Jim’s This & That

Jim’s This & That is a detailed communication, begun by avid naturalist Jim Varnum, our dear friend who we lost earlier this year. Jim’s This and That strives to fulfill his vision of connecting individuals interested in the natural world – primarily in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area – with each other and with resources to increase an appreciation of nature. We hope that by continuing this bi-weekly newsletter, we can maintain and grow the connections and resources that Jim worked so hard to establish through – among other things – Jim’s This & That.

If you have comments and questions about its content, or wish to receive Jim’s This & That e-mails, please contact Dana Wilson at nature_links@yahoo.com.

Jim’s This and That: August, 2016

Note: because many organizations are taking a summer break,
Jim’s This & That will only come out once in August.
 
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
         (John Wesley, 1703 – 1791)
***
What do you get when you cross poison ivy with a four-leaf clover? A rash of good luck.
Why can’t you borrow money from a leprechaun? Because they’re always a little short.
Why don’t you iron 4-Leaf clovers? Because you don’t want to press your luck.
…with thanks to Kip (“Just a Big Kid”) Kiphart
***
Thanks to all the contributors who have shared the following terrific links and resources! Do you have a favorite book, movie, website, field guide, app, or other nature-related news or resource you’d like to share? Write a brief description and send it to nature_links@yahoo.com – we’ll help spread the word.
***
Beat the heat and curl up with these good books…thanks to Whitney Wolf for recommending and reviewing:
                Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel (2014) by Carl Safina offers an intimate look at the behaviors ad social systems of elephants, wolves, and killer whales.  Safina is an award-winning author of books and other writings about the human relationship with the natural world.
                Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are (2016) by Frans de Waal, a world-renowned biologist and primatologist, focuses on recent findings about animal intelligence.  The descriptions of recent results from experiments about cognition are fascinating.
                The Genius of Birds (2016) by Jennifer Ackerman looks at decades of information about avian intelligence.  Every birder will want to read this entertaining book about bird brains.
***
Now what would want to pollinate that plant??!! Check out the status of the (in)famous “corpse” flower, which smells like rotting flesh, scheduled to open any time now at the United States Botanic Garden.    https://www.usbg.gov/
***
Public park enthusiasts, have you discovered this helpful page?…a listing of every activity going on at every state park in Texas…    http://tpwd.texas.gov/calendar/?calpage=s0246
***
For some really great viewing, check out the incredible footage of developing storms and tornadoes…thanks to Stalin SM for sharing:     https://vimeo.com/174312494
And on a gentler note, enjoy this brief, delightful video (play with the sound turned up), filmed in the Great Trinity Forest by North Texas Master Naturalists Nick Mirro and Ashton Tassin:
***
Mark your calendars now! The Texas Plant Conservation Conference, sponsored by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in November at BRIT – thanks to Marcy Haley for passing word of this one…
***
Kip Kiphart shares this (sobering) article about this year’s monarch butterfly census…discouraging news, but important to know, and lots of good links here…
http://monarchjointventure.org/news-events/news/where-are-the-monarchs
***
From Carol Clark, a link to a fabulous full-color, downloadable guide: Management Recommendations for Native Insect Pollinators in Texas:
***
This, on July 28, from Sandi Holmes-Schwedler at North Haven Gardens…North Haven just got in Asclepias viridis, texana, verticillata, tuberosa and incarnata. We also got in some beautiful Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum, Rattlesnake master (in bloom), frostweed, golden groundsel and so much more.
 Upcoming activities: August, 2016. For more information, see https://public.ntmn.org/calendar or websites and other contact information as listed. Are you part of a group that offers environmental education & outreach to the public? Please use this e-mail – nature_links@yahoo.com – to submit upcoming activities for inclusion in Jim’s This & That.
8.1.16
9am
ITMN wildflower walk
 Mockingbird Park, Midlothian
8.2.16
7pm
NPSOT-Collin County – Historic Use of Texas Trees, pt. 2
8.3.16
6:30-8:30pm
NTMN monthly meeting: NTMN Monica Morrison on wild cats in Texas.
www.ntmn.org
8.3.16
7-8pm
Arlington Conservation Council: “Living with Arlington’s Wildlife”
http://www.acctexas.org/meetings/
Fielder House, 1616 W Abram, Arlington.
8.3.16
8am-12pm
LLELA workday
8.3.16
9am
LBJ National Grasslands – field trip – Wise County
RSVP for meeting specifics – startaglino@me.com or 940.210.9120
8.4.16
6:30pm
NPSOT-North Central (FW): How to Propagate
Ft. Worth Botanic Gardens
8.6.16
7-9am
JBSWC – Beginner, Intermediate, & Advanced Walk and Talk Bird Tour with Master Birders
www.wetlandcenter.com
8.6.16
9am-12pm
BRIT First Saturday
8.6.16
9am-2pm
Blackland Prairie Raptor Center – 1st Saturday event.
www.bpraptorcenter.org
8.6.16
10-11am
Heard Museum –  Butterflies 101
Note: this program is intended for older teens and adults
8.7.16
7am
Connemara Bird Walk with Gailon Brehm and Rodney Thomas
8.8.16
6:30-8pm
NPAT Ft. Worth: Viewing of “American Serengeti” (grasslands)
Amon G. Carter, Jr. Downtown YMCA, 512 Lamar St, Fort Worth, TX
8.9.16
7pm
BPTMN – monthly meeting: Leave No Trace.
8.10.16
8am-12pm
LLELA workday
8.10.16
8:30-9:30am
Plants of Oak Point Park
https://parks.planotx.org/econnect/Activities/ActivitiesAdvSearch.asp
(search under category “Outdoor Adventures”)
8.12.16
8-10pm
LLELA night hike
Register at bit.ly/COLsplash. Search activity code 800000. For additional information call 972.219.3550.
8.13.16
9-10am
10-11:30am
Hagerman NWR
Butterfly Garden walk
              ***
“Monarchs” by Alex Ocanas, 2015 Monarch Intern at HNWR
8.13.16
At dark
Ft. Worth Astronomical Society stargazing party
8.13.16
8:30-10:30am
FTLOTL – second Saturday spruce-up
8.13.16
9am-12pm
TRAC – 2nd Saturday Habitat Restoration (workday)
8.13.16
10-11am
Saturday Morning Stroll at Oak Point Nature Preserve (Plano)
https://parks.planotx.org/econnect/Activities/ActivitiesAdvSearch.asp
(Search under category “Outdoor Adventures”)
8.13.16
10am-3pm
TGD “Butterflies & Bugs” family festival
8.15.16
7pm
NPSOT Dallas:
Sam Kieschnick (TPWD)
on iNaturalist
Midway Hill Christian Church
8.15.16
7pm
CTMN: Update on Team with Wildlife, Rachel Richter, Urban Biologist, TPWD
Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd
8.17.16
8am-12pm
LLELA workday
8.17.16
8:30-9:30am
Guided nature walk at Oak Point Preserve (Plano), ages 5+
8.18.16
9am-12pm
TDG workday
8.18.16
9am-4pm
TRAC Free Third Thursday
8.18.16
10:30am
EFCMN – Raphael Brock, TPWD Inland Fisheries.
Update re: Zebra Mussels
8.20.16
10am-12pm
Dallas Lepidopterist monthly meeting
Meting location TBD as of 8/1/16
8.20.16
9-10am
ITMN wildflower walk at Mockingbird Park
http://txmn.org/indiantrail/
Mockingbird Park, Midlothian.
8.20.16
8-11am
Cedar Ridge Preserve – Conservation in Action workday
8.20.16
8:30-9:30am
Amble around Arbor Hills (Plano)
Advance registration (972-941-5403) appreciated, so see https://parks.planotx.org/econnect/Activities/ActivitiesAdvSearch.asp
8.20.16
10am
JBSWC Bunker’s trail pond walk
 www.wetlandcenter.org
8.22.16
7pm
Indian Trail MN – monthly meeting – “Fifty Shades of Green” (rare & common native plants) with Ricky Linex
First United Methodist Church, 505 W. Marvin Ave., Waxahachie, TX
8.24.16
8am-12pm
LLELA workday
8.26.16
8:15-10:15pm
LLELA “Stars on the Prairie”
Registration is required at bit.ly/COLsplash.  Search for activity code 800001.
8.26.16
evening
NTMN Amphibian Watch
Meet at Sunset Bay, White Rock Lake
8.27.16
8:00-11:00am
DCAC – 4th Saturday Volunteer Workday
8.27.16
10:00-11:30am
TDG “Covered with Chitin” (beetles) with John Watts
One out of every four animal species on Earth is a beetle! Learn about their fascinating diversity with Entomologist John Watts. $25; $20/members.
8.30.16
6pm
ITMN new class training begins
(Open only to new members)
8.31.16
7pm
NTMN monthly meeting
www.ntmn.org
8.31.16
8am-12pm
LLELA workday
 
Acronyms used herein:
BPTMN = Blackland Prairie (Chapter) Texas Master Naturalist (Collin Co.)
BRIT = Botanical Research Institute of Texas
CRP = Cedar Ridge Preserve
CTMN = Cross Timbers Master Naturalists (Tarrant County)
DCAC = Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center
FTLOTL = For the Love of the Lake (White Rock Lake)
FWAS = Ft. Worth Audubon Society
Hagerman NWR = National Wildlife Refuge
ITMN = Indian Trails Master Naturalists (Ellis Co.)
JBSWC = John Bunker Sands Wetland Center
LLELA = Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area
MM = monthly meeting
NPSOT = Native Plant Society of Texas
NTC =  North Texas Chapter (Also NTMN) of Texas Master Naturalists
PS-SCF = Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest
RUN = Richardson Urban Naturalist
TDG = Texas Discovery Gardens
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