Red Tails

Remember I mentioned I was working a Golf Tournament last week. I took my camera just in case I had some interesting or quirky shots I could take. Guess what?

We were chatting with some golfers explaining the rules of the Tiger Drive when we heard a slight commotion in the trees behind us. Alyse went to investigate. It's just a big bird she said. 

After the golfers wheeled off in their carts I went to have a look at the bird to see if it was something I could shoot a photo of.  In the fork of two large branches looking at me looking at him was a huge Red Tail Hawk. I had never been this close to one and I dated the bird handler at a Medieval Times.

I started snapping away and 11 shots later I left him alone. That is until I noticed tufts of black floating to the ground and he was working hard at something. Grabbing the camera I went back in to see what was happening. 

As I looked up a large black feather floated down and landed at my feet. I looked up and he looked down, cocked his head a bit and went back to preparing his meal. A large black Grackle. 

This week enjoy Red Tails.

Golf a Par and Tee

Inspiration this week comes from the fact that today I am working at a Golf Tournament. My Rotary Club (yes, I know my Great Uncles and Great Grandfathers were all very involved in Rotary) is hosting a Tournament today.


René Vincent

Golf is a club and ball sport. It is a progression game and can have 9 holes or 18 holes. Playing all the holes is called a round. Each hole in the course contains a tee box where you hit the ball from and a hole that the ball must end up in. 

Much debate has ensued about the origins of the game. Some say it came from an ancient Roman game and others claim it was created in 15th century Scotland. James II banned golf because more time was spent practicing that than archery. Scotland needed archers not golfers. Mary, Queen of Scots was known to go to France in order to play golf, a game she adored. 




This week enjoy Golf a Par and Tee.

Sweeps

I usually clean my house on Fridays and when that is over the weekend starts. Well, Labor day  weekend was crazy and strange and it never got done. I thought about doing it  during the week.  But.... Last week was all about taking my Mom to her doctor. We had to see her for stress testing and then go back two days later to get the results. My Mother is in extremely good shape. 

I cleaned my house on Saturday. I took my time and put things back in order and rearranged and as I was sweeping the floors, the final chore before I mop, it dawned on me.  I had not planned the art show for this week. As I sat there with no ideas; exhausted yet happy it came to me.

Sweeping. Brooms. What could I find that was about sweeping or brooms that did not involve witches with brooms or witches on brooms. That was my challenge. 

Young Girl with a Broom - Rembrandt van Rijn or possibly Carel Fabritius

This week enjoy.....Sweeps.

Bats

Thursday we went on an adventure to Old Tunnel State Park near Fredericksburg Texas.

The tunnel was built for the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway which was a connector line between Fredericksburg and the San Antonio Aransas Pass Railway.  It was in operation from 1913 to 1942.

The tunnel is 920 feet long.  In 1942 after failing to show a profit the railway was terminated and the tracks and rails sold for scrap.

With no activity in the dark confines; Mexican Free-tailed bats 

started moving in and now it is home to over 3 million of them and about 3 thousand Cave Myotis bats.

The tunnel is now under the care of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 

May through October you can arrive at the park at about sunset and for a fee a ranger will guide you through an evening of bat emergence. During the day there is a trail to hike and enjoy. If you look through the tunnel you will see hundreds of restless bats moving about.

This week enjoy Bats.