On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 15:58:22 GMT, David Wright wrote:

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 13:10:36 GMT, animaux wrote:

http://www.utep.edu/museum/archive/r...DDmedgecko.htm

Thanks for that reference, Victoria. Art Harris is someone with whom I
share a common academic ancestry.

You're welcome. Actually, the gecko's we have out back come out only at night
and sometimes when the female has eggs, she is so transparent we can see the
eggs through her skin. We once saw one hatch. They are the size of an enlarged
grain of rice.

You reminded me of a favorite story. A prominent biologist of the time
(I believe it was C. D. Darlington) had just given a talk on evolution
to a group of clergy. Afterward, one of them asked him what he could
discern about the Creator from having studied "His" creations. His
answer was, "An inordinate fondness for beetles."

Hahaha! The "fish" on my vehicle says DARWIN.


I try to do that, too, and am pleased that our tiny suburban wildscape
has so many critters -- birds, lepidopterans, and herps, specifically
-- that neighbors will stop on their evening walks to point them out
to their kids.

I have a neighbor who gossips about me. His problem is, everyone here really
gets along, sans him, and it gets back to me all the time. He puts Ironite out
4 times a year and complains my oleander hedge is toxic to his kids. He has
called my certified wildlife habitat backyard a big mess. He has no idea what a
compliment that is to me! You can see my garden on Central Texas Gardener on
July 5 at noon and 4pm, also that following Wednesday at I believe 9:30a on
KRLU. Check listings.


Unfortunately, some of these people will tell me, "I'd like to do that
with my yard, but ..." I just try to encourage them, but I haven't
seen anyone else do this in our subdivision. Maybe next year.

David, off to shake the seeds out of a bag-full of bluebonnets

Everyone loves our gardens, but they still fuss over their perfectly manicured
lawns with their preventative ChemLawn and exterminator contracts. Baffling.

The other day I was out standing there popping the bluebonnet seeds to extend
their range for next year and the other gardener on the block came by and asked
me if I was scattering the bluebonnets. Why of course I am! A lot of them are
already germinated and forming next years rosette. Actually, this is the best
time to plant them...when they naturally scatter their own seeds.

later,
v