What a story we live in, living in Mountain City. “A little slice of paradise” is what some say.
With the people, pets, and nature, every week there’s something interesting. Here we live!
Last week’s Neighbors Night Out on the lawn of Beth and Everett Smith (they’ve hosted the event every year, starting with all those years when the event was held in August) brought together neighbors with the local law enforcement and fire fighters. The Smith’s provided ice cream treats. Thanks, Smiths!
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About mid-week, a big black “cow” (shorthorn bull) started showing up on lawns in the Live Oak Drive cul-de-sac. He came and went. On the day he sauntered up the middle of the street towards Maple, RonTom shooed him back towards where he belongs.
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Along about Thursday, the bovine being took a liking to our spineless cactus.
After several days, some tried calling the Mayor. Back in the days when Beth Smith was mayor, she was the “Know Everything and Do Everything” person. No matter what happened, she knew what to do. She’d “take the bull by the horns.”
Now, in this day and age, when her daughter Tiffany is mayor, the city has an interlocal agreement with the county for “animal control.” Animal Control is closed on weekends, so a deputy came out on Sunday. He planned to drive back along Indian Hills Drive.
About that time, Salli Wilson (who lives on Maple, directly backing up to ranchland) returned home and phoned with the number of “her” rancher.
Between the deputy and the rancher, for this story, there’s anecdotal evidence a fence got mended.
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What we saw on Monday were small “white” butterflies flowing along our network of white-topped frostweed. Aided by my iPhone camera and the (out of print) Texas Monthly “Field Guide to Butterflies of Texas” (Raymond W. Neck), Ron identified the lovelies, “Amymone” (Mestra amymone). It’s a resident to Central America to the southern U.S., as far north as Austin. These butterflies occasionally migrate “to Kansas, even Minnesota.”
It’s actually very pale gray on the top side with a brown-orange border. The bottom side, totally different to the point we wondered if I was photographing the same species, is orange with brown-rimmed white spots.
This butterfly has a 27-day life cycle. The caterpillar is lime green with horns that turn orange. Right here in Mountain City. Be on the lookout.
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Saturday’s Fire & Ice festival had neither fire (salsa) nor ice (ice cream) competitors. (Penny Moulder’s son graciously supplied Blue Bell.) This year’s unique trophies will be retrofitted for 2017. The new neighbors on the corner of Mountain City Drive and Pecan plan to enter salsa next year. Hope you’ll enter, too!
Fire and Ice did have fun, food (thanks, Roland!), music (thanks, Island Texas!), about four vendors, and friendly conversations.
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What’s happening for next week’s Montage? You tell me, please. ptom5678@gmail.com (subject: TIDBIT) or 512 268 5678. Thanks! Love, Pauline
