner year for them.  I only worked about 15 of the bushes and was able to collect 27 cups of them after much effort.  You lay a old sheet under the bush and then beat the bush with a broom knocking the berries, sharp leaves, bugs, and other debris onto the sheet.  Then after filling up a large bowl you need to clean the berries.  I use a large box fan and poor the berries from one container to another with the box fan set on high.  This usually separates about 90% berries from the debris.  After a few good washes you are pretty much ready to go after another bush.


Collection equipment

Agarita bush

Sharp Holly like leaves

Heavy gloves

Face protetion

 Typical lay

 

 

 

 

27 Cups of cleaned berries

 



 

 

 

 

Now it's time to cook and can the jam.  Add water cook, mash, add 25 lbs of sugar, cook and then pour ito sterilized Mason Jars - seal the top and label each.  56 cups canned,,,2.5 gallons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Spotsylvania 150th Civil War Anniversary

We started our journey in Washington DC with a train ride from the out skirts of DC into the Mall area

 



 

Sherry at her hero monument

Sherry from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial

My Capital Lady

Sherry and me at the WWII Texas Memorial

 

From DC we traveled to Yorktown and Williamsburg.










 

From Yorktown we drove to the Battle of the Crater at Cold Harbor.

 

Sherry and I then went to the 150th Anniversary of the Spotsylvania Court House Battle (Post Wilderness Battle) in Virginia.  We also made a pass through Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Mount Vernon.


Close to here is where my Great Grandfather was captured early on the morning of May 12.

Spotsylvania Court House Battle was the Bloodiest battle of the Civil War and its where my Great Grand Father was captured at the "Bloody Angle".  He was a member of a Louisiana Infantry Regiment that was overrun and perhaps saved his life as the battle continued for 22 hours in hand to hand trench fighting.



For 22 hours on May 12 -13 a Ranger stood as a sentinel at the Bloody Angle.



 

Our last stop was Mount Vernon and a dinner with my Cousin Marguerite who lives close by.



 

2014 NATURE QUEST

This years Nature Quest was poorly planned and little advertising was done to promote it.  As a result my Bird Song ID class at Love Creek Preserve was attended by only 3 people.  The Friday class was cancelled due to just one person and so only a Saturday class was held.  Even so, this still made for a very busy month with just getting back from my Class Reunion, then NQ and then off to Virginia.  I usually take pictures during the event, but not this year.

Class of 1964 - Aggie 50th anniversary

Sherry and I attended my Class 50th Reunion.  Had a great time and fun to see all the A-2 Ags from my Company - 4 guys were AWOL....2 are deceased, one was out working still, but showed up later.

Class of 1964

My A-2 Company members with their wives


 



Sherry, Reveille and me

 



Spirit!!!!

Reveille and me

Waiting and Listening

Sitting here on the back porch waiting for my grandkids and daughter/husband to arrive.  Far off I an listening to the untypical night call of a Peacock....why do folks import them into the Texas Hill Country????

In a few weeks we will be off to my 50th Class Reunion at A&M...time has really zipped past me and I just recently realized that I have been retired 15 years...perhaps as many as I have left here on earth...

 

 

This coming Saturday Sherry and I will be off to the Texas Vietnam Memorial dedication in Austin...I wonder how many of these guys got back home and were able to have kids, grandkids and retire?????