Two "never befores"

Having been observing nature for some 65 years, this week turned up two new observations--at least new to us.
First, one of those rather large spiders had caught a small songbird in its web and was busy devouring it. The spider was one of those we commonly call a banana spider, but an investigation shows that it is not correct to call it a banana spider. (even common names can be wrong!) These spiders are common in the Texas gulf coast, less common in central Texas. Their web is a giveaway to their identity----it always has a zigzag stitch in the center. The spiders name is an argiope---one of three varieties, this one probably Bruennich's Argiope. Well that's one for the book.
Second, a road runner was on the back porch ravenously devouring a small songbird. At first, I surmised it was the one from the spiders web, but no it was another bird. I have always known that road runners were carnivorous, but not to the extent of hunting small birds. Well, that's two for the book.
I wish I had taken pictures.

Comments

Encounter in Blanco

We often drive to Blanco to get outdoors and seek a cure for our cabin fever, to enjoy the local barbeque, and to hunt for books at the library. We could get addicted to this if it weren't for some concern that this routine would lead to just another form of cabin fever. This time, we stopped for some gasoline and found the local people all in a buzz about the sighting of an extraterrestrial ship. The first accounts were that it was all a hoax and then others came forward and told of the sighting which made us think that a mysterious ship did make a visit. Nobody witnessed the craft's landing, but most sensed that there was some form of transport of a group of beings that somehow made the craft exit and then, without any commotion, they just melded into the mix of people of the area. Now that was a problem because we had always thought that ETs would not look and dress like us but instead have exaggerated bodies and some dress that suggested space travel. We were assured t

Must be the Moon

It could be the phase of the moon, or it could be the combination of the moon and the fall equinox. but no matter what the cause, people were really talkative today, Wednesday the 28th of September 2022. We decided to journey off to Blanco because this small town, the ex-county seat of Blanco County is a friendly place and is the home of the Old 300 Barbeque shop. I call it a shop because it is not really a cafe nor is it a restaurant. It's just a place to buy barbeque plates or sandwiches and of course beer and the essential cobbler for dessert. Calling it a joint would be derogatory in our minds. We always opt for the pork loin sandwich that we share because one is too large for either of us. We bypassed the cobbler because we had also planned to visit the gelato place on US281 that we had prospected for the last few years. We did justice to our sandwich outside on the front porch and made an offhand comment to an older fellow who was reassembling his leather get-up. We chatt

Smithville, USA

If you are not observant while traveling northwest on Highway 71, Smithville will be in the rearview mirror and so then you will have missed it all. It's not on the main road but off to the south a block or so. We have driven past Smithville many times but this time, in order not to miss it, we decided to make that our destination. Smithville's main street runs parallel to the highway that runs north-south and therefore parallel to Highway 71. Highway 71 connecting Houston with Austin runs on the north side of the Colorado River and Smithville is on the south side of the river. This narrow separation from the main trunk line highway is what has spared Smithville from the ultimate doom of either death from isolation or ruin from big city influence. We often travel miles and miles for a new lunch experience and this trip was no different in that it was a 90-minute drive to reach our destination of the Old World Bakery and Cafe. The bakery part is what caught our attention

NQ99HQ

Search This Blog