Storm monsters charge at us with empty threats

For the second night in a row, the storm monsters charged at us from the northeast, eating up the sky, but became cold and sleepy before they could dump their left overs on us.

We did get a great dark-falling breeze out of it.

Night-fall boast by rushing storm

This night-fall-rushing front blowing off from a thunderstorm over Beaumont didn't bring any rain for our area, but sure boasted it wanted to.

Remembering Hurricane Rita

This was the part of the scene of destruction from Hurricane Rita in Southeast Texas, 10 years ago today.

Ominous clouds can't deliver on rain threat

This was the weather system that blew past our neighborhood last night. Ominous as it might look, it was all bluster and no rain.  The air cooled down to about 80 degrees, and it turned breezy  -- but not even a sprinkle.

Mosquito Hawk --- a mosquito's worse enemy.

This Mosquito Hawk landed right in front of me.  After all the rains if this week, I was glad to see him on duty, preying on mosquitos.

Angry skies trumpet a fierce summer storm

Angry skies rumbled in ahead of a drenching thunderstorm this evening. The lightning, while not quite a fireworks show, had some deep earthshaking booms to it.

Raindrops bounce on the pool

You know the rain has gotten to you when you are sitting shooting pictures of raindrops hitting the swimming pool.  At least last week's rain is now history.  On to the oppressive heat -- weather du jour.

Flowers' powers can't stop showers

A flower, in the weather we have been having, is essentially a rain gauge.  This battered blossom had about 3/4 of an inch of rain in the bottom of the bulb. More rain tomorrow.... and on and on.  

I jest not when I ask whether we can weather this weather liquid sunshine.

Light-saber aloft

Last night, light-saber like, a rainbow picks up just enough of the sun's last rays to pierce the shield of clouds clambering above us.

It was a thunder wonder

This thunder boomer missed us, but provided a great show.  You had to get out in an open space to appreciate the whole thing.  This was a full-sky guy.

Storms scatter around us.

This was the big thunderhead that had formed south of us this evening but it may have blown itself out just as the sun was casting its last rays on it. Another storm formed to the north of this afternoon and blew some cool breezes our way, but on a few drips.

Frost flees its icy form

This week's first fall frost quickly turned to water drops on the grass leaves in the yard.  The sun had only to peak through the tree leaves and the icy cover was ready to shift shapes.

Fall flaunts its frost

 

There was frost on the ground this morning.   Fall has fell.

Drought will not let go of SE Texas

This stagnating drought is taking its toll.  Despite a few occasional respites, the dry is soaking into everything.  I had stopped by a pond a few years back to take a shot during a former drought and I was devastated by the drying and dying I saw.


So, I thought I would check out another near by pond (one I had not yet explored). It was much the same story this year.  The heat-soaked mud bottom was exposed and the cracks were opening deeper and deeper. Maybe some cooler weather will help that a bit. but, today was not that.  With the temperature scorching to the upper 90's again, it feels like summer has a dug its claws into Southeast Texas and is going for the kill.


Please, somebody tell the weatherman that summer is over! 
It doesn't take a weatherman to know when to call off a drought. Enough, already.


Tomorrow -- the colors of drought.

Egrets, herons hunker by the thousands

On the drive home from Baton Rouge to Beaumont the other day, I was watching several flocks of egrets heading west along side of me.  They seemed to slow up at the next intersection, so I decided to pull off the I-10 there to see if I could catch a picture of a passing flock..  When I  pulled to a stop, I found a fly-in taking place for thousands of birds which filled nearly every branch of the trees for a couple football fields in length.  They were mostly cattle egret, but a few anhingas, ibis and blue heron were mixing in -- apparently, unable to pass up a fait do-do.


They were still flocking in from the south and east, circling the feathery fete and then trying to push their way in for a branch -- occupied or not.  There were bird feathers floating in the air and the loud cacophony of  the flustering cluster had the hum of a Texas football game after the Hail Mary fell just beyond reach.  I surmised they were gathering in advance of northern front  bringing lightning and rain. I was in a hurry to snap as many photos as quickly as I could since the rain front and the missing sun were racing to see who could bring on the darkness first.


As I was pulling back onto the I-10, I stopped again because the service road offered another vantage point where birds were bunched on de-leafed trees.  I-10 truck drivers, zooming past, who saw me shooting pictures, blasted their horns.  It took me about three of these passing blares to realize they were trying to stir up the birds for me to get a better shot.


I snapped off a bunch of shots, but it was hard to get close to the trees and the gathering gloom smothered all the camera tricks I tried.


It was an interesting diversion from a monotonous drive.

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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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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Shredded hope

This is another shot from that amazing sunset this past weekend.  With the way the clouds were shredded I expected some wet weather.

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Life on a tree

I am not much of an expert on plants, but I suppose this hairy ball growing on a tree limb is a vermiliad of some kind.  The flowers looked pretty dried out for a Spring season.

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Hoping this icicles are not cyclic.

One last winter picture -- who knows when I will ever see icicles hanging from the fascia of my garage.  Sure am glad I live in the warm South.

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