The Lost Acorn

 

Get ready for a rather unusual blog! I live in Houston, Texas and one creature we are not by any means short of is grey squirrels. They thrive in our trees eating there way into our roofs and though our electric air conditioning wires. However, these pesky little critters despite all my practical human complaints are incredibly cute and impressively loyal when it comes to family.

Today when I arrived home I found my dog in rather a state of duress. Incredibly excited and distracted by something the other-side of the laundry machines. I became slightly nervous as I climbed on top of them to see what had her so enthralled. There, trembling behind the dryer was a minut baby squirrel, with incredibly short fur, an almost bald tail and a respiratory system that was going at such a rate I thought it might explode. Locking my dog in another room I set up my Go Pro and decided I would wait and see if the little guy would walk out on his own or if he was in need of a rescue. Little did I know at the time but although he was in desperate need of rescue, I would not be the one running the rescue mission. Check out my video to see what happened...



 

Somewhere Over the Rainbow...

Fire roaring above our heads as our feet slowly lift off the ground, my body is suddenly filled with a rush of excitement & anticipation only to be balanced by an overwhelming sense of calming relaxation. Lost in the dream that is reality, I can feel the edge of a wicker basket under my hands as I lean (ever so slightly) over the side and watch as we float away. Blades of grass disappearing into a solid green mass, we leave life on the ground, letting it shrink into the perfect screen setting for a computer game. Freeway sound drifting away below us, we find ourselves under the warmth of a roaring fire without even the sound of the wind, watching the world thrive below us, pure bliss.

There is no feeling in the world like it! Like what? Like a hot air balloon ride!

Blindfolded for an hour long car journey, I was confused to find myself in an empty parking lot next to an empty field at half past 6 in the morning. It wasn't until I saw a suburban and trailer pull up and a massive wicker basket get pulled out the back that I realized what it was we were going to be doing. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of being able to float off into a sparkling blue diamond sky and dance on the clouds. Although growing up I learned that there was no way to do a pirouette on those fluffy white blobs in the sky, the mystery and magic of a hot air balloon has always intrigued me, and seeing that basket appear and those first massive bursts of fire rocket into the air, I might as well have been dancing on the clouds.

Floating over the suburbs of Austin, past the cows and bison in the fields, we went off towards Taylor, Texas. It could not have been a more peaceful and relaxing experience and though my heart felt as if it could race out of my chest, it was not from anxiety but excitement! Despite the early morning chill in the air, the fire above us kept us warm, and provided a calming sense of confidence with its roar. Floating along, it was simply breathtaking watching the Austin skyline disappear off in to the distance as we traveled with the wind from Round Rock to Taylor, making the hour in the air go by all too fast. Braced for a landing that was much harder than I had anticipated, I was still so elated from the journey that I barely felt the basket smash against the ground before tipping quickly onto its side and getting dragged across a field. Clambering out of that basket my mind and heart were still high in the air and I felt as though I were still lost in a dream.

Traveling with "Lighter-Than-Airlines,"  Austin Aeronauts, Inc.  is hands down the best way to experience the sky. Our pilot David Smuck was an incredibly kind, intelligent, and friendly man who inspired confidence in his passengers with his wealth of hot air balloon knowledge and experience. Letting the wind take us up up & away, he controlled out elevation to take us on a stunning 12 mile long aerial adventure. After a surprisingly pleasant & exhilarating landing we were collected and taken back to where we first set off for champagne, croissants, and an initiation ceremony to the hot air balloon community. The whole experience was thought out to the final detail resulting in a day I will never forget. Simply put, flying in a hot air balloon with Austin Aeronauts is without a doubt the most amazing experience I have ever had!

Starting to inflate the balloon with a fan

Final prep stage before full thrusters!

Holding the balloon open as it inflates

Fire roaring in final prep for lift off.

Balloon upright and ready to go!

Sunrise from the balloon

Hot Air Balloon reflection in a creek below

Just after landing... (That is how the balloon landed!)

Stars Shoot Past Perseus (Somewhere...)

The Perseid Meteor Shower graces the August night skies every year, encouraging excited astro-fanatics to abandon the comfort of their beds for a picnic under the stars. This year August 12th & August 13th were the prime nights for viewing the annual meteor shower forecasting an expected 60-100 meteors between 3am-4am all over the Northern hemisphere.

Excited to witness this annual phenomenon I prepared my gear on the night of the 11th to head out early in the morning of the 12th, but as a massive storm began to roll through Harris County my night was quickly turning in to a wash. Never one to be discouraged by set backs I set my alarm for the following night and at 2am on the morning of the 13th (night of the 12th), I clambered into our SUV, PG tips in hand, buckled up the pup and set off.

The key to photographing the stars is driving far enough out of the city that you reach a point where the sky can be viewed, free of all light pollution, in its true natural grandeur. Ideally one should scout out their location during the day and set up their shot in the light of day and then wait for night to fall. However, being the genius that I am I chose to sleep until 2 then get up and drive and hour west, taking me well out of Houston where I would have a pitch black clear view of the North Eastern sky. Well, that was the plan anyway, by the time I actually managed to find a location to shoot, it was 3:45 and I watched beautiful meteors shoot through the sky as I set up my camera on my tripod, got my intervalometer connected and waited for the timer to go off for the vehicle lights. I was so so excited! The meteor shower was proving to be amazing and I would soon be catching it on camera to remember for a lifetime!

Camera ready to go, I took my first shot and there was not a meteor to be seen in the sky. Ever hopeful I continually took photos until 5 o'clock in the morning when the sun was beginning to make its way around to spread it's light on our side of the world. In all that time, I didn't see even one shooting star. Incredibly disappointed (and exhausted) I packed up my gear, and headed back home.

Now then, the meteor shower is going on until August 26th so although the peak of the shower had past, I decided I would try one more time to catch that elusive shot of a shooting star over Texas. Deciding to return to the same location, I was out of the house by 1 and set up by 2. This time I was prepared, having brought a tasty picnic and a couple of treats for my dog we munched away, watching the sky for stars to begin shooting by. As time passed by the bright moon moved higher and higher gradually washing out the stars, limiting my visibility. Still hopeful, I waited, continually shooting in hopes of even one meteor making it into my shot. Unfortunately, a thunderstorm began to approach from behind and it quickly became apparent that I wouldn't be shooting any meteors during this years shower. Packing up and heading out, racing back home ahead of the storm, I couldn't help but smile. Though some could easily see my two nights of lost sleep as a total waste, I was so happy I had gone on my astrophotography safari. It had been a real adventure and a true learning experience. (Fingers crossed I have better luck with the Perseids next year!)

Caution - Alligators (Do Not Feed or Approach)

While some countries have lions or tigers roaming the wild, here in Texas we have alligators and snakes! I have countless memories at Brazos Bend State Park. I remember going to the park when I was just a little girl with my big brother and staying on the look out for Ali the Gator while we played. With plenty of strange spiders, goofy bugs, and beautiful birds to entertain, we had a blast exploring while our parents enjoyed answering the million questions we had about everything all around us. Sitting atop my fathers shoulders, I felt like I could see the whole world & I would squint off into the distance desperately trying to be the first to spot a gator bathing in the lake. 

Now that I am all grown up, I still love to visit Brazos Bend. It is the perfect place to escape from the busy city, stretch my legs, and feel like I am on an adventure as I see if I can catch a glimpse of a glorious alligator. 

The park has plenty of places for the public to enjoy, providing a playground, picnic areas complete with BBQ pits, look out points, walking paths, and even a massive tower you can climb to look down on Forty-Acre Lake for a birds eye view of the wildlife below. 

For those in search of more than pedestrian exploration, the park offers its visitors a wide array of activities  My favorite stop was always the nature center, as there you can learn about the different ecosystems and wildlife in the park. However, you don't have to stick with the educational options. Biking is permitted along the many trails, and visitors are even allowed to camp & go horseback riding as that park provides primitive equestrian campsites for people wanting to camp with their horses. Want to try something a little less active? How about try your luck at catching some fish! Visitors are welcome to fish from six of the lakes and though they should probably do so with caution, I am sure it is still just as relaxing as fishing in a lake without alligators. 

Everywhere you look you are reminded that there are alligators roaming the park, so to keep your eyes peeled, your pets leashed, and your children close. Part of the charm of visiting Brazos Bend is the alligators, but adventurers beware! The alligators are wild! So don't forget to respect their space and give them a wide berth while observing them! Thankfully, unlike my experience with the black bears in the Smoky Mountains, every time I have seen people spying on the alligators they tend to proceed with extreme caution. (Though this is likely due to the fact that even baby alligators don't look cute and cuddly like the black bears of the Smokies.)

Brazos Bend is a true Texas favorite of mine, and I heartily recommend it to anyone with an adventurers soul looking for a different experience than the bog-standard Houston. Just don't forget to keep a look out for alligators!

Hope you enjoy these photographs taken from my last trip out to Brazos Bend. Each time I have a totally different experience that never fails to be awesome!

Cowboy Boots & Barbecue

In search of BBQ so good it melts in your mouth right off the bone? Just outside Austin, in Driftwood Texas, sits a legendary restaurant with the best barbecue in the South. The Salt Lick, a Texas treasure, and the trip out there is worth every single mouth watering bite. This cash only establishment has an incredibly laid back vibe, requiring customers to bring their own beer & wine or wander over to the Salt Lick Cellar to purchase a few bottles of the home brew.

Visiting Austin over the weekend for a wedding, we met the wedding party at the Salt Lick for some pre-wedding festivities. Prepared with Smith & Forge Hard Cider for me & an ale selection of Hijack & White Rabbit for my handsome guy we were prepared for a long evening of live music, tasty beverages, fabulous company, and good Southern barbecue.

Salt Lick BBQ is so good that you will rarely not have to wait. The parking lot shuttle was busy ferrying people in from their cars when we arrived at a quarter to four and by the time we wandered up to the check-in station at 5 there were enough people to fill almost every seat (if not every one) and by 20 minutes past there was at least a 45 minute wait. However, other than the sumptuous smell of BBQ wafting through the air torturing your taste buds' imagination it is an incredibly pleasant wait as you are provided with an exciting live musical performance along with the option of purchasing freshly squeezed lemonade & hot buttery popcorn at an incredibly reasonable price. 

Once you finally make it inside, you are presented with a menu that is 100% unnecessary as there is absolutely zero question as to what should be ordered.  For $20 a person you can order family style and get bottomless meat and sides including ordering a full plate at the end which you can take home with you. Now the ribs are good but the sausage and the brisket are to die for, and once combined with the Salt Lick's unique barbecue sauce, one becomes gluttonous very easily and you find yourself struggling to stop eating before you have eaten too much. Despite wanting to stuff yourself silly with barbecue, it is definitely necessary to save room for desert. The blackberry and peach cobblers are divine but the true treat is the homemade pecan pie. The Salt Lick's pecan pie is so good that it will redefine your definition of what a good pecan pie should taste like. 

Whether out with friends, on a date, or having a family reunion the Salt Lick is the place to go. Yes, there is a location in the Austin airport and yes there is a location in Round Rock but find the time and make the effort to drive the 20 odd miles outside of Austin to experience this real taste of the South.

Letting off Steam in a Tiny Texas Town

Texas, a state where the people are as sweet as their tea because their guns are always within reach. Therefore, I feel confident in saying, you have not truly experienced Texas until you have let off some steam firing a few rounds off the bed of a pick-up truck at a bale of hay.

While living in Austin, I befriended one of the sweetest most genuine people I have ever come across from a tiny town in Texas called Flatonia.

Flatonia is an absolutely darling town with a population of less than 2000 people, boasting a total area of 1.6 sq miles. It is a town where everyone knows each other and all the latest gossip in each others lives.

I was fortunate enough to take a day trip out to Flatonia with my friend where her father kindly taught me how to shoot a gun and be safe while doing so. We started out shooting a .22 caliber bolt action rifle, using the tailgate of the truck as a shooting rest. After inhaling deeply, you exhale, pulling the trigger before your next inhale so as to maintain a steady shot. If your sights are locked on the target, and you don't pull too hard on the trigger, you should hit your target spot on. However, the slightest twitch or movement will change the course of the bullet, and therefore change where the bullet will hit the target.

Shooting the rifle was incredibly fun and as our shooting improved we gradually moved further and further back from the bale of hay for a greater challenge. The rifle had a baby kick to it, but nothing truly noticeable. So although the sheer power of the weapon you were holding in your hands was intimidating, it wasn't scary as it was not particularly loud or pushy.

Moving up to a different and more challenging gun, we upgraded to a .357 magnum revolver. There was no shooting rest for this gun. You had to stand, one foot slightly in front of the other, shoulders squared over your hips, with your arms locked. You definitely notice pulling the trigger on this bad boy because as the bullet leaves the gun, the force of the shot sends the nose of the gun upwards, threatening to smack you in the face if you aren't prepared for it. The magnitude of force behind each shot, made my heart race and I had to try and relax in between shots to steady my heart and my hands.

Shooting the two very different guns was one hell of an experience that will remain forever in my mind. After we had each fired our last round, the guns were safely stored away and we relaxed around a blazing fire watching a football game in the background as we talked and drank a beer. I got lost in this fabulously Texan moment, there was no denying that I was in the South and I was loving every minute of it.

Beautiful countryside, a big truck, blazing hot fires, and Southern hospitality. This tiny little town in Texas highlighted all the good things about this massive state while offering an experience I would never forget!