A collage of six backyard birds — Northern Cardinal, Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks, Eastern Phoebe, Green Heron, Red-Shouldered Hawk, and Yellow-Crowned Night Heron — all photographed at the same pond within one hour.

One Hour, A World Apart

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Lens-Artists Challenge #402: Looking Back at #1 – Wonder Most mornings, I meditate on the deck facing the pond behind our house. It’s become a quiet anchor to the day — the water, the light shifting through the trees, whatever … Read More

A small stand of Wild Bergamot in bloom, its lavender-pink flower heads rising on slender stems above green foliage, with a softly blurred stone courtyard wall in the background.

Touched by Light: The Textures of Wild Bergamot

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Lens-Artists Challenge #397: Texture For this week’s Lens-Artists Challenge, Anne has chosen a topic close to my heart: texture. As she puts it, texture “gives us the visual quality of a surface — how rough, smooth, gritty, or soft it … Read More

A weathered wooden arch marks the trailhead entrance to Twin Springs Preserve, flanked by a stone foundation and framed by the dense canopy of Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei) and mixed Texas Hill Country brush.

Off the Beaten Path: A Quiet Afternoon at Twin Springs Preserve

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I recently completed a two-part training on the Leave No Trace Seven Principles — a meaningful program that encourages us to be more mindful of protecting the places we visit and hike. For those unfamiliar, the seven principles are: Plan … Read More

A wide panoramic view of the Machu Picchu citadel bathed in warm sunlight, with terraced stone ruins in the foreground, the iconic Huayna Picchu peak rising sharply on the right, and the Andes mountains receding into a blue sky with wispy clouds.

Huayna Picchu: Standing on the Edge of the World

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You’ve seen that photo before — the one of Machu Picchu with a dramatic mountain looming in the background. That mountain is Huayna Picchu, and the sweeping view below? That was taken from its summit, where I stood, slightly breathless, … Read More

Blue Pea

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In mid-November 2025, I paid a visit to the Sunken Garden at the San Gabriel Park in Georgetown, Texas. Although small, the garden is known for its vibrant array of colors. In this particular visit, one flower caught my eye. … Read More

Overnight Storm

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As predicted, we woke up this morning with lots of ice on the ground. There was a mix of freezing rain and ice overnight. Temperatures plunged into the teens (18ºF / -8ºC). We won’t cross the freezing mark probably until … Read More

Blue and Blue

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On my first visit to Chalk Ridge Falls, I knew the falls would catch my attention for the most part. However, after spending some time around the falls, I took the hiking trail that goes along the Lampasas River. Along … Read More

Local Fall Magic

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Last week, I went out of town in search of fall foliage colors. Fall foliage comes late in Texas. One area in Central Texas is generally known for exhibiting good fall foliage. Although I did find plenty of color — … Read More

Painted Skyscape

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In my search for fall colors this year, I drove to Pedernales Falls State Park last week. Although there was minimal fall foliage display, the scenery was still quite breathtaking at the end of the day. I walked along the … Read More

Nature’s Minimalism and Beauty

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Whenever I think of butterflies, some words come to mind: ephemeral, graceful, fragile, and colorful. The Checkered white (Pontia protodice) certainly checks three of those qualifiers. To say they are “colorful,” however, may be a stretch. They are not bright … Read More

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