Maserati Levante, Shiner, Texas June 2019
While I admit the unusual emblem caught my eye, the overall design of the car failed to impress me. I mean, if I’m gonna shell out over $76,000 on the base model I want the design to scream outrageous. The body of this Levante seemed kinda ho-hum to me. Though I really liked the way it reflected the clouds after a passing rain shower.
Since shark skeletons are comprised of cartilage not bone, their parts aren’t that commonly found on the beach. The one exception to that rule is shark teeth, but those are made of dentin, a calcified material which is harder than bone. (Side note: The average shark goes through over 25,000 teeth in a lifetime.)
As you can see in the first photo, the cartilage is added in layers, which creates a tree-ring-like signature that can aid in assessing the shark’s age. Some researchers are even extrapolating environmental information from the isotopes captured in each ring. Nature is so cool!
Tired Little Man, Rockport, Texas July 2019
I know Mondays are rough, especially after a long holiday weekend but seriously, don’t try this. Asphalt is hard on the knees!
Relaxing In My Hammock, Rockport, Texas July 2019
Can’t think of a better way to wrap up a busy weekend. Sunday is a day of rest, is it not?
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.
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