Thanks very much to all my fellow Texans and FReepers who came out and joined in to make this thread so enjoyable!
Katy
Apologies for the double post. Thank you for the thread!
Re red ants- I remember these from my childhood (Boy, do I?!) I don’t remember them being great big. The last couple of years, we have some kind of really large, solid red (orange, really) ants invading our patio. They get into the plants. I’ve had a couple get on me, but they didn’t sting.
About those turtle people... You know that the Ridleys aren’t native to Texas, right? Mexico & Costa Rica, that I know of. Since you’re in CC, do some research into the history/ evolution of Padre Island & the “National Seashore”. (I imagine you’ve seen some of the conversations on the Caller)
When the Malaquite bunch moved in, I believe that was the first stretch of beach in Texas to be closed to vehicle traffic (bollards) & the first asphalt parking lot *on* the beach. Port Aransas followed, first with a much smaller parking area in the “official” camping section north of the pier) & years later, with closures. My mom threw a terrible fit when she saw Malaquite the first time. Interestingly, the Inland Superport (which was what my surfer friends & I were upset about) happened about the same time.
There’s an agenda here & it (now) seems there has been since nearly the beginning. (Can you say UNESCO World Heritage Site? How about Closed except for all but foot traffic? MAYbe. Your papers, please.)
While I’m off the rails, 2 more things. I don’t know how it turned out, but last year, there was talk of providing lodging onsite (on the beach; I assumed at Malaquite) for these “public servants” to live in, at taxpayer expense. Pretty sweet, huh? And guess who had their own private playground during the “shutdown”? They either didn’t know or didn’t care that they were on the webcam. In swim trunks.
Just my *very* biased, beach loving opinion, but I think the turtles need to be “re-patriated” back to Mexico & we should send their 2 legged advocates with them. Let Padre Island go back to nature, as it was before they started “improving” it.
This is not directed at you, patriot08. It’s really very easy to get taken in.