Most of my life I’ve called these gentle amphibians “frogs,” and maybe you have too. But these little guys are actually true toads, more specifically Gulf Coast Toads, and I’ve noticed a lot of them in my yard this summer.

If we were to paint—or photograph—the Hill Country today in ways for our unknown descendants to remember us, what would they see? And if they record images of their Texas hills for their posterity, what will those generations see?

Seriously, it’s hot here in Hays County this summer. In spite of the surface-of-the-sun temperatures, there are a few things blooming. I thought I’d share a few colorful flowers with you.

Have you ever wondered about the value of Texas thistle in your landscape and whether or not to keep it or remove it? Well, worry no more. If you want to attract lots of bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators, the answer is simple—love it and leave it.

Roadcuts are a great way to see Texas geology as you drive west from the central Hill Country to the expansive Edwards Plateau. Rockhounds can hunt for rocks and fossils legally on public easements along Texas roads, and roadcuts can prove useful for collecting.

On Saturday, June 18, our dedicated volunteers worked in the Texas summer heat to continue making our park special.

Do areas on your property look like this—sparse vegetation and very little topsoil? Hill County soils are notoriously thin. At one time, this spot likely had lots more soil and vegetation. What happened?

Grasses and fence lines, cedars and oak scrub were all deep, featureless, silent black. Out of that dark came a scream, a quick descending hoarse rasp with a brittle choke at the bottom.

Flower Moon is a Native American name for the May full moon. It speaks to the arrival of spring and all that it entails. But what is a “Super Flower Blood Moon?”

I love exploring the Texas Hill Country and often find myself at the base of a cliff. I always remember the advice I received from a geology professor about not climbing road-cut cliffs because of the hazard created by falling rocks.

Sentinel Peak Preserve is the newest and largest park in Hays County (over 530 acres). You can follow its development and all the other new open spaces made available by the passage of the 2020 Hays County Parks and Open Spaces Bond here.

On Saturday, May 14, eight Hays County Master Naturalist volunteers braved the hot weather and helped with maintenance at Charro Ranch Park in Dripping Springs, Texas. The park is a northern Hays County treasure. Come out and see for yourself!

One question landowners ask when the HELM team pays them a visit is “What should I do about all this cedar?” We start by dispelling myths surrounding cedar.

Schulle Canyon Natural Area is a beautifully conserved green space located right in middle of San Marcos proper.

“Got a minute? Let’s go relax in Patsy Glen.” In 2014, I’d just moved to Wimberley, and a new friend’s invitation was irresistible. A glen, or glenn from old Gaelic gleann, is a small, narrow, secluded valley, forested, sometimes with a stream running through it.

Hays County Master Naturalist welcomes our new Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Advisors, Blake Hendon and Archis Grubh.

Mmmm hopsy, not heavy. With a hint of orange peel! It was a tall cold glass of eight-dollar deliciousness on a sweltering spring day. At invitation of the Driftwood Heritage Conservation Society, Hays County Master Naturalist’s education outreach Wild About Nature (WAN) had an April 10, 2022, Sunday gig out at Vista Brewing Company in Driftwood, Texas.

Have you noticed all the beautiful wildflowers popping up around your property? Most depend on animals to move their pollen around so that we can enjoy flowers again next year. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds aren’t their only pollinators. Beetles, flies, and other insects also move pollen from flower to flower.

It was the first time since 2019 that Wimberley Outdoor Educators was able to lead their Birding Field Trip for Third Graders to the Patsy Glenn Refuge, which is located behind the Wimberley Community Center.

Padre Island is recent in geologic history, under 5000 years old. The island is shaped by the day-to-day actions of the prevailing southeasterly winds, currents, waves, and tides, especially storm tides. April is the windiest month. Those steady 20-mph southeasterly flows can wear you down if you are out in it all day.