Three kinds of fun

Our spontaneous adventures started with Girly Fun: a trip to Target to get back-to-school clothes. We did get the clothes, but I also found four pairs of cool shoes, all on sale: four pairs for $25! I'd be reluctant to spend $25 on one pair these days, but thought these were wise purchases seeing as I need shoes (my favorite two-pairs are falling apart, and I do have the conference to attend next month...). Unfortunately skirts won't be worn for a while; the ant bites from Friday decided to turn red, swollen and pusy. I think the legs will be in hiding for a while. I counted 28 bites, not easy to hide...















More Girly Fun: Christian's fabulous blueberry and banana muffins, made from scratch















At 4:30 we headed out to Brazos Bend State Park with the idea that we would visit the Observatory: Nerdy Fun. On the way (it took exactly one hour), we passed beautiful fields of corn, fields of what looked like potatoes, horses and cows with calves. This prompted a long conversation about alternative fuels (we're such a couple of dorks). I discovered that Christian has some original ideas of his own to solve the energy crisis (think Fred Flintstone).





























First thing we did was head to the Observatory to buy our tickets. You have to walk down a twisty path that has alligator habitat on either side. Beautiful Creekfield Lake surrounds you and the sound of reptilian croaking is like a symphony.















If you don't like spiders, you may not enjoy your trip to the park very much. While my phobia has been tamed somewhat due to a certain eco-ninja, it was still extremely daunting to have to walk under dozens of webs spun between trees through out park, each with a big fat spider resting right above your head. Some of these puppies were about the size of a tennis ball. One poor girl had obviously gone all the way down the path without seeing them, but on her way back as she approached us, she noticed them and started doing the eight-legged-freaky dance, screaming and crying, her poor mom had to just cover her eyes and drag her down the path, we could still hear her crying when they reached the parking lot. I was surprised I didn't have nightmares last night, but I bet she did!















The three telescope houses were smaller than I had imagined they would be. They were still an incredible image contrasted against the rich colors of the sky and the grass.















Before our viewing-time we had some time to kill, so we headed to the amphitheater to listen to the story of "Wicked John" being told by Park Ranger Glen. After that we walked along the Pilant Slough until the spiders became too unbearable.

We decided to get in the car and drive around the park to check out the camp sites (where these deer were chowing down beside someone's camper) and the lakes.















We walked some of the way around Elm Lake, and that's where the real fun began...

Gator Fun...







































































8:00 pm. Time for our viewing. First we sat in on an orientation, where we learned what we would be looking at.















Then we went up to the deck and discovered that several amateur astrologers bring their own telescopes and set them up for public viewing. We checked out the moon while it was still daylight and could easily see its craters (gives me goosebumps every time), and shortly when the first "star" appeared we had a look through this cool English guy's telescope and could see Jupiter, four of its moons and it's cloud belt. Uber cool! It was the perfect atmosphere for a string quartet in the corner and a couple of waiters serving wine and cheese...





























We paid $10 to look through the big telescope. We didn't see Jupiter any clearer than we did out on the deck. I wouldn't pay to go in there again, although I didn't begrudge the $10 as it all goes back into the Observatory for research.

Rucker Rup, Raggy

Levy Park - Urban Harvest Update

It's not quite as loaded with offerings for the food bank as it was in May, but it's still beautiful and well maintained. Some of the beds are coming up for grabs and I'm toying with the idea of going on the waiting list. It would be pretty convenient for Friday afternoons; but then again, we are talking about Friday afternoons. I could have gone home and taken a nap today, after the couple of hours sleep I managed last night (no thanks to a certain someone who I try to avoid at all costs but am unfortunately tied to for the next 9 or so years...), anyway, nap-time wasn't happening as I had previously volunteered to clean up the NSOTP flower bed.

I'd never experienced an attack by killer ants before, but now I know how it feels and will try to avoid it in future. The poor ladies volunteering probably thought I was crazy, jumping down from the raised bed, throwing my tennis shoes and socks down the path, slapping at my own feet and legs. I notice that no one came running to my aide. Humph.

I'm going to Hollywood, Baby!!!!!!!

a free ticket to the SMPS National Conference courtesy of someone who backed out at the last minute, flight and hotel paid for by my generous employers : )

I'm so excited I could crush a grape!

Recomposed

The neck wasn't feeling so bad when I woke up so I finished refilling the compost bin. I could tell the grass clippings helped because I could feel the heat through my gloves as I moved the mix from the tarp into the cage. Even the medium-sized brown spider with the big, fat, juicy, black abdomen that WAS ON MY FOREARM AND NEARLY SURRIED INSIDE MY GLOVE (!) didn't deter
me from finishing the job.


Christian then helped me remove some evergreens from the front yard that I've been chopping back bit by bit. Today we finished the job. I'm going to replace them with native grasses, but I'd like to be able to add some compost to the soil first, so it may be a few months...

Now I want some fire-belly toads!

This afternoon we took a trip to Pets-a-Plenty. Yes, it does exist, contrary to popular belief ; )

Eddie helped us with our fish, while Wes led us on a tour through "the green room". They have some pretty cool stuff back there including two vipers, some wicked huge monitors and a 16-ft long python. The first thing as you go through the door is a caiman crocodile; Wes was busy telling us what it was when Christian went and stuck his head over the side to get a better look.














I knew something was up when I saw this look of panic flood across Wes' face. After jerking Christian backwards he calmly explained that the only think you want to dangle over the edge are dead mice from a stick. "He could take your head off, man." And he didn't appear to be joking... It didn't dampen our spirits, we soaked up the snakes, frogs and lizards. Then carried our new charges home to join Sharky (newly renamed, Kenny).