Tricolored Heron, Rockport, Texas July 2019
Tucked among the flowers, I almost overlooked this Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor). Unlike when foraging, this bird stood stock-still during my photo session. Though I couldn’t see it, I believe this one was watching over a nearby nest. Since the clouds and late evening angle of the sun were conspiring against me, I’ll have to go back earlier in the day to try to capture the iridescent sheen of the feathers.
Sign on Mechanic’s Truck, Port Aransas, Texas June 2019
Or, as it’s known in my weird little circle of friends, Happy Dennis Day! No matter how you are spending it, I hope everyone has a relaxing holiday. Stay safe out there!
Since it is a barrier island, lots of interesting items wash ashore on Mustang Island. I don’t typically find many shells there but I still enjoy poking in the wrack line looking for treasures. I tend to get a bit excited when I uncover a sea bean.
I haven’t been able to identify all of the ones in the above photo but a few have amazing stories. At the top of the picture, the two ball-shaped seeds are Sea Coconuts (Manicaria saccifera) which, unsurprisingly, come from palm trees in Central America.
The two maroon, heart-shaped seeds to the left of the Sea Coconuts are known as Sea Hearts (Entada gigas). They are the seeds of the monkey ladder vine which grows in Brazil. While the whitish, brain-shaped seed to the right is known as Blister Pod (Sacoglottis amazonica) which grows along the Amazon River.
Think about that for a moment, these seeds float down the Amazon River, out into the Atlantic Ocean, before curling into the Gulf of Mexico, and eventually ending up on the beach for me to find. A journey of at least 3,600 miles. I wonder how long it takes them to make the trip?
There are a number of private fishing piers jutting out into Little Bay here in Rockport. Most of them were severely damaged by Hurricane Harvey in September 2017. Pelican Pier is one of the few to be fully rebuilt.
Pelican Pier, Rockport, Texas July 2019
While the pier may have earned it’s moniker as a preferred resting spot for pelicans in the past, it certainly wasn’t true this year. Both the American White and Brown Pelicans opted to share a nearby derelict pier. More restful, I presume. While the American Whites migrated north around Easter, some of the remaining Browns still haul out there.
Gulls, Brown Pelicans, Cormorants, American White Pelicans on Pier, Rockport, Texas March 2019
Sand Art, Rockport Beach, Texas June 2019
Stumbled upon this bit of sand art at Rockport Beach last evening. I admire their creative use of seagrass to make the wildly flowing locks. It’s what my hair looks like after spending hours in the breeze. Though thank goodness for that breeze, otherwise the heat and humidity down here would be tough to handle.
As I mentioned yesterday, I had a good reason for my roundabout way home from New Braunfels. My impetus was the Spoetzel Brewery in Shiner, proud brewer of Shiner Bock (which is the best selling bock in America, according to the brewery tour). I’ve toured quite a few breweries across the country, so I figured I’d add another one to my tally. Yes, I’ve even toured the original breweries of the big three, which, regardless of what you think of their products, are worth visiting, if just for the historical perspective.
Spoetzel is celebrating its 110th year in production, making it the oldest independent brewery in Texas. After struggling in the late 1980s, the company was purchased by a San Antonio businessman who turned it around. They are now producing 1.2 million barrels a year which is distributed in all 50 states (they just added Hawaii), and they are continuing to expand.
As the largest business in tiny Shiner, the brewery had to innovate. They sell their spent grain to cattle ranchers, the used yeast goes to dog and cat food manufacturers, and they recycle their own wastewater (using the methane produced to heat the mash). As usually happens on these tours, I was able to sip special beers that aren’t bottled. A free tour with free samples = a great way to spend an afternoon!
On my return trip from New Braunfels earlier this week I decided to try a different set of byways. I had a couple reasons for my detour. The main reason I’ll tell you about tomorrow but I was also hoping to avoid road work. The latter proved impossible. Every single highway I traveled (both to and from) New Braunfels was under construction (not joking). Reminded me of what my Ohio family says about their state having two seasons; winter and road work.
A nice bonus for my roundabout meandering was driving by the Luling Lavender Fields. I love that fragrant smell so, of course, I had to visit. The venture is only a year old but it already shows so much potential. The fields currently occupy the front few acres of a sprawling family ranch but they have plenty of room to grow. More varieties of lavender will be planted across additional acreage and a wedding venue will be nestled in the large oaks behind the fields.
I admired the owners’ unique vision, very similar to my own taste. Look closely at the barn-style gift shop – it was built out of two steel shipping containers. What a cool idea! They carry all manner of lavender-based products, most of them locally produced but a few are from out of state. Including one of my all-time favorite beverages, Lavender Dry Soda. I first sampled it at Dry’s flagship store in Seattle about ten years ago and now I snap it up whenever I find it. All in all, a lovely little detour!
Read the sign on the far right. Even if the driver had trouble conceptualizing the “vague” idea of 50 feet, there are helpful bollards nearby. Considering that the white gate between the two bollards is no more than ten feet, it’s pretty obvious that someone has a measuring problem (or, far more likely down here, someone just doesn’t give a sh*t).
Sunset, Copano Bay, Rockport, Texas June 2019
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