variety of human-caused stressors,
including the use of systemic pesticides.
In the days before agribusiness, native
bees supplemented honeybee pollina-
tion. Today however, monoculture, over-
plowing, misuse of chemicals and an
over-reliance on one pollinator species,
the honeybee, has largely excluded
native bees from agriculture.
How can you help bees, be they
honey or native? As with all wildlife, the
bees’ biggest threat is loss of habitat.
When wild land is converted for human
use and native vegetation replaced by
ornamentals and crops, native bees lose
their food and nesting resources. While
urban gardens do not provide appropri-
ate habitat for all kinds of native bees,
new studies show that many bees are
remarkably resilient in the face of
increasing urbanization and that gardens
and municipal green spaces can play an
important role in bee conservation. At
the local level, bee space is already being
provided by West Texas gardens that
include native vegetation and nesting
sites such as piles of dry stalks and twigs,
rocks and patches of undisturbed bare
ground, and these gardens likely already
Musquiz , cont’d from page 21
woman and a burro lead down the
canyon toward Alpine, but were soon lost
in the rocky ground. Speculation was that
some descendants of Don Manuel had
returned to retrieve buried valuables, but
no one knows for certain.
Over time, other ranchers came to
Musquiz Canyon and established homes
of their own, For a time in the early 1880s
the Texas Rangers occupied some of the
buildings for their camp while they
cleared out the few remaining Indians,
most of whom finally settled on the
Mescalero Apache Reservation in New
Mexico or in Mexico, where many inter-
married and blended into the Mexican
Muse, cont’d from page 24
a very rewarding mission for me.
One of the most poignant moments
was when one of the mares miscarried. I
found her colt on a cold foggy morning,
and I just held him in my arms. He was
no bigger than a small dog.
As tough as it can be at times, I would-
n’t trade my life amongst the herd for
anything else in the world. It’s hard work.
I go to bed with hay in my hair and sore
muscles but also with the sense of accom-
have several kinds of native bees living
nearby. Reserving a piece of land under
cultivation for wildflowers and shrubs
encourages native bees to move in, and
they will supplement vegetable garden
and fruit tree pollination.
Perhaps the best way to help the bees
is to take the time to observe them. Just
stand at a blooming shrub and watch
and listen. While you are observing the
bees foraging in flowers, think about the
enormous task they are unknowingly
carrying out: the critical ecosystem serv-
ice of pollination. Go into nature and
into your gardens, and get to know your
native bees.
In The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk
Kidd says, “Send the bees love.” As with
most cultural references to bees, Kidd is
talking about honeybees, but the senti-
ment applies for all bees: Send them love.
population. The Rangers also dealt with
rustlers and other outlaws until the area
became safe for more settlers.
Today, most of the Musquiz ranch
adobe buildings have weathered back
into the earth. The few remaining walls
that lie along the right of way of Hwy.
118 near the historical marker are pro-
tected by a roof constructed by the Texas
Department of Transportation. Nearby a
pleasant roadside picnic area is shaded by
large cottonwood trees, said to have
grown from fence posts placed by the
Mulhern family, who once ranched there.
The meadow along the creek where Don
Manuel’s livestock once grazed is still
grazed today, and herds of deer and elk
and flocks of wild turkeys are often seen,
recalling scenes of earlier times.
plishment of another day with saved
angels. I lay my head on the pillow with
the sounds of sacred hooves on sacred
stones passing by my window under our
beautiful West Texas star-filled nights.
I never know what the next adventure is
going to be with my herds of horses and
future herds to rescue and photograph,
but I know it is all a learning experience.
That is the thrill of this journey. I never
know what is ahead, but I know it will
come with its share of struggles and vic-
tories and, hopefully, with some decent
shots.
S P R I N G
23rd Annual
Big Bend Gem and Mineral Show
Alpine, Texas Civic Center
April 20, 21 & 22, 2012
FREE ADMISSION
DOOR PRIZES • GRAND PRIZE
SILENT AUCTIONS • DEMONSTRATIONS
SPECIAL KIDS’ DAY ON FRIDAY
SPONSORS:
CHIHUAHUAN DESERT GEM & MINERAL CLUB
CITY OF ALPINE • PRINTCO
CHAIR: MARY BROGAN 432-386-2340
marybrogan@rocketmail.com
Cenizo
First Quarter 2012
27