The Caregiver’s Tales

Tiny essays on life, nature, grief and other things that catch my fancy in the Texas Hill Country. Here’s how it all got started.

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Nature and the Outdoors John W Wilson Nature and the Outdoors John W Wilson

Bird News

It appears I may have finally dissuaded a pair of swallows from breeding in my garage. Of course, the garage has all manner of bird control devices in it and it’s scented with peppermint spray, but it’s a fair trade from being covered in swallow poop.

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Nature and the Outdoors John W Wilson Nature and the Outdoors John W Wilson

Yesterday

The cleaning continues. Pharaby’s rose at the east end of the house was getting choked by the Orchid Tree and the Yaupon Holly. I pushed them both back and trimmed up the rose. It should get a bit more sun, but we’ll see how it goes.

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Nature and the Outdoors John W Wilson Nature and the Outdoors John W Wilson

The Experience

Had a metaphysical experience in Big Bend last week. On our first day in the park, we were driving around looking at the sights. There were four of us in the truck. I saw a display sign, the sort they have all throughout the park, and asked to stop. The driver obliged.

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Nature and the Outdoors John W Wilson Nature and the Outdoors John W Wilson

The Walk

There were doubts. There were fears. There was the mind grappling with the incomprehensible. Could I walk a long and winding path of approximately 13 miles that rose into the sky 3,000 feet. I was unable to imagine what it would be like. Then I did it.

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Nature and the Outdoors John W Wilson Nature and the Outdoors John W Wilson

The Big Prune

Boy, when mother nature decides to prune trees, she goes all in. I went to help a friend in Wimberley clear fallen limbs from the recent ice storm. I worked about four hours around three or four trees. I kept my chain saw humming and filled a 16-ft trailer with four foot high sides with branches.

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