A three-image collage of Texas wildflowers: a field of golden Engelmann daisies, a field of pink-and-white Drummond’s rain lilies, and a macro of a lavender-blue False Dayflower.

DEFinitely Floral: Three Texas Wildflowers, One Alphabet Challenge

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When I saw Terri’s latest Flower Hour challenge on her Second Wind Leisure Perspectives website, I wasn’t sure what I’d be posting. I enjoy photographing flowers a lot, so I knew the hard part would be deciding what to include … Read More

Close-up of a Western Ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii) flower cluster, its red-violet disc florets forming a fuzzy tuft of curled, thread-like styles, with a tightly scaled bud visible at the edge against soft green foliage.

A Fuzzy Purple Surprise — Western Ironweed Along the Trail

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A couple of weeks ago, I went on a short bike ride around my neighborhood. There are always interesting and sometimes unexpected things to observe. On this ride, I noticed several Western Ironweed bushes growing along one section of the … Read More

A Green Heron stands in shallow water at the edge of an algae-covered pond, its neck drawn low against its body in a classic crouched hunting stance. Morning light reveals the bird's iridescent green back and rust-colored neck. Teravista, Round Rock, Texas.

Two Years by the Pond: A Green Heron on Alert

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It has now been two years since we moved to Teravista in Round Rock, Texas. It has been full of good mornings on the deck overlooking our natural pond — some spent in quiet meditation, many more just watching whatever … Read More

Vertical close-up of a Texas Skeleton Plant flower atop its thin, leafless stem, showing deep purple veins and curled white stamens.

Bare Bones, Bold Bloom: The Texas Skeleton Plant

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I can never seem to get enough of this flower. Whether biking or hiking, I literally stop in my tracks when I spot a Texas Skeleton Plant in bloom. I photographed these two photos on a hike at Doeskin Ranch, … Read More

Wide view of Texas bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush blooming together in a wildflower field at Inks Lake State Park, forming a natural red, white, and blue palette.

Saturated in Red, White, and Blue

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Inks Lake State Park turns into a wildflower paradise most every spring, though not every year is as saturated with color as 2024 was. The 1,200-acre (486-hectare) park sits in the Texas Hill Country’s Highland Lakes region. Its granite-and-gneiss shoreline … Read More

A tall, sunlit red rock formation with jagged columns rises above a hillside of golden grass and scattered juniper at the start of the Indian Lodge Trail, Davis Mountains State Park, Texas.

Island in the Sky

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Davis Mountains State Park is one of the most scenic parks in Texas. Tucked into the Davis Mountains and close to The University of Texas McDonald Observatory, the Nature Conservancy’s Davis Mountains Preserve, and the Fort Davis National Historic Site, … Read More

A side-by-side collage of two bright yellow Texas wildflowers — a large, ruffled sundrops bloom on the left and a smaller, delicate flax flower with an orange-red center on the right.

Berlandier’s Beguiling Blooms

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Lens-Artists Challenge #404: Subjects that begin with the letter B When Beth issued this week’s photo challenge, I went looking for a single subject that could carry the letter B. “Let’s have a little fun and feature subjects that begin with … Read More

A fiery sunset over rolling wooded hills at Kickapoo Cavern State Park, with deep orange and red hues blazing across dramatic clouds above a darkening landscape of live oaks and Texas brush country.

Wings at Dusk: Inside the Bat Caves of Kickapoo Cavern State Park

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The landscape west of San Antonio holds more surprises than most Texans realize. On a camping trip with friends to Kickapoo Cavern State Park — a rugged stretch of Edwards Plateau country in Kinney County — we discovered a place … Read More

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

Scrapbook-style collage of four nature photographs set at slight angles with white borders and soft shadows: three Brown Pelicans on a beach, three Great Blue Herons atop a coastal shrub, three Blue Curls flower clusters, and three orange beetles on a pink thistle.

If Two Is Company, Is Three Perfection?

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Lens-Artists Challenge #400: Rule of Three Photography has so many rules that anyone trying to learn composition can feel overwhelmed. Others simply trust their intuition. This week, Tina covers a rule that not many people may have heard of: the … Read More

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