§ Walk the Walk....

The last couple of days, the weathermen have been informing us that there was/is a tropical wave in the Gulf heading into the Texas coast. And, that there would be some rain coming in with it. So far this week only the Houston area has received anything significant. Sunday, when I was out walking there was a threat of rain with heavy, dark, clouds, but within an hour's time it was clearing out. Until today. We did get some rainfall, and the sky is still overcast. Maybe some more moisture [much needed] will fall tonight or into tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...even tho it'll be like a sauna outdoors, the ground is cracking...so, so dry.

Anyway, out walking Sunday morning. I carried my lensball with me since I had deep pockets in my Capri pants. And altho the water was high, there were a few wildflowers that turned out to be my subjects for the refractive photography. [Tuesday morning I took it with me on my walk along the shore, so more lensball photos to come]. After walking along the Indian Point and Sunset Lakes trail, driving home and over the harbor bridge, I pulled off the freeway to check out the rookery just under the causeway... and then took the detour road [I think I went the wrong way on a one way section...luckily, I got off before something drastic happened]....I checked out the progress of the billion dollar bridge being constructed. I will share those photos at a later date also. For Sunday, this is what I saw:

The "lakes".

The black mangrove is in bloom...this area is thick with mangrove. Also, the scent of the camphor [in bloom] was pretty strong.

Lensball Wildflowers

And Tuesday afternoon I took my latest sketch back out from my portfolio case and erased the little sail boat [from my previous post]. I didn't like it there in the picture. After erasing this boat, I then took out my #5 pencil and drew more cliffs on the horizon to cover up the faint outline left from the boat and added a lighthouse. I'm more satisfied with it now, and will put it back....

Before:





After:

§ Indian Point Park and Sunset Lakes

I've been a bit lazy the last couple of days. Friday morning, while fasting - before breakfast of course, I hopped in the car in the dark-o-thirty hour to head to the hospital to have blood drawn for a whole lipid panel. When I returned home, I ate my usual blueberry and oatmeal with a cup of milk, and then waited for Best Buy to open to buy a digital antenna for our TV. We haven't had cable hook-up for about 5 years, and I really don't miss it at all. Except for one thing...and that's watching our two favorite programs, NCIS and NCIS New Orleans. We have been watching it on the computer the day after airing. I told Bud, I would like to watch it on a BIG 60" screen instead of a 21 inch. He hooked it up and we now can watch our favorite programs when the new Fall Season begins. Of course we'll still watch movies/DVDs. I'd much rather watch movies. The last two evenings we watched two older ones: The 2009 version of Mulan [not the Disney animated, but real people], and the Iron Giant. Both are excellent, of course, but we'll trade in the Iron Giant only because of the politic correctness of non-violence, etc.  [it was all too obvious to really enjoy a whole lot],  and keep the Mulan for watching more than once...when they're good movies we are happy to watch them over and over.  This one, Mulan, was near legendary, and really quite good.

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Okay, other than being lazy and not accomplishing much, - besides we've had a couple of days of heavy rainstorms, keeping me a homebody...I had mentioned that some of the photos from my last walk this week were still on the camera. I finally got them off and uploaded to be ready for blogging. I walked a trail along Indian Point and Sunset Lakes between the metro Corpus Christi and a smaller 'burb over the bay waters, Portland, Texas. The area is a vast oyster bed and fresh water, gulf water, mangrove and birds. I should say wildlife 'cause there is more than birds. I even had a baby skunk near my feet at one point on the trail. I was stunned to have it come up to me within a couple of feet. It quickly disappeared into the juniper bushes that line the path. Thank goodness!!!

Many many oyster shells can be found; everywhere!!


Mangrove is abundant near the fishing pier!

This is the view from a nearby beach pathway I walked.  I pointed out the USS Lexington in this  photo 'cause I utilized my zoom lens to focus on the skyline in close ups...

The Harbor Bridge and the USS Lexington [now a WWII museum]. By the way, construction on the new Harbor Bridge has begun. I probably won't live to see it completed [2021 is the projected date of completion]. The new replacement bridge will be the longest of its kind in the nation, measuring 1,655 feet at its main span. Here is a website of its visionary completion with animation!!  Readying to merge onto the "old" Harbor Bridge, I noticed humongous cranes and gigantic equipment getting ready for the day's work ahead.  Progress!!

Okay more photos along the path...

...going off the trail walking through the dune to the gulf shore, I spotted a sponge that washed ashore I'm not sure on this, but it looks to be what they call "Sea Wool" which is abundant 'long the Gulf of Mexico coast from Texas to Florida.

I set the camera on panoramic and took this sandbar photo after finding the sponge.  Laughing Gulls and Terns...



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After exhausting the distance with my step count, I returned to the car and started for home. BUT!! Driving the causeway to the bridge I noticed that the Rookery Island off the highway was really busy, so I had to pull off and stop under the causeway and take photos of all the birds on the island mating and nesting....spoonbills, pelicans, seagulls, egrets and herons. UNDER the causeway [the stantions, there were turtle doves, pigeons and nesting swallows!!]

That was my morning on the 5th. Perhaps today I may be able to get some more walking added to my agenda. Depends of the weather.