I dangled my camera (set on timer) blindly into those limestone rocks that I recently procured to try and capture some of their inner caverns, (as you do).
One of the shots was startling:
The insulating qualities deep in the heart of these boulders must be amazing. I surmise that these subterranean passages are where the Patch tribesfolk shelter when things get really hot outside, and things have got really hot outside.
Record breaking temperatures this past week in Central Texas have quickly ushered in Summer conditions and memories
of last years Mars-like conditions.
This is reminiscent of my expression at the end of an average working day at this time of the year.
This smoke tree apparently went up in smoke overnight,
Cotinus coggygria
(not so) ‘Royal Purple’
though there is still hope on this small trees extremities.
Satsumas are stressing a pale yellow complexion and even the gulf coast toads are hopping into the pond during daylight hours to cool-off.
Err…
Dude, not in the pond!
This one hopped into my depleted feeder tank and was unable to get out. I found him in the middle of the tank perched precariously on a Madam Ganna Walska lily, sporting a distinct expression of toady annoyance.
Check out that transverse pupil…snort.
The circular item behind the eye is a round eardrum, or tympanic membrane. When sound waves strike this membrane, the frog perceives sound.
In 2008, scientists in Madagascar discovered a toad-like fossil that is 70 million years old. They named him Beelzebufo, or Devil Toad because of his bowling ball size.
Imagine the volume of that croak.
I digress, back to the some more crispiness…
…it is weeping now alright. This clumper goes through this every summer but it always pulls through with only
an occasional soaking like we are happily receiving right now.
When things get hot around the Patch a new hobby is generally not far behind.
The latest one unfortunately involves putting the oven on!
I will leave you with my daughters first venture into the now infamously shaky and out of focus filming technique that ESProductions have pioneered and become famous for over the years.
She built the song “Cutie Cake” in GarageBand, mixing loops and with some live vocals.
She also, more impressively, trained all of the cicadas around the Patch to synchronize with the beat and timing of her tune.
Stay Tuned for:
“Boot Hill”
All material © 2012 for eastsidepatch. Unauthorized
intergalactic reproduction strictly prohibited, and
punishable by late (and extremely unpleasant)
14th century planet Earth techniques.
Inspirational triptych of the week:
Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, painted c.1505
Here is the outside of the triptych (side panels closed).
