Texas feathershank follow-up

Awhile ago, I made a metal marker for my Texas feathershank (Schoenocaulon texanum). I was so elated April 2 when I discovered these five plants in a rocked-in bed in The Meadow. That's where I dropped seeds given to me by a Blanco friend in April 2024. This species is in the lily family, and the blooms are gorgeous (see photo below). I'd never seen one before I spotted them growing wild in Alison's property just a few blocks north of here. 

A photo from 2024 of one of Alison's blooms. 

What is that white thing?

While walking in The Meadow yesterday, I spotted what I thought was either a spider inside a white silken retreat or maybe an insect in a white cocoon. Wrong on both counts! iNaturalist suggested a FUNGUS in the genus Balansia. Turns out it's probably Texas wintergrass fungus (Atkinsonella texenesis). I don't think I'm gonna worry about it. 

 

Caterpillar in vomit mode

This is a white-lined sphinx caterpillar (Hyles lineata) that's been feeding on some narrowleaf four o'clock (Mirabilis linearis) in our back yard. A couple of days ago, I touched it, and it oozed out some greenish goo. A new behavior to me! James irritated it while I shot a short video (see below). So I've since learned that these caterpillars can indeed projectile spew as a defense mechanism (our friend just dripped it out). That vomit stuff is semi-digested plant material mixed with toxins.  

New additions plus a discovery

So last Saturday, I brought home one new friend from the Blanco County Master Gardeners' plant sale. Well, make that two. The tall, silvery one is a silver wormwood (Artemisia ludoviciana), also called white sage, Lousiana artemisia and lots of other common names. I chose this particular one because I spotted a ride-a-long, which I suspected was a snakeroot. 

 

When I went to plant the artemisia, I thought I'd simply pull out the snakeroot and plant it somewhere else. NOT! Instead, I discovered why this species is called SNAKEROOT, specifically Virginia snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria). I couldn't believe how long the thick roots were for what I thought was a very young plant. I gave up trying to separate the two plants and planted them together. Lesson learned: I better understand how this plant has popped up in a couple of other places from the original plant. 

Bernadette M. also gifted up with a desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), which James planted in front of The Pasture behind a semi-circle of Texas lantanas (they planted themselves there years ago). 

She also gave us anacacho orchid tree (Bauhinia lunarioides), which James planted inside The Pasture. Our other anacacho orchid lives in the back yard. Thank you, Bernadette!

Bromeliads

We've had the green bromeliads (pictured on right side of photo) since we married 20 years ago. It was gifted to us by our sweet neighbor Jeri. Last year, Kelly, another neighbor, gave us the variegated bromeliad, which I added to the green ones. On my blog, I've just always called them bromeliads. But what is their botanical name? I did a little sleuthing and found out that Neoregelia is the genus. They're native to the rain forests of South America. But ours seem to love our Central Texas backyard just fine. 

Another volunteer jimsonweed

We planted our first jimsonweed (Datuna wrightii). For several years, it did well in our front yard. Then the deer and/or drought finally decimated it. Last May, I brought one home from the Festival of Flowers in San Antonio. What should I spy when I went to plant it? A volunteer jimsonweed! Yay! But then, not yay. Once again, the deer interfered and yanked it up. I tried replanting the remains in The Pasture, but I don't know if it's going to return.

In the meantime, guess what I spied in the original location? Yes, another volunteer jimsonweed! This time, I dug it up right away and replanted it in The Pasture. Please grow! P.S. This species has several common names, including moonflower. 

Cenizo child

O Wise Cenizo is in the background

 

If you've read my blog awhile, then you know about O Wise Cenizo. That's the smart cenizo that grows across the street and is pretty good at predicting rain. I've even written about it (check out "Right on Rain," Texas Co-op Power May 2022). Anyway, we were recently walking along the street-side of our front yard when I spotted something interesting on the ground, growing among the asphalt rocks. I crouched down. Rabbit tobacco? No, a baby cenizo! And one descended from O Wise Cenizo across the street! Of course, I had to adopt it! Awhile ago, James dug it up for me, and we put it in a pot. We'll probably plant it in The Meadow. Or maybe The Pasture? 

O Wise Cenizo wih a few purple blooms

On second thought...

So I did a thing, then wished I hadn't. There was a wasp nest over one of our automatic garage door entrances. I happened to be walking past and noticed that the nest was empty. So I popped it off! Not a good place for a nest, I'd been thinking lately. The nest landed on the concrete driveway. I leaned over and picked it up. Upon closer examination, I saw little larva heads (those black things in the hexagon spaces). Babies. Oh, dear. Bad me.

 

When mama came back, she looked and looked for her nest. Meanwhile, I'd put it in a yogurt container. Somehow I managed to get her in it, and she immediately went to feed her brood. She is a Guinea paper wasp (Polistes exclamans). For more info on wasps, check out a short article I wrote for Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine on the fine-backed red paper wasp. 

 

Yes, I interfered, and I doubt she'll be able to establish a nest colony in the container. But I guess we'll see what happens.  

 

UPDATE: She left.  

 

 

Yellows...

Our Missouri foxtail cactus (Escobaria missouriensis)

Green wild indigo (Baptisia sphaerocarpa)

And a resin bee on daminanita...

Bluebonnet season 2026

This is it. You're looking at it. Our entire 2026 bluebonnet season in The Meadow. Well, that's nature!

"Spiders" of a different sort

Hmm. I was walking in our backyard gardens yesterday and noticed that some of my Texas skeleton plants looked sickly. I squatted down for a closer look. What I saw was akin to spider webbing with LOTS of tiny red creepy-crawlies skittering about. Spider mites, likely in the family of Tetranychidae. I should probably do them in. But I'm usually in the mindset of letting nature be nature. Oh, I took a short video of them, too (below).

 

Despite their common name, spider mites are NOT spiders. But they are arachnids because they have eight legs.  

A Liris wasp

 

You know me. I'm always saving something. Yesterday it was a Liris wasp species that was in our AC bucket. I got a lot of pictures of it, then I took a short video (below). I think it's interesting to watch how critters behave.  

Up, up and away!

Celebrating the life of J. David Bamberger

J. David Bamberger / 1993

More than 300 people gathered Saturday afternoon, March 14, 2026, to celebrate the iconic life of conservationist J. David Bamberger. I was honored to be among them. I represented both myself and the Texas Master Naturalist program. Though I did not volunteer on his Selah-Bamberger Ranch, I knew Mr. Bamberger through the years, starting with a profile I wrote on him in 1993 for Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine. He was 65 at the time. I’m now 67 and wish I had the energy he had at 97 when he left for heaven. Since we first met, his work – Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve – has grown exponentially and in amazing ways, as is shared on the ranch’s website. 

More than 30 years ago, he told me: “I’m the steward, not the owner. That’s what we all are – stewards. And I hope my legacy will not be that he made a lot of money or accomplished things in a business sense, but that he sustained a movement that influenced enough people to ensure that the coming generations will be able to live richer, fuller lives.” 

Mission accomplished, sir. Well done, Mr. Bamberger, well done. 

We gathered in front and around Hes’ Country Store for the memorial.

So many hugs among friends, many long-time and some new.

 

Andy Samson spoke about his long-time friend and colleague, J. David Bamberger. It was very windy that afternoon so the audio’s not good.

Per his wishes, J. David Bamberger’s ashes were spread across his beloved land via helicopter. It was very moving to witness. 

* * * 

Here is the profile I wrote about Mr. Bamberger in the August 1993 issue of Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine. 

First hummer 2026

 

Digging up plants for the annual sale

For the fourth year, Bernadette McFarling with the Blanco County Master Gardeners came to our yard to dig up native plant volunteers. She'll pot these up for the chapter's annual plant sale set for April 18 on the Blanco square. I'm always glad to share! 

Screech owls in boxes

We have two Owl Shacks and were lucky enough last Saturday (February 28) to see BOTH occupied by roosting screech owls! We're hoping a pair will choose one box and lay eggs. We love our eastern screech owls (Megascops asio)!