Olivetti and Flowers of Flying Hat (20-24)

Keyboard

When possible, I use a large keyboard, not the small letter touchpad of iPhone. Who can possibly compose substantially on an iPhone?  My hands are large, like a teamster’s.  Here is my keyboard (QWERTY) I have pressed and pressed posts since 2005. I ratchet out fifty-words a minute when inspired or copying.  Nonetheless, I still have a typewriter although it is in the barn.  It is an Olivetti portable I purchased in Amarillo, Texas, back in the 1970s.  I look at Office Depot and Staples most times I shop and I still see typewriter ribbons stocked. How long will Office Depot stock typewriter ribbons? Probably not much longer.  I like the clack, clack of the keys hitting paper, although it has been twelve years since I used the Olivetti.  Although I eschew Wikipedia, the typewriter ribbons link above is quite informative.

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20. Yucca blossoms

Here I have more photographs of flowers that blossom on Flying Hat Ranchito, an ongoing project of mine for 2012-2013.  The yucca stalks that blossom flowers have been erect for two weeks, but only today have I seen blossoms.  Although we have had rains that nourished the first eruptions of grasses and plants, for almost three weeks now we have been bereft of moisture.  The pastures are already browning and it isn’t even May.  Most likely, the failure of the yucca stalks to bear flowers emanates from our dry spell — we shan’t call it a drought, just yet.

21. Horse mint

Horse mint is neither as prolific nor robust as it was two years ago.  Again, we lack additional rains to bring the horse mint to full fruition.  But some hearty plants, nonetheless, have sprouted.

22. Texas pricklypoppy, Papaveraceae (Poppy Family)

To my west, on the Dooley place, a whole field of Texas pricklypoppy has erupted.  I have a few poppies on Flying Hat Ranchito, and No. 22 is an example.

23. Unidentified

Yellow flowers predominate this time of year on my ranchito, especially the Cut-Leaf Daisy.  But No. 23, a yellow flower, I have not identified.  I first had it down as a Black-Eyed Susan, but now I am not so sure.

24. Indian Blanket

Indian Blankets are rather sparse this Spring, not fully developed as two years ago.  Nonetheless, here is No. 24, a photograph I took this morning over in the far field.  I have brilliant photos of the Indian Blanket from year’s past, but this No. 24 is from my project of photographing wild flowers for 2012-2013.

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This morning as I drove along the southern boundary of the far field where the large pecan tree lives, I came across a roost of Monarch butterflies among the Mustang grapevines and mesquite.  I estimate twenty to thirty Monarchs abounded, played and flew about the fence line, large butterflies they were.  ‘Tis not a promise, but I may go over in the morning and photograph the area.  And, I shall come back to the house and type out my spiel on a QWERTY keyboard, not an iPhone.  Furthermore, my Olivetti portable needs to be resettled in my office and not remain in the barn, do you not agree?

Flowers of Flying Hat (10-11): Salt Creek water sounds

The rains about two weeks ago produced sufficient runoff from pastures farther upstream to maintain a water flow in Salt Creek, an intermittent creek that runs through the ranchito.  You can turn up your sound volume and hear the burble of water flowing over and down sedimentary rock.

This is the first sustained water flow — beyond thunderstorm rains — since before the drought.

10. Gyp Indian Blanket, rear view of blossom that is pointed west.

The Gyp Indian Blanket is one of my favorite wildflowers.  They are so free-standing, tall and bunched together like a family.

Gyp Indian Blanket family

 

11. Vetch with yucca sprouts

The vetch is knee-high near the house and in the far field it is waist-high in some places.  I like this photograph because of the contrast — yucca and delicate vetch blossoms.

My photography of every new-emergent flower continues.  I have several varieties backlogged in pictures.  Today I have taken several photographs of the Stork’s Bill blossom and will post them soon.

Field Log 3/28/2010

North Erath County, Texas, 32.43 lat., -98.36 long. Elev. 1,086 ft.  Turkey Creek Quad.

The wind continues to blow today, approx. 15-25 m.p.h.   Yesterday, the wind was so strong it blew the mistletoe off the trees.  That’s gotta be high wind.

Yesterday, looked at Cooper’s in Stephenville for hackamore.  No good choices.  Too much metal.  Duncan Steele-Park used soft rope, no metal for the hackamore.

Fanny adjusting back to the ranch, but the colt down in the arena is having a hissy-fit to get close to her.  Shiney the colt is all-boy.  He’s eleven-months old, doesn’t know what his body is all about right now, but he will.  We mature males and females went through this period, I think — puberty.

Today, let Fanny, Hija and Lilly into pasture.  Shiney runs around the arena trying to attract Fanny’s attention.  Shiney is a full-brother to Fanny (same sire, same dam).  He calms down, then I put the mares into the Broke Tree Corral and stall area.  They seem relieved to get away from the peppy little guy that just wants to play.

Evening feed, two-hours ago, they all settled in.  Calm, for awhile.

Buttercup (Oenothera triloba Nutt), Poprock Ranch House, March 2010 (click to enlarge)

I searched for genus and species typing for the wildflower above.  Found it in Irwin and Wills, Roadside Flowers of Texas, that I have cited before.  These blossoms open in the morning and in the later afternoon shade.  The plant falls under the Evening-Primrose Family (Onagraceae).  Brenda first called it an evening-shade plant and she was correct.

This next blossom is from the same vicinity of the Buttercup.  This is the Wild Onion (Allium mobilense) that I found this morning.  I go out for the third time to the Poprock Ranch House grounds, to the southwest, prior to the barn, and I find this Wild Onion.  It is next to the fence line and the morning sun is rising fast.  Don’t want to lose the shadow for this framing.

Prickly Pear Cactus and Wild Onion (Allium mobilense), March 2010 (click to enlarge)

Then, upon scanning the ground, I find these other wildflowers.  I will identify them later, but I thought to end the weekend, I’ll go ahead and post them.

Unknown No. 1, Poprock Hill Ranch House Grounds, March 2010 (click to enlarge)

Unknown No. 2, Poprock Hill Ranch House Grounds, March 2010 (click to enlarge)

Unknown No. 2, Close-up, Poprock Hill Ranch House Grounds, March 2010 (click to enlarge)

This is a close-up view of the previous wildflower, having a distinctive scent.

Wind has died down.

Neighbors across on the country road that live in the trailer house have moved.  I liked the family.  Young woman with child.  She wrote letters and lifted up the red flag on the rural mailbox so that Jeannie Chisolm, our mail carrier and caretaker, could take the letters to friends far and wide.  Sometimes both our red flags for Jeannie would be up and I felt close to the family across the country road.