Inside Pot Hole Arch

Evening

The Island

The Island which most of the time you can walk out to is experiencing snow melt. It's usually between the 1st and 10th of June that the river reaches it's high water mark.

The Sun, The Shade

When the sun first appears each morning all are anxious to greet it. At 95 degrees it has worn out it's welcome.

But Not Always

For most the drive to Base Camp, though a bit challenging sometimes, is uneventful. But not always.

Something Ain't Right

For the third time in a month guests have returned to the lodge saying they can't get to Chicken Corner as someone has strung a fence across the road. The cowboys strung that fence and gate when they had cattle here in November and part of December. Once Linny and Tom found they were gone they took the gate down. Now three times someone has put it back. Tom again takes the gate down and drives out to Chicken Corner but doesn't find anything out of the usual. Perhaps down Lockhart Basin somewhere there is mischief. On the return from Chicken Corner Tom finds a rock cairn used for direction creatively done.

Road to Dripping Springs

It's Tom's plan to climb the Anti-Cline to Hatch Point on three different trails this summer. First, he better check the road to Dripping Springs and see how far he can drive back to get a head start.

Anti-Cline

With a few days off Tom has been going through and organizing the thousands of pictures he has taken of the Base Camp area over the last eight years. Here are the colors of the Anti-Cline.

Saturday 5:30am

The kayak slips quietly into the water. Tom knows what time the birds come for feeding each morning but not when they actually wake up. Locating many of the birds he sees each day it turns out his journey has drawn the curiosity of the beavers as they accompany him much of the morning.

The Hurrah Shapes of Morning

Sun rising, moon falling, the shapes of Hurrah emerge. A small rock pushing a large rock, or perhaps holding it up, neither speak, it's hard to know. The two trains are not moving. Last year the smoke stacks both fell off the one on the left. It is still changing yet to know the shape of nature's next rebirth. The rock remains balanced and the camel with early morning light sleeps still. As Tom begins his descent of the far side of Hurrah he's reminded of a smaller Linny's words many nights before falling asleep. "Tom, we will be safe tonight. The China Man is watching to make sure no bad people come." She was right.

Breakfast at Tiffanys

Tom set the GoPro at the feeding area across from the front porch for 100 minutes. These are the interactions closest to the GoPro. Truly the melting pot.

It Rained

Weather forecast said 70% chance of showers. What it meant, clearly a typo, was, it's going to rain 100% of the time.

Always Something New

Last week it was the Cattle Egret (White Heron) that made a guest appearance each day at Base Camp. This week it has been a white Eurasian Collared Dove. Base Camp has large numbers of gray ones but never a white one and running an internet search doesn't help so apparently they are pretty rare.

Happy Birthday Best Friend

Linny is 11 today. Through the years.......

The Day

As Kobae continues to trim the flowers and shrubbery for hours each day, just a few feet away, there is love in the bushes.

Flowers

Not quite as many as there was before.

Friday

Newest Critter

For the last four or five days, first time Tom has ever seen one, a Cattle Egret (a White Heron) has lost it's way and is hanging out at Base Camp.

Thursday