Wingless Wednesday

My plans for this morning included Emma and I driving over to the Bolivar Peninsula.  I was going to dazzle my readers with all sorts of shorebird pictures from the beaches.  As it turned out, I could hardly find a bird, the shoreline was birdless, and the skies were full of mosquitoes.  Oh well, it was a beautiful day and the skies were blue.

There’s still evidence of the devastation of hurricane Ike from three years ago. (click to enlarge and see details)

But there are also a lot of new homes that have been rebuilt on the peninsula.  There  is even a new laundromat located in a mobile home elevated 18’ off the ground.  I’m not sure I’d want to carry my bags of dirty laundry up that many stairs, but I guess you do what you have to do.  I think these houses look funny way up in the air, but I can understand why it is done.  I enjoy all the vibrant colors of houses that can be found in the beach communities. 

As I returned through High Island, I finally stopped to read the historical marker that is located along SR 124.

I’ve driven past this marker many times in the five times I’ve volunteered at Anahuac.  It’s about time I learned some of the history behind this now famous birding location, and why it has its name.

That marker also explained why I’ve seen all these oil pumps on the outskirts of the town, and most are still pumping away.

Just to the south of High Island is a tall bridge that goes over the intracoastal waterway.  I believe this waterway goes all the way from Texas to Florida, and has lots of barge traffic.  So much so that the border going through Anahuac NWR has had to be reinforced to prevent erosion.  This view, from the top of the bridge, is to the east as it wanders its way through McFadden NWR.

On the west side of the bridge you can see the 35,000 acres of Anahuac’s marshlands.  You can just make out the new reinforcements along the northern edge of the canal.

On the battlefront at home, here’s the score:  Mouse 2  Me 0!  That little bugger licked another trap clean of its peanut butter last night.    One of my readers suggested I tie some dental floss around the peanut butter so the mouse would get its teeth caught on it.  That sounded a little hokey to me, but I’m willing to give it a try.  Have you ever tried to lace dental floss through a glob of peanut butter while trying to keep the trap open but not snapping on you with one hand?  Good grief!  I sure hope old age and cunning will outwit youth and dexterity.  If not, peanut butter coated dental floss is an interesting concept. 

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy