Wildflower drives Cuero, Texas

Wildflower drives Cuero, Texas

April 12, 2007.

We stayed in a small "locals" RV-Park for the one night we were in Cuero. It was clean and adequate with a 50-amp and 120V connector at the park post but no 30-amp it did have water and sewer and cable all for $15---Rivercrest RV-Park Cuero, TX 830-591-6022

Upon entering Cuero from the south on US-77A (US-183) we started looking for a roadside rest area that Texas provides along most highways. We wanted to drop the motorhome and do several wildflower loops in the Saturn. We spotted one less than 7-miles south of Cuero that was perfect for our need.

Rest area south of Cuero, Texas

This is the motorhome sitting in the rest area just south of Cuero, Texas. It was a good place to drop the motorhome while we enjoyed ourselves on the wildflower loops.

Herbertia

While this appears to be a very easy wildflower to identify we have not found it in any of our wildflower books. We spotted this flower in good numbers around Cuero. If you know what it is please let me know. Guess what? My good friend Sharry, from Vanderpool, wrote to tell me that this was a herbertia. Thanks Sharry. None of my wildflower books mention herbertia much less provide a picture of one.

This is another blue wildflower that we have not yet identified. It was also abundant in fields around Cuero.

Bluebonets

These are the ubiquitous bluebonets that Texas is so noted for. These actually grow better further north. We think that the area around Brenham, Texas and Willow Loop northeast of Fredericksburg, Texas have better displays of bluebonets.

Crested Caracara

Joyce snapped this great picture of a Crested Caracara. While the Crested Caracara is the national bird of Mexico they range into the southern United States especially Texas. We occasionally see Crested Caracara in south Florida usually in the interior cattle raising areas south of Orlando.

Texans refer to the caracara as the "Mexican Eagle". While looking similar to an eagle it has many habits of the common vulture. With a wingspan of over 4-feet it matches the common red tailed hawk in size. The head is featherless with red or orange facial skin around a massive hooked beak. The black and white markings make this an easy bird to identify, especially in flight. You are most likely to spot caracara in rangelands and the flat coastal plain of south Texas.

Caracara feeds on carrion with vultures as well as foraging on the ground where it uses long legs to run down insects, lizards, snakes and sometimes small mammals. We spot them fairly often either in fields with cattle or with vultures feeding on roadkill. Whatever, it is a pretty bird and Joyce really got a good picture of this one.

Donkeys

Donkeys are a pretty common sight in Texas. It seems many ranchers keep them because they hate coyotes and will chase them away from other livestock. Most times we see them with sheep or goats.

Guadalupe River

This is the Guadalupe River taken from a bridge near Cuero.

Huisache daisies

These colorful flowers are huisache daisies. The roadside and fields around Cuero are filled with these.

Huisache daisy

Close-up of a huisache daisy.

Hunt stand

Hunt stands like this one are a common sight in rural Texas.

Yellow wildflowers

Landscape filled with a variety of yellow wildflowers and a sprinkling of bluebonets.

DeWitt County Court House

Texas has many old historical buildings constructed of limestone. I would like to know the history on this beautiful building. Once again Sharry, my friend from Vanderpool, identified this picture as the DeWitt County Court House. Not only did she identify the building she provided a link:

http://www.texasescapes.com/TRIPS/GreatAmericanLegendTour/DeWittCountyTx/DeWittCountyCourthouse.htm

According to the above article this 1897 Romanesque Revival DeWitt County Courthouse in Cuero is built of brown sandstone and pink granite quarried from near Marble Falls. Again, my thanks go to Sharry for coming to the rescue and answering the question.

Lindenau, Texas

This historical marker provides information on the building pictured below. While it mentions hunt club it serves mostly as a community meeting place and dance hall.

Lindenau, Texas dance hall

Historic building in the old town of Lindenau, Texas.

Texas wildflowers

A field of mixed wildflowers. The red ones are Indian paintbrush.

Pastoral scene with live oak

Pastoral scene complete with wildflowers, pasture and a beautiful live oak.

Sheep and white prickly poppy

Pasture with sheep and white prickly poppy.

Mesquite tree, barbed wire fences & wildflowers

This scene has it all, a mesquite tree, barbed wire fences, wildflowers and a beautiful pasture.

Wine cup and white prickly poppy

Wine cup and white prickly poppy.

Scissor tail fly catcher

These are scissors tail fly catchers. We normally only see these in Texas where they should be the state bird.

Wild turkey

Seeing turkey and getting a picture of them are two different things. Joyce snapped this just as the one on the left flew off and the other ran into the bushes.

Texas wildflowers

Texas wildflowers

Cuero is the wildflower capitol of Texas and we can see why. Wildflowers of all kinds seem to be represented in the area.

Wild foxglove

These are wild foxglove. They are showy as a single flower or as a hillside display.

Wild foxglove

Wild Phlox

Wild Phlox.

Wine cup and huisache daisy

Wine cup and huisache daisy.

Huisache daisy

This field looks like huisache daisy but I am not sure. Whatever, they were a spectacular sight.

This is a close-up of some yellow flowers we have not identified. Anyone want to help?

Old barn, wildflowers and a wooden fence

This is another one of those pictures that seems to have it all, an old barn, wildflowers and a wooden fence.

The wildflower drives around Cuero in April are simply delightful. If you visit Cuero stop by the wildflower society building and pick up a map of the wildflower drives. Not only will the ladies provide you with a map they will point our where you can see the best display of certain species and their recommendations change daily with the bloom.

We are headed to Fredericksburg, Texas tomorrow. Tomorrow happens to be Friday and "you know who" wants to be there for the weekend action that starts Friday afternoon. Luckenbach will never be the same. VBG

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Until next time remember how good life is.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix