Fire

It was pretty scary around the pond for the last few days.  Labor day weekend started ominously with fierce dry winds.  Then later, inevitably, fires raged in two areas close enough to us to fill our skies with billowing smoke and ash while the news started streaming in regarding catastrophic losses in other areas of central Texas.  We called the county emergency services periodically to get news of the fire to see whether it might be necessary for us to flee.  Thankfully, once the weekend was over, the winds died down and the temps dropped a bit in the evening.  Nevertheless, in Bastrop, just east of Austin, almost 1500 homes were destroyed and over 25 square miles of land, including two State parks.  In Austin, a pricey subdivision lost more than 25 homes. In Leander and Cedar Park, two cities north of Austin, more houses were destroyed.  The two fires near us, one in Pedernales Bend and one near Hamilton Pool road, more homes were lost but the fires are finally under control, as is the central Austin fire.  Only the Bastrop remains dangerous, although it appears to be somewhat contained and they have begun to let some people back into the area.

With the drop in evening temperatures, we have seen more birds and this little one popped into the pond.

This is probably the youngest toad I've seen in the pond. She has been hanging out in the mornings and evenings, while the shy young leopard frog still comes by in the evening.

Everyone is talking about the devastation to human homes, but I can't help mourning the loss of all the critter habitat.  With this drought, there just is no water.  Poor frogs, snakes and toads.  This drought could have repercussions for generations to come.