Category: Volunteer Opportunities

Dorothy Saves the Day at the Wildscape

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Catherine Johnson

While we were hiking Mother Neff State Park, Patricia Coombs was coordinating chores at the Wildscape for the monthly workday.

The day became warm and bending over to plant resulted in Patricia becoming ill.  Dorothy Mayer and her daughter, Traci, were there working as well. Dorothy poured water over Patricia’s head and cared for Traci after she was stung by something.

Dorothy Mayer taking charge

Much pruning was done and two flats of Mexican Hat and Black-eyed Susan were planted, plus a bed prepared for Texas wildflowers.  Dorothy brought the workday to a successful end.

Traci survived the sting.

Note that we have a bunch of blogs to upload, because our blogging team (of one person) has been having computer issues then had the nerve to go camping. At least she did a lot of iNaturalist observations while she was there. Apologies that our blog entries weren’t entered in a timely manner.

Congratulations to the 2023 Training Class!

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Carolyn Henderson

The El Camino Real chapter training class of 2023 completed its final class for the year Thursday night. There was great joy by all attending. Training Director Kathy Lester and Training Assistant Alan Rudd may have been the most gleeful. TPWD Biologist Bobby Allcorn finished the training with lots of information on Texas native mammals. 

The class of five is off to a good start. They all have all 40 hours of training (some have a few extra) and are already reporting volunteer and AT hours. Patricia Coombs will not only graduate from the class, but she will also be fully certified as a Master Naturalist. 

We will have a celebration for them on April 26 at the All Saints Episcopal Church at 6 p.m. The dinner will be catered by Barbara Dominguez, owner of Hot Corner Catering and The Venue on Main. She will provide vegetarian dishes to complement the main course. You may BYOB. Students and members who organized the class this year will be treated by the chapter. All others, including guests, will pay for their meals. Guests are welcome. We will need a head count at the regular meeting April 13.

Please come celebrate the class who survived several major weather events that seemed to always occur on Thursday nights, and give a pat on the back to Kathy Lester, Alan Rudd, Michelle Lopez, Ann Collins, and Marian Buegler for their service to keep the class on track every week. I might add that several members attended regularly for support and several of them also helped host. 

Pictured in the photo: Front row – Patricia Coombs, Ellen Luckey, Michelle Pierce, Brenda Ferris

     Back row – Alan Rudd, Bobby Allcorn, Neil Wettstein, Kathy Lester

Immigrants in the Wildscape

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Carolyn Henderson

Immigrants have come to the El Camino Real Wildscape, and no one knows how they arrived. A few bright red Common Poppies and what appears to be some type of Larkspur have produced vivid early
blooms in one bed of the wildscape.

Manager Catherine Johnson assures me that no one planted either of those to her knowledge. Seeds of them could have been in the dirt of other plants bought and planted, or perhaps a bird carried a seed and dropped it off on its way through the area.

The Larkspur is a little puzzling because no one is sure what it really is – not even iNaturalist. When I tried to identify there, it said it was pretty sure it’s a Larkspur, but wasn’t sure which one. It looks most like a Forked Larkspur which is spottily found across the United States, but that one is mostly found in Western Europe. If you know the identification, let me know.

The rooster in the picture showed up because he took his job too seriously at his prior home. I’m told he will be travelling on down the road soon. He is pretty, though.

It was too cold for most bees and butterflies, but a few did crawl around. One red wasp was making a nest on a gardening tool in the decorative mailbox storage. The awning is repaired, and the Malabar Spinach is beginning to grow again.

A few Master Naturalists or those soon to be certified showed up to work on the place. Some pulled up weeds, while another dug up overgrown sages, and planted something else. The sages went home with members to be planted in their gardens. What is in overgrown abundance is Sunflowers. If you want some, they are all over the wildscape.

A week of warm weather should have many things blooming soon.

Here and There

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Catherine Johnson

The last few months have been busy with ice storms, native plant nursery tours and work at our chapter’s Milam  Wildscape.

The tour guides Mandy and Brandon taught us about wholesale plant operations and we were able to view many beautiful Texas native plants.  The interest in using natives in landscaping is increasing and both businesses are expanding. 

Trip to Joss Nursery

Volunteers at our Wildscape have been working to prepare for upcoming educational programs and tours.  Hope to see you there.

Wildscape Work

Thank you to Gary Johnson for driving us to Native Texas Nursery and to Patricia Coombs for taking pictures at Joss Nursery.

Wildscape Cleanup Day

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Carolyn Henderson

The El Camino Real Texas Master Naturalist Wildscape at the Bird and Bee Farm was a beehive of activity Saturday afternoon. Quite a few members from the still-in-training to the very experienced showed up to prepare the place for the coming spring bloom and take stock of the damage from the ice storm.

Pruning in progress

Damage was minimal – just the archway – but the plants were in need of haircuts and pruning. Plenty were on hand to get it done. But some has been left for those who couldn’t be there Saturday. The next workday is planned for March.