Once Upon a Rambling Blog (MAIN BLOG): Crick Hollow Happenings

(Artwork: Claire Fletcher)

Here are some random pics and video.

These are all from February and this month, so it's a lot and it's taken me a week to write this post. I already have these photos on Facebook, but decided to place them here too. And why go to that trouble?

Insomnia City...

Speaking of ducks, my niece told a funny story on Facebook the other day. Here it is:

"Spring break day 7: We saved a turtle. Then when we were releasing it back into the pond, a duck chased us out of the woods. It was hilarious and completely terrifying."

(This is a cute little video. Driving down the road the other day my parents saw some wild turkeys, which is the norm for this particular road. Anyway, my mother talked to them and they answered.

The funny thing is they ALL answered together later, almost every single time, but unfortunately it was filmed only once).

(We counted 40 hawks flying around, but I only filmed one section of the sky).

And about hawks... they are now my mortal enemy, right up there with snakes!

Mom and I were putting together a raised garden bed the other day, and the dogs were out there with us having so much fun. (Especially Abby, seeing how she's obsessed with the outdoors). After we were done with that, three or four hawks flew directly over my head. (If I raised my arm, I almost would have been able to touch them). Abby was right next to me, so I scooped her up so fast! Thankfully, Izzy was next to the fence so they didn't even see her. These hawks came completely out of nowhere, and were flying so LOW and in this formation.... like they were fighter jets for crying out loud. It was terrifying, and took me by total surprise because this was about half an hour before sunset and this was the first time I've seen them out that late around here.

That night I had another one of my exhausting animal rescue dreams. In this one a hawk landed on a tree branch, and was peering down at little Izzy. I picked up that baby so quickly, and just held her close!

FYI: Back when we were living in Burton, on a family friend's 43 acres while our house was being built, one day this huge hawk came flying out of a tree and in a downward trajectory. It was screeching and flying right at little Izzy.

I used to love watching the hawks flying around, but since moving here... not so much. I'm always looking at the ground for snakes, and then up into the sky for hawks.

Danger above, danger below.

(These dogs are always running loose).

Here's the inside of the craft building. It isn't 100% finished - the lack of a rug is really driving me crazy - and I absolutely loathe that ugly couch in there but there's nowhere else to store it.

So far we haven't used the building much because inside it's either freezing cold or so hot you feel like you're boiling on the surface of the sun. We're hoping that planting some trees and a thick trellis of jasmine next to it will help.

One thing I love about it is that the rabbit has taken up residence beneath the building. She just had babies, too, because a couple weeks ago Mom saw one in our backyard while mowing the grass.

I personally haven't seen the rabbits in a while though. I miss them. (Which reminds me: Back when were living in Burton we saw cottontails there day and night. Lots of them. There was even one that had part of it's ear torn off. I named him "Van Gogh").

It took me 3 or 4 tries to get this fairy door done to my satisfaction, and then come picture time every single photo turned out blurry.

This was the best of the lot and I'm not about to take more pics of it. It is what it is.

There's a new baby next door!

It's strange only seeing one calf. The poor thing doesn't have anyone it's age to play with, although it seems to entertain itself quite well. This baby is FUNNY! She loves to take intervals between lying down and then running like mad.

I watched her a lot tonight. She's only a week old and this evening I saw her jumping up and down in one spot. It was so CUTE!!!! She also likes to "chase" her owner's truck, but always from a safe distance. She reminds me of his dogs in that respect. (That's probably where she learned it from).

We named her "Flower," by the way. I sure hope the neighbor's keep this one! I really love her personality.

More video, mainly of the cowbirds that have taken over.

And speaking of birds, I noticed this morning that the swallows are back.

I have a love/hate relationship with these birds. They are so incredibly graceful to watch... like poetry in motion... BUT they are stubborn little things. Last year I had to fight them over NOT building their messy nests on our front porch. The ONLY way I discouraged them was by taping unsightly plastic grocery bags up in the all the corners of the porch ceiling.

We spotted our first bluebonnet from seed! (I hope there will be more).

I snapped a few other pics of the flowers popping up on our property, but I didn't try really hard to take great pics because I was petrified of snakes.

The bluebonnets are really starting to pop up all over the hill country.

Random Photos from the Round Top Antiques Show, Junk Gypsies Headquarters, etc.

This is the property next to our little post office right by our house.

I noticed the other day that there's a hollow in that one tree. (Which reminds me of a fairy tree, naturally. Lol! I've got fairies on the brain these days).