Under Western skies

I find the desolate, arid terrain of West Texas to be uniquely beautiful, peaceful, soulful even. Perhaps it is because it is such a contrast to the humid, jungly feel of Southeast Texas where I live. Visiting it is a bit like being in another country, maybe even another planet.

I've already showed you some of the bird pictures that I took on our trip there. Here are some of the other pictures that we took when we visited that "other country" in March.

In the 1800s, there was a series of forts erected along the western Texas frontier. One of them was Fort Lancaster in the Pecos River Valley. Today, nothing remains but the ruins of several of the buildings and the area is a State Historical Site with a visitors' center.

This is one of the most complete of the surviving structures. Interestingly, we had visited this historical site a few years ago in late October during the time of the fall migration of Monarch butterflies. On the day that we were there, the place was literally covered in millions of the colorful butterflies on their way to the mountains of Mexico for the winter. One could hardly take a step for fear of crushing some of them.

Another fort in the system was Fort Davis which is now the site of a wonderful state park. The fort itself is now a national historic site, part of the National Park System. In the late 1800s, it was home to buffalo soldiers. The site is well preserved and is one of the best surviving examples of western military posts. We did not visit it on this trip, but if you are ever in that area, it is worth taking the time to see. This view is of part of the Fort Davis State Park.

Another view from the park. Spring had not arrived yet in that area and most of the landscape was still brown.

Looking down from one of the mountains, one can see part of the town of Fort Davis.

That white building in the distance is interesting. It is called the Indian Lodge and was built in the 1930s as a WPA project. We stayed there on a previous visit and found it to be quite a wonderful place. It was undergoing renovations at the time of our latest visit and is supposed to be open for business again in May.

Here's another view from the mountain top into the wide open spaces of Fort Davis and surrounding area. Literally miles and miles of Texas.

Moving a bit to the south, one finds the expanses of Big Bend National Park.
Most of it was brown as well but as we got closer to the river, the vistas began to get greener. This is a view of the entry to the Santa Elena Canyon which the Rio Grande River flows through.

Another closer view of the canyon entrance and the greenery around it.

The area near Santa Elena was a very popular spot with spring breakers on the day that we were there. When we've visited here in the past - in the fall when kids are in school - we've had this site virtually to ourselves. Just on the other side of the river is Mexico. We could have waded across on this day.

Some adventurers were canoeing down the river.

Still another view of Santa Elena, an iconic spot in Big Bend, with some of the canoeists in the background.

Big Bend is full of big rocks and big mountains.

A view from one of the stops along the way, the Sotol Vista.

Another angle from the Sotol Vista.

The Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute and Nature Center was one of my favorite stops on our trip. It had wonderful birds, many of which I showed you in my previous post, but it also had wonderful plants like these beaked yuccas.

And sotol, of course. It is one of the iconic plants of the Chihuahuan Desert.

This is a fascinating plant called agarito (Mahonia trifoliolata). This one was in bloom and it had plenty of bee visitors taking advantage of the blossoms.

This is the purple prickly pear (Opuntia Violacea).

A view of the CDRI visitors' center with Davis Mountains in the distance.

Another impressive cactus, just beginning to develop buds. It will soon be in bloom.

This is still part of the Chihuahuan Desert.

I could seriously use one of these big rocks in my garden!

By now, I suspect this vista is beginning to look a little greener than it did during our visit.

Hmm...I wonder if I could fit one of these into the trunk of my car.

Still a part of the Davis Mountains system.

We had a relaxing, peaceful trip which renewed my soul, although, frankly, it would have been a lot more relaxing and peaceful with fewer people. Our next trip to that area will definitely not be during spring break!

Poetry Sunday: Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver

How about we share another Mary Oliver poem? After all, you can never have too many of those. In this one, the poet seems to acknowledge that it is often hard to simply live in and enjoy the moment, perhaps because we are afraid it can't last. She urges us to give in to that moment and fully experience the joy. Although "much can never be redeemed, still, life has some possibility left." Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happens better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is no...

Poetry Sunday: Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney

My mother was a farm wife and a prodigious canner. She canned fruit and vegetables from the garden, even occasionally meat. But the best thing that she canned, in my opinion, was blackberry jam. Even as I type those words my mouth waters! Of course, before she could make that jam, somebody had to pick the blackberries. And that somebody was quite often named Dorothy. I think Seamus Heaney might have spent some time among the briars plucking those delicious black fruits as well, so he would have known that "Once off the bush the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour." They don't keep; you have to get that jam made in a hurry! Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney Late August, given heavy rain and sun For a full week, the blackberries would ripen. At first, just one, a glossy purple clot Among others, red, green, hard as a knot. You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust ...

Poetry Sunday: Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman

You probably remember poet Amanda Gorman from her appearance at the inauguration of President Biden. She read her poem "The Hill We Climb" on that occasion. After the senseless slaughter in Uvalde this week, she was inspired to write another poem which was published in The New York Times. It seemed perfect for the occasion and so I stole it in order to feature it here, just in case you didn't get a chance to read it in the Times . Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman Everything hurts, Our hearts shadowed and strange, Minds made muddied and mute. We carry tragedy, terrifying and true. And yet none of it is new; We knew it as home, As horror, As heritage. Even our children Cannot be children, Cannot be. Everything hurts. It’s a hard time to be alive, And even harder to stay that way. We’re burdened to live out these days, While at the same time, blessed to outlive them. This alarm is how we know We must be altered — That we must differ or die, That we must triumph or try. ...

The Nature of Things

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