It’s Earth Day! …. and a beautiful day to get outside and plant some wildflowers!
Wildflowers make bees happy!
The El Camino Real Texas Master Naturalists and the Little River Basin Master Gardeners, with the help of the Cameron Public Library, have created a free Seed Library for the public.
Volunteers packaging seeds
We have lots of native wildflowers, adapted plants, and some herbs. We are always adding new varieties, so come by and get a few packets of free seeds. We can’t wait to see our community become even more beautiful …and it’s a huge benefit to our environment. You’ll also feel joy from being outside and watching your seeds grow!
Thanks to the Cameron Public Library for hosting the seed library.
We had our monthly seed packaging at the Library on Earth Day. With Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners combined, we had 21 volunteers! We’re grateful to them all.
The Rockdale Rotary Club was treated to an excellent presentation on Thursday, April 20 in celebration of the upcoming Earth Day.
The science lesson started off with Keegan Nichols, a PhD candidate in the Entomology Dept at Texas A&M University. Mr. Nichols works and teaches at the Rangel Bee Lab on the A&M campus and his dissertation research concerns the ecology and genetics of honeybees in Saudi Arabia. Keegan presented the big picture of just how many native bee species there are in Texas and how European honeybees have integrated into the North American insect world since they were brought over by colonists in the 1600’s. I am not even going to try to convey the depth of knowledge that this future professor displayed in a 20-minute slot, but our Chapter President astutely asked him to come to Cameron and teach for the entire El Camino Real crew in the near future.
Keegan Nichols, from Texas &M, talks about bees
Carolyn Henderson took over the show where Mr. Nichols left off and utilized a question-and-answer format that queried the audience with “did you know this about bees?” She started off with easy questions then (as a former Jr High teacher is wont to do) moved onto the harder trivia to make us think. The group ended off this segment considering the factoid that “garlic planted in a garden repels bees.” Surely not even Italian bees?
El Camino Real Texas Master Naturalists and attendees
Donna Lewis was the next El Camino Real Master Naturalist to take the stage and presented a Master Gardener’s view of how to garden for the benefit of pollinators. The photos and information slides flowed seamlessly the entire day as Michele Lopez ran the PowerPoint for Donna and Keegan Nichols. Donna’s well-polished speaking skills and screen graphics showed the use of native plants in a yard environment and how we can create an oasis for insects and birds.
Donna Lewis discusses her information
Batting clean-up for the El Camino Real Team was switch-hitter Jackie Thornton. She presented “show and tell” items for bee watering stations and masonry bee nesting habitats that can be made by hand. I never fail to be impressed with every one of our ECRMN members that have worked as professional educators. Jackie was in full “Principal Mode,” demonstrating these things to get young people involved and excited about science and the natural world. She also showed her love of education by encouraging the adults in the audience to read several authors whose books she had on display.
Attendees enjoy the door prizes
I got to attend this event because work was delayed due to rain, but Catherine Johnson, Sandy Dworaczyk, and Don Travis also showed up to support the speakers and represent our chapter. The Rockdale Rotary Club was welcoming and the hospitality at the Patterson Community Center is representative of what makes Milam County such a special place. The Bird and Bee farm donated jars of Honey that were the prime door prizes, and with their usual good luck Catherine and Sandy won flowers and artwork in the drawing.
[Better late than never, we’re catching up with contributions!]
Earth Day at the Birds and Bees Wildscape proved to be a banner attendance day for both members and visitors. There were 15 members of the El Camino Real Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist present to visit with the 80+ visitors that came to the site Saturday, April 24.
Some of our group! Catherine Johnson, Donna Lewis, Donna Dworaczyk, Joyce Connor, Kim Summers, Carolyn Henderson, Scott Berger, Alan Rudd
Members visited with visitors and handed out bags full of goodies. There were pamphlets, booklets, posters, wildflower seeds, vegetable seeds, bird feeders, painted rocks, and snacks to be had. They also got to stroll through the wildscape and the bird farm.
Catherine Johnson, event organizer, shares educational material and seeds with a visitor.
The wildscape has quite a few blooming plants. I found Zizotes Milkweed and Butterfly Milkweed that are just starting to bud out. Verbena and Blue Sage were big draws for butterflies and bumblebees. The rose bush was in bloom, and the Malabar Spinach is making a strong comeback.
American Lady on verbena.
Alan Rudd and Scott Berger hung Mason Bee nests, and Alan gave several to members. He’s tracking where the most of them get nested in the area to decide the best places to put them. Alan, I, and a cute little blonde-headed girl also discovered a stinging plant hanging out around the flowers. It really stings (see our recent stinging nettle post!). Ask the little blond-headed girl. Painted rocks and chocolate chip cookies couldn’t even stop her fussing.
Alan Rudd and Scott Berger hand Mason bee nests.
Members got Guinea eggs that had been laid in the wildscape under a plant, and some new native flowers to plant at home. Alan Rudd took many of the eggs to hatch. I hope we’ll get to see pictures here.
Darlene Rynolds, Donna Lewis, Jackie Thornton, Chapter President Sue Ann Kendall
And a word of caution, wear gloves when cleaning out around the flowers, and don’t leave your phone in your back pocket when you go to the outhouse (that happens to be plumbed).
Scott Berger, Liz Lewis, Eric Neubauer, Pamela Neeley Kim and Donna giving the resident donkey some love.
I hope we are all using this forced time at our home’s to look at the beautiful things that nature provides for us. I hope you enjoy these photos of the life in my garden as I share this story.
Earth Day, April 22nd, is coming up. But every day should be Earth Day.
Last evening I had a concert put on by the frogs in my small pond.
In the morning the doves, phoebes, cardinals and purple martins sang to me.
In my garden the bumble bees and Hummingbirds busied themselves with the business of breakfast, paying little attention to my presence.
The breeze started to move the grasses and wildflowers around in the pasture.
Nothing short of magnificent!
Nature goes about her business no matter what is going on with humanity.
Nature Along the El Camino Real 