As Austinites we get the distinct pleasure of experiencing summers so hot you could cook an omelette on the sidewalk. Thankfully, we get to cool off by cruising around in a canoe on Lady Bird Lake, taking a dip in the chilly Barton Springs, watching the bats on SoCo or lounging in the shade of Zilker Park. I love my city and a lot of that Austin charm comes from being outside and experiencing the nature and the biodiversity that Austin boasts.
In Austin you’ll find a lot of “Cedar” trees, they are actually Junipers but we Texans wouldn’t know that because this invasive species isn’t native to Texas. Near these trees you will probably even see some Austinites sneezing because of cedar allergies.
You’ll also find beautiful old Oak trees standing tall and proud, shading slack-liners and hammockers (or hilltoppers). Sometimes you even get the pleasant surprise that comes around each fall of silkworms descending down from the trees like little green spider-men and getting tangled in your face and hair!
In Texas you’ll find the largest population of white-tailed deer in America, and they all are probably munching on your lawn and your flowers as we speak.
We of course have cattle farms and armadillos, there are skunks and porcupines and vultures, both Mexican (which are carnivorous) and Texas vultures (which are scavengers).
We have squirrels a plenty, and strange lizards like horny toads and more snakes than I like to think about. We have fire ants and cacti and razor sharp agave plants. All of these things contribute to the unique ecosystem we have in central Texas. Without everyone of these things our state would be very different.
This summer my family moved into a new home with a large green space that is very close to a creek. We put out a hammock under some shady oak trees and I spend my lunch break every day this summer gently swinging under the bright blue sky listening to the wind rustle the leaves of the oak tree. I watched a little rabbit hide in our shrubs so I left him out some carrots which he happily devoured. I watched birds zip by and lizards lounge on warm rocks. I saw turtles duck under the water of the pond and float lazily around and around. I loved this little break from my exhausting reality of twenty screaming two year olds at the preschool I worked at.
Texas is also the home of Lady Bird Johnson’s famous initiative to beautify Texas highways with her wildflower program. Lady Bird Johnson left a legacy in Texas that not only reduces the cost of highway maintenance because wildflowers do not need to be mowed down. These beauties, like Indian Paint Brushes and Blue Bonnets (our state flower), also help conserve water, provide biodiversity and habitats for animals, they also help to control erosion.
All these things make home what it is; from salsa and queso to mosquitoes and fire ants and live music on humid nights. I know I’ll miss home while I’m here but I think finding the similarities and appreciating the differences of Angers and Austin will help to make the most of this experience. I’m so excited to explore this beautiful city and its people and truly make this place my home.
We Austin weirdos love our local, organic, vegan, gluten-free Tex-Mex deliciousness and so I want to explore in our new home of Angers just how similar these foodies are to us. I want to examine farming practices and distribution practices to see who truly is the biggest Hippie city. When Austinites say local what does this truly mean especially in comparison to Angers local foods. I hope to speak with farmers here about where they grow their food and how they grow these foods. I even hope to visit a farm where I can see these things in action. I want to study the differing farming and distribution techniques and practices to see their differing effects on the environment.
Texas Department of Transportation- Wildflower Program
Texas Parks and Wildlife Species Fact Sheets
Austinite Tips