Nature is my classroom. Archives - El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum https://elmestenoranch.com/category/nature-is-my-classroom/ Hidalgo County, Texas Thu, 15 Aug 2024 23:54:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://elmestenoranch.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/cropped-20180808_093253-1-32x32.jpg Nature is my classroom. Archives - El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum https://elmestenoranch.com/category/nature-is-my-classroom/ 32 32 194751585 “Loeflingia Squarrosa” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/03/_/5823/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 01:35:30 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=5823 Loeflingia squarrosa Spreading Pygymyleaf Family:  Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Flower Month:  February – August Bloom Color:  White, Yellow Duration:  Annual Growth Form:  Forb Armed / Unarmed:  Unarmed Leaf Complexity:  Simple Leaf Shape:  Subulate Size Notes: Up to 5” tall Fruit Type:  Capsule Online sources for the information presented in this photo story:

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Loeflingia squarrosa

Spreading Pygymyleaf

Online sources for the information presented in this photo story:

  1. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  2. U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service
  3. United States Geological Survey
  4. Burke Herbarium Image Collection
  5. iNaturalist
Lovely microplant!

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“Cochineal Gallery” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/03/_/5813/ Wed, 06 Mar 2024 22:12:59 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=5813 Cochineal Gallery of Images…

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Cochineal Gallery of Images…

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“Cochineal: The Rest of My Story,” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/03/_/5704/ Wed, 06 Mar 2024 21:39:55 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=5704 “Cochineal:  The Rest of My Story” In the last edition of “The Chachalaca,” I went into detail about the substantial amounts of cochineal on the prickly pear cacti population at El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum over the last six (6) months.  I shared research about the historical use and economic importance of scale insects.  I most especially had a lot of fun photographing them under my microscope. However, my article, “Cochineal:  Under the Microscope,” was just the first part of my cochineal story. This article will bring my cochineal story

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“Cochineal:  The Rest of My Story”

  • Textiles dyed: 100% Raw silk fabric, 100% cotton fabric, 100% cotton yarn, 50% / 50% cotton blend fabric, synthetic fibers (lace type), and gauze.
  • Mordants used for dyeing textiles: Alum and Cream of Tartar
  • Ready-made canvases.
  • Watercolor paper.
  • Inexpensive white acrylic paint.
  • Paint brushes and eyedroppers.
  • Melted wax, which was used to experiment with the Batik method of dyeing.
  • Recycled paper scraps, an old blender, plastic tubs, buckets, sponges (to remove excess water from paper pulp), and a mould and deckle (that I made from old picture frames and plastic screen repair fabric) to make the homemade recycled paper and seed paper.
  • Wildflower seeds, which were collected from the South Texas Sand Sheet, for use on the homemade seed paper.
  • Natural materials, like leaves, rocks, twigs, orange slices, and coffee grounds, to create designs on watercolor paper.
  • Using an eye dropper to create designs on both ready-made canvases and watercolor paper that I purchased at a local big box store.
  • Drizzling cochineal extract over nature textures on watercolor paper to see what impressions were left behind once the nature material was removed.
  • Mixing the cochineal dye extract with white acrylic paint to achieve a more uniform material that adhered nicely to the ready-made canvases when applied with a simple, inexpensive paint brush.

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