“It is with greatest honor that February 15, 2023 be known as “Mary Ann Claiborne Day” in Calhoun County, as it is reciprocation for every life she has touched through her continued passion and persistence in seeking widespread literacy. Calhoun County, Port O’Connor Library Branch, and the Friends of the Port O’Connor Library, Inc. honor Mary Ann Voigts Claiborne,” – Judge Richard H. Meyer

Mary Ann, who turned 81 on February 15, began her teaching career in Dallas, Texas in the 1960’s. She moved to Port O’Connnor in 1971 and continued teaching in Calhoun County for over 48 years. She was a pioneer in the creation of the earliest Port O’Connor Library in 1985-86. Mary Ann (along with several others) turned a stack of books into a library funded completely by volunteers.

Mary Ann was instrumental in the transformation of that simple stack of books to an operational library that eventually metamorphosed into the beautiful POC Library Branch of today.

Mary Ann is a true philanthropist with her time, as she can be seen at every library event lending a helping hand. She volunteers for the Port O’Connor Service Club, the Friends of the Port O’Connor Library, the First Baptist Church of Port O’Connor, the Port O’Connor Elementary School, and the Port O’Connor Volunteer Fire Department Annual BBQ. She also extends her promotion of youth literacy by personally purchasing books for all second graders in all of Calhoun County each year through the Calhoun County Retired Teachers Association. Mary Ann is a wonderful person who always has a smile on her face and is always wanting to help.

Greetings from the island everyone, and Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you lads and lasses!  I may have to search the T-shirt rack to find a green colored one to wear, just in case someone stops by.

There were a few more weekend islanders out this past week, and I wasn’t sure why until someone mentioned that it was Spring Break for our area.  Other than Christmas or Thanksgiving, I honestly don’t keep up with or have a clue when most happenings or holidays are taking place.  My life on the island remains the same, regardless of what mainland special occasions or holidays are printed on a calendar.  Just as I haven’t worn a watch for 17 years now, as the time of day or night is basically irrelevant out here, the same goes for holidays.  Of course my calendar is definitely marked for Feb. 13 next year, the countdown date for SS benefits to begin. . . YAY!!

As I am writing this, the Springtime one hour clock change will take place in a few more days, providing us with more daylight in the evenings.  I hear every year that the powers-that-be are gonna do away with switching back and forth with the twice a year time changes, but it surely has not happened.  I do enjoy the extra time to do things in the evenings, so I’m hoping they will just leave it as – is after this change.

With Spring nearly upon us, the weather is finally making a change for the better lately.  Other than the early mornings thick fog, and I mean very thick, to the point that everything on the ground is soaking wet, the sun is shining more and the temps are pleasant.  My tiny tomato plants started from seed are slowly growing, and I’m getting the raised bed garden areas ready for planting them in about three more weeks.  I don’t start my plants as early as most, because of the late norther high winds blowing across the island.

The sea-beans and assorted seashells are beginning to wash ashore on the island beach.  Each Spring the sea-beans, which are actually seeds that grow on trees and bushes in South and Central America and the Caribbean, fall off the trees and bushes in streams and rivers, and eventually float across the ocean onto our beaches along the Gulf Coast.  There are many different varieties in shapes and colors, and they are fun to search for and collect, often used to make into jewelry.  When you get a chance, please Google “sea beans” to learn about them, and you’ll find yourself looking for these little treasures on your next trip to the beach.

With the warmer weather, I can see the grass starting to get greener and growing, and will certainly have a growth spurt when we finally get some decent rain on the island.  We have had only a few tenths of rain the past several months, the showers always somehow missing the island.  My island yard mowing business will very soon be in full swing, and I’ll stay busy keeping 12 islander yards mowed out here.  But that’s OK, it gives me the opportunity for fresh air outside and some sun on my aging body.

Well, that’s it from the island for now, everyone take care and don’t forget to wear your green on Saint Patty’s Day.

When it comes to crabs, Texas isn’t the first state that comes to mind. However, the Texas commercial crabbing industry landed over 3 million pounds of blue crab in 2021, and recreational crabbing is considered a staple in many Texas coastal communities. So, if you’re looking to include more crab in your diet or are interested in catching any on your next trip to the coast, there are a few things you should know.

The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) is the most commonly caught edible crab in the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, their scientific name translates from Latin to mean “beautiful, savory swimmer.” These crabs are known for their signature blue claws, and mature females will also have bright red tips on their claws!
These crustaceans are found in a wide variety of habitats in Texas, from the saltiest waters of the gulf to brackish bays and estuaries. Blue crabs are also notoriously indiscriminate with their diets, eating almost anything from oysters and fish to other smaller crustaceans!
Many of the blue crabs in Texas are caught commercially using rectangular crab traps made of chicken wire. These traps are usually about two feet wide and have inverted funnels on the sides that allow crabs to enter the trap but prevent them from being able to exit. There are no public waters or seasons for crab harvesting except for one week in February when Texas bays are closed to crabbing to clean up lost or abandoned traps. During this period, any traps in the water are considered fair game to be legally removed.
People also catch crab recreationally in Texas since it is an easy and relatively inexpensive activity. “As far as recreational fishing goes, crab can be one of the easiest things to catch,” says Matagorda County Extension Agent Nicole Pilson-Macias. “You don’t need much to catch crabs and they can be found almost anywhere near piers or docks.”
One of the most common ways to catch blue crab is with a strong piece of twine baited with fish heads or chicken necks (two of the blue crab’s favorite snacks) on one end. There are no bag limits for blue crab in Texas, but any crabs that measure less than 5 inches in width must be released, and keeping female crabs with spongy masses of eggs on their abdomen—commonly referred to as sponge crabs—is illegal.

Once crabs are caught, they should be kept either in a bucket with a small amount of cold water, or on ice. Crabs should be cleaned quickly after catching to prevent any meat spoilage, and any dead crabs that are found should be discarded. Be sure to refrigerate any cleaned crab meat as soon as possible! You can also find pre-packaged Gulf blue crab at your local fish market or supermarket—just remember to check the label to make sure you’re getting sustainable, U.S. seafood.
“Crab is a really versatile seafood,” says Pilson-Macias, “it can be anything from a fancy, impressive appetizer or social crab boil to a super simple dinner entree.” So, next time you’re thinking about adding more kinds of Texas seafood to your diet, consider the crab.

It’s bird nesting season again on the Audubon sanctuary at Chester Island.

The island is named for Chester Smith, a local Port O’Connor resident for many years, and the first Audubon Warden in charge of the island’s initial development as a bird sanctuary. Before that, the island near the inshore mouth of the Port O’Connor jetties was sometimes called “Sundown Island”, or just “Bird Island”.

The facility is currently the springtime home and nesting site to thousands of Brown Pelicans, terns, gulls, herons, skimmers and egrets, including several species of environmental concern.

The island is closed to all visitors due to both federal and state regulations, but you are invited to view the birds from boats near the shore as long as you don’t disturb the birds in any way.

These regulations are enforced by officers from U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas DPS, and the local Audubon Warden.

If you have any questions regarding the regulations or the island in general, please contact Audubon Warden Tim Wilkinson at Tim.Wilkinson@audubon.org