Contentment

Jake is the faithful guardian of our place.  He was found by the side of the road as an abandoned puppy, rescued and through a series of connections, ended up as part of our household.  He is, and has always been, an outside dog.  He generally refuses to come in when invited.

Until we moved to our present home, Jake always had a fenced yard in which he stayed.  Until a couple of years ago he had an older companion which kept him company and, in many ways, raised him.  Due to age and infirmities, she did not make the last couple of moves.  Before bringing Jake to his new home, we constructed a fenced area specifically for him.  Our assumption was that he would be more comfortable in an enclosed area since that is the way he had always lived.  That assumption was incorrect.

Jake became an escape artist.  It became apparent that we would never be able to confine him again, so with admonitions to confine himself to our property (yeah, like that was going to happen) we allowed him to roam.  We are far enough from busy roads that we felt the risk of being hit by an unwary driver was low and that he had the age and maturity to remain close.

Jake did introduce himself to our neighbors and was especially welcomed by the children.  He seems to have a way with young humans and is like a big teddy bear.  Our grandchildren all seem to be happy to see him and my father-in-law, who is in his upper 80's always asks about him since Jake stayed with him for a brief while during our transition to this place.

He seems content.  He often lays on the front porch surveying his domain and protecting it from wandering rabbits or other small creatures that stray into his vision.  I don't think he could catch one and am somewhat certain he doesn't really try; he just lets them know that they are in his territory and he is the boss.

Contentment is something that most of the human race never finds.  Learning to live in the moment and know that all is well is rare.  I think we all need to learn to take life a little more like Jake.

 Homemade

Do you ever think about how we learned to do so many things?  I spent some time the other day researching how to make paper.  It stemmed from reading a book in which one of the characters made their own paper and ink to draw and illustrate plants.  I will likely attempt it at some point, but it looks like a lot of work.

I wonder if early paper was conceived by watching wasps build their nests.  There are over 1100 species of paper wasps around the world, so it is quite possible that primitive man sought to reproduce the material that comprised wasp nests.

Rock, wood and vellum (animal skin or membrane) were likely the first writing or drawing surfaces for primitive artists and calligraphers.  Around 3,000 BC the Egyptians developed a process of making paper from the papyrus plant.  It was commonly used for thousands of years until replaced by thinner, smoother sheets made from milled plant and wood fibers in a process thought to have been developed in the Han Dynasty of early China around 20-220 AD.  Because it provided a better writing surface it spread westward and became widely adopted by the Islamic world by the 8th Century.  It was another 300 years before it spread to Europe where it replaced the use of animal skins.

Papermaking continues to improve even today with the addition of plastics as well as more advanced fiber processing.  Adding a wax coating to paper allows its use for drinking cups or straws that are completely biodegradable, unlike plastic based coatings.

Paper wasps construct their nests with fibers pulled from dead wood and other dried, fibrous plant material.  The fibers are chewed and mixed with saliva before being pasted into the familiar umbrella-shaped nests filled with chambers for raising the next generation.

The wasp in the photo is stripping wood fiber from some oak firewood.

 Mid-Air Refueling

Hummingbirds are amazing creatures.  We planted Texas Lantana and Texas Sage specifically to attract them and the butterflies.  A couple of the Lantanas are in beds which front our porch where we have a couple of rocking chairs that allow us to enjoy the beautiful weather we have been experiencing.  We sometimes sit there watching birds and using the Merlin app on our phones to help us identify them by their calls.  We also hope for the tiniest of winged visitors to helicopter in for a quick sip of nectar from the flowers.

The Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is the most common out of the 363 species found across the Americas. (For a great list of 10 Interesting facts, click here.)  I was fortunate a couple of days ago to have phone camera in hand when one made a brief re-fueling stop.  The buzz of wings sounded like a giant bumblebee as the tiny, winged blur dropped in for his snack.

How can such a high-energy consumer drink enough nectar in tiny sips to keep its body fueled?  It is no wonder they always seem to be in a hurry, dashing from flower to flower for quick a caloric boost before moving on.  Unlike bees and other pollinators, they don't lite upon the flowers but delicately partake of their meal without touching other than with their beak and tongue.

I wonder if engineers got the idea for mid-air refueling from watching hummingbirds.

 Preconceptions

As we sat on the patio yesterday during a break from our yardwork, I noticed what I thought was a beetle land on one of the tomato plants.  I watched him a moment then decided to take his picture to see if I could identify what he was.  He was rather unique looking, but I feared he would start munching on the leaves and if that was the case he would find his life span shortened significantly.

It was identified by iNaturalist as a Black Firefly (Lucidota atra).  That gave me pause because fireflies are supposed to fly at night -- hence the name.  It turns out this particular species is diurnal (likes the daylight).  It preys on soft-bodied invertebrates such as snails and slugs.  That makes him one of the good guys.

I have to admit that I judged him prematurely.  I thought he was there to attack the tomatoes, and I was prepared to take immediate action.  We do that about a lot of things -- prejudge.  It is because our crazy minds are wired to defend against things we have been conditioned to see as potential danger.  These preconceptions can be useful but can also cause behavior that is harmful.  That Firefly was a beneficial that would have fallen to my preconceptions had I not paused to learn a little more about it.

One of the things that sets humans apart from animals is the ability to override the wiring in our DNA and use reason.  That ability to reason opens doors of understanding.  This world needs a lot more understanding.

 Confusions From Conclusions

Sometimes the "Ah ha" moments shouldn't be.  Jumping to conclusions with incomplete information can lead us down paths that only add to the confusion already sloshing away in the chemical solutions of our minds.  A small piece of information can ignite those synaptic connections in a way that could best be described as a short-circuit.

Using the iNaturalist app on my phone I identified the flower pictured below as Carolina desert-chicory (Pyrrhopappus carolinianus) and given the name, jumped to the conclusion that I had finally discovered what Chicory looked like.  Chicory has been a common substitute or, addition to, coffee for many years.  In my mind I associated it with the Deep South -- especially during the Civil War when Naval Blockades limited the supply of coffee to southern ports.  So, seeing the "Carolina" in the name as well as the word "chicory" I had an "ah ha" moment that led me to believe we had the coffee substitute growing on our place.  I was wrong.

When I dug deeper and did a little research on the plant, I found that, although in the same Family, Asteracea, it was not the same plant as is used as a coffee substitute.  I did learn that it is also called the Texas Dandelion and is common on roadsides throughout the state.  Hmmm...maybe the leaves are edible like those of the true Dandelion.  Nope, wrong again.

Our brains are amazing and work in ways beyond our understanding.  Unlike the massive AI data centers currently under construction, they utilize only a small amount of energy to gather, organize, store and comprehend vast amounts of information.  But, just like a computer program, the saying, "garbage in, garbage out" is also true.  That amazing organ in our skull can make mistakes but it also holds the power to limit those mistakes and to correct them.

We believe many things that are simply not correct.  Those beliefs stem from the information that we feed into that amazing organ which resides between our ears.  If the information is incorrect, or incomplete, we draw wrong conclusions and what we think we know is really the confusion caused by incomplete or incorrect information.

In today's world of social media, the propagandists understand and exploit that weakness.  We all need to learn to dig a little deeper.

 On The Shelf

Being put on the shelf can be a good thing or it can be a signal that utility has diminished.

We have all heard of "Top Shelf" items such as a valuable Crystal Bowl, or for some, a high-dollar bottle of Bourbon.  It's also where one might place objects they wish to admire such as photos of loved ones.  Maybe it's an old Cream Pitcher that a great-grandmother used which once held cream separated by her own hands that ended up on great-grandfather's oatmeal.  Whatever it might be, it is held in a place of honor.

We have also heard the term used in a less honoring way such as when one is "put on the shelf" which connotes that they are no longer needed for service.  This happens to older employees who are given a watch and a plaque as they are retired.  It is a symbolic way of telling them they are no longer needed.

Life is a series of cycles, all of which fit into the larger cycle of birth, growth, death and rebirth.  In nature, death is followed by resurrection as the nutrients are broken down and then utilized by plants, animals, insects and other living things such as fungi.  If your view of life is simply that of the natural cycles, then that is what you have to look forward to.  My view is that is what will happen to our physical body and if you have never experienced a Spiritual Birth, that will be the end.

Stereum fasciatum is a fungus that colonizes dead trees.  It is a "shelf fungus" and clearly signals the end as it breaks down the wood into its component nutrients.

 Aggressive Home Invaders

Yesterday was tree trimming day around our place.  We have several large Sweetgum trees that needed some shaping up.  One of them contained a birdhouse which I had not seen any birds approach.

We've only been here since mid-January and things like the undesirable branches and the birdhouse were left by our predecessor for the new owners to handle.  There are a couple of other birdhouses, one of which was featured in a previous post with a nest of baby Eastern Bluebirds in it.  No birds would come near the birdhouse hanging in the Sweetgum tree.

I decided that since the birds didn't like the birdhouse in question, I would remove it from its prominent place.  After trimming limbs which had grown near it, I unhooked it from its perch and let it drop to the ground.  I quickly found out why the birds avoided it as a number of red paper wasps came boiling out of it in search of something to blame for their short drop and abrupt stop.

After batting the most persistent of them away with my sweaty cap, they learned to keep their distance from me but continued to remain in the neighborhood.  Wasp stings are not something I desire and when younger, would react somewhat severely to them.  Needless to say, I was wary of the tiny, winged warriors as I completed my task of trimming the tree.

In recent years there have been numerous stories of home invaders in the news.  I find it disturbing that someone would think it is an acceptable thing to do.  As I think about it though, I realize it is simply animal behavior.

In nature it is not uncommon for animals to occupy burrows created by other animals (think Rattlesnake in a Prairie Dog hole).  Animals will slip into a temporarily unoccupied den and then defend it by force.  In this world of increasingly animal-like behavior by humans I suppose it was only a matter of time that such things as home invasion and adverse occupation would occur.

Below are a couple of photos of the birdhouse in question.  The first shows the entire house while in the second you can see the dislodged Paper Wasp nest resting on the bottom.

Fear vs. Knowledge

We sometimes fear things that we know to be harmful.  Through past experiences or, perhaps, through study, we learn -- we expand our knowledge -- regarding that thing and acknowledge it is potentially harmful.  Knowledge helps us to know how best to respond.

There are many things, however, that we fear due to ignorance or misperception.  We are wired (my term for our genetic inheritance) for fight or flight.  It might be as simple as public speaking or as complex as using a computer for the first time.  In the case of speaking, it is fear of appearing foolish or of failing to make a positive impression.  In the case of the computer, it is fear of breaking it.

One of the things most people grow up with is a fear of snakes.  That fear is societally programmed into us and likely wired into us.  Some snakes can be deadly and if you don't know what kind of snake you are dealing with it is best to err on the side of caution.

Snakes play a beneficial role in nature.  They are especially adept at managing the population of many pests.  Rodents are a primary source of sustenance for many species whereas insects play a significant role in the diet of others.  Even those species of snakes which are potentially deadly due to their venom can play an important role if they are respected and given space.

My grandfather's barn had a workshop just inside the main door, and Grandpa always threw junk scrap metal in one corner at the end of his workbench.  It was on an outside wall and in time, a rattlesnake made that scrap pile its home.  I knew about it as long as I can remember.  Until I was old enough to understand the danger, Grandpa wouldn't let me go into the shop alone.

He didn't have any rodents in the shop thanks to that snake.

After Grandpa died and we were cleaning his shop that snake played an interesting role in a story I will relate at a later time.

Learn about snakes.  They are interesting creatures and provide an important service.

Below is a Western Rat Snake (Pantherophis obsoletus) pictured both coming and going.  He was resident in a small woodpile we moved.  I don't think he was happy that we discovered his hiding place but there are plenty of others to which he can relocate.  Rat Snakes are interesting in that they often winter in shared dens with other species of snakes -- especially Copperheads and Timber Rattlers which are both poisonous.

 Gone Wild

I think sometimes that we have become too domesticated.  People don't know where food comes from, they live more in fear than in freedom and they have lost the ability to survive and thrive in this world gone mad.  Skills for survival, many of which are genetically programmed into us, have been suppressed and are slowly being bred out of many genetic lines through the natural selection process which draws individuals of similar temperament to each other.

A couple of days ago we stumbled across some roses growing wild in an off-the-path part of our place.  We were astounded at their beauty.  They spread over a significant area and were in full bloom.

There are many beautiful varieties of roses that are grown domestically and there are many people who deeply enjoy cultivating various special varieties of roses.  To me they seem a little unnatural -- too domesticated.  Finding the wild variety in an unexpected place reminded me that it is often the untamed that exhibits true beauty.

 Is It a Weed?

Green Antelope Horn Milkweed (Asclepias viridis) is an important plant for the Monarch Butterfly.  The Monarchs reproduce in the southern U.S. in late summer when the plant is tough.  The problem is that they prefer tender leaves which provide food for the caterpillar stage.

Many ranchers see the Milkweed as just that -- a weed.  It is often targeted along with other weeds that compete with the grasses for grazing.  In many areas, although the Antelope Horn is a perennial, their presence is declining due to the use of herbicides for the control of all non-grass species growing in pastures.

For those ranchers who utilize mechanical means, such as mowing to control pasture weeds, the Antelope Horn and Monarchs can benefit.  Mow in July so that there will be new, fresh growth of the Antelope Horn in August when the Monarchs arrive and are looking for places to reproduce.

Any plant can be considered a weed.  The definition of a weed is any plant growing where it is not wanted.  Competition between plants for limited resources is a critical issue for ranches -- especially during drought conditions.

The way ranchers choose to control weeds is generally an economic decision.  Often, chemical means are the most effective and the most cost effective.  Many weeds are a sign of overgrazing.  They colonize where the grasses have died due to drought and inadequate leaf cover -- not enough left standing.  Without the standing forage, the heat and drought conditions can kill the roots, creating bare areas.  When the rains come, forbs -- weeds mostly -- are the first plants to return.  Reducing weeds allows more grass to be produced.  It is something of a balancing act that requires careful attention to maintain soil health and a healthy balance of the plants growing.  Those factors then determine the level of grazing that can be healthily maintained.

When you add the desire to retain habitat for species such as the Monarch Butterflies, the equation becomes more complex.  Despite the bad reputation they often receive, most ranchers wish to see nature thrive and work to maintain healthy land and pastures.  For those who have areas where the Antelope Horn is established, they can use mechanical means only for weed control while utilizing the more effective chemical means in places that don't contain critical species.  Summer mowing would open the canopy for late season growth while stimulating re-growth of the milkweed prior to the needs of the butterflies.

 Perspective

According to Merriam Webster the first definition of "perspective" is "a mental view or prospect."  It recognizes that our mind shapes what we see.

The obvious shaping by our mind is the simple interpretation of the light reflected from an object that creates an image on our retina that is then transmitted to the brain by the optical nerve.  The quality of that image is a function of the shape of the lens, the eyeball which determines the focal length and the healthiness of the tissue over which that image is passed.  It is purely physical in nature.  But there is also a mental aspect to perception.  The mental part of interpreting what we see is shaped by experience and knowledge.  It is something I might call positional perspective.

Positional perspective might simply refer to where we are standing.  If I am in front of an object and you are to the side of that same object, we might see very different shapes.  It's like the old tale of the blind men touching an elephant -- each at a different point -- and each describing it very differently.  We do the same thing mentally when we view something.

Sometimes our view is of an idea or concept.

City dwellers see things very differently than those who live in sparsely populated areas.  The problems that face those living in a crowded environment are not the same as those faced by rural populations.  Their perspectives of what are the most pressing problems vary widely.  Even when they recognize each other's challenges, they often perceive very different solutions. Their environment and experiences shape their view or, perspective.

Much of the division in our country is due to this issue of perspective.  Until we learn to "walk in the other guy's shoes" occasionally, we will not solve the problems that we face as a nation.  Understanding comes with experience and knowledge.  If we feed ourselves the same thing every day in the news we consume, the books we read or the people we listen to, our understanding of other perspectives is not likely to occur.  We all need to spend time with those who are not like us -- whatever "us" happens to be.

 Spur of the Moment

Not everything has to be planned out, but it is usually easier when it is.

There are times that I want to know exactly where I am going or what is expected of me, and there are times when I want it to all be spontaneous.  I like the adventure of spontaneity.

When we travel, we sometimes combine the two approaches.  We generally have a definite destination in mind with an expected time of arrival, but we often leave the details to spur-of-the-moment decision-making.  "Oh, look, there's a rabbit!" -- or maybe it was a squirrel.  Making a U-turn to capture a photo is not an uncommon occurrence for us.

The other day we decided to explore our neighborhood a bit.  Since recently moving to the area we wanted to get better acquainted with our surroundings.  There is a large lake to the west of us, and we wanted to check out the amenities and look for where we might be able to launch a canoe once we deemed the weather was conducive to that activity.

As we traveled along the backcountry roads, we saw a large patch of wildflowers and decided to make a record of their ephemeral appearance.  We found ourselves wandering for longer than expected as our vehicle sat parked on the side of the road while we went from bright-colored blossom to bright-colored blossom using the iNaturalist application on our phones to photograph and identify the various species.  Several of them have been used in posts on this blog.  Today will be another.  It is a species of Larkspur in the genus Delphinium.

There are about 300 different species within the genus which was named for Chios (Delphinium) which was an ancient Greek city.  There was also a Roal Navy ship, the HMS Delphinium.  The plants are often cultivated for their beauty, but they are very toxic to humans although butterflies love them.

 Not What We Think We See

Sometimes what we think we know is not what it really is.  It is easy to be deceived by appearances and the whole industry of "fake news" -- especially on social media -- is built around that ease of deception.

What is known as Artificial Intelligence makes the process of deception much easier.  What is actually Machine Learning is utilized to generate much of the propaganda that we see.  It is often created by foreign enemies, but also by political movements that are seeking to sway people to a specific agenda.  It happens on both sides of the political spectrum in an effort to promote political positions and garner power, but is often magnified by forces seeking to destroy our country by pitting opposing sides of an issue against each other in such a way that what might have been a civil discussion regarding different approaches to an issue becomes a chasm between different groups.  The old saying of "divide and conquer" is extremely relevant to the current situation.

Everyone is guilty of participating.  If you post or share a post that is generated in this war of propaganda, you are guilty of being part of it.  Social media makes it feel safer than a face-to-face conversation with someone of opposing views, but it is probably more conducive to divisiveness than a personal discussion where understanding is potentially achievable.  After all, most problems are seen by all sides of an issue as in need of resolution, but the approach is often very different.  In the anonymity of social media we look only at those things which coincide with our personal beliefs and make no effort at understanding the position or belief that may be held by others.  It is destroying families, neighborhoods and society in general.

We should all keep in mind that what we see and hear sometimes needs a little interpretation and effort to understand.  Just like the plant in the photo below -- Narrow-leaved-blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium).  It looks like a flower such as is typically found on a forb, but it is actually a grass.  It is commonly cultivated as an ornamental.

 Sensitivity

There are a number of different species in the Mimosa genus that are called "sensitive briar" due to the fact that their leaves will curl up when touched.  They are sometimes called Catclaw Briar and they are a legume which sometimes colonizes where the land has been overgrazed.

I find them interesting because their flowers are showy and attract one to the plant and yet the leaves are sensitive to your presence.  It sounds like a few people I know who do things to attract attention yet are sensitive when that attention occurs.  Sometimes that attention drawing mechanism is in the form of clothing, or possibly piercings, tattoos or bright colors of hair.  They want to be seen yet when given the apparently craved attention are defensive or even belligerent.

All of us are sensitive about some things and all of us crave attention.  Sometimes that craving is misplaced and certainly is frequently misunderstood.  Society conditions us to "blend into the herd" and yet we are designed to be predators, not prey.  It is in our eyes -- literally -- they are set into the front of our face rather than on the side.  Prey animals have eyes on the sides of their head which allows them better vision behind them as well as to the front.  Predator eyes are set on the front of their face which gives them better ability to focus on a target.

Maybe that conflicted nature of drawing attention while being sensitive to it is a product of a society which attempts to make us something we are not built to be.  It makes you question whether many of our social structures are the product of a higher level of predator which preys upon lesser predators -- namely those who are subject to the conditioning of that society.

In my opinion, much of our education system is designed to push people into that sub-predator category so they will be subservient to a more aggressive class of predators.  It creates a "working class" designed to serve an elite which uses them to advance their own power.  The system we see evolved as a result of the need for factory workers and it continues to evolve today in ways that push the boundaries of tolerance due to the conflicted nature between design and conditioning.  It isn't only the educational systems -- much of which is a positive so please don't attack me for the comment -- it is in the media (currently the worst in my opinion is fake news on social media generated through AI by foreign and domestic adversaries), in literature, and in many other societal structures.

In some ways my words may sound like the beginnings of a manifesto of some kind.  They are not meant to be, but they are meant to, perhaps, serve a cautionary note on the trends we see in society that are pushing many to revolt against what they believe to be an oppressed role.  The balance between the needs of the economy and the nature of people is a sensitive one.

Just like the Sensitive Briar (Mimosa microphylla) which colonizes overgrazed land, perhaps the signs of strain in society such as rebellious behavior, are signals that people have been pushed too far.  Those who see themselves as "normal" often see that behavior in a negative light when it might actually be a warning sign of deep systemic problems that must be corrected.

 Seeking Value

What is value?  We all have a basic understanding of the concept, but I want to clarify the basic meanings of the word.

According to the Meriam Webster Dictionary, value has several meanings: 1) the amount of money that something is worth, 2) the equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged, 3) relative worth, utility, or importance, 4) something that can be bought for a low or fair price, 5) something (such as a principle or quality) intrinsically valuable or desirable, 6) a numerical quantity that is assigned or is determined by calculation, 7) a relative lightness or darkness of a color.

That's a lot of different meanings for a word that we all think we understand.

I think a basic need of people is to feel that they are of value -- that they are needed by others, or that they are considered to be desirable company.  It seems a little strange to me that we sometimes look at others in such a term as value.  The simple reality is that such a view is the basis for many so-called friendships and when the value has been diminished the friendship disappears.

The whole concept of value is a self-centered one.  It comes back to what someone or something can do for me.  It is based on the concept of exchanging something we have for that which we don't.  It might be time, money or some other exchangeable medium.  It is a matter of giving up what we have for something we desire more highly.

One of the keys to sales is to establish the concept of value in what one is offering to be sold or exchanged.  Potential customers must be convinced that the object being offered has greater value that what is being given up.  Sometimes that perception of value is false but momentarily seems real because of an appeal to emotion or some sense of gratification.  This is often the case with much of what we see on television.  Advertising is often targeted at our base natures of envy, greed or again, that self-centered desire to have others "look at me" that creates momentary pleasure which is sometimes at the expense of lasting gain which might be of higher value -- such as relationships.

As I age, I am learning that many of the things I once valued were only temporarily so.  The cost was often higher than that which was immediately realized.  It often wasn't just the monetary exchange; it was in the things that were no longer accessible -- what I gave up in order to have what I momentarily desired.  We often see only the immediate cost and miss the longer-term impact of our decisions.

As the Apostle Paul wrote (very loosely interpreted), I am learning there is much value in being content in whatever circumstances I find myself.  Always striving for more is a common way of life but ultimately a sad one.

The Ohio Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis) is a beautiful flower that graces the roadside in many places.  There is value in the grace of its beauty.

 Texas Paintbrush

There are many things that are symbolic of Texas.  The Alamo, Bluebonnets, the Texas Longhorn, the Lonestar Flag and even Shiner Beer, but one that is often overlooked is the Texas Paintbrush, one of the beautiful flowers that grace the roadsides and meadows of the state.  We can thank Lady Bird Johnson for that.

Another name for it is the Indian Paintbrush.  Sometimes I wonder if legends that have been attributed to native tribes are simply made up by modern authors seeking creative ways to tell a story, but the legend of the Indian Paintbrush surrounds the desire of a young boy to paint the sunset.

I love a good sunset as much as anyone else, but I also know that the vivid colors which we so admire are the result of the refraction of light from the setting sun among particulate matter suspended in the air.  A good old Texas dust storm is particularly effective in generating beautiful sunsets.  Mix in a few high clouds to create shadowed shades of violet and the painting is complete.

The Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella) of which I have written about previously, is probably my favorite wildflower, but I also relish seeing Texas Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) and the Indian or Texas Paintbrush (Castilleja indivisa) pictured below.  What is your favorite wildflower?  If so inclined, tell me in the comments below.

 Life Lessons

When I was young, we had a honeysuckle vine growing beneath the kitchen window of our house.  To this day I remember how it smelled when the blossoms covered it in the spring and the butterflies, moths and bees buzzed around it seeking the sweet sustenance those flowers contained.  My mother showed me how to lightly pinch the base of the flower and gently pull the pistil out which drew a drop of nectar from the flower that was a pleasant treat.  It is a technique of foraging that I suspect is rarely taught to children nowadays.

It would be difficult to make a meal of the tiny drops of nectar, but the energy contained by them would certainly act as a refresher to someone in need.  That source of energy is what attracts the insects to the plant.

Dad didn't want the honeysuckle growing in the flower bed because it tended to spread and crowd out other things that he wanted to grow.  I was tasked with digging it out which was quite a chore since it required finding all of those runners and spreading roots.  I always enjoyed digging in the dirt as a kid and it wasn't the onerous chore kids today might think it to be, but it was bittersweet because I subsequently missed the Spring treat of robbing the nectar from the flowers.

I vividly recall the honeysuckle to this day and am reminded of it when I walk in the woods of our current small acreage.  In it I see life lessons taught to me as a youngster.  1) Nature provides. 2) Understanding how nature provides and how to utilize it is important. 3) There are prices -- the cost/benefit of everything. 4) Work is necessary to gain what we want but it sometimes carries the added cost of what we might have had.

 Quiet Giant

Silvery flashes among the deeper greens,
The gentle breeze is stirring
The gray-green leaves that flutter
To reveal their underside.

Mottled bark where flakes have fallen

Mark the giant Sycamore

Standing tall among the lesser trees

Which seek to crowd beneath its branches.

Long-lived ancestors saw the founders,

Furnished them homes,

Warmed the hearths,

Provided the furnishings of civilization.

Treasured for shade they line the streets

Of many small towns and villages

Where domestication contains them

And children play among their branches.

American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)

 Earth Day 2026 -- Using Our Imagination

No, I'm not some radical Environmentalist, but I am an Environmentalist in many ways.  I believe in Conservation much more strongly than Preservation.  I see the Earth as my home, and I want my home to be clean, healthy and functioning properly.

The theme of Earth Day 2026 is "Our Power, Our Planet."  The focus is promotion of clean energy.  That's a tough one because Solar and Wind power are just as damaging to the environment as the oil and gas industry in many ways.

Most of us don't really think about the energy we consume except when we buy a tank of fuel for our vehicles or pay the electric bill.  We just expect it to be there ready to use, convenient and reliable.  

Our lives, jobs and recreation are filled with energy consumption.  The carbon you ingest as food is energy consumption.  The round of golf you play consumes energy -- the cheeseburger you just ate.  The burning muscles from a hard day of physical labor are the result of consuming energy that fuels your efforts.  Everything revolves around energy consumption and expenditure.

Reliable sources of energy and other resources have been the driving force behind wars.  The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in an effort to cripple the U.S. Military while Japanese forces seized the energy-rich lands of the Southeast Asian Islands.  Current events in the Middle East are to a large extent about energy as was the action in Venezuela.

Wind and Solar power are currently the darlings of the Environmental movement but the devastation of mining for rare earth minerals which are key to battery manufacture is often ignored.  The vast solar arrays which remove productive farm and ranch land are ignored.  The giant wind chargers which require tremendous manufacturing capabilities as well as the need for vast storage areas when they are scrapped also scar the land.

Wind, Solar and Water power are all very natural sources of energy, but not in the ways we have attempted to harness them.  Our food is captured solar energy.  That energy utilizes water and carbon which are drawn from the soil and the air to store itself in plants which are then either consumed directly or are further processed and concentrated by animals.  Wind and water shape the land and the things growing upon it.  Utilizing power from the sun, the planet itself along with the moon anchored to it generates the winds and cycles the water to sustain itself.  It conserves resources by constantly recycling them from one form to the next.  Even the waste leftover from our energy consumption is recycled.

We disrupt the natural cycles through chemicals and mechanical means, but nature itself carries the mechanisms to do all of those things on its own.  Soil microbes, plant roots, fungi, insects and worms are constantly breaking down the detritus of the living into food for the next generation.  Rather than focusing on unnatural processes and machinery to harvest our energy needs we need to re-think our approach and seek ways that mimic nature.

Below is a photo of an American Blusher Mushroom (Amanita flavorubens).  I have used a different photo of one in a previous post.  What many don't realize is that beneath the soil is a complex web of fibers connecting the mushrooms.  That's why we see "fairy rings" growing where mushrooms or toadstools are in the semblance of a circle.  The rhizomes threading through the soil not only break down plant and other material, but they also chemically transmit a message to nearby plant roots, insects and worms that food is nearby and available.  It is an amazing world we live in.  Let's keep it that way.

 True to Self

I admire people who are able to be completely true to themselves in any environment.  They are not swayed by trends or the desire to fit in, yet they adapt to the situation and simply shine as who and what they are.  They aren't trying to draw attention and don't have a "look at me" presence, they simply live to the beat of a different drummer, and they are comfortable with that.

When we are true to ourselves, we thrive.  It may not be in the ways others are comfortable with but that doesn't really matter.  There is peace in being who you are rather than always trying to fit in.

Yesterday I came across a garden variety of petunia growing wild among the weeds and grasses of a meadow.  I'm sure it is descended from a forebearer which was deliberately planted.  This one was thriving and shining and going wild by simply being what it was designed to be.

 Rising Mists

This morning as I watch the mists rising from the pond my mind twists with two forces pulling my thoughts; one is the scientific explanation that the water is warmer than the air this morning and the second is the simple, poetic beauty of rising mists.  The mists become a curtain hiding the surface where unknown dangers might lurk.

I sometimes think there is a war between reason and fantasy being fought within our minds.  Reason is based in our desire to understand and control where fantasy is rooted in our understanding that we are not in control but ride the currents of a reality that is beyond comprehension.  In the world of reason, we are limited to what we deem to be real.  The world of fantasy is unlimited -- unbounded by what we know or can imagine.  In it the unexpected is expected.

What is it that drives our tendency to fantasize?  Is it disappointment or disillusionment with reality or is it something calling us to reach beyond the circumstances that bind us to place and time?  

I think reality and fantasy are linked.  Fantasy -- imagination -- is what allows us to discover and understand the amazing and marvelous reality that surrounds us.  Our mind asks, "what if?" before it seeks new paths of understanding.  We are wired to crave knowledge and that wiring creates pathways to exploration of the unknown.

Yesterday we took a short walk simply to look at the various plants we could find growing around our property.  Our focus is on identifying those foreign to our soil and those which are native.  We identify and decide whether to remove or retain and encourage.

Growing in the ditch along our county road we encountered a small cluster of Pink Ladies (Oenothera speciosa).  They are also known as the Evening Primrose.  They are native to Texas and often seen along roadsides.  Identifying these plants is part of our quest for knowledge but it also provides fodder for the imagination.  Perhaps they are really fairies in pink skirts dancing in the wind.

Encouragement Matters

 Everyone faces times of doubt.  It may be that we feel unprepared or perhaps unworthy.  In times like those it is always nice to receive encouragement.  Hopefully, there will be a mentor there to encourage you in those times of doubt.

Sometimes encouragement can take other forms.  Creating opportunity for others is a form of encouragement.  It may be a bit more subtle but helping to create that small space where someone can find a niche in which to fit is encouraging to their growth.  They may not always recognize your contribution, but as they thrive in that new role or activity, they will remember that you were there.

We have numerous Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) that grace our place.  Watching them flit from branch to ground in search of food is one of the enjoyable moments of the day.  They feel comfortable enough around us that they have nested and raised a brood.  Yesterday we took a quick peek to see how they were doing.  You can even see the blue tint to the feathers already.  Encouraging them to nest was simply a matter of providing the space -- both in the form of a nesting box and leaving them alone to fulfill their purpose.

 Omens and Portents

When you live in the country you are sometimes surprised by the things that show up in your yard or that you see in your rural environment.  Country dogs can be a contributing factor to those surprises.  In those times when we lived in the country and had dogs -- even those supposedly confined to a fenced area -- we have been blessed by the discoveries they have made and felt compelled to share with us.

In Nebraska we had the dried remains of a deer carcass laid upon our front porch.  Opossums have been delivered to our doorstep -- not always those whose spirits had gone to the hereafter but were playing their name out until opportunity for escape occurred.  Yesterday we were graced with a demonic looking skull and a few rib bones clinging together by thin strips of dry hide.

If we were the superstitious type, it would be very disconcerting to see the skull looking at you from in front of the house.  In our case it was more of a stimulus to our curiosity than anything else.  We have not seen any of the genus Capra in our neighborhood, but there obviously are, or at least, have been some and now there is one less.

I can imagine that some might find the discovery of the skull as an obviously evil portent of bad things to come.  I choose to look at it in light of the term in common usage today of GOAT -- Greatest of All Time!  Maybe our canine guardian was simply demonstrating his feelings toward us....

 Adaptability

Most of us adapt in some form or another to the environment in which we live.  If you are single, you form habits and idiosyncrasies that reflect a lifestyle of filling time the way you would choose without worrying about what someone else might need or desire.  Likewise, if married or some other form of joint living arrangement, you adapt to accommodate the needs of others.

The same occurs in the work environment.  Company culture is important and over time employees find ways to fit into that culture or they leave.

We are adaptable creatures.

Adaptability is crucial in nature.  Plants, animals and insects find ways to adapt to the environment and sometimes develop specialized adaptations that cause them to appear strange.  We sometimes wonder why the giraffe has such a long neck until we learn that they browse on the highest leaves of trees where the shoots are tender.  Mosquitos are a creature that we all love to hate yet their specially adapted proboscis allows them to feed on the blood of mammals.  Moths have long tongues that enable them to reach nectar deep within a flower.  The list is as long as there are varieties of species.

Yesterday I came across an Eastern leaf-footed bug (Leptoglossus phyllopus) on one of the thistles growing at the edge of our property.  I almost missed him thinking it was a small piece of plant debris perched on the fading flower of the thistle.  As I looked more closely, I could see the white line across its back as well as the strange, leaf-shaped growths on the rear legs.  I couldn't imagine the purpose of that particular shape, so I turned to Google for answers as usual.  It is speculated that they aid in battle over females.  I suppose it could be reminiscent of a Klingon battle axe and might be used as both a shield and a weapon.  

The bug is not one to encourage because it causes damage to plants and is resistant to pesticides.  They are destructive to many food plants including fruit trees and vegetables.  I thought it was very photogenic though.

 Flashy Visitor

Many of the winged visitors to our small acreage are migratory.  They stop briefly for a meal and a drink and maybe rest a few days before continuing on their journey north or south depending on the season.  Others are somewhat permanent and spend much of the year in the area.

A couple of days ago my attention was drawn to a very small visitor, but I don't know if he was a permanent resident or just passing through.  I did some research on him to see if I might determine what he did and whether he was a productive member of society but could find very little information that might shed light other than he was attracted to Passionflowers.  To my knowledge, we don't have such on our place.

You may have heard of Passionfruit and perhaps even tried some.  It seems there are around 550 species in the genus, and they are scattered around the world.  They are known primarily for their beautiful flowers.  It is possible we have some Passion vines on our place, but as of now, I don't know.  The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center indicates that Passion vines are found in Texas, so I suspect we have some.

 The tiny visitor to which I am referring is the Passionflower Flea Beetle (Disonycha discoidea).  He's a flashy little critter but I had never seen one before that I recall.  I suspect he can consume a large quantity of leaf for such a small size.

 Trusting Your Own Judgment

The majority of the time I trust my own judgement.  I have the confidence that I know enough to make a choice and so I do it.  There are other times I "phone a friend" or ask the advice of someone with whom I have previously associated with and trust.  There are times, though, when nothing will satisfy me but an expert and then I have doubts.

I am not one to order mushrooms at a restaurant.  If they come with a dish I don't pick them off or send the plate back, but I just am not a fan.  I know they have nutritional value and many kinds of mushrooms are highly valued for their flavor.  I would rather have my steak with a little salt and maybe some butter, but you can leave off the mushrooms.

Mushrooms, toadstools and other fungi do interest me.  I smile upon seeing a "fairy ring" growing in the yard, or fantastic growths on the side of a rotting log.  I almost always stop and look at mushrooms.  Maybe I'm looking for the fairly or elf taking shelter beneath its cap, or maybe I just find them to be so alien to me that I am intrigued.

I use a phone application called iNaturalist for identifying plants, insects, reptiles and yes, fungi.  Yesterday I noticed an interesting dark yellow cap poking through the soil near our fire pit and snapped a photo to determine what it was.  It identified as the Yellow American Blusher (Amanita flavorubens) which is an edible mushroom.  The problem is that it is in the Amanita genus which contains a number of lethally poisonous mushrooms.  If you aren't an expert mycologist, don't take a chance with this one.  If you are, bon appetite!

 Surprises

There are good surprises, bad surprises and sometimes simply the unexpected.  We all hope to avoid the bad ones, but they tend to sneak up on us at unexpected times.  I guess that's what makes them surprises.

Surprises interrupt the sameness of our lives.  They sometimes kick us out of our well-trodden ruts into new territory.  That's where we grow.  Without newness, without surprises, without deliberately seeking the unknown, we stagnate and slowly wither.  For that reason, the bad surprises can have positive impacts on our life.

Much of the impact of surprises lies in our attitude.  If we keep a positive focus, even the less-desirable surprises can be turned to our benefit.  That's easy to say but sometimes difficult to practice.  That muscle of having a positive attitude needs to be exercised daily and our reactions to the unexpected honed when the impact is minor so that when it is of consequence, there is power in our response.

The military understands the concept of preparation better than almost any other type of organization.  They know that muscle memory developed through trained, conditioned responses, can mean the difference between survival and casualty.  We should consider that as we go through our daily routines.  When times are good, we should develop the skills and attitude for dealing with those times when the tide turns against us.

We discovered a nice surprise yesterday; a plant that I had never seen before growing at the edge of our place near the county road.  The beautiful pink flowers of a Bristly Locust (Robinia hispida) drew our attention as we looked out at light rain drifting across the meadow.  Further investigation revealed that there are small, hair-like stickers on the stems.  It is native to the Southeastern U.S. and is sometimes grown as an ornamental in other areas.  It is a legume which means that it fixes nitrogen in the soil and it is an important species to native bees.  The USDA promotes it for use in erosion control.

 Reaching for the Heights

Trees in a forest tend to grow taller, straighter and faster than those standing solitary upon the plains.  In the quest for light, they shoot quickly toward the nearest source which is typically far above them where the leaves begin to thin and small slivers of the sky are exposed.

There is a price, though, because many of them outgrow the resources available in the soil and they are often weakened and perhaps more susceptible to disease and insect due to poor nutrition.  The large numbers which begin life near simultaneously as a result of one year's seed crop will quickly thin to a handful and then if competition is intense, perhaps none will survive.

A lone tree which is exposed to the elements will be stronger.  It is often somewhat stunted due to the constant battle against the elements, but it also doesn't have to contend with others of its species for the nutrition carried in the soil at its feet.  It tends to spread more widely and occupy a much larger space.

There are many parallels in business and in life.  I will leave it to the reader to draw them.  If you are so inclined, leave your thoughts in the comments.

Below is a photo of one of the many tall Loblolly Pines (Pinus taeda) which grace our small corner of Texas.  I would estimate this one to be 65-70 feet tall.  Others in the background likely exceed 80 ft.  They are very fast growing and have filled the woods with seedlings.

 Looking For the Bright Spot

Over time, when in a routine, our days begin to become one of sameness.  Repetition breeds familiarity and it is only with effort that we push ourselves beyond the well-trodden paths that become ruts.  Many times, failure, or at least a sense thereof, is the result of falling so deeply into those ruts that escape seems impossible and efforts futile.

A disciplined retraining of how we look at life is necessary to avoid such pitfalls.

There are many ways such retraining has been defined.  One is to count your blessings each day rather than to dwell on the struggles.  Another is to focus on the good rather than the bad.  I like to say that the key is in looking for the bright spots.  Search for things that bring joy, even if only fleetingly.

Those moments of joy can be as simple as a cup of coffee on the patio listening to the birds sing.  They might be found in a few minutes of devoted attention from a favorite pet.  For some it can be the voice of a friend over the telephone after an absence.  They are moments that resonate with vibrancy in our hearts and minds in ways that the humdrum existence of the familiar motions of getting through the day tend to muffle.

As I first sat at my desk this morning, I looked out the window to see a bright red Cardinal perched on the bird bath.  The vibrant color against the sea of greens, browns and grays of the normal day made me smile.  In Cherokee mythology the Cardinal is associated with the sun and is a symbol of protection and good luck.  Other myths link the Cardinal to visitation from a deceased relative or friend.  To me it was simply a pleasant beginning to the day.

Any time that I am out and about I am looking for those bright splashes of color.  Frequently it is the small birds of various species who flit between the trees in their search for food, but often it is the flowers.  Many of the flowers such as the pear and blackberry are white.  They are less easily spotted than one might expect.  The stark white blends into the mottled shadows at times and remain unnoticed until you are practically upon them.  Others, such as the pink of the Redbud trees which have now disappeared behind curtains of green, are easily spotted.  Most of those spring colors are gone, but yesterday I found one I had seen previously but never really investigated.

Oxalis articulata, the Pink Sorrel, is a beautiful plant that might be mistaken as a clover.  It is native to Northern Argentina, Southern Brazil and Uruguay but has been introduced throughout Europe and many other regions of the world primarily as a "window box" ornamental.  It grows from rhizomes which spread beneath the soil.  In some areas it is used as a cover crop and in others it is considered a nuisance weed.  It is also considered a symbol of good fortune.