Harvest Before the Freeze

Posted on January 7, 2010 by Meredith

Brrr! It’s cold out there! Whatever cold weather you northern folks in Canada and the U.S. are experiencing, somehow you’ve managed to send some our way. As I write this, it’s 32 degrees Fahrenheit (freezing!) with a 25-degree windchill, and it’s just early evening yet. That’s cold for these here parts! Looks like the low might be 16 degrees. Good weather for stew, tonight’s meal.

Yesterday the boys and I got out there and watered all the plants in the garden and also gave them a nice seaweed martini to give them an extra boost of nutrients to help protect them survive the freeze. I didn’t cover everything with sheets this time — just the citrus trees and a couple of tenders. I lost a few plants with the last freeze despite the fact that I covered them — I’m just going to have to trust that the hardy of the hardy will survive again.

The exciting news is that my veggie garden, neglected over the holidays, has been growing with a vengeance despite my absence.

The strawberry plants are all alive, yay. And the carrots, lettuce, spinach, and kohlrabi are massive! They’ve been loving their little bed, though I wish I’d managed to give them some organic fertilizer over the holidays, just because I’m learning that they like that. The lettuce heads are so big that I wonder whether the leaves will taste bitter — does lettuce do that? The spinach already is a little bitter, the leaves not being so “baby spinach” size as the seed package promised. It’s our fault for not harvesting them all when small, I suppose.

Tonight we picked a couple of kohlrabi, though I understand they are troopers in a freeze. Aren’t they beautiful? I left a little one back in the bed — I hope it doesn’t get lonely, but maybe the gigantic lettuce leaves will keep it company. And warm. *Edit: I was wrong, I left two in the bed, yay. And I plucked a bunch of lettuce and spinach to share with the neighbors before it all succumbed to the freeze.

Now all we need is for our kohlrabi-loving friends Stepan and Jen and their kids to come over and share our first kohlrabi harvest with us!

This fall I planted two varieties of carrots — one shorter, one longer (the varieties escape me at the moment). The shorter variety has done fairly well — but we gobbled the ones we picked before I got a decent picture. The one below was only mildly deformed and still tasty.

The “longer” variety has proven to be weird. Look at how short and fat this one is.

Unfortunately, it tasted rather bitter for a carrot. It sure has pretty color, though, doesn’t it? I wonder if it was a nutrient thing (remember, I didn’t fertilize over the holidays). The carrots certainly have plenty of depth to grow in, so that’s not the issue.

We gave the yucky ones we harvested to the dogs, who thought the food odd but edible enough.

I need to use some of these carrot tops in a fresh smoothie — yum! Did you know that the carrot greens are far more nutrient-rich than the orange part? It’s important to use organic ones, though — conventionally grown carrots are some of the top vegetables to expose people to pesticides.

Stay warm, all, unless you are in the southern hemisphere — then stay cool!

Lo and Behold, It’s Snow

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Meredith

As I look at the weather report here in Austin, I see that we are expected to have some rather low temperatures in a few days. There’s a chance of snow, according to the weather folks, but here in Austin, we follow the weather motto of “we’ll believe it when we see it.” However, up in Dallas a few days ago, when visiting grandparents, we really did get to see snow. And even throw a snowball or two! It was beautiful.

At a nearby pond, ducks swam in the cold, cold water. This duck rested on shore with snow gently landing on its back, until it decided I was too close for comfort and swam off to join its friends.

Grover at first didn’t care for the snow, but soon enough he was catching it in his mouth, much like his human family was doing.

He also enjoyed playing catch the snowball. Well, once.

My dad’s satellite dish created an image under the snow, almost like a sun that’s lost its heat.

The snow and ice lingered for less than a day, but it was enough to make us content that we’d at last experienced a real winter day.

And then it melted just in time for us to continue our journey to another Texas town to see more of our family. Now, back in Austin, we wonder what winter weather moves our way. Snow? Ice? Certainly cold. Brrrr. Hot chocolate time.

Nature Walks, Part 3b — A Tour of McKinney Falls State Park

Posted on January 2, 2010 by Meredith

Down in southeast Austin along Onion Creek lies a somewhat tucked away state park called McKinney Falls State Park. The wealthy Thomas F. McKinney was one of the “Old 300” original settlers who received land grants in Stephen F. Austin’s colony back in the 1820s (McKinney actually moved there around 1850), so this park definitely has its history. Now, some of that history sadly includes McKinney’s use of slaves, the clearing of acres and acres of precious woodland, the racing of horses, and aid to the Confederacy — but this post isn’t about all that! What it is today is a state park filled with walking and biking trails, with waterfalls, creeks, and historical buildings mixed in. And that’s what this post is about.

The main areas of McKinney Falls State Park are divided into the Upper Falls and the Lower Falls. We visited the Upper Falls first. When rain is plentiful, the falls are much more substantial, but at least water was flowing. What I was particularly drawn to, and you’ll see this in many of my pictures, is the erosion power of the water, shaping beautiful curves and channels into the rock.

Below the falls is a larger pool in which people sometimes enjoy swimming. However, often the pool is closed to swimming because of high fecal counts due to runoff from upstream areas and flooding. During our visit, the pool was open for swimming, but given that it was December, it wasn’t so surprising that no one cared to swim in the cold water. Bald cypress trees, complete with twisted roots, line the pool’s edges.

Dogs are not permitted to swim at the state park, but the headquarters said it was ok to let them take drinks. Of course, leashes are also required at all times.

The Upper Falls trail is actually paved and seems a great place if you have young kids who like to ride their bikes while parents walk along. For adults on bikes, the distance is probably on the short side.

We visited in winter, and there were few leaves left on the trees, except for the annoying occasional invasive ligustrum which just thrived; its dark-green foliage really stood out when we ran across it.

The path travels along Onion Creek, which Austinites know is the area most prone to serious and dangerous flooding during heavy rains. You can see evidence of flooding in the images below, though the results seemed to be to the basking turtles’ favor.

To get to the Lower Falls, you have to drive to a separate parking area, then walk for awhile across exposed rock. I imagine during floods that this whole area gets quickly covered in water. Again you can see the result of water erosion — broken limestone slabs and large pools carved out in the open rock, as seen below.

The Lower Falls look different from what I remember from years ago — presumably this is a combination of water erosion at work and current flow of the creek. To cross to the other side, where the old homestead is, one has to jump across a channel just large enough to be risky for an adult and way too dangerous for children to safely cross.

So we, the ever-adventuring gang, decided to take advantage of the fact that this was an ON swimming time for MFSP, and we crossed the creek higher up. Yep, in our tennis shoes. Well, except for me, who was clever enough to wear my Keens. Though the water was plenty shallow, the carved channels in the creek bed (the always-occurring water erosion still at work) were hidden by long strings of algae, so we still had to be careful in our endeavour.

But we wanted to see the homestead and grist mill, and crossing the falls was simply too hazardous for my youngster. It would be nice to have a bridge built someday, one safe from the effects of flooding, if that’s even possible.

Yeah, I think the boys will be getting new shoes for when they go back to school.

On the other side of the park, we could really envision the McKinney ranch of old. The McKinney homestead was built around 1850 and stayed relatively intact until a fire in 1943.

It’s easy to picture horses pulling a wagon under the trees along this wide road.

The trails were lined with yellow flowers and a variety of shrubs and grasses.

Little remains of the grist mill, once used to grind flour. It was destroyed by a flood in 1869.

There are other remnants to be found along the Lower Falls trails, but we had to get home. So we followed the trail back to the creek for another adventure in crossing. We enjoyed a different view of the falls from the other side, but the muck we found in the creek was pretty much the same!

While waiting for the kids to cross, I snapped a close-up of our husky. He’s a handsome brute, isn’t he?

McKinney Falls is a lovely state park, but it’s difficult to see all of it, especially the historical structures on the Lower Falls side, unless you are agile and have good balance, or are otherwise determined, and large enough to safely cross. Parents would have to carry their children across, or wade the way we had to. The Upper Falls trails are pleasant, though paved. In other words, it’s a pleasant place to visit, but not a park for everyone.

Nature Walks, Part 3a — Themes at McKinney Falls

Posted on January 2, 2010 by Meredith

Imagine it’s just before Christmas Eve again, for that is when my boys and I took our dogs to McKinney Falls State Park for a little nature excursion before the holidays. Having recently enjoyed autumn colors at Lost Maples, Westcave Preserve, and Hamilton Pool, we found that McKinney Fall seemed appropriately devoid of leaves and color — we had found winter in Texas at last.

But it didn’t really bother us, and it certainly didn’t upset the dogs one bit. Instead of delighting in vibrant colors and active wildlife, as there wasn’t much around, we enjoyed themes in nature and the unusual that caught our eye, noticing things that might have escaped observation at another time of year.

For one, we discovered that nature provided hints of Christmas all around us. From ornaments…

to red and green colors.

Sometimes we found unexpected shapes that brought our thoughts to ordinary objects or otherwise sparked our imagination, such as hearts…

Bigfoot tracks…

and even a longhorn. Hook ’em Horns!

We enjoyed “Wildlife Words of the Day” including “snag,” “hollow,” and even “scat” (I declined to post of picture of scat, however).

And we enjoyed a variety of textures, from the soft to the rough to the bristly.

The cactus kept our attention, through color, shape, and spines. Sometimes it was pests, like cochineals…

but sometimes it was beauty in age and decline. Have you ever wondered about the interior structure of a cactus, its vascular system that supports its water conservation? When dry, it leaves behind a beautifully intricate skeleton.

We found animal tracks…

a lone butterfly…

a flower staring back at us (you can really have a conversation with this flower if you choose to)…

nifty things plants and fungus do…

and vicious man-eating fire ants.

The winter season can keep some people indoors, but there is still so much to see, even when the leaves are on the ground instead of in the trees. Sometimes it’s noticing the little things that really open up the wonders of nature. And when you do it with your kids, you feel like you’re helping the whole world open up in their eyes.

I’ll give an actual tour of McKinney Falls State Park in the next post, to complete our nature walks. I’m almost caught up!

Nature Walks, Part 2 — Hamilton Pool

Posted on January 1, 2010 by Meredith

After our trip to Westcave Preserve, the boys and I enjoyed a picnic lunch with our friends, then headed to nearby Hamilton Pool for an afternoon trek. The park is about 232 acres located near Pedernales River, and it’s famous for its natural swimming hole formed from a collapsed grotto. We followed the main trail down to the creek below, enjoying a slow pace along the water’s edge until we reached the large pool and steadily flowing waterfalls.

Along the way, we enjoyed turtles, fish, and the occasional butterfly.

The walk seemed short, and before we knew it, we had reached Hamilton Pool itself, where 50-foot waterfalls pour over limestone cliffs into the chilly pool below. The large cavern allows visitors to walk and relax along the cool rocks and boulders behind the falls.

And from the back, the autumn colors seem all the more vibrant.

The sound of the waterfall is loud but not deafening, though my children sure couldn’t hear me when I tried to call to them from a few feet away. Or could they…?

Though the waters were chilly (luckily this was still in November), the boys were tempted to take advantage of the open swimming hole and swam across to the waterfalls. Ok, maybe mom challenged them. And maybe they turned a little blue. But they had fun, even if it meant they were soaking wet on the ride home.

Add this one to your “where to take visitors to the Austin area” list. It’s a treasure.

Nature Walks, Part 1 — Westcave Preserve

Posted on January 1, 2010 by Meredith

The holidays really played a toll on my keeping my posts up-to-date. We took some lovely hiking trips in November-December that I never had a chance to share photos of, so with it being New Year’s Day today, I want to get caught up to start 2010 out right, even if it means backtracking. I’ll start with our trip to Westcave Preserve back in mid-November. This Hill Country wonder is situated near Pedernales River, not too far from Hamilton Pool (which we visited later the same afternoon).

Westcave Preserve is lesser known than the popular Hamilton Pool, though they are only about 5 minutes apart from one another. Perhaps it is because tours are required to hike through Westcave. However, the tour guides are quite knowledgeable and dedicated.

The Environmental Learning Center is impressive, with its solar-tracking exhibit built into its ceiling and floor, its sustainable energy, its exhibits relating the Fibonnacci Series numbers to nature, and more.

Along the upper trails, visitors delight in native woods and beautiful views overlooking the river below.
Though it wasn’t the right season to see one, endangered golden-cheeked warblers sometimes nest in the preserve, using strips of ashe juniper trees and spider webs to build their nests.

Descending down the steep trails along the cable-only handrail, we began to see large slabs of limestone rock, evidence of the geologic changes in the area over many, many thousands of years.

Down in the ravine, a variety of ferns, wildflowers, shrubs, grasses, and trees such as oaks and bald cypress set the peaceful scene along the creek.

Before arriving at the trail’s end, we could already hear the tranquil sounds of the 40-foot waterfall, but the beauty of the waterfall backed by caves and fern-covered travertine walls drew our breath away. The water wasn’t a massive flow, as it was still affected by the area’s drought, but happily it still dropped into the pool below.

Sunlight streamed into the cave, providing backlighting for glistening water drops and shining upon the moistened moss and ferns. The almost fantastical scene seemed perfect for little gnomes, fairies, or elves.

Just outside, a water moccasin basked in the sun at the base of a giant bald cypress. Can you spot it below?

Near the larger cave was a smaller one, and inside we could see geological formations in the making. Though human visitors had wreaked havoc on the caves stalactites and stalagmites in the past, we could see new ones that had formed slowly over more recent decades.

It amazes me that I’ve lived in the Austin area since 1987, and this year is the first year I’d ever even heard of Westcave Preserve. But I’ll definitely be taking friends and family to visit it for years to come.

The Zilker Holiday Tree

Posted on December 20, 2009 by Meredith

In winter it can be hard to find colorful blooms out in nature, but in Austin there’s a great alternative — the Zilker Holiday Tree. When I think of Austin traditions, this one tops the list. Towering at 155-feet tall, people have been spinning under its spiraling rainbows since 1967.

Just staying still underneath, one can stay mesmerized by the lights above.

And while that’s quite pleasant, you’ve just got to do more. It’s all about the spin, baby, the spin. And it’s a chance for even the grown-ups to be kids again.

And then the colors come alive…

And if you get dizzy and fall down, that’s bonus. The goal, actually.

This year, people handed out free rainbow glasses, and the fun turned psychedelic!

With single glasses…

And double glasses….

It’s possible the same effect could be achieved with enough of the proper egg nog.

The Zilker Holiday Tree has long been combined with another Austin tradition, the mile-long Trail of Lights. However, in search of less costly and greener options, the city’s new more eco-conscious 1/2-mile Festival of Lights to me is a happy improvement.

It combines the best of the best of the Trail of Lights displays with a shorter walk and a mildly hilly, woody, and quite attractive setting for the lights.

I admit to missing some of the light-effects and one of my favorite displays, the ice statues (which have been used instead for stage decorations this year), but all in all, I much prefer the new trail, and that it’s more energy-wise makes for a feel-good feeling. The dinosaur family is still there, yay — my other favorite.

The classics were all there, including the armadillos, Space Santa, Winnie the Pooh, Hey Diddle Diddle, and more. And by the 12 Days of Christmas display, walkers-by could be heard singing the song as they went along. Ooh, I made a rhyme.

And on a chilly night, the yule log makes one toasty warm. Kettle corn, hot cocoa, funnel cakes, and more. Fun and yum.

Happy holidays, everyone. Safe travels to those on the move and groove!

School Habitat Project officially underway!

Posted on December 18, 2009 by Meredith

With students, teachers, and parents on board, my son’s elementary school is officially getting focused on wildlife habitats. We’ve got a community project planned for the third- and fourth-graders for the Legacy of Giving program, and if all goes well we’ll have a new butterfly and hummingbird garden planted in the spring, culminating in dedicating the school as a certified Schoolyard Habitat with the National Wildlife Federation on Earth Day.

I’ve really been thrilled with the enthusiasm everyone has had about the habitat project. What makes me happiest is seeing how excited the kids are. Just wait until the wildlife finds about it!

Gawking at the Hawk

Posted on December 17, 2009 by Meredith

As my kids and I drove into our subdivision, a red-tailed hawk swooped in from above, landing on a telephone pole. We realized it wasn’t alone — it had captured a tiny rodent and was settling in for its mini-feast. It took about 1.5 seconds for us to decide to rush home for the camera and rush right back.

I have to say that it was a challenge to take photographs without going “Ewwwwww” everytime the hawk pulled out some sort of entrail.

San Miguel de Allende, The Heart of Mexico

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Meredith

When my sister became engaged this past year, she and her fiancé decided to get married in historic San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. And so we traveled there in October to enjoy several wonderful days with family and friends, culminating in my sister’s beautiful wedding to her groom.

San Miguel is often referred to as the Heart of Mexico, partly because of its central location. But its role in Mexican independence, its religious icons and festivals, its historic value, its impressive art, and its sheer beauty and tranquility have all made San Miguel a truly beloved city. The lure of San Miguel is powerful — from the moment we arrived, we understood why it draws in people from all over Mexico and visitors from all over the world.

Declared a Historic Monument in 1926, San Miguel is still webbed by old narrow cobblestone streets that require good walking shoes to traverse. Its colonial buildings and roads are untainted by neon signs or traffic lights.

The colorful buildings are sometimes in disrepair in appearance, but a finished look is not often a priority.

Behind unremarkable exterior doors are often spectacular garden-filled courtyards, complete with gorgeous fountains.

El Jardin is the central plaza of San Miguel and the gathering place for residents and visitors alike.

Towering over El Jardin is the most famous landmark of the city, the Parroquia. This historic church has a pink, Gothic-like façade that seems in contrast to the traditional colonial aspects of town, but the design of the façade is remarkable. It was designed by an untrained, illiterate but very skilled master stone mason who based his plans on postcards of gothic cathedrals from Europe.

For major festivities like those honoring San Miguel Arcángel, the town’s namesake, tall platforms called xuchiles are carefully constructed and carried to the church.

They are made of intricately woven bits of cucharilla (“little spoon cactus”), juniper, and marigold set on a structure of bamboo-like strips.

Inside, the Parroquia holds historic statues and murals, often simple in nature, with remarkable arched ceilings of brick and stone.

There are many other churches throughout San Miguel, including the Templo de Las Monjas. The dome of this church was designed by the same stone mason who designed the Parroquia façade. This dome is based on the Les Invalides in Paris.

Within the Oratorio de San Felipe de Neri tower, you can see some of the many church bells that ring throughout San Miguel at any given time of day or night, be it for mass, fiestas, saints’ days, or other events. During our visit, we were woken up by constant bell-ringing, fireworks, mariachi bands, and cheers at 6 a.m. Sunday morning. Yes, you read that right.

Walking through town, evidence of outstanding craftsmanship can be seen all around — exquite wood carvings, metalwork, stonework, and more leave passersby in awe.

Take, for example, the door and stonework of one of the most famous buildings in San Miguel, the Canal house, the former colonial home of a very wealthy family.

But beautiful works can be seen all through town.

While countless shops line the cobblestone streets of central San Miguel, many visitors prefer to shop at the vendors found in the Mercado.

And as one would expect, the food is fantastic in San Miguel. I can say that I couldn’t get enough of the finest guacamole and freshest tortilla chips I’ve ever had. Below is a tamale wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks. I’ll be honest about this particular dish — I think they overcooked mine — but I loved that it was so different from the ones we get in the U.S.

And you know there were margaritas to be had.

The surrounding countryside is rugged terrain. Evidence of erosion through drought and grazing is visible. In fact, the area is in a severe drought, but those fountains still run throughout town.

Brightly colored flowers cover walls, fill pots, sweep across rooftops, and decorate open spaces.

But I couldn’t get enough of the cactus.
Driving through the countryside, one does a bit of a double-take when realizing that the trees in the fields are actual cactus. They grow taller than the mesquite trees. I believe the species is Opuntia ficus-india. Some of these cactus trees could also be found in gardens.

This cactus had the largest pads I’ve ever seen.

Also awe-worthy were the agave, growing 8+ feet tall.

Orange blooms sometimes grew from the tops of mesquite trees, but sadly they are from a kind of mistletoe, Psittacanthus schiedeanus, a parasite that will likely eventually kill the tree.

Cattle sometimes strolled by, as did dogs. Dogs in Mexico often run loose, in town, on ranches, and along the road. They were so much nicer than our barking American dogs stuck on leashes.

We did get to see a bunny, too, and burroes, and this black widow (found as my sister got ready for her wedding — oh, life’s amusing tricks!). At least I think it’s a black widow — I didn’t try to get it to roll over so I could clearly check for an hourglass.

Our wedding group was fortunate to be able to tour a couple of private homes filled with art. This home was as creative in architecture as the art inside and around the gardens.

This puppy could melt the heart of anyone.

At a second home, beautiful mosaics and other art covered walls, counters, roofs, and floors — even the fireplace.

Its whimsical style and gardens reminded me so much of Austin, I felt right at home.

This flowering plant was my favorite of the trip — it is called Spanish Flag Vine, or Exotic Love Vine (Ipomoea lobata). From what I read, it would have to be grown as an annual in Austin.

Whole walls and fences were sometimes created out of organo cactus (organ pipe).

Our family and friends had a delightful trip, and the wedding was intimate and beautiful. San Miguel has another reason to be called the Heart of Mexico — it steals the heart of anyone who visits it.