AMBER'S ANIMAL TALES AROUND AUSTIN VOL 5-16-09 - A Wild Spring in Central Texas

I found this rattlesnake at home here in Central Texas when I stepped on it. Fortunately I did not get bit.



8 full rattles, plus one dark rattle up next to the body.



I think this is a Texas Rat Snake

reference http://www.herpindiego.com/TexasRatSnake.html



I think this is a Kingsnake

See http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/photo.php?id=380368



When I saved this lizard from a semi-feral cat the lizard kept jumping on me to get away from the cat. Not sure what kind he is.




Another lizard saved from one of my cats. I think this is a Texas Spiny Lizard - Sceloporus olivaceus

Thanks to Therion for snapping the photo.

Reference:
http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/35835146



Green Anoles (Anolis carolinensis - also called Carolina Anole and Red Throated Anole)

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anolis_carolinensis





Great Blue Heron on the property



Squirrel hanging on for dear life in high winds

WHAT'S IN A FAMILY NAME

Just found this genealogical passage about my Paternal Family name.

William Richard Cutter, Comp., Genealogy and Family History of Western New York, New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1912.

Page 705 - 707
"Burke states in his "Landed KELLEY Gentry" that the Kelley family may look back beyond the Conqueror and derive themselves from the ancient Britons. The Kelley family from Devonshire, England, were undoubtedly of Celtic origin, as Irish families were settled in South Wales, Devonshire and Cornwall, descendants, it is believed, of "fighting King Kelley," whose manor was in the possession of the family from the time of Henry II. The earliest mention of the name in Irish history was A. D., 254, when Ceallach MacCormac is recorded as son of the monarch, Cormac Ne- fadha. The king of Connaught had a son Ceallach, in 528. The Irish Archaeological Society, in 1843, published Customs of Hymany, who lived A. D. 874, and bore the name Cel- laigh. His grandson. Muechaddo O'Callaigh, was the first to use the surname, the law being made by the celebrated Irish king, Brian Baroimbe, that "everyone must adopt the name of his father as a surname''. Thus the grandson of Callaigh became O'Callaigh, and the name simplified to Kelley about 1014. Queen Elizabeth requested Cola O'Kelley to discard the "o," as it tended, by keeping up the clanship in Ireland, to foster disaffection in England. In Scotland, in Fifeshire is a district called Kellieshire, and various branches of Kelleys were dispersed through England. The most probable signification of the name is : War, debate, strife. The spelling has been much varied, but its origin is undoubtedly as given above. Many of the name who came to this country, and their descendants, take greater pride in their ancient Irish descent than in their English. The arms granted the family in Ireland are : A tower triple towered supported by two lions rampant or. Crest : a greyhound statent proper. Also : Gules on a mount vest, two lions rampant : and azure in chief, three estoiles argent. Crest: A hand holding by the horn a bull's head erased or. A coat-of-arms granted to Hon. Robert Kelley, of Doncaster, 1473, bore the mott!

Wow, I am having trouble getting back past 5 or 6 generations. It would be really something to go all the way back to the Norman Invasion! I need to get a copy of this book.

AMBER'S ANIMAL TALES AROUND AUSTIN VOL 03-21-09 - Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

These birds seem to show up in Central Texas every year around Spring Equinox. I took this pic at a friend's house in Austin. This bird appeared to be looking for hir mate and scouting out hir nesting site. My friend and I tried to decide whether this bird was one of a mating pair that nested at that location last year, or if this bird (and three others) were some of the grown chicks last year's mating pair hatched.

SPRING EQINOX MOON 5:00AM MARCH 20, 2009 IN CENTRAL TEXAS

FROM THE GARDEN; READY SOON - Feb. 28, 2009

Cauliflower budding out

Cabbage forming heads

WINTER HARVESTS CENTRAL TEXAS FEB. 2009

These pics look small compared to actual amounts I harvested from my Winter garden this year.

So many mustard greens I have been harvesting, cooking and giving them away since January this year.

Huge sink full of arugula. Been harvesting blooming plants and using/giving away throughout Feb. 2009

IS THIS RED ROMAINE LETTUCE?

Came from Mesclun mix seed pack bought at Central Market (same place where the Arugula came from I think I will buy more seeds at Central Market seems to be a nice way to get inexpensive gourmet foods growing). Red Romaine was not listed on the seed pack but the only photos I can find that look like these plants are identified as Red Romaine, which is rare according to the sites I was reviewing.
Last week of Feb. 2009

AMBER'S ANIMAL TALES AROUND AUSTIN VOL 02/25/09 - Racing Road Runner

I finally clicked a Road Runner shot today. He was running out of the yard and into the road when spied him with camera in hand.

AMBER'S ANIMAL TALES AROUND AUSTIN VOL 2/23/09 - Hungry Hummingbirds

Taken this morning at home. I need to put up a bird feeder.

AMBER'S ANIMAL TALES AROUND AUSTIN VOL 1/27/09 - Bull That Came to Dinner

WE stepped outside late Sunday night to find this gentle bull grazing in the yard. A friend told me this bull is a Red Brangus and these are typically very gentle animals. The Bull stayed for about 36 hours, from about 11PMish or before on 1-25-09, until about 10 AM on 1-27-09. I did not get very close to him but I did get a chance to verify he was truly a bull. (My camera does have a zoom feature.) I could not see any signs of tagging or branding or any other identifying marks. He remained unconcerned when I would walk by. He would look up at me with a curious look on his face and return to chewing on the lawn. He was apparently more interested in eating than confronting any humans in the area. In the last picture he reminded me of a stray cat that wanted to live with us. He mowed the lawn, left us some fertilizer and I guess went home as we prepared to be hit with winter storm bringing sleet and ice.