Things proceed apace here. One of my law partners just left our small firm. This has entailed some administrative efforts. I am in the last few years of my law practice, and feel disinclined to complain.

We are heading to Tucson to visit my wife's stepmother. We enjoy this nearly-annual trip. I like seeing the Cactus Wren and the Vermillion ( Read more... )

I believe this interval from November to February 1 marks my longest space between posts on my weblog. The pause was less a matter of intent and more a matter of no matter at all.

I did not chronicle some work challenges in November. I missed writing about our December holiday visit to Kansas City, where I got a cold that kept me from some of the ( Read more... )

The weather turned from late-Summery Autumn to pre-wintry Autumn. I saw my first Dark-Eyed Juncos of the season. My wife worked at work so far this week after weeks of working from home. We planned some time off just after the Christmas holiday.

I've been following the mid-term elections with interest and a bit of relief that no "red wave" ( Read more... )

Since I last posted, we took a long weekend in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. We rented a very luxurious cabin in the woods. We hiked in the Little River national wildlife reserve, but did not see many birds. We hiked Beavers Bend State Park. Unfortunately, on the Cedar Bluff Trail, my wife had a fall. She had a mild fracture in her ankle which is some ( Read more... )

Over a month passed. I turned 63 on August 12. Work proved very busy. My Collin County bird count reached 91, as I saw some warblers and shorebirds migrating. I've been less active playing chess. I try to solve the Wordle each day, but succeed only 95 percent of the time.

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II inspired far more media coverage in this ( Read more... )

The heat resumed in the first week of August. In the weekend I walked in the Heard Natural Science Center. The temporal wetlands turned dry in the heat, as often happens during hot Summers. I saw a lot of species, but no new additions to my Collin County county of 86. I had 86 in 2020, though, and reached my goal of 100. We'll see how this year ( Read more... )

Yesterday the rain came. It finally broke the heat. We have had 34 days over one hundred degrees Fahrentheit this Summer. Our annual average is 20 days over 100. The change is cylical, so that the last two such Summers were 1980 and 2011. We moved back here in 1990, which was also a scorcher. But 1990 at least was followed by a very cool Autumn.

( Read more... )

Our average Summer has 20 hundred degree fahrenheit days. We had 19 through day before yesterday, with some hot days ahead. A cooling rain fell, though, to reduce the temperature a bit.

I played a few hours of bullet chess on line, with each player having 2 minutes to make all of that player's moves, with 1 second being added to the clock each move ( Read more... )

The average north Texas Summer features roughly 20 over 100 degree Fahrenheit days. This Summer we hover near that point already, with many more hot days in the forecast. Parks are less-frequented, which makes them a bit more prone to wildlife.

A few notes on the past few weeks:

• Sparrow continues to thrive in his Obedience Training Level 2 classes ( Read more... )

I walked in Oak Point Park after work. I hoped to see a few species that my bird list lacks this year. I heard a Dickcissel or three, but did not see one. I did not hear or see a Painted Bunting.

My Collin County list is at 85 species. I aim for more than 100 species each year, I may not make my goal this year, though six months remain in the year.

( Read more... )