A Delightful Apocalypse

 

Squirrels, for all their zany antics, are too polite to sneeze on you. Roaming around city streets might be an invitation to disaster right now. But there remains plenty of parkland and wilderness to wander free of worry. Just try to avoid sciurologists, which I assume are as erratic and unpredictable as their subjects. 

Who knew Houston was surrounded by so many fine parks? Google, of course. We need to work on two-way communication. 

Texas wildflowers are in bloom. In my area, Spring, this generally means blackberry vines and many varieties of clover. But up around The Woodlands one can find a few bluebonnets and indian paintbrushes. 

I haven’t ventured far west this year. But in a single field one can find many smaller wildflowers that typically go unnoticed in the common hunt for bluebonnets. These pictures were taken in Magnolia. 

While exploring a bayou, I could hear the gators chirping somewhere in the high grass. Maybe a trip down to Brazos Bend later will award some interesting shots. Turtles are a more common sight in local creeks. Thankfully, cottonmouths are waiting for the weather to get a little warmer. 

I was too slow to capture a woodland skink half as thick as a beer can. But a prettier one, albeit a bit disfigured from The Birds, stuck around. 

Birds can be as skittish as lizards. But neither this downy woodpecker nor molting great horned owl paid me any mind. 

People don’t often venture to swamps to look for wildflowers. But sometimes you’ll find wild irises or lilies among the blackberry vines. 

Even the pines host flowering vines this time of year. 

Get outside, if you can. Beauty abounds even in the worst of times. 

 

 

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  1. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Every photo a masterpiece. I’ll keep coming back to your post just to bask in its beauty. Thanks, Allen.

    • #1
  2. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    Thanks, Allen.

    Yeah, thanks Allen! That guy is always stealing my thunder. 

    Y’all can find my full collection of photography here at 500px

    • #2
  3. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Aaron Miller (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    Thanks, Allen.

    Yeah, thanks Allen! That guy is always stealing my thunder.

    Y’all can find my full collection of photography here at 500px.

    I’m so sorry!!! I know you’re Aaron! And I just wrote a post about the vitality of seniors. Good grief.

    • #3
  4. Blondie Thatcher
    Blondie
    @Blondie

    Beautiful, Aaron. I plan on being outside as much as possible starting tomorrow when the sun finally comes out here in NC! Pollen be damned! 

    • #4
  5. Dotorimuk Coolidge
    Dotorimuk
    @Dotorimuk

    FANTASTIC pics….a vicarious trip back home. Loved ‘em madly. Thanks!

    • #5
  6. ShaunaHunt Inactive
    ShaunaHunt
    @ShaunaHunt

    Beautiful! Thanks for making my day!

    • #6
  7. colleenb Member
    colleenb
    @colleenb

    Thanks Allen Aaron! I’m staying inside as much as I can because of allergies so I really appreciate your tour.

    • #7
  8. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    colleenb (View Comment):

    Thanks Allen Aaron! I’m staying inside as much as I can because of allergies so I really appreciate your tour.

    Very funny! 😜

    • #8
  9. colleenb Member
    colleenb
    @colleenb

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    colleenb (View Comment):

    Thanks Allen Aaron! I’m staying inside as much as I can because of allergies so I really appreciate your tour.

    Very funny! 😜

    I knew I could tweek you as you’re so nice. Oh my that almost went out as ‘twerk you.’ That would have been a whole nother level of ‘like’ on Ricochet.😊

    • #9
  10. JimGoneWild Coolidge
    JimGoneWild
    @JimGoneWild

    I saw a bobcat while snowshoeing in the Sierra Nevada mountains last Saturday. The picture is in my mind.

    • #10
  11. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    colleenb (View Comment):
    I knew I could tweek you as you’re so nice. Oh my that almost went out as ‘twerk you.’ That would have been a whole nother level of ‘like’ on Ricochet.😊

    You are cracking me up, @colleenb! You just haven’t see my darker side . . . brahhahahahah…..!

    • #11
  12. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    Stunning pictures! Can’t believe you are surrounded by all that beauty – what a good camera eye you have! Thank you – we all needed this!

    • #12
  13. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    That Iris photo is frame-worthy and hang above the mantel! Gorgeous!!

    • #13
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