Linear view vs. Masonry View

Eyewear Gyre

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My afternoon stroll on Mustang Island took an unusual turn yesterday. The storm from the previous day washed ashore piles of flotsam. As a beach picker, it made me very happy to see all the detritus – I never know what will turn up.

It became clear pretty quickly that there was a theme to my treasures. Within half an hour I found seven pairs of goggles, fourteen pairs of sunglasses, a headlamp, and a GoPro. Most of the shades were too damaged to save but I now own a nice pair of Ray-Bans! Oh, and the GoPro turned on, I just need to figure out how it works. Thanks Gulf!
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Shine On

In the past couple weeks one tiny green light has flitted around my yard in the dark hours. The cheery twinkle never fails to make me smile and brings back memories of laying in a field and watching their aerial ballet overhead.

Last night I spent a few minutes trying to photograph my glowing friend. A relatively dull looking individual at first glance…

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My Lightning Beetle

…but, man, is he spectacular when he lets his little light shine!

Note: I did not try to identify the specific species from my less than stellar photograph as there are 36 firefly or lightning bug species in Texas. Technically, it would be more appropriate to refer to these creatures as lightning beetles (since they aren’t true bugs nor flies).

“Here come real stars to fill the upper skies,
And here on earth come emulating flies,
That though they never equal stars in size,
(And they were never really stars at heart)
Achieve at times a very star-like start.
Only, of course, they can’t sustain the part.”
―Robert Frost

 
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Macroalgae

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Sargassum, Mustang Island, Texas August 2019

My beach strolls have been less interesting of late (though no less fun). I presume it has to do with lack of stormy weather, we have been woefully dry here along the Coastal Bend. Tempests usually stir up the water and deposit all manner of random items on the sand.

A while back I read that it might be possible to find small seahorses (or other fascinating creatures) tangled in sargassum. So, I usually stop and peer through the clumps of seaweed. I haven’t had any luck thus far but I remain optimistic.

Thankfully, there hasn’t been as much sargassum washing ashore here as one might think based on the discovery of the largest documented sargassum bloom in the Atlantic Ocean. As with most things, some sargassum is good but too much can be problematic. Out in the open ocean it serves as a safe haven for many of the smaller marine creatures. In thick mats, like those spotted recently in satellite images, however, it can trap sea turtles and damage coral.

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Rockport Strong

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This weekend Rockport hosted the second annual Harvey Encore Block Party. The event was conceived as a way to honor the resilience of the local population after Hurricane Harvey devastated the community in August 2017. Harvey was not only the costliest hurricane to hit Texas but also the deadliest, killing 103 people. In the months that I’ve been here I’ve been impressed by the amount of construction, with new homes and businesses going up all around.

Sadly, there are still so many that haven’t been able to rebuild. Apparently, some property owners didn’t know that in addition to Homeowners they needed to buy separate Flood and Wind Storm policies. It’s a hell of a way to discover they didn’t have the right kind of insurance. Echoing local sentiment, one of the pubs called their celebration the F*$k Harvey Party.

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Perspective

I don’t recall how Traveling Light by Brian Andreas ended up in my possession. A gift from a friend? Or a fantastic flea market find? The important part is that it found its way to me. The colorful book is full of quirky illustrations and short snippets that pack a punch. One that often pops into my head is called Perfect Ending:

“I’m not sure how it’s going to turn out, except I’ll die in the end,” she said. “So, really, what could go wrong?”

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View from Rockport Beach, Texas July 2019
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