Releasing Egret and Kestrel

       Mama Bird Lila and the volunteers devoted to saving lives at Wild Bird Rescue raised these two souls. MyMrMallory and I drove into the countryside -- a most pitiable-looking countryside -- to release them.

         There seem plentiful crickets around for the American Kestrel. Pitiable as it looks, the pond, though, has mussels and fish for the Cattle Egret. In addition, several head of cattle ambled in for a sip of water. The egret has own herd of cattle.

An Intriguing Sculpture: Part One

        In addition to discovering more information about the sculpture pictured here, I will find out at what in the world the cowboy points. The sculpture stands, grandly, and perhaps much too hidden by astonishingly hardy crepe myrtles, along the main street at the Fort Worth Stockyards. I neglected to, argh, look at the plaque that identifies the artist and the name of the art work. But, ah, an excuse to return to grand ol' Fort Worth!

Grace Flight

          An aviator who volunteers for Grace Flight, H.-P. invited me to tag along on one of his missions. Pilots who volunteer for the organization, Grace Flight, must pass some requirements, such as 250 hours of flight time, insurance, and medical certificate. Thanks to the pilots, patients, adults and children, may fly free of charge to other cities for treatment of their illness. Once the pilots transport the patients to a specified airport, a driver, known as an "angel," will transport the patient to the hospital or other place to stay. I think Grace Flight is grand.

Old, Old Hangar in Frederick

      Just north of the Texan border with Oklahoma there exists -- still -- an seventy-year old airport. Impressive in its quality, construction for this airport began in the 1940s to prepare US aviators for war. Eventually it became a civilian airport. The original hangar still stands, massively, to park the C-47 nicknamed Boogie Baby, from which parachutists from the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team jump. For fun. And to remember, honor, and serve.

Sully: First Images

Lila cured the infection in this nestling Red-tail Hawk's eye, but he will remain blind. Wild Bird Rescue ponders the possibility of retaining him permanently, adding him to the avian ambassador program for the benefit of children. His name is Sully.

All Grown Up

Keeping one foot on the opening in case he needs to rush back into safety.

But once he made up his mind he determinedly walked toward the water.

Facing the world all by himself now.

Raised and released by Wild Bird Rescue.

Fort Stanton's Merchant Marine Cemetery

Cool Ruidoso, Art and Weather

      A visit to Ruidoso's The Adobe, a fine art gallery, began what seemed to me an experience as refreshing as the cool temps and the rain that fell upon us, sopping us, as we walked along the streets. The art work in the other galleries we visited, too, during our "gallery hopping" -- exquisite -- represented the innate talent in the region. The moisture, almost forgotten to those of us who live in North Central Texas, gave me the strength to withstand the oven-like winds that blew as we exited the plane after returning to Kickapoo Airport and to our drought.  In my mind, though, remains the memory of the works of art of artists I saw on display in the galleries in Ruidoso.

      On our way we spotted a few rain clouds. I envisioned us lassoing them to bring them home with us.

     As usual clouds embellish my images. Here they are looking gorgeous over Fort Stanton's range.

        Rain fell to our right and left before we landed at the Sierra Blanca Regional Airport. Can you see the propeller outside the windshield? 

Ruidoso teems with artistic talent. 

Not the Kind of Record We Like to Set

NOAA chart from Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog.

Dickens

      A small town populated by three or so hundred people lies sixty miles east of Lubbock, Texas. The town began as a stopping point for the cowboys and other people working in the area. It seems an intriguing little place that has served the people since the late 1880s. Find a good history about it at the Texas State Historical Association's site. I drive by there upon occasion, and this time I could not help myself but to stop long enough to take images of some of the buildings along Highway 82. The buildings reflect the charm and perseverance of the people who live in Dickens. Indeed, a story tells of several prisoners who escaped the Dickens jail, found a ride to the nearest bootlegger, then returned to the jail to consume their wine. Better yet, though, its people preserve their history and heritage in the Dickens Historical Museum, a place I hope to visit soon.

Dickens Historical Museum on Montgomery Street.

Dickens County Courthouse. Fascinating account of its history at their site.

Across the street from the courthouse, to the south, a lawyer's office still stands. 

H. A. C. Brummett died in 1980. 

The county jail. 

An abandoned but still loved building. 

Dickens Grocery.

Outside this building we can still tie our horses to the hitching rail.

Painted and decorated.

For Rent. Sleeps two. 

 

Rain Over Electra

Felucca Sailor on the Nile

Busy Volunteers

    Lila, the new head mama bird at Wild Bird Rescue, may see no end in sight for the injured, abandoned, or sick number of birds finding their way, thanks to concerned citizens, into her hands. Stalwart volunteers such as Chris, Pete, and Marjorie, among several others, make saving the lives of wild birds possible. Spring and summer provide steady tasks for volunteers!

  

Texas Parks and Wildlife brought a fledgling Barn Owl found far from its nest.

A heron asks for more food. Birds are fed every twenty minutes.

Lila feeds a Mississippi Kite.

Twenty minutes are up! Purple Martins beg for more food.

Please consider donating to Wild Bird Rescue, Inc.