By Pauline Tom
WOW! Our second “boulder birdbath” and our first became bird magnets when the temperatures rose above 100 this past week. RonTom and I watched in awe as birds flocked in.
The top boulder on the new birdbath is about 5-foot long and 4-foot wide and sits over 4-foot high. A recirculating pump fills several shallow pools. Several years ago, I noticed birds bathing in rainwater pooled atop a boulder at the funeral home and planned to one day having such a “natural” birdbath.
Jeff Radke (jeff@devildogconstruction.com) did a marvelous job making my dream come true.
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine attracting so many of so many species. Blue Jay. Bewick’s Wren. Golden-fronted Woodpecker. White-winged Dove. Inca Dove. Mourning Dove. Carolina Wren. Mockingbird. Lesser Goldfinch. House Sparrow. House Finch. Many More.
Most delightful for me is the family of Eastern Bluebirds, eight or nine. Eastern Bluebirds stay in family groups until nesting season. This group appears to be parents and two broods. Some of the juveniles are molting, shedding their speckled garb for suits of red, white, and blue. This family goes back and forth between the two massive bird baths.
Ron saw a baby Texas Scaly Lizard, only two inches long.
Cattle got loose from the ranchland behind Mountain City and made it a good way down Live Oak Drive.
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Have you heard about the severe outbreak of asps in Central Texas? Asp stings are sending folks to emergency clinics with pain so severe that some think they are having a heart attack. The asp (Puss Caterpillar) is considered the most dangerous caterpillar in the United States. It looks soft and fuzzy. Children need to know not to touch. Be aware that an asp can drop from a tree, particularly ash and hackberry.
Ever useful duct tape may be used to remove the spines of an asp left behind after a sting. Wash the area. Apply a cold compress. Seek medical attention for severe reactions.
A neighbor in a neighboring neighborhood gave a “heads up” on the asps on NextDoor.com
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office will be working with Nextdoor.com to provide crime and safety information. As part of this effort, you … View more will see periodic updates from the Sheriff’s Office on Nextdoor Mountain City. The Sheriff’s Office cannot see our private posts, unless we respond to their posting.
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The new County Clerk’s new substation in the nearby Precinct Two Building provides DBA’s, Military Discharges, Vitals, Letters Testamentary, criminal records searches, and more. There’s a Real Property search kiosk and an eFiling kiosk (civil cases). The substation provides the same services as the main office except for printing plat maps and issuing writs. Wow.
Also in the Precinct Two Building, Judge Beth Smith’s clerks always provides complimentary notary service.
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Sometimes Mountain Cityians provide tidbits for “Montage”. Please send them on, even while I take a 2-week break for the duration of Camp NeeNee y Poppa. Ptom5678@gmail.com (Subject: Tidbit) or 512-268-5678
Thanks! Love, Pauline
