Spring Rain and Migrating Birds
Greetings from Matagorda Peninsula Island everyone. I hope that all of you are doing very well, and enjoyed a wonderful Easter Sunday and weekend Good Friday holiday.
In the years past, I’ve made the trip across the bay to attend the Sunday morning Easter Sunrise service in POC on Front Beach, a wonderful gathering put on by the various churches in town, and attended by many early morning risers. But for the past several years, I stay on the island and get up early, and with coffee mug in hand, I drive the short distance down to the island beach. Corky and I sit in the buggy and wait for the morning sun to slowly make its beautiful orange glow, east rising appearance over the Gulf of Mexico, giving thanks that He Indeed Has Risen! As I’ve often said, there’s just something a bit more special about seeing the sunrise/sunset over the water, especially on Easter morning.
The island finally got some measurable rain last week, with a much needed 1.5” falling from the sky onto the parched barrier island. It’s amazing the noticeable difference a good rain makes, with the grass becoming greener and the little yellow island flowers showing up everywhere. The mower definitely starts getting a workout as well, but I’m happy to see the rain and Spring colors.
Another Spring bonus sight every island year are the beautifully colored migrating birds and hummingbirds. Most of the birds are the small finch type size, but there are also the yellow-winged blackbirds and Baltimore Orioles that visit the island as a stop-over on their way northward. Without doubt, the most colorful migrating bird that I have seen, and hope to see every Spring, is the Painted Bunting. This small bird is an explosion of various colors, reminding me of a vibrant rainbow. It’s so enjoyable sitting and watching all of these different birds fly around looking for bugs, and to watch the hummingbirds fight over the sugar water in their feeder.
Well, the 16 tomato plants are now in the ground, having been planted in the 18” deep raised beds and 25 gallon tubs, 40 days after being started from seeds. I’m already prepared with an organic solution spray to fend off the dreaded tomato hornworms, which cause misery for me every year by stripping the plants of their leaves, and then eating the green tomatoes. The hornworms begin their life as larvae, hatched from eggs being laid in the soil by a Five-Spotted Hawk moth, also known as a Hummingbird moth. If not checked every day, the hornworms, which grow quickly in size as they eat the plant leaves, will completely strip a tomato plant of all its leaves. They are my tomato growing nemesis!
Well. that’s it from the island for now. Everyone take care and have a wonderful day.
