Mission, Texas

We are back in Mission for the winter after a thankfully uneventful journey south. The fall weather at home was stunning and it was hard to leave. However, now that we are here, we are getting involved in our local routine and really enjoying it. The first 3 weeks here were hot, humid and windy, which is not something I enjoy. Since I have become a northerner again, it was a little harder to get used to the dramatic change, and I spent a lot of time inside in the air conditioner. However, temps have moderated and we are spending lots of time outdoors. We have had some overnights in the 30's but the daytime temps have been in the 70-80 even though sometimes the wind is pretty strong. Yesterday we had an all day, slow, soaking rain and got 2.25" of rain. In the 20 years I have been coming down here I can't remember anything like this. The area is desperately dry and the rain was a huge blessing.

It has been great to renew old friendships since arriving. At one point we considered wintering in Arizona which is now much closer to home, but we would miss all our friends from here that we only get to see at this time of year.

Another thing I really like about here is the proximity to Bentsen State Park where we can ride our bikes. This area has built up tremendously in the years I have been coming down, and I don't like the traffic but I can ride from our rv park to the state park where there are lots of paved areas, without having to get in the car and drive on the busy roads.

My back is doing better this year so I have been walking a mile in the morning and riding my bike at least 4 miles in the afternoon. I often go into the state park and take my binoculars and then I spend more time goofing around and looking at birds, than riding for exercise. Oh well, it is always a blessing to be out in nature.

We have had some neat birding experiences this year. When you are this close to the Mexican border, there is a chance for a rare bird from the south to show up unexpectedly. So far this year it has been a golden crowned warbler. We had seen one on a trip to Mexico, but not in this country. Dan went to the butterfly park where it was seen but the day was hot and humid and the mosquitoes were out, so I elected to stay home. A few days later when it had cooled off, we both went back and waited in the area where it had been seen. After 3 hours of no bird, another man walked past the 5 of us who were waiting, and continued down the trail. In less than a minute we heard him say "Here's your bird". He had been looking for butterflies and just happened to see the bird we had all been waiting for. Sometimes you just get lucky!

Another unexpected bird is the fox sparrow I saw at Bentsen State Park next door. Fox sparrows are not unusual or rare, but they are for this part of the country. They are a northern bird that virtually never gets this far south but this year is an exception. There had only been one previous record for the Rio Grande Valley but the bird I saw was one of 4 that had been seen in the Valley this year.

Today I had a verdin in the bushes right next to the trailer. Considering this is a bird of the desert scrub vegetation, this was an unusual find. See, I told you it was dry around here!

Earlier this week 3 of us were at Estero Llano Grande State Park....in my opinion, the best park of all the state and federal parks in the valley. There was a red shouldered hawk that we had seen several times as we walked around. Right in front of us he made an attempt at catching an American bittern in the reeds. It was probably just as well he missed as the bittern outweighs him and the fight would have been on. There was certainly a lot of screeching during the encounter.

This RV park gives anyone that is interested, a 10x10 garden space. Two years ago several of us planted things but in the middle of the growing season we had a couple of hard freezes and that was the end of the garden. Last year we did not plant anything. This year I decided I would give it another try and only plant things like lettuce etc that can stand some cold weather. The other challenge is the nasty, heavy clay soil that is almost impossible to work with, poor nutrients and sloping ground. When you water, it crusts over and runs off very easily making it hard for things to flourish. However, I decided I would experiment with different methods...raised beds...in beds with dykes around to keep water from running off...flat ground and regular methods...various fertilizer methods. The other challenge is finding seeds this time of year and about all I could find was lettuce. As a result, I have lots of lettuce coming up in multiple areas with varying degrees of success. However, that is OK as we eat lots of salads and fresh is always better.

Two years ago, my friend Anne and I tried woodcarving. It was enjoyable and we made some things we were pleased with. However, last year we never seemed to get around to doing anything. This year we have turned over a new leaf and are starting some projects again. They have an amazing wood shop here and as long as you sign a release, they let you use the equipment. That really helps when you are starting off with a piece of wood that is too big. We'll have to see what we can accomplish this year.

This is all for now but once again, I resolve to stay more current on my postings.

Kingbirds

Adult Eastern kingbird

Baby kingbird

Three baby kingbirds [the fourth is on a higher branch]

Trying his wings!

Mom feeding baby #4

Our pastor Nancy, asks us how we have seen God in our lives. As a bird watcher and outdoor person living in western Montana, the answer for me is obvious.....just look around, examples are everywhere.

We enjoy our large picture windows that face the mountains on both sides of our house but one evening, when there was a loud thump on a window, I knew a bird had hit. The bird on the ground was an Eastern kingbird that was very stunned. We have one pair that has nested in one of the trees on an island in our pond every year since we have lived here, and this bird was one of them. I immediately started praying for this bird. Dan picked him up and set him on a patio table, and I kept watch. His breathing was labored and his mouth was open. Not a good sign. After a time he tried to stand up but fell over. After 3 hours, he did not look much better and when I went to bed, I was sure he would be dead by morning. Amazingly, in the morning, he was gone. I said a prayer of thanks.

Today, after seeing the pair around the pond and in the tree for the last few weeks, we saw 4 baby kingbirds testing their wings and learning to fly. Obviously the injured bird made a full recovery. I was thrilled and said another prayer of thanks. Talk about an example of the presence of God!

New Yard Mammal [almost]

Dan & I keep a list of the birds we have seen in our yard [the only list I keep].

[Lewis's woodpecker]

This morning we had our usuals, along with our first of the year [FOY] black-headed grosbeak.

I was taking pictures through our front window. Dan was taking the car to the garage to get some work done and I was to pick him up. He headed off and shortly thereafter, I headed down the road. Just after crossing the river, I looked into the bushes and there was a MOOSE!!! While I have seen several moose in different parts of the country, there has never been one 1/2 mile from home! Of course I did not have the camera. I thought "I really should pick up Dan" then just as quickly thought "to heck with it, I am going back for the camera". As a result, I got this great shot of the moose, and Dan wondered what took me so long. It was just as well I got the pic then, because when we came back by, the animal had disappeared into the brush. You just never know what you are going to see around here.

Around Home

Lewis's woodpecker. There are 2 coming to our suet feeders. Would you believe a pink and dark green bird?


Red Crossbill. We have also had white winged crossbill but they are more uncommon in this area.

Osprey. Many nest in this valley. This bird was in the top of our cottonwood tree.

The lettuce I started in the cold frame. It is now big enough to eat but has to be protected by these cages or the deer will get to them first. I planted 20 bean seeds and 19 are up. Looking forward to fresh beans but it will be a while.

Native lupine. Have several of these in the yard.






Ornamental crabapple. These are not a native plant like we prefer but it was planted by the former owner. They sure are pretty even though not native.

Our house. The trees are just leafing out and the lilacs are just starting to bloom. There are 75 lilac bushes along the fence rows on this property. The Sapphire mountains are in the background [to the east] and the Bitterroot Mountains are to the west.

Spring Bike Rides

As you know Dan and I have recumbent trikes that we really enjoy riding. It is one of the few exercises I can do with my back problems [I can't ride regular bikes]. One of the big benefits for me at the RV park we stay at in Texas is that it is right next door to Bentsen State Park which has paved trails/roads and we can ride directly from our park to the state park without getting in the car. And in spite of all the traffic that is in a lot of south Texas, our area is still quite quiet and peaceful. One of the big benefits of our summer home is that there is a 50 mile paved bike path a mile from our house [not that we are going to ride that far]. We had not ridden since we left Texas but today was the day. Temps in the 60's, sunny, no wind, and we set off. It was wonderful. Dan turned around before I did but I rode about and hour and enjoyed every minute. Hopefully we/I will keep this up to get exercise and enjoy the outdoors. Weather here is perfect. Sure glad I am no longer in south Texas!!!

Easter Birthday

Yesterday was Easter but it also happened to be my birthday. I couldn't remember the last time the two were on the same day so looked it up and found some amazing results. Easter can be anywhere from March 22 to April 25 calculated on the date of the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. The last time Easter was on April 24 was 142 years ago [no wonder I don't remember] and the next time will be in 84 years. I didn't realize what a truly special day it was. I went to church where I enjoyed seeing friends that I missed all winter, plus hearing our pastor Nancy who I like so well. In the afternoon we went to neighbor Mike and Linda's where we had a delicious dinner followed by birthday cake and a special gift made especially for me by their 8 year old granddaughter. It could not have been a more perfect day!

With my birthday/Easter flowers

Dan and me

My special gifts made by my favorite 8 year old girl

Heading North

Left Bentsen Palm Village at 8:30 am. This is early for us when it is the first day out after sitting in one place for 4 months. We got less than a mile from the park when a buzzer came on......never a good thing. Turned out it was a low level in the coolant reservoir. The reservoir is opaque plus the opening is on the side at a weird angle so it is hard to check. However, we topped it up and that took care of the buzzer. We made good time and got to San Antonio about 2pm so missed the rush hour traffic. We got to Johnson City on hwy 281 about 3:30 and decided it was time to quit for the day. Today I got up at 6:30am which is way early for me who doesn't get up until 8:30. Between that and the stress of a first day trip I had had enough. We ate at a good Mexican restaurant across the street and now are enjoying life. It is cooler [68] and less humid up here which of course suits me. I even changed my tank top to a T shirt. I will enjoy sleeping in this cool air. We get to Oklahoma tomorrow but won't have internet at Dan's cousin so not sure when we will be on line again.