I drove to the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center. I loved the enthusiam and can-do knowledge of the young woman at the nature center there. She charted out for me just what to look for at this wetlands area. I walked and drove around its small ponds and brushy vegetation for a bit over an hour, secluded with the birds on a very cold day.
I saw my first Eared Grebe, which was fun. I also saw White Pelicans, over one hundred Northern Shovelers, and endless American Coots. I will go back to that park someday, when next I visit San Antonio.
I headed north toward home. My wife reported to me on the fairly heavy snow. The
Dallas radio sounded like driving there was no fun. When I got to Georgetown, about 20 miles north of Austin, I started getting icy patches. When I got to Temple, about 130 miles from Dallas, I thought I should stop for the night. I did not want to drive on ice in the dark. I pulled into Subway Sandwiches for dinner, and into a La Quinta for the night.
My decision to stop was a good one. In Waco, a bit to the north of where I am now, the local police just announced that road accidents are everywhere, and to stay off the highways. I will tackle it by daylight. If I can go in the morning, then I will. If not, I'll drive up to Waco, walk by the Brazos River in the cold, and wait it out until the afternoon warms things up slightly.
Today we learned of Leonard Nimoy's death. He was someone I admire--someone who cared about craft above frippery, and yet who learned to be comfortable as a sci-fi icon.