Bam! Pow! Zing!

Mr. Runarut, you take some mighty fine pictures. What's your real name? Unmask yourself!

Until that mystery is solved, enjoy Runarut's photo of these gorgeous blooms at CDRI.

Fuzzy Flowers

You know what's great on a Sunday morning? Brunch with a mimosa. You know what's great any day of the week? Velvet Pod Mimosas, like these seen at CDRI.

Here's more on the pink plant: Velvet pod mimosa is abundant and common in the Chisos and Davis Mountains of the Trans-Pecos on brushy hillsides from 2500 to 6500 feet, and occurs north into New Mexico and Arizona and south to Mexico.

Wildscaping Eye Candy in El Paso

Gorgeous native plants are more than eye candy, they provide the necessary food, water and shelter for local wildlife. Want to learn how to "wildscape" your own land & be certified in it? Sign up with Texas Parks and Wildlife's Backyard Habitat program. And on October 17, you can learn desert wildscaping at Wyler Aerial Tramway Park in El Paso. Sign up on their site today!

The REAL Yellow Rose of Texas

If you think about it, the yellow rose of Texas really should be a Prickly Pear bloom! Stop by the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute in Ft. Davis for their collection of all sorts of desert succulents... and maybe hum a familiar tune while you're there.

CDRI presents Urban Gardening Seminar on September 25

CDRI presents Lecturer  Dr. Ken Mix on September 25, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. at Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Lawrence Hall, Room 300.

Dr. Ken Mix owned and operated Sown By Hand, a produce farm just outside of Indianapolis, IN from 1989-1996. Sown By Hand supplied more than 10 grocery stores of  a local large chain and top restaurant chefs in the region. Depending on the season and year, the farm had up to 20 acres in cultivation with crops including heirlooms, tomatoes, zucchini and pumpkins. The farm was innovative for the early 90′s, utilizing a European style intensive planting scheme and applying a single herbicide for grass control once a year. Only once in the history of the farm was and insecticide applied. At the time, this type of maintenance was known as ‘low input agriculture’, and would be more akin to the familiar ‘sustainable agriculture’ system of today. This lecture will be valuable to all interested in gardening.

Pollinator Garden at CDRI

Plan to visit Fort Davis' Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and their Pollinator Garden this season...lots of blooms there this week! 

Celebrate National Trails Day with us!

If you post photos and stories on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Flickr with the two hashtags, #txmountaintrail and #nationaltrailsday, we'll be able to find them online...and we'll select our favorites to include on stories and features about the Texas Mountains all summer long!  Join in the fun and hashtag to your heart's content!

Texas History Online Book Club by Texas PBS!

Join the first online book group devoted to Texas History!

Texas PBS is proud to announce the first online book group devoted to Texas History, in conjunction with the new Texas, Our Texas initiative.

The group will be a reader-led experience, with Texas PBS bringing in authors/experts and documentaries/artwork to create a multifaceted, educational and interesting experience for group members.

The first book discussion will be Jan Reid’s Let the People In: The Life and Times of Ann Richards.

Go to www.texaspbs.org/texasourtexas/

to become part of the inaugural discussion of this ground-breaking group!

Special Announcement:

Author Jan Reid will join the club for a web chat live from the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum Wednesday, May 29th at 8:00 pm. Find out more information about this special event at www.texaspbs.org/texasourtexas/

.

Connect on Twitter @TexasPBS

Travel Spotlight! 

Gage Gardens
Click on the photo for a
closer look!

On Tuesday, we headed to Marathon and visited Gage Gardens across the railroad track from the historic Gage Hotel.  Too many folks travel through Marathon and don't take the time to explore, and they're missing so much! 

The Gardens offer an oasis and a hideaway for anyone wanting to enjoy a quiet place for birdwatching, leisurely walks, or even a few minutes on the putting green! 


 

Blooming this week in Marathon's Gage Gardens

Across Hwy 90 from the historic Gage Hotel in Marathon and a half block to the east, is Gage Gardens.  A lovely place to visit any time of the year.  It looks particularly green and vibrant RIGHT NOW.  Take a look at what we saw there this Tuesday!

Twenty six acres of beauty for you to enjoy, in fact, it is a popular place for weddings and other special celebrations. The Gage Gardens is open to the public...step right in and enjoy!

Terlingua Green Scene on Saturday

Saturday, it was our pleasure to attend the 5th annual Terlingua Green Scene Festival of Sustainability and Creativity.  We had a great time visiting with local residents and visitors, listening to music, seeing the community garden (the event was sponsored by the Terlingua Community Garden), eating some delicious food, and relaxing...it was a lovely day.

Here's a link to the Terlingua Green Scene's facebook page.

Vendors and community groups, such as the local
chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists enjoyed
visiting with the crowd.

Two little girls chose to dress up with PERFECT choices
of footwear for the Chihuahuan Desert!

 



December Hike at CDRI

Want a short (wonderful) excursion while in Fort Davis?  Try the hiking trails at Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center.  For a short admission fee, treat  yourself to scenic vistas, interesting rock croppings and access to the botanical gardens and a cactus greenhouse...and for a (very) last minute shopping trip, try their Visitor Center gift shop! 

A bit of happiness from Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center's Cactus Greenhouse

Undamaged by fire, the cactus greenhouse at Fort Davis' Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center is always a fun place to visit! 

Water in El Paso? Yes, and birds, gardens, archaeology, too, at Keystone Heritage Park

Keystone Heritage Park in El Paso's Upper Valley is a huge surprise in the center of the city.  The 52 acre park has wetlands, a botanical garden, an archeological site and birding opportunities. 

Keystone wetlands is home to  many species of birds and is on the migratory route for even more.  According to their website, over 193 species of birds have been found there, including 22 considered rare by the Audubon Society.

The archeological site was first discovered in the 1970s during the construction of flood control dams, when a portion of an ancient pitch house was found.  Later, it was believed to be part of a village, and according to National Geographic magazine, possibly "one of the oldest and largest villages of its kind in the United States."  The site is open to visitors only with a guide.

The botanical gardens feature a xeric demonstration garden, a children's garden, amphitheater, moonlight garden and ethno-botanical garden.

To learn more, visit Keystone's website, here.