Linear view vs. Masonry View

Belt Sander Racing

The Gaff, a fun little dive bar in Port Aransas, has several claims to infamy* but perhaps the most interesting is that belt sander races originated here. It began in 2005 after a couple guys argued over whose belt sander was faster/more powerful. What better way to decide the disagreement than to build a special racetrack and pit them against each other? Yet another great example of, “Here, hold my beer…”

I was delighted to finally catch one of the biweekly events. The competitors are fierce, the belt sanders are decorated and named, and the crowd is enthusiastic.

The excitement was palpable, we gripped our beers, and waited breathlessly to see who would win this heat…yeah, okay, maybe not (but we all did have a beer in our hands). Octopoke won!

*Sadly, I have not yet attended Chicken Bingo at the Gaff (picture a large Bingo card on ground, a chicken in a cage over the card, and where the sh*t falls determines the winner). Definitely something to look forward to!

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Shiny

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Lettered Olives, Mustang Island, Texas August 2019

This photo doesn’t do these pretty Lettered Olives (Americoliva sayana) any justice. Sadly, the shine really isn’t showing well. You might be asking, how does a mollusk that lives in the shifting sand of the shallows maintain a shine? Weirdly enough, instead of the shell protecting the soft body, the soft body of this mollusk is often wrapped around the outside of the shell, thereby preserving the shine.

While these are not good examples of this feature, the brown swirls on the shells sometimes look like writing (hence, the common name).

 
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Duck Domes

Teal hunting season opened in Texas this past weekend which started me thinking about ducks, which in turn reminded me of my burgeoning collection of duck heads. Not real duck heads, eww. The first one was from an old decoy while the bit of driftwood bears a striking resemblance to Daffy Duck, don’t ya think?

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No Fish For You!

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White-banded Fishing Spider, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Tivoli, Texas September 2019

While all the other species in this genus are semiaquatic, the White-banded Fishing Spider (Dolomedes albineus) stands out as the only arboreal member. The first part of the binomial is Greek for wily or deceitful. I imagine it has something to do with their freaky ability to walk on water (thanks to the hydrophobic hairs that cover their bodies). Some of the species have a leg span of three inches and are known to capture small fish.
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Armadillo Afternoon

I spent a hot afternoon recently out at Aransas National Wildlife. There’s a small copse of oak trees near the bay where I set up my hammock and swing in the breeze while waiting for the sun to dip in the sky. Last time I was thrilled to receive a visit from a curious young deer.

This time I was fortunate to have a close encounter with a Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). Though not nearly as cute as a fawn, this otherworldly-looking creature was fascinating to watch. The “little armored one” appeared unconcerned by my presence as it snuffled the ground for insects. That is some serious soil aeration!

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