CATCH-UP

The pretty Texas Dandelion


Oh WOW! Where to begin. It has been a long time since I blogged. Going into withdrawals. Well, the wild flowers are coming on strong as usual this time of year. It seems there is a bumper crop of the annual splendor. Above is one of many many Texas dandelions that have come up to grace the roadsides this spring. These pale yellow lovelies are making a big display this year. This one is in the same "Asteraceae" family as the common dandelion, "Taraxacum officinale", mentioned in an earlier blog, but this is named "Pyrrhopappus multicaulis". Latin lingua.

Bluebells are blooming here and there. Along this creek near Ronnie and Peanut's house, Brittni and Aimee and I like to hike, and enjoy the geology, the flora, the fauna, we found some Bluebells.! Eustoma grandiflorum, indeed!!! I have this Linnaeus thing, wanting to know the names of all the flowers....... I like to know the name of minerals and rock formations, and chemicals: The periodic table and the names of the stars! The names of classical music compositions and their composers. The names of artists that have made their place in the world of art and architecture!... A life-long project.

I went in.

This day, Aimee was sick and could not go, but complained and shed tears. B. was in charge of the Nikon, and when we got to the deep part with all the overhanging rocks, the lens cap slipped from her hands and went in the water. A good excuse on this hot afternoon for plunge into the pool and retrieve this important item. I lingered, floating and splashing. Water is made of one part oxygen and two parts hydrogen. A mystery to me. Two gases. Hydrogen volatile as can be, and explosive, and oxygen, the supporter of combustion. Why, then, is water wet and cannot burn???? Our general science teacher in the ninth grade, Mary Alice Fisher, posed the same question. She said we would learn why, but some smart ass answered, that it itself was a product of combustion. I did not quite believer this, but water is indespensible to life as we know it...... Well, the creek has a lot of algae and stuff. Not very clean. But clean enough for a swim on a hot day.

B. Smiling at the old man in the water!!!!