End of Summer

It’s the last week of summer. September 23rd, 2015, will be the day when night and day are about the same length of time, also known as “autumnal equinox” (“equinox” means “equal night”). From here on out, the days start to get shorter than the nights, and the temperature begin to cool down. Changes in nature are noticeable. Wild flowers are appearing everywhere, golden rods – one of the signs of the coming of autumn – included. Grasses are seeding. Berries, fruits, and nuts are forming. Duck weed and algae on the pond surface excite duck hunters. It’s time to clear out the path ways through the wood.

Mill Creek & Crooked Creek, Van Zandt County, Tx
Photographs © 2015 Ine Burke | inegaleri.com

Pastel Palette in a Morning

Edgewood, Nature, Summer

Fog brings shades of pastel palette to a late summer morning in East Texas.

The Soft Side of Sunset

Nature, Summer, Travel, Wills Point

It’s the soft side of sunset at Holiday Marina, Lake Tawakoni, looking east towards the Iron Bridge Dam, spotlighted by the golden light of sunset.

Tawakoni Sunset

Nature, Skyscape, Summer, Travel, Wills Point

Labor Day weekend at Holiday Marina, Lake Tawakoni, Van Zandt County, Tx.

Flights of Hawks

Edgewood, Nature, Summer

A group of hawks (not sure what the exact species name is) occasionally glide playfully above us. They make synchronized flights in circle then suddenly break apart into a chaos burst. This event usually occurs when a cold front is coming to the area. They fly and glide as low as the tree tops, sometimes dive down even lower, another time very high up in the sky. Group of 30, and one time even maybe hundreds, seem to enjoy the cool air draft and glide along with it. It’s a quite a show.

Sturgeon Moon

Edgewood, Nature, Skyscape, Summer

The August full moon is here tonight. Some Native American fishing tribes called the August full moon as the “Sturgeon Moon” as the large fish sturgeon were most readily caught during this month. Other tribes call it Full Red Moon, because of its reddish shade when it rises. It was also called Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon

It’s exciting, but the best is yet to come. The next full moon (September 27, 2015) will be the closest on the calendar to the autumnal equinox (autumn will start September 22) and known as the Harvest Moon. It will also be the biggest full moon of 2015. To make this event more exciting, September 27 will also feature a total lunar eclipse. Keep watching! Source Space.com.

Where Sabine River Starts

Historic Parkway, Nature, Summer, Wills Point

Sabine River spans over 500 miles from the upper East Texas area to the Gulf of Mexico. It rises in northern Hunt County and eastern Collin and Rockwall County, then flows eastward to Texas and Louisiana border near Logansport, Louisiana, continues southward to the Gulf of Mexico by Orange, Texas. Lake Tawakoni and Iron Bridge Dam which lies partly in Van Zandt and Rains County, Texas, was constructed at the headwaters of the river to provide water for the City of Dallas after the infamous Seven Years Drought in in the late 1940’s to mid 1950’s. The construction was completed in 1960. Now, besides providing water, this historic area has become a highlighted recreation facility for the residents. It’s located on FM47, 10 miles northeast of Wills Point, see “Tawakoni Dam” sign. Source: Sabine River Authority of Texas.

Lake Tawakoni, by the Iron Bridge Dam, FM47 northeast of Wills Point

Sabine River, right on the other side of Lake Tawakoni and the Iron Bridge Dam Spillway.

Historic Recruitment and Training Camp Matthew F. Locke was established near this area in 1861.

Perseid Meteors and Milky Way over Edgewood, Tx

Edgewood, Nature, Skyscape, Summer

The annual Perseid Meteor Shower was at its best the past two days. Last night, the Milky Way was right on top of our farm house in Edgewood, TX, shifting from our South within five days. While watching the stars, occasional Perseid meteors left trails.

Looking Northeast, a Perseid meteor and Milky Way (and a jet trail on bottom left), August 13th, 2015, 11PM

Looking South, Milky Way and a short meteor trail, August 8th, 2015, 10PM

Link: Perseid Meteor Shower

The Canvas of East Texas Summer

Countryscape, Edgewood, Nature, Summer

Summer
Some say that Texas is unbearable in summer;
but I say, that one must offer some small sacrifice to the Sun Gods,
in order to bear witness to the beauty of the season.
Red and yellow and bronze and gold,
all have their place on this summer palette so bold,
that even the fiercest of Ra’s demons
could not dispel the radiance that emanates from the Artist’s brush.
As the emerald canvas fades to brown,
the days will mercifully grow shorter, and cooler,
until once again God’s festive palette bursts forth with the shades of Autumn.
Some say that Texas is unbearable in summer;
but I say, grab a glass of sweet tea
and sit in the shade of your favorite tree,
and bear witness to what may be,
the most wonderful season of the year.
Summer.

by Harold Burke, 2013

Embracing the 107F (41C) day today and triple-digit day in the fourteen days to come –not to mention triple-digit day in the past 9 days– I ponder upon a poem that my husband wrote in summer 2013.

The Forlorn Boat – A breezy morning by the creek, 2015

A view of the pond in a steamy-hot and still August evening

The poem was published in County Line Magazine, July/August 2013 issue, accompanied by my photograph, The Forlorn Boat

The Forlorn Boat – Golden Sunset, 2013

August 2015 observation and forecast for Edgewood, Texas

The beauty of August in East Texas.

Hay Season

Countryscape, Edgewood, Summer

White herons attracted by critters discovered by the mowing tractor. They fled as soon as the curious pet dog arrived.

The mower left behind a clump of Black Eyed Susan. Freshly mowed hay left to dry under the heat of summer.

Rolls and rolls of hay awaiting the cattlemen to haul them off and save them for the cold season to come. The beauty of August in East Texas.

The Crooked Creek has Dried

Edgewood, Nature, Summer

The creek that overflowed the county road in late spring has dried up.

A blue heron fishing on the county road overflowed by the Crooked Creek in spring

Dried up Crooked Creek in August

The water outlet under the county road, which was overloaded in spring, is now exposed.

Water crossing the county road as the outlet underneath overloaded, in spring

Now the outlet is exposed

Rippling water on the road is now replaced by yearning tree roots on the creek’s bank.

Water from the creek rippling on the road in spring

Tree roots on the creek’s bank yearning for water in August

Occasional entertainment in the sky has changed from spring rainbow shows to fleeing white herons above the hay field.

Spring shower rainbow

White herons fleeing the hay field

The nearby Mill Creek is receding, too.

Mill Creek in August

The beauty of August in East Texas.

Super Blue Moon over Edgewood, Tx

Edgewood, Nature, Photography, Skyscape, Summer

Blue Moon is a phenomenon that occurs when a second full moon happens in one calendar month. Last night, not only was it the blue moon, but it was also a supermoon (or perigee) which occurs when the moon is at its closest approach to the earth. The first full moon in the month of July 2015 was on July 1st. This is a rare occasion. The last blue moon happens in 2012 and the next one will be in 2018. The infrequent nature of this lunar event led to the phrase “once in a blue moon” to signify a rare occurrence. It does not actually mean the moon will be blue. (Telegraph.co.uk)

The blue moon over Edgewood, Tx – July 31st, 2015, 11pm

The moon and sky in the morning, August 1st, 2015, 6.30 am

Moon Rising, Airplane Passing

Edgewood, Nature, Photography, Skyscape, Summer

Wednesday, in the vineyard, on the first of July.

9.02 PM

9.07 PM

9.14 PM

Moon Rising, Airplane passing on July 1st, 2015 - 9.31 PM

Airplane passing – 9.31 PM

“Clouds, clouds, are you mocking us?” say the trees

Black and White, Countryscape, Edgewood, Nature, Photography, Skyscape, Summer

It has been so alive and active up there, lately. Cold front from the North and warm air wave from the South were fighting for a place here in East Texas. It brought few scattered thunderstorms, cool temperature one day and very warm the next. But the best thing was these spreads of playful clouds on the skyscape. One cool-ish afternoon, close to the end of June, the clouds decided to mock the shape of the tree lines – at least according to my eyesight.

Hay Tracks

Black and White, Countryscape, Edgewood, Photography, Summer

Edgewood, Texas

Freshly mowed hay leaving tracks that portray the land’s contour and perimeter

Photographs © Ine Burke / Inegaleri 2013

Chimney Swifts’ Maneuver against Majestic Texas Sky

Edgewood, Nature, Photography, Skyscape, Summer

It was the first sunset in July.

Chimney swifts maneuvering against the majestic Texas sky before settling down back in the chimney for the night.

Photographs © Ine Burke / Inegaleri 2013

See more Texas sky photos in my book: On the Edge of the Piney Woods

The Battle of the Neches Memorial 2012

Historic Site, Memorial, Nature, Photography, Redland, Summer, Upper East Texas

Battle of the Neches Memorial Ceremony, July 14th, 2012

Excerpted from “Remembering the Battle of the Neches, Cherokee Chief Bowles, Other Victims” by Shea Gilchrist, published in County Line Magazine, July 2012 issue, page 16:

“… Texas Cherokee and 12 associated tribal bands under the leadership of Chief John ‘Duwa ‘li’ Bowles, Chief Big Mush, and six other tribal chiefs were slain July 16, 1839. The massacre by the Republic of Texas Army, under the direction of President Mirabeau Lamar, took the lives of many innocent men, women, and children along with the burning of a Delaware village. The associated Indian tribal bands were Cherokee, Shawnee, Delaware, Kickapoo, Quapaw, Choctaw, Biloxi, Ioni, Alabama, Coushatta, Caddo of the Neches, Tahocullake, Mataquo and possibly other groups.

In 1936, the State of Texas erected a marker to honor Chief Bowles on the land. It is believed that Bowles died 20 feet in proximity to the marker. When visiting the land, there is a definite feeling of peace, the mystical, and the sacred.

… The most important event they hold on the land each year is the Battle of the Neches memorial ceremony held this year on July 14th.”

The land and historical marker is located at Redland, from Hwy 64 between Edom and Tyler take CR 4923, keep left on a split, keep going and look for the signs “Chief Bowles Memorial”.

Visit their website at www.aics1839.com.

Battle of the Neches Memorial Day 34 - Rainbow at the Site

Battle of the Neches Memorial Day 35 - Sky at the Site

Battle of the Neches Memorial Day 36 - Double Rainbows at the Site 1

Battle of the Neches Memorial Day 37 - Double Rainbows at the Site 2

Battle of the Neches Memorial Day 38- Sky on Interstate 20

Battle of the Neches Memorial Day 39- Sunset along Hwy 19

Rains County Founder’s Day Festival 2012

Emory, Festivals, Old Downtown, Photography, Summer, Upper East Texas, Way of Life

Rains County Founder’s Day Festival, May 5th, 2012
The festival is celebrating the heritage and pioneer spirit of Rains County. This year’s festival coincides with Cinco de Mayo. This post covers the Founder’s Day Parade in front of Rains County Courthouse, Ford Model A Car Show, Tonantsi Dance by Rains High School Spanish Club, and Radio Control Airplane demonstration.