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18 July 2026
Yet another flood has occurred on the Guadalupe River. Floods are a feature, not a bug, in this part of the world. This region, from San Antonio, west to Del Rio thence northward, encompassing the so-called Hill Country where countless floods have eroded the tableland of the Edwards Plateau, is known globally for its astounding records of rainfall maxima. While driving in northwest Bexar County along Interstate Highway 10, look at the hilltops between Loop 1604 and the Leon Springs exit. Those hilltops are the remnants of the Edwards limestone that arose as a uniform plain during the Balcones uplift. Quadrillions of raindrops yielded the flowing water, the erosive water, that sculpted the layer-cake of limestone along that stretch of highway, subtracting most of the rock. There is that motive force that impels us to DO SOMETHING after a flood. However, DOING NOTHING is often the best course of action. Naturally, roads and bridges should be repaired and rebuilt. Fences to keep things in or to keep other things out should also be rebuilt. It is a human failing to believe that the tapestry of life, of vegetation, needs our assistance to recover from a scouring flood. Ecological succession still works. It doesn’t work on our schedule. It works slowly, and correctly, eventually restoring the climax vegetation that the latest major flood had ripped away. The Guadalupe River flood of July 4th of last year killed unhappy campers and many others who were in the floodplain early that day. Yes, it is called a floodplain. It also toppled ancient trees and uprooted much of the riparian vegetation. In a great collective action, funds were raised and will be spent. Ethically sourced and carefully gown seedlings and saplings of the correct genetics are being grown from 850,000 seeds collected and some have been planted in Kerr County. Foundations and corporations and rich and poor alike contributed collectively. Earnest acolytes of the religion of Environmentalism volunteered to plant the first of the seedlings and saplings. A vice president of a Botanical Garden even announced on the radio that the 50,000 plants in their five year plan would slow the force of water. What? Nature doesn’t wield a D 9 Cat bulldozer. Nature wields D 9,000 or D 90,000 bulldozers. Whatever had been planted was undoubtedly washed away on July 16, 2026. Capital destruction is what economists call what happened on Thursday morning to the newest plantings. Few know that environmentalism, sustainability, and most progressive or woke projects are derived from Marxism, Socialism and Maoism. Capital destruction is the logical consequence of anything underpinned by Marxism, Socialism and Maoism. A lecture by James Lindsay of New Discourses, entitled “American Maoism,” posted to YouTube 14 September, 2023, argues that certain contemporary movements represent “Maoist Marxism with American characteristics.” The cynic in me knows these few cautionary words will be of no avail. The reforestation machinery will continue. Future floods will wash them away. "The replantings will continue until morale improves." Providing Horticultural Knowledge and Products for over 40 years!
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| The botanical images on this site were produced by The Photon Hunt. | ||
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