The splash pads have sprung to life

It is that magical time of the year when the splash pads that have been sitting idle suddenly spring to life.  Suddenly, kids are told the weather is "warm enough" and the world returns to the magical place it was last summer.

If you are five years old, you may only remember this happening twice before.   Strange.  Wouldn't it be nice if summer and "warm enough" came around every year?

The last rain dance?

The rains have come back to Southeast Texas.  They are not really drought-ending soakings.  More like a sprinkling compared to months of sparce moisture.  This was the 12 tee-box a the Brentwood Country Club late Sunday evening, the day before the first rain fell in weeks.  The sprinklers were shooting high into the air, letting the water fall like rain drops.  I guess you could call it a rain dance.

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Morning on the golf course

The sun has barely risen and already people are jetting off to far destinations.

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Fighting heat and drought in a puddle

This is a scene I shot a couple years ago down along the coastal highway in Cameron Parish, LA.  There was a strong drought and small ponds like these were lucky just to be puddles.  Notice that the boat in the foreground had probably been underwater at one time when it filled with silt.  The crabs looked to have died baking in the sun. This Rail (possibly a King Rail?) was still trying to eke out a living in this shrinking ecosphere.

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River Adventures

Coming through the lock at the Neches River Saltwater Barrier is the Cardinal River Adventures Boat to pick up a group for a tour in the swamps and bayous in Southeast Texas.  Normally the Cardinal embarks at the Beaumont Riverfront Park, but construction has moved that.  The boat does group and public tours to expose locals and visitors to habitats and natural settings in the Golden Triangle.  The land inside the Saltwater Barrier at the end of Bigner Road is itself a nice place for a nature adventure. Several small ponds in the area are favorites for bank-fishers.

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Pelican goes ferry fishing

A pelican was following low over the water as we crossed from Galveston to the Bolivar Peninsula by ferry.  I suppose he was willing to either take a tossed treat or to see what fish the ferry might stir up  -- whichever came first.

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Sunset through the gun line

This is the traffic coming over the Calcasieu River bridge in Lake Charles,La as we head into the sunset and toward, Beaumont, TX.  You can seen them in this picture, because it is too dark, but the railings of the steep bridge are lined with crossed pistols (by one count there are 10,572 dueling pistols on the 6,600-foot bridge).
--steve buser

Lake Charles, Louisiana, Bridge

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Happy is the hovering heron

This is the "survey the waterfront" pose for a juvenile Tri-colored Heron poached on a cypress stump at the heronry off the I-10 at the Trinity River Bridge  -- east of Houston.
The  seems to be just sitting there thinking, but when a fish or other tasty treat swims by, he slowly crouches into an attack mode -- edging closer to the water and leaning closer.
--steve buser

heron, tri-colored, bird

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Summer sprays away

She wandered alone through the show at the Play and Spray in Port Neches. I think it is a fitting photo for the finish of summer (the autumnal equinox having slipped passed) - the days of baking suns gives way to milder days. Gone is the carefree-ness of summer, the days of seeking out cool anywhere you can find it. Gone are the playdays, splashdays, the excitement-seeking pursuits, the fun with friends frolicking freely awaiting backyard barbeques.

Fall grips the weather. Winter lurks.
There is the time of clock and the time of seasons. Do you know what time it is?
--steve buser

Kids, splash, Port Neches

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Bird doing dooty

I didn't get the focus very good, but I thought this picture had it's own merits.

Checkout the bird on the left, she is not only helping stand lookout, but taking care of other basic callings, too.
--steve buser

Birds, Louisiana, Cameron Parish

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Raising Chicks

Three Willets wander the surf off Galveston near Houston looking for any morsels they can bring back to their nest. Soon after I shot this picture they spotted me and the antics began. I discovered then that the nest was very close, so I wander off to other parts.
--steve buser

Willets, Galveston, Houston, Texas

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Sailing for dollars

Galveston Bay, Southeast of Houston, is a playground and work site. While the yachts and pleasure boats stream out of the marinas on the west side of the bay, the big cargo ships and container ships work back and forth from the sea to the Houston ship channel. Somehow it all works out.
--steve buser

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Drought deadly for wildlife

A Killdeer heads to the middle of where it's life sustaining pond used to be. This was shot a few weeks ago when the drought was just sitting in hard. Hopefully, this area along by the Cameron Parish coast got some of the rain from the last few days.

--steve buser

Killdeer, birds, drought

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Divided attention (Green Heron)

On the road over to Lake Sabine a while back I ran into this Green Heron (Butorides virescens) with it's neck stuckout -- they usually hold it tight against their body. I suppose he was trying to decide between watching me or watching for dinner.
--steve buser

Green Heron. Butorides virescens, Port Arthur, Texas

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Repelling the pirates

I thought you could use a little cooling down today with the temperatures sapping your strength this summer.

Here, our grandson Sullivan takes on water pirates as he fights to defend the splash pad in Port Neches from the things that go bump in the day.
--steve buser

Water, pirates, kids, Texas, Port Neches

Soggy singer plunges in pavement puddles

This little sparrow was taking advatage of one of the puddles of water at the Aquarium in downtown Houston a few weeks back. A flock of about 10 of them were hopping around looking for food. Finding,none (the pigeons were getting it all) they decided to take advantage of the watery amenities of the urban site.
--steve buser

sparrow, bird, nature, Houston, Texas

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Unheated excitement.

Sometimes the only way to beat the heat is to get wrapped up in cooling water. This little child was one of the many at the Port Neches, TX, splash pad this weekend.

When your in the middle of it, it all seems so natural as the water flies around you. But, when the camera stops a slice of second in time, it has a surreal aura. It really is surreal, though, because sooner or later, you have to come out of the misty mood maker and face the heavy heat of summer.
--steve buser

Water Parks, Port Neches, Texas, heat, summer

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Force field repels heat

Our grand daughter, Sophie, 2, hides with her mom, Vicky, under a bowl of water at the splash pad in Port Neches, Texas. THe weeks-long heat wave that has sit over the area, has made watersports of any kind a favorite for the area. A large high pressure system has had Southeast Texas in its eye for several weeks and shows no signs of letting up. THe new definition of a rainy day is a 10% chance of showers.
--steve buser

Southeast Texas, Heat wave, weather

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Watching the waiters

A Coast Guard boat cuises past some ocean-gowing barges out in the pass between Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula. We were crossing on the ferry. The area is always good for ship viewing.

Look carefully between the Coast Guard boat and the barge on the right. You will see a shrimp boat, also plying the waters.
--steve buser

Houston, ship traffic, Galveston, ferry

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Watch bird, bids us bye

We were out last week on the Cardinal River Tours -- heading down TenMile Bayou off of the Neches River.  Seems like the local fauna always come to check out the visitors to their quiet sanctuary.   This Great Egret sat atop a tree to watch us pass by.   Once we slipped passed,  he slipped back into the Big Thicket National Preserve's marsh and swamps, assured that all was well.

Great Egret, Neches River, Tours, Beaumont, Texas

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