Having some beautifully warm spring days, Plan473 took a break from all things work and went for a ride. About an hours away is a national wildlife refuge with the bay on one side and tree filled marsh land on the other. There are miles of hiking paths if one is crazy enough inclined to fight mosquito swarms and all roads are bike friendly. Since this is a Texas coastline, all paths are flat. Nice.
This time of the year, the marshes are filled with nesting birds, both native and migratory, deer, pigs, salt water tolerant fish in the deeper marsh waters, ducks of all kinds, and alligators with the young-ins. While enjoying one of the quick hikes to a bird watching station, the path crosses a deeper marsh known for housing sun bathing gators. However, being the protective mother season, hikers must be on the look out as to not startle mothers. Normally preferring non interaction with visitors, mamas can quickly turn hostile if threatened. With her mouth open and eyes constantly watching, all hikers admired this mother and her four yellow babies from a safe distance. Safe is best. Admired for her beauty we moved one with our travels.
At the end of the main drive, there is a 40' observation tower overlooking the marsh and bay estuary. The walk up the observation platform is just as amazing as the view itself. Birds of all species and various four legged critters use the platform as landing stations and their diet contents can be detailed. Today we found berries, tiny hollow bird bones, and skull fragment, and various non discriminate fragments. On warm days, the droppings can be caustic in smell but luckily it was still chilly today and investigations were not altered. Having observed, we moved on to the inner marsh land loop. Having came to see feral pigs, taking this less popular trail would be our best bet. With less traffic also allowed the Kid to travel ahead on his own safely.
Okay, so not so safely afterall. It was not five seconds after I freed with him with instructions that he turned a corner out of sight. When I came around the corner myself, I could ahead he was freaked out and my mommy instincts kicked in. Of course when I came to realize why he freaked, the protective mommy calmed and the calming mommy took over. Riding in Kidland, the Kid did not see this massive aligator until after he passed by it at the roads edge. Kid to gator distance was less than 10' feet. Good reasoning for a freak out. This mambo jambo, however, could have given two figs less about the three of us as he was sunning and enjoying his day. The Planner and I took several passes by to get pictures and never once did the gator bat an eye. He was impressive all the same.
Moving on we finished the 16 mile bike ride, ate lunch under the several 100 year old oak tree that wasn't destroyed by Hurricane Harvey, and took off for home. Having been invigorated by our ride, I wanted to so some yard work on this still fabulous sunny warm day.
Plan473 has great intentions for their landscape. All natural. Only native plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers. Having bought this native orange lantana months back, it is now covered with drated aphids and looks like hell. It was doing so fantastic and then all of a sudden, it is knocking on deaths door. As a last ditch effort, I am transplanting this sickly lantana from a bucket to the ground. All the lantana bushes planted at various locations around town that are covered with brightly colored flowers are all planted in the ground. Maybe the lantana is root bound. The lantana was planted directly left of the deck under the oak tree that fell over with Harvey. The tree made this nice arch and the chickens and the dog like to dig there and make a dust mess. To deter against this, the lantana will be planted there and then caged in chicken wire to keep all creatures from digging up the bark mulch water ring.
Another transplant was the red hibiscus. I know for certain it is root bound and will thrive once settled. Needing lots of space to grow big and tall, it was planted in front of the shower and to the right of the yellow esperanza. As added benefit to transplant in the shower region is the extra amount of watering will allow for even more brightly colored flowers. And flowers are the reason for all plants and trees as they bring birds, bees, and butterflies! As with the brooding hen, only time will tell.
One my favorite words of wisdom saying is "can't see the forest for the trees". It is days like today that reminds Plan473 of its life plan. So yes, I would say today reminded Plan473 to see the trees or in this case the bay.