Bits of Phenology: Spring 2024 (Don't Blink!)

Weeds, Birds, Wind, and a Happy Hound

Outside my office door this morning

This weekend I was pedaling down an alley and spotted my first robin of 2024. I remembered years ago sitting in a summer Spanish class and learning that robins are called primaveras in Spanish. Primavera is also the Spanish word for spring. I've been watching the signs of spring becoming more evident for a few weeks, but the robin cemented the deal in my mind. Spring is here, people!

Patches of green here and there

I've seen several bird changes lately. Lots of cormorants have arrived. They've become much more numerous in our local parks as the Canadian geese have flown away. There were white-crowned sparrows and some unfamiliar larks in the mesquites at Mae Simmons Park on Saturday. Great blue herons are much more numerous this week. The egrets haven't started showing up, but I'm watching for them. Northern shovelers are still hanging out in most of the playa lakes. I'm seeing (and hearing) more mockingbirds, and the starlings are starting to display their breeding plumage. This time of year makes me want bigger lenses and more patience for photography.

The little brown dots on the elms will soon be leaves.

I am spending more time outside, more time riding, and more time picking up trash. Yesterday the jeans got to skip the dryer. The little black Ford never left the house. I am so very thankful for time outside.

Click the pic to see a little Lubbock, Texas breeze.

This morning I did not need a coat or anything to keep my ears warm as I rode to work. It was almost sixty when I left the house this morning. It'll be a little tougher on the ride home - a forecast of 87 and 25 mile per hour winds. (And I'll be smiling the whole way!)

All those little yellow flowers at Mae Simmons

This pic has nothing to do with spring, but Phoebe loves free publicity.

May you be enthralled with the beauty around you, may you be delighted with all the seasonal changes, and may you nap like a hound!

I pray you are joyful and well, and I sincerely thank you for checking in.

Giving Tuesday 2018 - Mesquite Hugger Faves

I started this post a week ago and planned all kinds of great stuff, but here it is Giving Tuesday, and I'm just putting it out there:

Local

In honor of Patience, Permaguard, Fred, Bitsy, Sasha, Nick, and (of course) Condo, please consider a donation to A Place for Us Greyhounds - local greyhound adoption group.

A Place for Us Greyhounds

 

My favorite thing to come out of the Florida Mid-Term elections was that people of Florida overwhelmingly voted to end greyhound racing in that state. As the tracks shut down, there will be a large number of hounds up for adoption. They are amazing creatures, and each one I've known has stolen my heart. If you have any inclination to get a pet/new family member, please consider one of these loving and quirky beasts.

 

Open Door Lubbock (Formerly The Carpenter's Church)

 

If you're local and you have a heart for helping the homeless rise out of homelessness, this group is accomplishing amazing things here in Lubbock.

Photos from the recent South Plains Wildlife Rehab Center Open House

 

My favorite place in Lubbock is the SPWRC. When they have an open house, I absolutely geek out and can't wait to see what they're up to and who they are rehabbing back to a life in the wild. This place rocks!

Sondra's Song - Lubbock

 

At the risk of sounding like a crotchety old dude, one place our society really sucks is in preparing young people to face the reality of being adults. And that problem is multiplied a hundredfold for kids who've grown up in the foster system. Sondra's Song is dedicated to helping foster kids as they "age out" get thrust out into the world. 

Not-So-Local

 



World Bicycle Relief

 

If you're like me and believe that a bicycle can be a powerful tool for change, then check WBR out. The difference they are able to make with something so simple is astounding.

 

Other faves:

 

Greenpeace, The Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, 350.org, the National Bike League, People for Bikes, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

 

Please find someone in the world who is working to make the world a better place, and support them!

A Tiny House Even Closer to Home!

A tiny house in the LBK!

You may remember a few months back when I was excited to learn that Spur, Texas had become the first American town to declare itself tiny-house friendly. Well, imagine how excited I was this week to find a tiny house right around the corner from my own house! Sasha snd I went for a walk and (BOOM) there it was. We talked to the neighbors, kicked the tires, and looked through the windows - this thing is cool!

It's actually pretty big for a tiny house - notice the triple axle trailer and the substantial height. The inside is unfinished at this point, but you can see that the windows are well placed for passive ventilation. It also has two lofts, so it has the potential to be a two-bedroom affair. It is being built by Sherwood Construction, and their work looks great.

All the excitement wore Sasha out! (Other Sasha Sightings - Thoreau and Sashadoption)

I will try to get you more details as the project comes along, but I was excited to share this with you. For me, this was just as exciting as the day I saw a Tesla passing through Justiceburg.

May greener living be welcome in your town, and may we all reap the benefits.

What Mad Max REALLY Needed - in Wichita Falls, TX

My family is in search of a fuel efficient car. So, I am being good and searching for realistic cars in which the family would be seen and would have a reasonable chance of arrivng safely and joyfully. I have been avoiding search terms like Rat Rod, Very Rare, Vintage, Home-Built, Unique, and so on. So there I am flirting with the edges of the list last night by typing in Prius. And up popped the only Prius currently for sale in Wichita Falls.

(Sidebar: Wichita Falls is a dangerous place for me. The last thing I bought in Wichita Falls was a half-finished electric pickup project I bought a few years back, knowing that within a few short months, I would have it completed and on the road. If you would like to buy a well-done but half-finished electric pickup - let me know. I have not touched the thing at all and do not see myself getting there any time soon. Wichita Falls is bad juju for me. And, yes, they really do have falls there.)

Do you remember the second Mad Max movie, the one where they went all post-apocalyptic and Mr. Last-of-the-V8-Interceptors spent the whole movie searching for and fighting over gasoline? Well, he would not have had to fight near as much to keep this little jewel fed. Check it out!

Licensed, inspected, and street legal. Where is Tina Turner when we need her?

So no, I will not ask the family to be seen in this one, but If I were an overly wealthy man, I would buy it for my friend Rusty, and I'd offer to drive it a lot! I have a lazy greyhound at home who looks great in doggles - Max had a dog too, you know.

Actor portrayal - not our actual greyhound

Not an actor - this is the real Rusty.

This is what Rusty would look like if he were played by a young Mel Gibson. 

May you not be tempted by any vehicle this ugly - ever!

A Personal Goal Accomplished - Aquaponics Instructable

http://www.instructables.com/id/An-Aquaponics-Setup-for-Your-Aquarium/

May you have a wonderful day!

The Haven - A No-Kill, Non-Profit Animal Shelter

This handsome guy (the one in his beloved dino pj's) is Condo. His racing name was El Conde, but his sleeping-on-the-couch name and thrilled-to-have-a-cookie name is Condo. And he is very much a blessing in our home. He is our good dog. He, of course, is a rescue.

 

If you are looking for a Condo, Fido, Fluffy, Princess, Quiz, Newman, Sinka, Jenna, Pharaoh, or any other blessing for your family this holiday season, well, here is a great opportunity for you - the Haven is having an open house on Saturday.

The Haven Website

 

May your home be blessed with a tail that wags at the sound of your voice!