Happy New Year

BRRRRRR! This is South Texas, a sub-tropical habitat and we've had nothing but rain and cold since we arrived. 47 degrees now (6 AM) and that's warmer than any time yesterday. We finished the year with 26.40 inches of rainfall, 2 1/2 of which came the last 2 days of the year. By contrast Anahuac received 45.58 inches total.

Black-eyed peas cooked in the crockpot yesterday so they're ready to go. Interesting how peas came to be a symbol of good luck for the New Year. Dates back to the Civil War and Sherman's march to the sea. The Union soldiers raided farms and fields for all available food plus taking the livestock. What they couldn't eat was burned, with the exception of "field peas" which were considered only fit for feeding livestock. Therefore, the southern folk relied upon these field peas for food and were lucky to to survive.

Thought the rain might be over so we headed out to try for the Amazon Kingfisher along Hwy 100. No luck with that one. 

Stopped by Palmdale RV at Los Fresnos to see Alvin's cousin Doris and her husband Bob. Met them quite by accident last year at a restaurant in Port Isabel. Had a nice visit with them to catch up on family news. Several of the older cousins  have passed this last year. 

Decided to add some birds for the new year. Had picked up White-tailed Kite and White-tailed Hawk on Hwy 106 earlier along with Turkey and Black Vulture and Crested Caracara. On Buena Vista Blvd, snagged Roadrunner, Bobwhite, and more mockingbirds than I could count. At VC, tagged Long-billed Thrasher, Cardinal, and Yellow-rump, Green Jay, and Chachalaca. Slim pickins with no feeders refilled for two days. Osprey Overlook had Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Great Egret plus Ground Dove. 

Just before the Rv village, we were treated to 3 beautiful Altamira Oriole. 

Happy New Year!