Sunrise is really fleeting. And the glow from the rising sun can begin, become, hit wow and wind down in the blink of the eyes... And all the while hummingbirds swarm the feeders. There always appears to be one feeder that gets the most visitors while the others are claimed…
I awoke to the distant rumble of thunder. I walked out on the back porch to lightening and more thunder and a darker than normal pre-sunrise backyard. The radar tells the story. The only sound besides the thunder... the cheeps of the hummingbirds in the dark. I've figured out what's…
The temperature is down a bit... so is the humidity... a bit. Light clouds are scattered across the sky. It's late, so the sun beats down unmercifully. A red-tailed hawk just flew screaming down the right of way. Blue Jays are jaying all around. And strangely, hummingbirds are everywhere. This…
I walked out this morning to an overcast sky. Above eighty temperature, but another shot of not quite oppressive humidity. The hummingbirds are chittering about in the dawn dark. Roosters are softly chattering. A donkey's bray cuts the quiet. As clouds skud north towards a stalled front, the sky goes…
It's not as oppressively humid this morning, though it's still hot. It's funny how 81 degrees is noticeably cooler feeling than 83 degrees. I'm still waiting for the sun to come up over the horizon. There's even a bit of a breeze moving the leaves about. The midweek traffic on…
Out 20 minutes before sunup... it's darker out than the images suggest. And way too warm and humid for comfort. A slight breeze wafts around without having a noticeable cooling effect. Even the ceiling fans are fighting a losing battle with the heat of late summer. Even the clouds over…
It's the first day of the second week of school. Sadly, it's also the third day in a row where the temperature is already 80 degrees or above to start the day. These are the dog days of summer for me. Also, another heat advisory in affect for another hot…
Warm and humid... makes miss Thursday morning when Laura was spinning off to the east and bringing dryer air into southeast Texas. At least my part of it. I see the prognosticators are calling for another hot day with a heat advisory issued once again. Today I'm hearing mourning doves.…
This morning is the warmest start we've seen this summer, I think. Hurricane Laura is close enough to us that she's starting to pump that tropical air our way. We've already had some rain showers. And it's looking like that will be our weather pattern for the day. The first…
It's the second day of school... virtually. The first day went by with only a few glitches with the technology. And most of them seemed to be at the school's end. Hopefully, all of the bugs will shake out in a week or so. Tropical storm Marco has pretty much…
Another almost cool morning for high summer. Dew rests heavy on the cars, and dewdrops glisten in the grass. But, strangely, the eyeglasses didn't fog up when I came outside. The first sound that registered today was the call of a pileated woodpecker above my head. That loud prehistoric sound…
Not too warm for the start of the day. 75 degrees, not bad for the full blown August. But it's oh so still. Not a breath of a breeze. And quiet... barely a bird singing. I have to go through the process of setting up a couple of computers today…
Ahhhhhh, the vagrancies of summer weather on the Texas gulf coast. It's the low 70's out here on the front porch. But with full sun, it won't take much to hit the forecast high of 97 degrees. The first load of laundry is in. The first cup of coffee is…
Overnight the prognosticators were foretelling of a 60% chance of rain. Judging by the driveway out front, that didn't occur. Today, the foretelling is for a 40% chance... and from the look of the clouds it could start at any moment. From the look of the radar, it's all a…
It's pretty loud out this morning. Mostly birdsong, but the occasional sound of squirrels playing and eating. Even the traffic sounds from the bypass seem louder for a Sunday morning. And the airplane buzzing by so low blasts all other sounds. I came out early and the temperature was still…
The humidity must be lower than usual. Because, even though it's as warm as it's been, it doesn't feel as sticky. It still wouldn't be comfortable without a fan. Birds are singing, anoles are hunting, the yard is mowed for a couple of more weeks, and we are still under…
This morning I slept in. So it's late and the temperature has passed 80 a while ago. But... For some reason, it doesn't feel as warm as it is. It could be that there's a better breeze blowing than I've felt in a long time... or it could just be…
Today's already hot and sticky. It really feels like I'm living in a tropical swamp... right down to the dragonflies patrolling by the squadrons. Though the mockingbird singing in the pine is a nice touch. Well, I see we have a Democratic ticket. I can't say I'm shocked by the…
It rained for much of yesterday afternoon. Sometimes lightly, sometimes cats and dogs. So this morning the drive is still damp. And while warm and muggy, it doesn't feel half bad. Hummingbirds are bumping chests over the blooms on the chaste tree while cicadas buzz in the background. And all…
As you can see, there's a nice rain shower towards the rising sun. It makes for some amazing cloud formations. But it's already warm and headed for hot. The only birds talking this morning are the crows. Construction is going on at one of the two construction sites on this…
Not much going on out here on the front porch today. A warm and muggy start to a gulf coast summer's day. My daughter loaded up her kids for a day at the beach... hopefully with social distancing in existence. There's not a breath of air stirring that isn't mechanically…
It's the middle of my birthday cycle. I'm half a year past the last one and half a year to the next. Not that I really pay attention to them. Though, truth be told, I'm reaching an age where they seem to come faster and faster. The morning is warm,…
I walked out first thing to bring in the garbage bin. So today's shots are from out near the road. It makes for a different perspective. As Gary Myers quoted this morning, change the focus of the eye. So that's what I did... at least for the moment. Somewhere, not…
When I come out and start these muses each day, I first take my record shots and do the post professing, then I upload them to this site. Once that is done I spend some time reading the blogs of those I follow via the Wordpress app. Once that is…
Today I slept in. By rights, I should be on the back porch. But, late as it is, the back porch is soaking up sun. And with the temperature already above 80 degrees, I'll take the shady side of the house. I find myself spending more time actually musing this…
Thunderstorms moved into the area in the night... and decided to stay. It's cool with an occasional breeze out here on the front porch. Lightning flashes and thunder rolls across the heavens as light rain continues to fall. The prognosticators foretold of this. The radar is full of color... It's…
Looking towards the rising sun, the sky always has a different shade of blue. Especially on these hazy, heavy, humid mornings. It's almost as pronounced as the change in the hue of green that happens as you cross the line between my yard and my neighbors. That color change in…
Sitting on the front porch today. Humidity is at a high because of all of the rainfall lately... afternoon showers starting a couple of hours before noon caused by the high humidity and moisture off the gulf. It's a bit of a self perpetuating cycle. Way back in my early…
When I stepped out to grab my record pics this morning the above was attached to the back wall at eye level. The crazy thing is, there's no milkweed in the vicinity this year. What I was actually trying to capture was this... Cloudless blue skies reflected in the dew…
When I stepped out to grab my record pics this morning the above was attached to the back wall at eye level. The crazy thing is, there's no milkweed in the vicinity this year. What I was actually trying to capture was this... Cloudless blue skies reflected in the dew…
The temperature is already pushing 80 degrees. It's almost humid enough to require another shower after having one just before I walked out. There's no breeze moving thru the trees. Already more rainstorms are on the radar than yesterday... and the prognosticators have lowered the chance of rain for today.…
Even before walking out I could tell the morning was going to be sticky. Every window looking out was covered in condensation. Combined with the brightness of the day, the world seemed to be glowing. While the temperature isn't any higher than normal, my wife being home and standing in…
The sky looks ominous this morning. Much worse than it actually is. The radar shows little rain falling around the area from the remnants of Hurricane Hannah who went ashore last evening in far south Texas. Yesterday's drive into central Texas was made interesting by the bands of rain that…
The air has movement this morning. Not a lot, the leaves are swaying, the clouds rush across the patch of blue above my head. Evidently, Hannah, our latest tropical storm, is already announcing her presence. She's a bit over 230 miles southeast of here and moving our way. Some wind…
Out early on the back porch. There are enough thunder clouds to the east to make the sun work at shining down on the wet earth. Dew glistens all around me. Condensation runs down the windows. There is a smell of wet moldy earth in the heavy air. Somewhere around…
Overcast. That's what the day is starting with. And, if the prognoticaters are correct the next ten days will be much the same. Last evening this phone was at 39% charged the last time I looked at it. When I went into the office to grab it off the charger,…
Having a go on the back porch this morning. With an almost cloudless sky and a very bright sun, I won't be out here very long. It's Sunday quiet this morning. No other day of the week has the same ambiance... no traffic sounds from the bypass, no vehicles passing…
Another almost cool morning on the front porch. Also, another showery start to the day. This time the storms are coming up from the south. As you can see, again we are dead in the sights of one of the showers. The prognosticators are foretelling of this pattern of showers…
As I sit on the front porch this morning, thunderstorms are moving in from the east. When I walked out I thought it was overcast by the look of the light. It turned out to be just the eastern quarter of the sky. In the few minutes I've been watching,…
I thought I'd try the back porch again since I beat the sun up. The sky's a bit hazy... but that just matches the air across the neighbor's yard. High humidity this morning and everything feels damp. With the temperature at 75 degrees the ceiling fans feel almost chilly. As…
Happy pandemic tax day. The IRS pulled what I owed out of my bank account on Monday just like I set it up months ago. As you can see, once again I'm sitting on the front porch. And surprisingly, the humidity is a bit lower and the temperature is still…
I'm liking the shady front porch more and more as the summer progresses. And, the cooler morning temperature is even cooler feeling in all the shade. The squirrels are going to town on the mimosa beans once again. Their steady munching a background sound different from most others. Their seem…
I decided to return to the front porch this brite and sunny morning. With the temperature already above 80, the shady environs are much more conducive to a pleasant muse. And if anything is required in these times, it's starting the week of pleasantly. The mimosa's beanpods are ripening and…
What a pleasure this morning is. The sky is overcast and the temperature is in the upper 70's. Veritable springlike weather this time of year. But, the prognosticators aren't going to let me enjoy it completely... there is still a heat advisory for late morning into early evening. Sunday morning…
Another of those sticky mornings. Air heavy enough to see across the way. But, I won't complain... it's still green out. It's always a bit quieter out here on the back porch. No traffic sounds, the birds are a little more removed. Not as much tree canopy right above your…
The air doesn't have that sticky feel this morning. It's already hit the mid-80's, but a breeze keeps blowing the worst of the heat away. Everytime I notice a slow pattern in the traffic passing in front of my place, a speeding vehicle passes that blows my observation out of…
It's just as warm this morning as it was yesterday, but, for some reason it doesn't feel as warm. Even the birds are more active today. There's a flock of cattle egrets circling in for a landing in the freshly mown yard across from the end of the drive. A…
Another 80 degrees plus start to the day. And the forecasted chance of rain is down to 20%. Though rain clouds are moving in from the gulf, and radar shows some small showers down south of us. Mainly it's the high humidity that is making this feel so ... Texas.…
It's already above 80 this morning. Though, the forecast calls for today to be cooler than yesterday. It's also fairly cloudy with a 40% chance of rain for the day. Radar is already showing scattered showers out and about in SE Texas. Already this morning, dump trucks are hauling their…
A bright sun and a cloudless sky greet me this morning on the back porch. The temperature has yet to pass 80 but it's headed well north of that today. Yesterday, when she went to water some sunflowers she planted, my daughter picked up her watering can from a chair…
There is dew on the car windows. And a smell of wet, almost rotting, grass on the morning air. The traffic is very light, but that's to be expected. Birds are calling, cheeping, whistling, and cooing as they tend to do. Squirrels are scampering in the upper reaches of the…
I'm back on the back porch. And, once again, their's barely a breath of a breeze. There is also a haziness to the mostly clear sky... probably the Saharan dust they keep talking about. But, all in all, it's a normal warm summer morning. Cicadas humming, cardinals singing, traffic on…
On this front porch morning, a breeze is making the limbs sway... at least a bit. Birds sing and chirp and coo. Vehicles go up and down the road in a more or less leisurely fashion. The crepe myrtle is in as full a bloom as it gets. The mimosa…
It's overcast today, with just the slightest breeze causing a leaf to quiver here and there. A mockingbird was serenading me as I sat down... it's a song I've missed this year. Yesterday was a tough, long day. My mother-in-law, Sharon Moore, after a long fight with illness passed away…
We're coming up on the final days of June and the overnight lows are hanging in the 80's. It's part of what I've always disliked about the place I've always lived. I've never been a summer person. But, then again, I've never hated it enough to leave. When this time…
Let's just come to an agreement right here, right now, that unless I comment to the contrary, it's just hot and humid. It's summer south of Houston, Texas after all. At least, there's a decent breeze making the wind chimes sing. That's also keeping our new crop of mosquitoes off…
I've been out on the front porch for almost an hour now reading and listening... to both birds and YouTube videos. Between "everything is broken", questions about Confederate statues from Virginia, and a double celebration of the armadillo it's been a morning. Throw in some Dylan covers and a Jerry…
Warm and Humid. Before walking out this morning I could tell by the condensation on the windows it would be oppressive. I was right. The temperature was already 80º and it feels like 96º with a relative humidity of 86%. The cool front that was just north of Houston all…
Thunder rumbles and lite rain pitter patters. My last couple of hours in bed weren't very restful. The thunderstorms the prognosticators promised in their foretelling yesterday moved over my house. At least, this time, the rainfall amount wasn't oppressive. Other than the patter of the falling rain, I'm hearing a…
After the coolness of yesterday afternoon, today's return to warm and muggy leaves me wanting. Even the birds aren't singing much this morning. Only the cicadas are in song. The few clouds I can see are high and wispy, not the thunder bloomers of yesterday. There were times yesterday when…
Walking out this morning I almost turned around and went back in. Warm and way too humid. It was a like a slap in the face. The temperature was 81º and the humidity was 84%. We have a 60% chance of more rain in the forecast. Looking thru the gaps…
Father's Day. It's been about a quarter century since my Dad passed... sometimes it doesn't seem that long ago, sometimes it seems like forever. I think about him every now and again and wish I could tell him I loved him. For myself, I had a #1 Grandpa mug and…
As I fought the call of day this morning, rumblings of thunder rolled my dreams. Once I gave up the fight I found rain falling steadily. I wasn't anticipating this type of weather before tomorrow or the next day. I just checked the radar. And it looks like this rain…
I'm enjoying the almost, but not quite, coolness of the front porch again. I have my native American flute playlist playing in the background... and strange as it may seem, the birds have moved in close to join the band. A chickadee sits above my head. Some fledgling woodpeckers, downeys…
Another repeat visit to the front porch. Another almost cool morning. Another quiet traffic day. This morning I watched as a lone whistling duck flew three times around the front yard trees... almost as if he was calling for someone. Just now two crows flew thru the open sky above…
I decided to reprise my yesterday, stepping out once again on the front porch. After doing so I was somewhat surprised by the coolness of the air. I really wasn't expecting it to be below seventy, especially by this much. Trust me, as we rush towards July, I won't complain…
I'm on the front porch again, and while it's warmer and the humidity is up, it's not uncomfortable sitting here this morning. I doubt I could say that if the fan wasn't blowing. I can hear a lawnmower doing it's thing somewhere close by. The regular birdsong has been joined…
It's not as cool, not as comfortable as the past few days. I doubt I'll be hanging out here on the back porch for much longer than it takes to record my morning muses. There's a raft of clouds building to the east. The humidity is up. And the cicadas…
Another almost springlike morning as we rush towards full blown summer. As nice as these last few mornings are, I don't walk out expecting them. So each one comes as a surprise gift... like being a kid again and having one birthday after another. Even the birds are happier out…
Another bright morning on the back porch. The ceiling fans are turning even though the temperature is mild. The cardinals are making their presence known with their song. Along with the mourning doves, that's about the only sounds on this weekend morning. A lite breeze is rustling the leaves. Low…
Ahhhhhh, spring for the moment. Following my normal routine, I filled my coffee cup and headed out the back door after turning on the outside ceiling fans... after only a couple of minutes in the rocker I had to get up and turn off the ceiling fans. Walking out into…
I decided to try the front porch this morning. Since it's almost 80 out before 7am, the floor fan is on. Though, the almost steady breeze has a cooling effect of it's own. The dryness of the concrete lets me know even without checking the radar, that we missed whatever…
I thought I'd try the front porch this morning. Yesterday I moved the spare floor fan around so these morning muses wouldn't be to uncomfortable as the sun rises. Looking mostly north. I am joined again by a cattle egret wandering through the yard looking for breakfast. A Carolina wren…
One of the best investments I made in designing this house was the ceiling fans on the back porch. While, one of the missed opportunities was not adding them to the front porch. That 20/20 hindsight will bite you in the buttocks every time. The breeze is out of the…
It's quiet out on the back porch this morning. Ceiling fans and cicadas, cardinals and finches. A breath of a breeze rustling the red oak leaves. June has settled upon the land rather lightly so far. My blog buddy Linda, posted that today is National Prairie Day. We once walked…
Coffee muses on the back porch again. It's more peaceful out here. Traffic noise from the road out front almost never rises above the white noise of the ceiling fans. As the trees fill out, even the bypass sounds are muted for another season. Looking east. You know summer is…
In my oversized rocking chair under the ceiling fans on the back porch once again. The morning is cool enough, though, not really cool at all. It was quiet as well... then I was joined by my chatterbox of a granddaughter. My two resident tree ducks just flew over headed…
Once again I'm sitting on the back porch listening to the birds and a distant train whistle. It's 74 out already, but the ceiling fans make it just right. There's enough moisture in the air to make it hazy in the distance. The birds today are very active. I guess…
I'm out on the back porch once again. With the ceiling fans moving the air, it's comfortable. The birds are filling the air with song a bit more than yesterday. Even had a couple of crows cawing from a sentinel pine next door. And Linda, there's even a squirrel playing…
On the back porch this morning. Ceiling fans on... the movement of the air provides some comfort on another muggy morning. The temperature is already in the mid-seventies and the clouds cover most of the sky. Looking southeast towards Galveston. It's quiet out this morning, I can't hear any traffic…
It's still out here on the front porch... Kinda muggy, but not too warm. According to the prognosticators it will be pushing 90 degrees today. Here's a short video of yesterday's afternoon thunder storms. They were relatively quick, but dropped a lot of water in a short time. They hit…
The morning is cool and bright. No evidence of the excessive heat to come by afternoon. The prognosticators are foretelling of more rain in the early afternoon. But the forecasted high is still in the upper 80's. Their scrying is calling for a upward rising trend with 90's within the…
I am out on the front porch before the sun comes over the horizon. I've been watching the brouhaha brewing over the president's* fight with the governor of North Carolina over whether or not they will guarantee the ability for the Republican Convention to seat 20,000 people in their arena…
I'm up earlier than normal. The house is empty of everyone but me. That's something it hasn't been since early March. The sky is overcast, some rain fell overnight. It's even cool enough to make me forget, for awhile, the summer like highs we've been seeing. A good little breeze…
Memorial Day Up early after a night of thunder and lightning. Two of my kids and all of my grandkids are headed to the hill country for 4 days. A vacation they planned in February and had on hold then changed during the shutdown. I hope they have a good…
It's been mostly cloudy this morning. Already, at midmorning, the temperature is 85. I've spent the morning doing chores, so even though today's photos are from the front porch. I didn't spend my morning muse time out in the heat and humidity. I stopped at the local HEB yesterday afternoon.…
It's the middle of winter but you'd never know it from the weather... Our ten day forecast looks like this... We're heading up to almost 80° in the coming week. I've been noticing a difference in our bird visitors in the past few years. I haven't seen any Crested Titmouses…
It's just after noon on this mid month Sunday. Ten days before Christmas and the weather feels anything but Christmas like. We are headed towards 80º today. At least it's breezy. So much so that the air is full of goldenrod seeds. I keep watching the fallen leaves scud along…
Cool... quiet... There's a silence in the world this morning... an anticipation of awakening... A fluttering of feathers... a sudden bursting of birdsong... and suddenly, the silence is gone as if it never existed.. Enjoy the day...
Yesterday's rains left it cooler this morning. The prognosticators are foretelling of another front this weekend. Winds of change are blowing... Today's photo...