I sat outside with a big mug of coffee last night for a couple hours. It has been a long winter, 3 coldest, 4th most snowfall on record.
Still snow in the woods, but today was warm, and last night, the spring peepers ( frogs) were out in full force.
I don't have a radio or any music device except in my truck. I would rather listen to whatever nature has to listen to.
But wow, did I ever need to hear those frogs singing! Spring is actually here!

Enjoy it during your lifetime. It will be gone soon enough. https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/06...utter-scn/index.html The world is going to be a sad place at the rate we destroy nature.

Or, you can do like I did and help get new water quality laws passed, first locally, then statewide.
But keep bitching about things, bound to help, probably Trumps fault.

I live out in the country also + I am seeing the changes rapidly as more folks are moving in.When I 1st bought this land + built my house,there were no neighbors + friends from Austin would come out ONCE as it was a long drive.Friends from Houston would come up +get on the roof (I put in a scuttle hole to get on the roof)to look at the stars since there were no lights around.So many had never really seen the stars.I got a letter the other day from some guy that was willing to pay me 60K for 2 acres on my place.I threw it in the trash.

Let's all give theback40 a big pat on the back.

i got a place for sale on 2 acres in a secluded area on a river if anyone wants to get back to nature. 5 miles in from the highway on ranchland. real estate guy brought his buddy out the other day and his comment was "this is paradise". to us it is anyway.

City folks move to the country to get away from the city. They don't like country ways and try to change regulations to make it more like the city.

Dave

I've listened to bullshit articles my whole life. Things have become extinct since time began.
That said, my brother and I have MOL 1300 acres at this point. Neither of us had anything but our two hands when we started out. We now have rivers and streams, swamp, pasture, ag fields and woodland. We don't have a big bank account by any means, but rich in what matters to us. We stabilize streambanks, protect the swamps from road run-off, protect against erosion and manage the woods. Making sure the wildlife is encouraged and protected is always top in out decisions for planting and harvesting times. When our time is done, the land will go into a protected trust. Kensco can just go on posting doom and gloom and do nothing.

as of yesterday, we have had to hire an atty to fight a company that provides water to the californians etc that are invading texas everyday. son bought 3 acres in the wilds 10 years ago, built a house , a garden, shop, etc with his own 2 hands and some tools i bought/gave him. lots were from the farm i grew up on in the 50s and belonged to my grandfather. now hes getting notices from this water company saying they WILL be conducting tests on his property with the intent of piping water to the housing developments along hwy 35 outside of austin. they don't just want a pipeline route, but his whole property under "imminant doman". they will bulldoze his house, garden, sheds, horse corral etc. we are hoping to make it so difficult for them legally that they will go somewhere else. he owns 10 acres nearby that adjoins 250 where we hunt, shoot etc that we have full access to. this is a travesty. looks like his sitting on his deck and listening to the bullfrogs days are nearly over unless we can find a way to fight em. lawyer is sending cease and desist letters today, but she says its probably a losing battle. they have much deeper pockets. any suggestions appreciated. didn't mean to hijack the thread.

The first thing I would do John, is see if you can tell the story on a radio station, or at least in a newspaper. Land rights in TX are a big deal I'm sure. Get some public outrage against outside forces trying to take away property.

right. if we don't like what we hear from the lawyer as it progresses we are going raise hell on social media etc.

Maybe you could force them to do an environmental impact study as well?

thats on their agenda but we are hoping we can squelch the whole thing before even that happens. he lives off a minor farm to market road in the sticks, land around him everywhere. going thru his measley 3 acres is totally unnecessary. it was a cotton gin in the 30s and has been abandoned for years and he turned it into his home with beautiful hand cut table tops, window sills, etc. from fallen mesquite trees on my property. 12' wide upper story deck. by his own hand. yea, he's kinda pissed.

Unfortunately one can get all the justice they can afford out of the LEGAL system.
As one of our local rather infamous judges used to say when he retired and went back to practicing law and a radio station gig . . .
"I'll defend you to your last nickel."

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
Unfortunately one can get all the justice they can afford out of the LEGAL system.
As one of our local rather infamous judges used to say when he retired and went back to practicing law and a radio station gig . . .
"I'll defend you to your last nickel."

if that don't say it all!!

I just read that with all the Californians moving to Texas the democrats think they have a chance to flip the state.

Dave

we been shaking out heads on this one for years. they leave california to escape the evils of liberalism then vote democrat in texas. guess theres no cure for stupid.

quote:

Originally posted by john c.:
we been shaking out heads on this one for years. they leave california to escape the evils of liberalism then vote democrat in texas. guess theres no cure for stupid.

There is not!


.

That has been the consense for quite some time.They come bringing their ideas + rude driving habits + then totally trash our property values that is making our property taxes soar.Kalifornicators!

It’s pretty insane. I’m a city dweller and have seen the change over the past decade plus. We all have our theories.

Yeah its bad all over. I have a friend in town that lives off Barton Springs Rd. in Austin. Just a house on a lot + her taxes are 15K a year. She rents out rooms during music events to supplement her income + now the city of Austin is charging anyone doing that with an additional "Hotel Tax".What a crock.

I miss those peepers. The sad part was when it was time to leave the pond and they would head uphill toward our irrigated lawn. I would find them all over, even in the carport. When it came time to mow, I was constantly stopping, trying to give those little friends time to get out of the path, but many perished. Also brought snakes to the lawn to hunt the peepers.

Well I live damn close to downtown and have tree frogs and toads and fireflies and geckos and grass snakes and you name it...but I don't out out a lot of chemicals. Damn frogs are loud, and I got something new sounds like a transformer about to blow (warning siren) so maybe living hood adjacent is paying off.

They do a watchdog function just like guinea fowl,except both go off at anything.But it does keep you aware.