\ A ray from the sun, lines in the sky, the tilt of the sails, the edge of the horizon, and the cut of the concrete created a geometric masterpiece yesterday afternoon. /
My favorite beach spot shows me something different every, single day!
My afternoon plan: Absolutely nothing but beach!
I will admit that as much as I love the beautiful, white sandy beaches and the sparkling, clear blue-green water of this part of the Gulf of Mexico, I do lament the dearth of beachcombing.
While the amount of trash strewn along the shores of the Texas Gulf Coast is sickening, the potential for fun finds was off the charts! Many of my faves were in the magical sea bean category.
The largest and most exciting were the Sea Hearts; seeds that originated in the Amazon jungle (floating down the Amazon River, out into the Atlantic Ocean, getting swept up into the Gulf before finally landing on a Texas beach (a journey of a paltry 3,500+ miles).
Even though there were others more eye catching, the little Gray Nickerbean (Caesalpinia bonduc) was my second most favorite find. Perhaps because they were so smooth and tiny?
Their large and spiky seed pods recently caught my eye and sent me on a voyage of discovery. There’s always something new and interesting for me to learn!
In mid-January an off-shore storm stirred up the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. Which meant that piles of items from the seafloor ended up on the beach.
I couldn’t resist assembling this colorful palette of soft corals and sponges (Sea Whip Soft Coral, Red and Orange Devil’s Finger Sponges, Ball Sponges).
For sessile creatures that can’t hide nor hunt, they really were a surprisingly colorful bunch.
This is one of those species where birding by ear really comes in handy. The Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) prefers to hide deep inside thick brush (which is duly noted in the name, dumetella derives from Latin for thorn thicket).
I stalked this character for at least 30 minutes and this was the best shot I could get. Lucky for me, it was a bit curious about me or I would have never had a chance.
Helpfully, they have a distinctive mewing call that led to their common name. When the mood strikes, the males of the species can outperform a mockingbird in a singing contest.
For better or worse, I always have to see what’s around the bend. Just a little bit further.
My insatiable curiosity isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but it works for me. It has led me some interesting places, not all of them good, but it certainly hasn’t been a boring life.
I’m looking forward to what lies ahead…
I caught this little scene at Mirror Lake the other day during my lunch break. The pond is a short stroll from work and the weather was just so lovely.
Reminded me of that little ditty from Sesame Street,
“One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn’t belong”
Do you wanna tell the duck or should I?
I came across this interpretive sign as I was exploring a new-to-me park. The title of the sign*, taken from an actual ad from the mid 1800s, is quite appropriate considering that today is National Margarita Day.
*Any Parrothead worth their salt will get this. And if you don’t “get it” I suggest you become a Parrothead, stat!
Allow me to introduce my new little friend, Gator Greg.
I “discovered” him in a neighbor’s trash* last week. How could anyone throw him away? He’s adorable!
Oh sure, he’s a little rough around the edges, but aren’t we all somedays? I think he’d make a great Muppet, he has a slightly bemused look befitting a member of that troupe. Then again, I often have that look when out and about in the world…
I love “folk art” and became even more impressed with Gator Greg when I found out he was carved from a coconut husk.
* I’m not a true dumpster diver but when something cool is peeking out the top, I just can’t resist.
