Two sides of a mountain

On Texas 87 between Mason and Fredericksburg, look to the east, and you'll see a huge, flat hill in the distance. On our way home yesterday from Mason, James and I decided to veer off and explore a short loop that took us through the very tiny community of Loyal Valley. Because I had a map of Mason County, I knew about House Mountain Road, which cut off from Ranch Road 2242 and headed east to that mysterious hill. After all these many years, now we finally knew the name of it!

However, House Mountain was actually quite a far distance away, especially via a bumpy gravel road. The route took us past very scrubby ranch land, infested with mesquite and plenty of prickly pear and tasajillo. The road also crossed from Mason County into Llano County. So I had to dig for another map.

After nearly an hour, we finally got as close as the road allows to House Mountain. Or rather, Prairie Mountain. That's what folks in Llano County call the same hill. Seems like with stories and pancakes, mountains have two sides as well. Not to mention two names, depending on which side you live.

At any rate, we got out for photos (above, I posed "Patrick style"...years ago, my son stood like this as a little boy atop a mountain in Fort Davis). I really loved the yuccas that seemed to grow in sweet little family clusters.

We crossed a creek and saw lots and lots and lots of granite rocks and boulders. This is Enchanted Rock country, you know (as in the massive dome of granite that's north of Fredericksburg and not too from this area).

James decided that he wanted to take home a few rocks from our outing. So we picked out two rather larges ones sitting along the roadside. Thankfully, the gravel road eventually ended at Ranch Road 2323, which took us south back to Highway 87.

Back at home, we arranged the two rocks in a flower bed in our back yard and added a whimsical metal frog that we bought from a thrift store in Mason. Ah ha! I'm going to make two little signs for either side of our new display.....         

House Mountain Rocks 

Prairie Mountain Rocks

Baby rescue!

This morning, we were out watering...we're just trying to keep alive what we've got, nothing more. No grass, no exotic natives. Anway, a mockingbird kept fussing at me. I just laughed and fussed right back. I did notice that it was carrying a worm or some insect in its beak. But–DUH–I didn't think any further than that.

Along comes James later. I was busy still laughing at the mockingbird when James pointed to our flame acanthus. A BABY perched within the branches! That's why the adult had been yelling at me! DUH! James got a ladder, and I scooped up the little bird child in my hands. I tried to set it high on an oak branch, full of ball moss. But it tumbled off. So this time, I set it in a leafy elbow bush. Success! Several times today, I've checked on the baby, and it's doing fine. Both parents are busy feeding it. Naturally, when I showed up with my camera, one got VERY perturbed with me. Again.

Turkey Lurkey and someone new

Our neighbhood wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) has become a regular in our Wildscape. We're not sure yet if it's a male or female. I'm guessing an immature male. Amid the brown grass and burnt vegetation, the goofy bird is a welcome addition to our wild kingdom. The other evening, I was sitting on our rock patio, and here came Turkey Lurkey. It strolled down our garden paths, visited a bird bath or two, and scratched in the flower beds. Then along came a territorial mockingbird. That tough guy dove and chased the turkey until it gave up and jumped the fence into the front yard. Later, I saw the turkey way high in an oak, getting ready to roost for the night.

 

Earlier this week, we also had a juvenile green heron (Butorides virescens) visit our Wildscape. From my office window, I watched it practice its fishing skills...in our very shallow bird bath! That was a hoot. We didn't realize our pretty those little herons are, especially their sage green legs and feet.

Since I had my long lens out, I shot a few images (not great) of other visitors at the bird bath outside my office window...

Northern cardinal (female)

Inca dove

House finch (male)

Titmouse

Texas bluebells

Last week, I was on assignment near Meridian northwest of Waco. On my way home, I passed by a large patch of blue flowers. I did a doubletake, then I turned around and went back. Could those have been bluebells? Sure enough, I was right! A whole field of Texas bluebells! They were blooming right off Highway 22 behind a fence, not far from the city limits signs (north side of Cranfills Gap). I only saw one more group of them on the road home, and now I can't remember where those were (I'm old). But aren't they just beautiful?

June 2011 in our Wildscape