a woman in hunter orange overlooking a pond with cedar trees nearby

Peaceful day on the ranch. I love it here.

If they pretend they haven’t heard about the story of the day, end the interview right there.

“I’m sorry, Senator, we wanted to get your perspective on this story, but it seems you’re not fully aware of what’s going on.”

White ice ribbons on a plant stem

15 degrees this morning and I finally found frost flowers.

Texas is a tragedy of the worst sort because it appears evacuations and other proactive measures could have been undertaken to reduce the risk of fatalities had the organizers of impacted camps and local officials heeded the warnings of the government and private weather sources, including AccuWeather," said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter. "Both the National Weather Service and AccuWeather warned of the threat of flash flooding hours before the worst of the storm's impacts. AccuWeather warned customers of 'imminent flash flooding' 30 minutes prior to the National Weather Service's Flash Flood Warning, which provided even more advance notice. These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety, based upon preliminary reports. We are truly devastated, and we hope that a full investigation of this tragedy will lead to important lessons that prevent this kind of disaster from recurring. People, businesses, and governments should take action based on Flash Flood Warnings that are issued, regardless of the rainfall amounts that have occurred or are forecast. Flash Flood Warnings indicate an immediate risk to life and property in the warned Porter said that especially given such a history of deadly flash floods-coupled with the advance notice available through warnings issued ahead of imminent flooding—it is extremely concerning to hear accounts from survivors at multiple camps in the area who reported being awoken by rapidly rising water and forced to evacuate in the midst of a life-threatening emergency instead of evacuating much earlier immediately after warnings were issued. "Disasters like this, which occur at night, are often particularly devastating because people are sleeping and therefore much more likely to have a longer reaction time to issued warninas."

For instance, this is from AccuWeather

"There's a reason you separate military and the police. One fights the enemies of the state, the other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people."
- Commander William Adama, Battlestar Galactica

Two birds perched on a slender branch in a grassy field. The bird in the foreground has a light gray head and a mixed orange and brown body, while the bird in the background is slightly blurred but appears to have similar colorings. The background is filled with lush green vegetation.

I'll never get tired of watching these little guys. 🪶

Ranch Babies! Calves and kittens! The latest from the ranch.

Calves and kittens and buntings, oh my! The latest from the ranch.

A bright multicolored bird perched at a feeder.

First painted bunting I've ever seen at my feeders. 🪶

April Photo Dump April has been mostly a catch up and get things done kind of month, so I don't have any kind of theme for the latest post. Instead, you're getting some of my favorite photos from the month. Birds & Blooms Indian (Texas) Paintbrush. This is popping up all over the ranch. Ground plum. The fruit is edible, but the part in the guides that say "similar-looking species are completely poisonous" makes me think we shouldn't try them. Savannah sparrow. A common bird, but a nice pose. Ranch Cats

April has been mostly a catch up and get things done kind of month, so I don't have any kind of theme for the latest post. Instead, you're getting some of my favorite photos from the month.

Kansas woman went to KC for a green card interview. Now, she faces deportation Rosmery Alvarado is facing deportation to Guatemala after being arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs agents after an interview at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Kansas Cit...

USCIS tricked a Kansas mom into showing up for a spousal interview for her green card appointment—it was a trap for ICE to detain her. www.kansascity.com/news/local/a...

Merlin report showing northern cardinal, American robin, indigo bunting, tufted titmouse, white eyed vireo and American goldfinch

Merlin report showing black and white warbler, yellow warbler, painted bunting, Nashville warbler

This is the time of year when #10MinuteMerlin gets exciting. 🪶

In case you need a reminder tomorrow when you see posts from MAGA Christians stating "He is risen!" that they are hypocrites.

Europe gets all the cool stuff. ☹️

Signs of Spring It's Springtime! Albeit a bit later than we're used to in Louisiana, but it's finally showing up. We still had below-freezing temperatures earlier this week, but the signs of spring are everywhere! And nothing says spring more than a singing robin. The traditional sign of spring: American Robin Funny thing is, we’ve had robins all winter—so is it really a sign of spring? As Kenn Kaufman puts it, "...the robin's seasonal movements are surprisingly complex, but when you start hearing them singing every morning, with that rich, full-throated caroling, that is definitely a sign of spring, and it’s worth appreciating and celebrating.

Birds, blooms, morel mushrooms and baby calves. The latest update from the ranch.

This is the kind of art I’m here for.

I love this!

Merlin bird id report showing: Northern Cardinal o Cardinalis cardinalis く American Crow o Corvus brachyrhynchos く Carolina Chickadee • Poecile carolinensis く Red-bellied Woodpecker • Melanerpes carolinus く Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus く Cedar Waxwing • Bombycilla cedrorum く Red-shouldered Hawk O Buteo lineatus く Red-winged Blackbird • Agelaius phoeniceus く

#10MinuteMerlin
Needed some bird time today. Plus a Blue Jay that didn’t fit on the screenshot.

Merlin sound id report: Best suggestions Carolina Chickadee • Poecile carolinensis Brown-headed Cowbird o Molothrus ater Barn Swallow o Hirundo rustica Bewick's Wren o Thryomanes bewickii Northern Cardinal o Cardinalis cardinalis American Crow o Corvus brachyrhynchos

#10MinuteMerlin mid afternoon central Oklahoma

Photo of a Long-billed Curlew on a beach by Susan Cook. Inset photo by Grigory Heaton shows the slightly bulbous tip of the birds long bill.Text on graphic says: Unsolicted Bird Fact: North America's largest shorebird, the Long-billed Curlew, is aptly named. But its bill is not only absurdly long, it has a special sensory organ at the tip. When the curlew plunges its bill deep into the mud, this organ can detect the vibrations of worms or burrowing crabs moving nearby.

Did you ask for a bird fact? No, but you're getting one whether you like it or not. 🪶

The Emu Wars do not suggest the mammals are going to win here

An Uber for Owls Yesterday, we had the opportunity to assist in renesting two baby great horned owls that had fallen out of their nests in the recent windstorms.

An Uber for Owls

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to assist in renesting two baby great horned owls that had fallen out of their nests in the recent windstorms.

In 3 more days it will

We are sending people for indefinite detention without trial at a foreign gulag because they have tattoos about soccer teams and about loving their mothers.

Fawn Lilies and Pocket Gophers Where we accidentally find a rare flower and how pocket gopher observations can be a part of community science.

Fawn Lilies and Pocket Gophers

Where we accidentally find a rare flower and how pocket gopher observations can be a part of community science.

Tomorrow, I become eligible for social security. Yeah, we’ll see how *that* goes. #DOGE

Calves and Roadrunners A lost calf, watching a roadrunner, gallons and gallons of milk, and more.

Calves and Roadrunners

A lost calf, watching a roadrunner, gallons and gallons of milk, and more.

Think Morse code meets porn. 😝

I had to try it. Two results in the top four were you.