We have received abundant rain this spring and so our playa, while not full of water, is now covered in this beautiful Plains Coreopsis. Notice the beautiful green grass!
Tag Archive | Casa La Entereza
Butterflies
You probably have noticed the butterflies are in migrations right now. Our flowers draw many of them to stop a while here. Last week we were in Albuquerque and I visited the butterfly house for an hour. What gentle amazing creatures. Over the years I have visisted butterfly hoouses in Victoria and Seattle so what a treat to have one so close to us. It was wonderful to observe parents teaching their small children about the butterflies. I thought you might enjoy a few of my photos.
Wordless Wednesdays: Amazing Zinneas
Playa Lake
Our property at CASA LA ENTEREZA includes a 20 acre playa. Playas are ecological keystones of our region’s water cycle and it is estimated there are 30,000 playa basins on the Texas Panhandle. We may not have rivers, but the Southern High Plains has more playas than anywhere in the world! Playas are often dry, which is normal and natural, but when filled with water after heavy rains, playas become supercharged oases of life! Though ignored and neglected, playas are among the most important and most endangered wetlands in North America. Playas also provide the main recharge to the Ogallala Aquifer, and are vital to local ecosystems and economies.
This picture shows our home reflected in our playa. The picture was taken in 2007.
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In our eight years of living here we have had the playa fill with surface water four times. The following photos show the 2010 playa after the rains.
This summer we have had almost twenty inches of rain in the past two months. It has refilled our playa and today we can hear the toads chirping and the waters are abundant with life. Pictures follow of a Playa Lake Field Day sponsored by Ogallala Commons. The first and only outdoor Playa Lake Classroom is featured in the following photos also. The next five photos were taken by Dr. Nancy E. McIntyre, PhD, Texas Tech University.
This is a Great Plains Toad:
This is a Tiger Salamander:
It is amazing to find “fairy shrimp” (beaver tail and redtail) and tadpole shrimp in a playa lake on the LLano Estacado:
For more information about Playas visit the following sites:
Ogallala Commons
Playa Classrooms
Playa lakes Joint Ventures
Wordless Wednesday: Four corners of Casa La Entereza (Arial and Ground Views)
Annual Retreat with Phil Egger
This month we are remembering that each July for past five years, we had the opportunity to retreat up in the mountains of Ruidoso, New Mexico with our friends: Phil Egger and Ken Keller. Last summer, we spent from a Sunday evening till Wednesday afternoon–4 complete days together. Some of our best moments were spent eating wonderful meals that Phil prepared for us–we feasted on prime rib and lobster bisque.
Each day, we read out loud to each other the short novel by Wendell Berry, “A World Lost.” We never imagined that it would be our last retreat with Phil.
In November, a sudden phone call alerted us to Phil’s being hospitalized and we journeyed to El Paso to be with him. A gift for us was arriving to have a visit with Phil and his daughters Dominique and Cassandra while he was still lucid.
In May, we were able to be with Phil’s family and to place his ashes in the memorial garden at the family cabin. We miss you, Phil! We carry you in our hearts and know that you are still here in the communion of saints.
This is a picture of the Egger Cabin in Ruidoso, New Mexico. It is a holy place blessed by their family across many generations.
Wordless Wednesdays: Two Inches of Rain in Half an Hour
Wordless Wednesdays: First Roses
Rainy Days & Nights in Texas Panhandle
We have been suffering from the worst drought of the past 100 years. Our land has been so dry and weary. But suddenly, our weather fortunes have changed–for the past five days, we have experienced thunderstorms, lightning and RAIN! Thus far, Casa La Entereza has received over five inches of rain..what a gift to our land and our spirits! The following photos show rain water rushing into a culvert, surrounding our labryinth, filling our rain water tanks and collecting in a ditch on its way to our playa ( which is almost half-filled with water).