Dead Sparrow

Children of Nuevo Progreso

As we cross the bridge into Nuevo Progreso, there is an onslaught of beggars. They are separated from the tourists by the welded-shut louvres and the concrete railing. Nevertheless, little children can push their hands through while they plead for pocket change.

We visited on "Appreciation Day" with throngs of Winter Texans as well as local families.

Immediately past the first cross street a huge sound stage hosted musicians and entertainers all afternoon, but soon after passing that raucus crowd there was this air slide where small children slid and jumped while their parents waited.

I hadn't seen so many hispanic families on the street before this visit. Also, for the first time locals by far outnumbered the tourists.

Children work with their parents selling street food from vending carts.

Boy watches his father prepare a fruit cup for a customer.

 A persistent little girl and her younger sister relentlessly pursued a sale of trinkets and artificial flowers.

The apparently very tired boy wans't nearly so persistent choosing instead to have a seat and rest for a while.

The ecstatic little girls finally made a sale to a very tough customer.

Ghost Plant Flower

Same shot, different f:stop.

Variations on a Bowl of Tangerines

 

Buildings on the Square in Historic Roma, TX

On the left is the John Vale/Noah Cox house, early merchants in Texas. In the center is Rosita's Cantina with the Guerra market and residence on the right.

Roma was a major trade center on the Rio Grande River in the mid to late 1800s. Before dams were built to control flooding, flat bottom boats wheeled upriver as far as Roma.

Richard King of "King Ranch" notoriety made his first fortune as a river boat captain on the Rio Grande and was a frequent visitor in Roma.

Minimalism in Hidalgo, TX

Texas Lantana

At the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse.

New Mesquite Leaves

Beautiful green Mesquite leaves and their patterns draw me in every spring. It seems I take the same photos every year.

More From Chihuahua Woods

Field of Daisies

Huisache blossoms

Retama Tree blossoms

Chihuahua Woods Preserve

Prickly Poppy blossoms

Early this afternoon, we took a short walk along the nature trail at the Chihuahua Woods Preserve; located just a couple miles from our trailer park. It was a cold damp day, but the light was perfect for flower photography.

At 349 acres this is a comparatively small park, but other than a well-defined trail, it has no facilities, which means it gets little traffic. Even on a nice day I think there would have been few visitors. Today there were only the four of us.

We saw Javelina and coyote tracks, along with old evidence of illegal immigrants who had crossed the nearby Rio Grande River and left clothing and backpacks lying on the ground near the trail.

Spring is beginning to break and fresh blossoms are abundant, although the Prickly Pear Cactus tunas are just beginning to sprout. Mesquite trees are drooping with fresh, brilliant green leaves that I look forward to seeing every year.

The Rio Grande Valley has gotten an unusual amount of rain this winter and prognosticators are predicting a spectacular season for spring wildflowers.

Still Life & Photoshop