Blue Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata) is one of those flowers that keeps blooming even in extreme temperatures and dry conditions. This native South African plant has become well-adapted to Texas heat and drought conditions. Birds, bees, and butterflies love this plant. … Read More

In addition to some of the most iconic formations in Palo Duro Canyon SP — The Lighthouse, for example — there was one striking feature in the park when I visited it a few years ago: Woolly Paperflowers (Psilostrophe targeting). … Read More

A spring hike at the beautiful Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge’s Doeskin Ranch trail often leads to unexpected photo opportunities. This wildlife refuge is just outside the Austin city limits and offers a nice view of the Hill Country and … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #375: Where to Find the Mysterious “Darkness falls across the landThe midnight hour is close at handCreatures crawl in search of bloodTo terrorize y’all’s neighbourhood.” Vincent Price’s words at the end of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” After an unanticipated … Read More

One of the nicest things about Texas wildflowers is that one can often find some varieties blooming at all times of the year, and not just in the spring months. Typically, from February through early June, most of everyone’s favorite … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #374: On the Move! Being so close to the Austin metro area, the Lower Colorado River Authority’s (LCRA) Lake Bastrop South Shore is a hidden gem. Many people confuse it with the more popular Bastrop State Park. The … Read More

Living just minutes outside the Georgetown, Texas, city limits has plenty of advantages. One of which is the fields of Common poppy (Papaver rhoeas) we can find around that town. Several other names, such as corn poppy, red poppy, and … Read More

The Scarlet leather flower (Clematis texensis) is endemic to Texas. More specifically, it is endemic to the Edwards Plateau region in Central Texas. It thrives in rocky, limestone-rich soils, which we have plenty of in this area. It prefers full … Read More

Whenever I bike the Southern Walnut Creek Hike & Bike trail in Austin, I know that besides tranquility, I can often count on beautiful scenery, whether it’s wildlife and/or wildflowers. If you ride the entire trail, you will cover about … Read More

During the COVID era, trying to maintain social distancing while remaining active led many of us to head to parks. These images were the result of one of those outings at McKinney Roughs Nature Park. The Lower Colorado River Authority … Read More