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Brenham area April 3rd Started by tony_texas at 04-03-2007 8:21 PM. Topic has 10 replies. WildflowerHaven... » Texas Wildflowe... » East Texas » Brenham area April 3rd Hunting Texas Wildflowers - New Book!

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04-03-2007, 8:21 PM tony_texas Joined on 01-03-2006 Posts 30 Brenham area April 3rd First of a 5 day spell in the Brenham area.  Largely covered areas already reported but will explore some new areas in the next few days.  Phillipsburg Church Rd undoubtedly the highlight and I'll be heading back there again in the morning for sunrise.  Watch out if you're driving a sedan car just after the very sharp turn to the East - there's a large hole caused by the heavy rains at the weekend. Having visited Brenham for the past few years it is certainly better than the last two but not quite in the same class as the banner year (2004 IIRC).  Industry certainly looked like it was worth exploring more. I will update my pbase gallery daily which is here.  Road names shown too. http://www.pbase.com/tony_texas/2007_tx_wildflowers_brenham password:   wf2007 Regards Tony    Report

04-03-2007, 8:57 PM RichO Joined on 02-15-2005 San Antonio, TX Posts 637 Re: Brenham area April 3rd Thanks for the report Tony and the photos. What part of Industry did you travel? Closer to Bleiblerville or New Ulm? Rain is in the forecast again for this weekend, so hopefully the bluebonnets will hold on for another 4-5 days. RichO Hunting Texas Wildflowers    Report

04-04-2007, 9:35 PM tony_texas Joined on 01-03-2006 Posts 30 Brenham area update April 4th Rich The Industry area I meant was around Bleiblerville – more below. Lots of miles under the belt today.  I have updated my pbase gallery and all pix have road names so they give a good summary of what can be seen.  The sunset today was awesome, something I will never forget.  This is how it looked. Rest of the images are here: http://www.pbase.com/tony_texas/2007_tx_wildflowers_brenham password:   wf2007 On with some words: Brenham SE Phillipsburg Church Rd remains the highlight.  Dense bluebonnet fields, many different flower types.  Can't really get much better than this. Longhorns in the flowers between highways FM 1371 and 290 in Chappell Hill. Not much on FM 1371, Sauney Chappell, Trackside Rds. FM 1155 N of Chappell has some gorgeous mixed fields.  On in particular, with primrose and yellow flowers took my breath away.  Hughes Lake Ln had a very wide variety of flowers but not much density.  Brenham NE This has been a very successful area for me in the past but was pretty disappointing this year.  Travelled Flewellyn, Krueger, Bosse, Whitman Rds.  Krueger had some very nice pristine blooms of many types but the density was very low.  Would be good for close-up photo work of single flowers.  Bosse/Whitman intersection has a very large mixed field and a sweeping view. Brenham S and SW (to Industry) Some stunning sights in this area.  To coin Rich’s phrase, Bleiblerville is once again in "Bluebonnet Heaven".  Wherever you go within a few miles of the town there are very large dense bluebonnet fields.  Some more details of my afternoon findings. A very nice route off HWY 36 is via All Jersey Rd, Dierking Rd, Sander Rd, Tegeler Rd and Loop.  Lots of bluebonnets and some nice fields mixed with Paintbrush too. Bleiblerville Rd is a treat – large field of phlox at intersection with Club Rd, many cows in the bluebonnets and some truly enormous bluebonnet fields just as you approach Bleiblerville (intersection with Broz Rd). FM2505 a few miles either side of town has blue wherever you look and the sweeping view across to the church at the 2502/109 intersection is stunning - I don't remember it being so full last year. Wiecker Rd a nice dense patch of mixed bluebonnets including what I assume are the albino variety although most were not completely white (some were). Cemetery Rd has some nice bluebonnet fields. Areas on Industry Rd just north of town that were good for bluebonnets last year were very sparse.  Well, that’s it from me today.  More tomorrow I hope although I’m now trying to cut down the scouting and concentrate more on photography.  I will be checking out the Burton area at some point and will report on that. If you only see 1 road in the Brenham area this year it has to be Phillipsburg Church Rd. Best wishes Tony          Report

04-04-2007, 9:46 PM RichO Joined on 02-15-2005 San Antonio, TX Posts 637 Re: Brenham area update April 4th Thanks for the very detailed report Tony.  I hear you on the scouting vs the photography. With high gas prices, I cannot make double trips this year. I hope that each of us is helping others cut down on the number of scouting trips. I know I enjoy each time I stop and smell the bluebonnets. I love the photo of the sunset. I had a graphic design house contact me sometime ago looking for a sunset bluebonnet shot. Thanks again for your report!     RichO Hunting Texas Wildflowers    Report

04-05-2007, 3:23 PM tony_texas Joined on 01-03-2006 Posts 30 Brenham area update April 5th Will do a fuller report later but found a really nice field today - Stern Rd which heads east off Phillipsburg Church Rd.  Only about 200 yards to this spot.  Nice sweeping view with bands of blue and yellow.  I have a suspicion it will be a good sunrise spot.  Gallery updated (see above for link) with a picture. Tony    Report

04-05-2007, 7:53 PM tony_texas Joined on 01-03-2006 Posts 30 Brenham area update April 5th A few more details on today's findings. Brenham North. Airport Rd wrecker's yard had lots of autos rusting their years away in the bluebonnets.  This always raises a smile when I pass! FM 2621 had a single very dense bluebonnet field close to FM 50 but otherwise just had occasional stands although some were very dense. Independence is turning yellow!  Coreopsis (I think, I'm no expert) everywhere. The TX barn on Sun Oil is a very poor sight compared to its best.  Spotty bluebonnet coverage in the field. Some nice bluebonnet roadsides along Mayfair Ln and Dannheim Rd off Scenic Byway 390.  Very unusual sight of a fence with a dense bluebonnet / coreopsis blanket along it. Didn't explore much around Burton - ran out of time. Brenham South Explored 2 new roads - Stern Rd and Caney Creek Road, both leave Phillipsburg Church Rd to the east.  Just a short way along Stern Rd is a lovely field with a very dense bluebonnet stand going a long way back into the field on the right side.  What I liked is that there are yellow (groundsel?) and blue stripes across the field as you look into the distance and some lovely trees on the horizon.  A picture is included in the gallery. As usual I'll let the pictures do the talking - see link above to which today's photos have been added. Regards Tony    Report

04-05-2007, 9:20 PM RichO Joined on 02-15-2005 San Antonio, TX Posts 637 Re: Brenham area update April 5th Thanks again for the update. Very nice work on the photos. I see you found a batch of white-bluish bluebonnets in this photo: http://www.pbase.com/tony_texas/image/76682650 RichO Hunting Texas Wildflowers    Report

04-07-2007, 6:14 PM tony_texas Joined on 01-03-2006 Posts 30 Brenham area final update April 7th Final update from my annual pilgrimage to see the Texas wildflower spectacle.  Brenham is a truly beautiful area - very green at the moment and some wonderful flower hotspots. In general the grasses are really overtaking the flowers.  In many spots the flowers are still in peak condition but you can't see them for the grass!  Some spots I revisited today which I'd last visited on Tuesday were much worse than I would have expected.  I suspect it will not make for good viewing by next weekend. Explored one or two new roads.  Clover Lane near the Airport is interesting -  a couple of flowers I only saw in this spot.  Apologies that I don't know their names but some images are in the gallery. Zibilski Rd is still good with grasses not too long.  The fragrance of the big fields is still overwhelming. FM390 between Longpoint and Independence has one or two nice spots of mixed flowers. Cemetery Rd near Bleiblerville between Blue Hole Rd and Wiecker Rd is still spectacular for bluebonnets - enormous fields. Post Oak Pt Rd has some very large fields with grasses not too high. Old Chappell Hill Rd was disappointing - not really worth the drive. I've updated the gallery with pix and road names. http://www.pbase.com/tony_texas/2007_tx_wildflowers_brenham password:   wf2007 Ended the trip with a nice sunrise shot (Friday morning) - a good memory to keep me going until next year! Regards Tony    Report

04-07-2007, 7:17 PM FlowerPower Joined on 03-08-2005 The Woodlands, Texas Posts 137 Re: Brenham area final update April 7th Thanks Tony for sharing the great reporting and photos from the Brenham area. Too bad prime time doesn't last a little longer but like they say in sports, "Just wait until next year!". Flowers will brighten your day whether mild or wild, Murry!    Report

04-07-2007, 7:35 PM tony_texas Joined on 01-03-2006 Posts 30 Re: Brenham area final update April 7th You're most welcome.  I've got so much valuable info from the contributors to this forum, especially you, Rich, Bill and Gary that I wanted to put as much back as possible.  I plan to make a whistle stop tour through Ennis on the way back to Fort Worth tomorrow and will report on the findings tomorrow night.  Not sure quite what the crazy arctic blast will have done up there. Tony    Report

04-07-2007, 8:45 PM RichO Joined on 02-15-2005 San Antonio, TX Posts 637 Re: Brenham area final update April 7th I second Murry and thank you for your great report. I know it takes time to take the notes and prepare the reports.  Many more read these reports than contribute to them, but several email me and tell how valuable they are. I was not able to make the Brenham trip this year in time due to other commitments, so I am envious of you and others who were able to do so. I am hoping the arctic blast has not ruined the vista views in Mason this year.   RichO Hunting Texas Wildflowers    Report

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