Author: Anita Westervelt
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What’s the difference?
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Story and photos by Anita Westervelt, Texas Master Naturalist The first task when identifying a plant is to find its botanical name. Once you have that, it’s easy to use a search engine and find information. Finding a botanical name is easy when using a mobile device. Many apps can help identify plants, birds, bugs…
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Anita’s Blog — Bee Funny; Bee Friendly
It was a warm and windy morning. I was checking the native basket flowers, Plectocephalus americanus, for pollinators. A tiny bee, possibly a ligated furrow bee, was minding its own business wallowing in the pollen in the flower head when suddenly another bee launched on top of it. I already had my phone camera at…
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Anita’s Blog — Trees Like Colorful Easter Eggs
My mouth was agape in a most un-lady-like fashion the first time I spied a blue tree. Yes, blue! And again, the other evening, an audible gasp escaped my lips as I exited a fast-food strip mall in San Benito. The distant visage of the blue-in-the-sky tree reminded me of a giant Easter egg piñata…
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Anita’s Blog — Pandemic Project # 8
Did you catch Dr. Phil’s (McGraw) brief segment on the news this week? “Get up, get dressed, get active, get busy,” were his recommendations to keep from getting depressed during self-isolation. “Find a project,” he continued, “something you can put on a timeline — and hold yourself accountable.” View Dr. Phil’s show at these links:…
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Rosy roseate spoonbills
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Story and photos by Anita Westervelt, Texas Master Naturalist If it’s a pink bird you see flying around coastal Texas, it’ll be a roseate spoonbill migrating back to the coastal shores and resacas. In flight, the roseate spoonbill looks all pink. When wading, it’s easier to see their true colors. Adult roseate spoonbills have no…
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Anita’s Blog — Victory Garden Super Foods
Is it too late to start a victory garden? I don’t think so. Weeds grow, even in this drought, so why not some vegetables? Victory gardens, were vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in the United Kingdom, United States and other countries during World War I and World War II. The gardens were to supplement…