Notes to myself

Last week, a fellow Master Naturalist brought bearded iris rhizomes to share at our meeting. I grabbed a couple of bags. Yesterday we planted them in a front bed. We used to have a lot of irises, many of which were here before I moved into the house back in 2002. But our darn neighborhood white-tailed deer (which number a LOT these days) have gnawed them away. Thanks to "smart" people who've brought  exotic species to Texas, we also have a large herd of axis that live in and wander through our neighborhood. (Thanks for letting me vent.)

 

Another Master Naturalist couple brought me cowpen daisies (Verbesina encelioides) ready to plant. I put them in another front-yard bed and hope that they reseed. We've planted them before, and they reseeded a season or two. Then they pooped out. 

What a spring!

Spring 2026 has been phenomenal! In February, I was about as downcast as our native gardens looked. Then a few rains came. Wow, the plants rejoiced and responded in a huge way! As for me, I feel better, too. Here are a few sample photos of our front and back yards....

Engelmann daisies are prolific.

Narrowleaf coneflower looks the best it ever has!

And the velvetleaf mallows (right) are GIANTS!

Garden Variety Show

Oh, how I LOVE this illustration created by Peter Donnelly of Ireland. It accompanies my essay, "Garden Variety Show," in the May 2026 issue of Texas Co-op Power magazine. A few days ago, I sent an email to him and thanked him. "Your article was a joy to illustrate," he wrote back. I especially love how Mr. Donnelly accurately depicted the orange flowers of velvetleaf mallow on the left side. And there's a checkered garter snake. Not to mention my favorite butterfly, the red admiral! So fun!

West Texas fauna

We also saw a few critters during our celebration stay in Fort Davis. Here are a few.....

A nimble clan of aoudads spotted on a mountainside along Hwy 17

Rough harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex rugosus), High Frontier

Cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), High Frontier

Ornate tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus), High Frontier

Arizona sister (Adelpha eulalia), Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center

Sunburst diving beetle (Thermonectus marmoratus), Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center

Another friendly ornate tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus), High Frontier

And then there was the most interesting, outgoing, FLUFFY critter of all .... Ms. Stubbs! She lives at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center. She latched onto us during some of our Saturday visit. No, she didn't hike down to Modesto Trail with us, but –––– SHHHHHH –––– she followed us over to the bird blind. She even bird watched with us for a little bit. Don't tell her that I said this, but she was like a little dog, trotting behind and in front of us. 

 

We learned that she acquired her name from her stump of a tail. She was feral and sick when she showed up at the center. Now she rules the place and has her own basket for napping. When we returned two mornings later to buy some more coffee, Ms. Stubbs hardly gave us the time of day. Oh, well. 

 

 

"Snow" in May in West Texas?

During our four-day stay in Fort Davis, we visited the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center (which was right across the highway). On a trail loop within the botanical gardens, we came across what at first to me looked like snow on the ground. Further scrutiny revealed white leaves. LOTS of crispy white leaves. What were they? Later I learned that they're probably the remains of dwarf desert peony (Acourtia nana). It was a startling and beautiful thing to see! I wish my photos were better at sharing the leaves' stark white contrast to their brown background. 

'Big Eyed' wolf spider project

You just never know what you'll find, wherever you are. Which is why I started an alternate iNaturalist account (sherylsr_edu). Good thing I did. One evening, I spotted a large wolf spider in the corner of the door frame at the High Frontier guest house where we were staying. I took some photos and then escorted him outside. On iNat, I identified him as Hogna sp. Later Russell Pfau with the Department of Biological Sciences at Tarleton State University came along and noted that my wolf was like an undescribed species that's being called "Big-eyed Hogna" for now. Then he added my photos to their iNat project called Big-eyed Wolf Spider. Awesome! But I wish I'd gotten pictures of my spider's eyes and face. As an aside, Russell and Texas Master Naturalist Eric Neubauer are getting close to publishing an official description of Hogna incognita, which I wrote about for Texas Co-op Power magazine in November 2024. 

Our favorite West Texas bloom

Adonis blazingstar (Mentzelia multiflora)

On our last evening at the High Frontier, I spotted a bright yellow clump of flowers behind some water treatment tanks. Naturally, I had to go check them out. Then I sniffed the blooms. OH, MY GOODNESS, they smelled heavenly! And the flowers themselves were stunning. Just gorgeous! Wish they could've gone home with us.