Month: February 2023

The Loss of a Tree

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

I am sure I am not the only one here in Central Texas who lost trees in the recent ice storm. It was a masterpiece of art, with everything encased in ice. A magical scene for sure. But also, a terrible thing, and deadly for nature.

I have many trees down. I will miss them all. But one was very special to me and Linda.

The tree with ice on it.

She was the mother of all the standing tree people who lived on our property. I talked to her and listened to her breathing every day.

Trees communicate with each other through electrical impulses. This has been proven.  So the other trees were aware of those who fell. But I know there is much more than just a mess to clean up, if you love and listen to nature.

After it warmed up.

The trees watch our busy lives and never complain. They stand quietly as the years go by. I will miss her and all the others and thank them for being here.

Facts from the US Forest Service also place monetary and health value on trees.

  • The value of a single tree can provide $73.00 worth of air-conditioning, $75.00 worth of erosion control, $75.00 worth of wildlife shelter, and $50.00 worth of air pollution reduction.
  • A single tree can produce 260 pounds of oxygen each year.

There are some beautiful poems about trees, just too long to print here.  Poets Joyce Kilmer and Maya Angelou have some very nice ones.

I have shed tears about my friend, and on Earth Day, I shall plant another friend to replace my fallen one. I have done this since 1970.

This is a good thing for everyone to do on Earth Day, which is April 22nd.

Let’s Track the Rain or Ice or Snow?

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

Carolyn Henderson is one of the many folks in our Chapter who participate in a program to track the rain on our properties. It’s sponsored by CoCoRaHS, Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network. Our data is collected daily to create one amazing database of precipitation!

Ideally, reading the rain gauge (or precipitation collection device) must happen daily, or we sure try to do it every day. Carolyn shared this with us yesterday:

“Here is what the CoCoRaHS precipitation collection device looks like. It looks like about .75 in the inner section with about .5 inch frozen where it enters.”

If you have tales of citizen science during the ice storms in Milam County, feel free to share them with us. We can be reached at ecrmnsecretaryATgmailDOTcom.

The First Martin Arrived January 31

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

January 31: My first Purple Martin to arrive at my site. It was an adult male. Oh, I was excited…

The scouts are first to arrive. They are normally the older birds. They are really not scouting anything.  Who gave them that name?

So, my little friend first sat on top of the gourd rack until the bluebirds ran him off. After many more Martins arrive, the Bluebirds give up and mind their own business.

He then flew to the front pasture, where the apartment house is. He stayed there an hour.

I watched him with my binoculars until I remembered to go and get my camera. In the few minutes I was away from the window he left and has not returned.

The picture was for the blog only, not for me.  After over 50 years I know what they look like pretty good!

So today, February 1st, we had an ice storm…no wonder he left. I might like to leave too. I hate cold weather!

So, what happens if the Martins cannot find food for five days or so? It’s not a good thing. They usually do not survive. They are picky eaters, only using live flying insects as their food.

And when it is bad weather, especially ice, the bugs don’t fly. Just like airplanes. They are grounded.

So sad. Yes, I have tried dried meal worms and throwing up live crickets to them. No success. By the way, the crickets that went up in the air and back down on my face now reside here with me in the pasture. I can hear them singing in the summer months.

I stepped just outside for a few minutes and took these photos of the ice on the Martin housing.  All I can say is burrrrrrr.

I may not pass through this world but once.
Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature,
let me do it now.
Let me not defer or neglect it, for I may not pass this way again.

Stephen Grellet