Six years ago my mother approached me with an idea. She wanted to write a book about all the amazing women that had helped shape the conservation movement in Texas. At the time, I was busy with a new job as the director for Texas Children in Nature, but the idea lingered and eventually demandedContinue reading “Inspired by Women Who Care”
Author Archives: The Atomic Cowgirl
Nature in Austin
There are lots of cool places around Austin, TX to find nature, some of the places listed here might be well known, other’s might be a little less so. These are some of my favorite places that I invite you to also explore. Barton Springs Pool is one the places I love the most inContinue reading “Nature in Austin”
The Journey of Writing from the Heart
In 2017 I was standing at the edge of a parking lot at a nature center in the Rio Grande Valley looking at birds with my mother and husband. We had just returned from a hot, dusty 2 mile walk into the thorn scrub of south Texas. Our walk yielded a few species, but the woodsContinue reading “The Journey of Writing from the Heart”
Camping at Meridian State Park
It’s hard to say what I like most about camping. Exploring a new place. Walking peacefully down a wooded trail. Sitting around the campfire with my husband and dogs. All are pieces of the whole. Just being in nature is perhaps the best part. While our home is our own natural oasis, it is stillContinue reading “Camping at Meridian State Park”
Nature Near Me
I love all things Texas, including the native Texas plants and wildlife. Slowly I have removed the invasive plants from our yard and replaced them with Texas natives. It takes time to see the rewards of the change. But this fall the native plants are in bloom at just the right time for the migratingContinue reading “Nature Near Me”
Summer of ’77
During the summer of 1977 most little girls were asking for a new Malibu Barbie for their birthdays. I liked Barbie too, but what I really wanted was a living, breathing pony. Not just any pony either. I wanted Squaw. Squaw was a Pony of America with a nasty reputation for being willful, stubborn, aContinue reading “Summer of ’77”
Holiday Weekend Glamping
A snapshot of Americana Camping. We are currently at Bonito Hollow RV and Camp Ground outside Ruidoso, NM. The weather is perfect, partly cloudy, cool and the air is filled with various scents of BBQ, smoke and pine. Our neighbors in campsite 10 are about 8 to 10 feet from us with their RV angled justContinue reading “Holiday Weekend Glamping”
Birding By The Numbers
In it to win it with the trifecta. The 2016 teams that I was on came in 1st place for the Big Sit with the TPWD staff- Tweeting Chats, 2nd Place Week Long Tournament, 3rd Place for the Texas-2-Stop. There is a lot more than just birds to count while competing in the Week LongContinue reading “Birding By The Numbers”
Fury Friends of the Forest
My husband loves technology. I love wildlife (and so does he.) So what better way to bring those two things together than a wildlife camera. Last winter I set up the camera and slowly began defining the best place to observe the wildlife that lives in the woods behind our home in Austin, TX. ThisContinue reading “Fury Friends of the Forest”
Yard Make Over at 20 Paws Ranch
When we moved into our house the yard was filled with non-native plants, grass and some amazing trees. None of the plants bloomed and few offered any resources for wildlife. Over the past year and ½ I have systematically removed all the invasive and non-native plants (accept the grass.) This summer I decided toContinue reading “Yard Make Over at 20 Paws Ranch”
