What do bird watching, a garden show, and roller derby have in common?
Nothing, really. Except that Bob and I did all three of them on Saturday. It was a fun day, if a bit busy and tiring.
The Gulf Coast Bird Club hosts a bird walk at Sam Houston Jones State Park on the fourth Saturday morning of every month. I'd been wanting to join them for years and finally had a chance this weekend. We saw wood ducks, various woodpeckers, bluebirds, and a little blue heron, to name a few of the birds these experts spotted that morning. I was amazed at how these people could not only spot birds -- "Where? I don't see it." -- I must have said a dozen times, but also how easily they can identify them by the birds' calls. (The photo below was taken on a previous visit to the park.)
Tell me about your weekend. What adventures did you find?
Nothing, really. Except that Bob and I did all three of them on Saturday. It was a fun day, if a bit busy and tiring.
The Gulf Coast Bird Club hosts a bird walk at Sam Houston Jones State Park on the fourth Saturday morning of every month. I'd been wanting to join them for years and finally had a chance this weekend. We saw wood ducks, various woodpeckers, bluebirds, and a little blue heron, to name a few of the birds these experts spotted that morning. I was amazed at how these people could not only spot birds -- "Where? I don't see it." -- I must have said a dozen times, but also how easily they can identify them by the birds' calls. (The photo below was taken on a previous visit to the park.)
In the afternoon, we went to the Southwest Louisiana Garden Conference and Expo.
Basically, it was a giant plant sale. Vendors sold tomato plants and herbs, orchids and bonsais, bromeliads and hanging baskets of pansies, and fruit trees. I bought a pretty plant I'd never heard of before called a Bear's Ear Tibouchine. Right now it's only lush green leaves, but soon it should burst into showy purple blooms.
Lake Charles has a roller derby team called LaFitte's Ladies. I'd been curious about this for a year or so. Bob and I had wanted to check it out. Seems like there was always something else going on for us when they hosted a home bout. At first, Bob and I were very confused about what was happening, how they score, etc. but we started to catch on by the end of the evening. Seems it's all about the jammers. LaFitte's Ladies beat the Southern Misfits (from Mississippi) 338-118. Sorry for the poor photo quality. It's dimly lit in there and I didn't want to use flash. (And I should get a new camera.)
Tell me about your weekend. What adventures did you find?
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4 comments:
What an eclectic mix of weekend activities! I don't know anything about roller derby, but it seems to me there should be some sort of barrier between that front row of the audience and the skaters (rollers?).
This weekend I took Youngest Daughter shopping for clothes, which was way less pleasant than birding or just about anything else. But now it's done!
Right, CHM, there is no barrier there, at least not at this venue. Not sure about other city's set up. Front row folks take their chances. And do at times end up with a skater in their lap.
I dislike shopping for myself. I can imagine it's even harder shopping for someone else. Good for you!
What is the venue for the roller derby? Just curious, since I doubt I'll go--you never know, though. I always think I'd like to go birding, though. But never do it. Oh, what I did this weekend was so much fun, I can't remember any of it. :)
Jan, it's on 2nd St. a block west of Enterprise.
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