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.
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.
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.
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Here is the profile I wrote about Mr. Bamberger in the August 1993 issue of Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine.
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!
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)!
One more insect video. I rescued this chalcidoid wasp from our cat's water bowl in the garage. It was teeny tiny! This one may in the subfamily of Eupelminae.
Look what I found yesterday when we were fishing for gambusia (so we could rehome them). A mottled diving beetle (Thermonectus nigrofasciatus)! So cool. This morning we rehomed the gambusia and my diving beetle. I have no clue how this beetle found our stock tank pond, but I have an inquiry out and hope to solve that mystery. But apparently, diving beetles can fly long distances in search of new places to live.
Oh, be sure and check out my video below. These beetles come up for air, then dive back down and release used air (I think) from their bottom end. Watch for the two bubbles from my beetle's butt.
It was quite a project, but yesterday afternoon we rounded up all the gambusia from the stock tank pond. The mottled diving beetle went, too. This morning, we drove everyone east of Blanco to Duan and Tanja's pond. What a nice pond! Lots of golfish and tadpoles. My gambusia will fit right now. Thanks, y'all!
The end of a backyard era. Nearly 14 years! And yes, I got a little teary eyed. I enjoyed our stock tank pond so much. But nothing last forever. The deed is done now, and one less thing to care for.
Look what I found in our cat's water bowl! A tiny parasitic wasp, likely a chalcidid wasp species in the genus of Dirhinus. (It could be Dirhinus texana.) Very interesting body parts! Take a look at my video while you're here, too.
Yes, this morning James spotted a chicken in our front flower box! Was he surprised! Then when I stuck my head out the front door to see, I spotted EGGS! Lots of them! Another surprise – score! Thank you, Ms. Runaway Henny Penny! She's one of our neighbor's chickens that loves to roam. Two days ago, we spotted her skeddadling on another neighbor's fence side of our back yard.
