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CDRI Desert NewsFlash
August 2024 
In mid-July, the Texas kidneywood (Eysenhardtia texana) was in full bloom and full of pollinators. Photograph by Alan Wintz.
It's BBQ Time!
CDRI's premiere annual fundraiser is ten days away! It's scheduled for Saturday, August 10. The enthusiastic response we've received for this year's event has been unmatched. Each year, we sell 225 tickets, all of which are sold in advance of the event. As of press time, we only have 35 tickets remaining.  Now would be an excellent time to purchase one of the remaining tickets. 
We are thrilled with the spectacular auction items we've received, and the response from supporters who have joined the Host Committee has been nothing short of phenomenal. Thank you to each of our donors and sponsors. We also owe a special thank you to our directors and CDRI friends who have reached out across their communities to bring in some fabulous auction items. 
 Tickets 
Thank you to the following donors who've helped get the BBQ off to a great start!
Cactus Liquors
Cactus Liquors, Marfa, Texas, has supported CDRI's BBQ & Auction since 2021, providing excellent wines for the event and leading the way in showing what support really is. 


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Glazer's
Beer & Beverage
Glazer's, located in Odessa, Texas, is a two-year supporter, providing everyone's favorite selections of beverages for CDRI's fundraiser.

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Fort Davis
Chamber of Commerce

The Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce is a strong supporter of CDRI throughout the year. They've advertised the BBQ & Auction and will provide the tables and chairs for this event. 

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Maverick Bank
We're pleased to welcome Maverick Bank as a CDRI                                                                                      BBQ & Auction sponsor. 

CDRI's 2024 BBQ & Auction
Host Committee

The Host Committee is made up of generous supporters who have donated $250 or more in advance of the BBQ & Auction to help us get "the ball rolling" to produce the best event ever. The 2024 hosts are listed below:

*Anne Adams
Judy & Stephen Alton
Greg Brock
Edwina Campbell
Martha Atiee & Michael Carter
Don Coan & Veleda Boyd
Liz & Rick Culp
Barbara Curry
Meredith Dreiss & David Brown
Pamela Hall Duerr
Lanna & Joe Duncan
Evin Eubanks & Mark Rose
Kristin & Tom Feuerbacher
Beth & Larry Francell
Bill & Julie Free
Lisa Gordon
*Rick Gupman
Linda Hedges & Rick Reese
*Rick Herrman & Margaret O'Donnell
Tom Jacobs & Vilis Inde
Trudy & Tryon Lewis
Chuck Loban
*Jim Martinez & Jim Fissel
Pat & Donald Kuhnel
Jane & Guy McCrary
*Debbie & Mike Murphy
Joyce & Joe Mussey
Clint Parsley & Alex Albright
Susan & Jerry Pittman
*R. Edward (Ed) Pfiester
Shirley & Mike Powell
Joni & Tim Powers
*John & Paige Pritchett
Bob Rice & Judy Reichelderfer
Cecilia Riley & Mike Gray

Sheri & Grant Roane
Michael Schramm
Anita & Warren Shaul
Ron Sommers & Charles Mary Kubricht
Daryl & Mary Styblo
Dedie Taylor
Suzanne & Stephen Tuttle
*Julie & Bruce Lee Webb
Jim & Teresa Weedin
*Joe Williams
Genie & Francis Wright


* CDRI's 2024 Board of Directors
A Celebration of Grasses!
Please join us on Saturday, September 7, at 9:30 a.m. to tour the newly completed Native Grasses Exhibit. We'll also extend the tour to reveal the new additions to the Pollinator Garden. Admission is free, but reservations are required.  
The Native Grasses Exhibit began in February 2023 and has finally reached completion a year and a half later. It features 26 of the 50 species of grasses that grow in the immediate area.
The project encompasses
  • individually identified and labeled sections for each of the grass species and large interpretive panels that describe the grasses in the garden exhibit;
  • a permanent 4 ft. x 6 ft. exhibit inside the Powell Visitor Center that defines the importance of grasslands;
  • a 36-page booklet describing each of the 26 species of grasses in the exhibit; and
  • specially designed bandanas featuring each of the grasses can be purchased in the Gift Shop. 
With a project of this magnitude, there are many people involved. The project was designed by CDRI's Board President, Jim Martinez. Jim Fissel created the artwork for all the signs, panels, and bandanas. Faith Hille, Head Gardener, led volunteers in constructing the exhibit and planting and growing the grasses. And Kipp Harlow, Site Manager, created the beautiful steel forms that support the interpretive panels. He also oversaw the installation of all the signs. A special thank you goes to project consultant Dr. Mike Powell, CDRI's co-founder.  
Please join us on Saturday, September 7, to celebrate this meaningful project. Please RSVP to events@cdri.org or call 432-364-2499.
The Fall Conant Lecturer Program to Feature
Jesse Kelsch, PhD 

We are thrilled to announce Jesse Kelsch, Assistant Professor at Sul Ross State University, will be the next lecturer at CDRI's Roger Conant Distinguished Guest Lecturer Program. 
Jesse's primary field of research and teaching is Structural Geology, or the deformation (stretching, breaking, and folding) recorded in the rocks of Earth's outer layer as a result of plate-tectonic stresses. She received her PhD in 2023 at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), where she conducted research of faults in the southern segment of the Rio-Grande Rift in the Trans-Pecos Region and northern Chihuahua. 
Jesse will report on the geologic formations of our region and how the various land masses formed. If any of our readers have had the privilege to sit for one of Jesse's classroom lectures, you know we are in for a treat.
SAVE THE DATE!

The Roger Conant Distinguished Guest Lecturer Program
Guest Lecturer, Jesse Kelsch, PhD
Thursday, October 17, 2024 
7:00 p.m.
The Crowley Theater, Marfa,  TX
Admission is free!
Light appetizers and beverages served after the lecture.
Plant of the Month
Zephyranthes sulphurea

This summer, as you feel a gentle breeze blowing in from the west that's likely carrying a hint of rain with it, you will have encountered a "zephyr." The word "zephyr" comes from Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind, with the name eventually evolving to mean a westerly breeze. "Anthes" comes from the Greek word "anthos" meaning "flower." So now you have an idea that a plant in the genus Zephyranthes is a rain flower, commonly known as a "rain lily."
Our plant of the month, Zephyranthes sulphurea ("Yellow rain lily"), is from the Amaryllidaceae family. It comes into bloom after a rain with its bright yellow flowers pointing straight up.  This tulip-shaped flower can be seen along roadsides, grassy pastures, and as evidenced by our photos, sprouting up out of a dry bed of gravel.
When not in bloom, these hardy perennials, with their thin green leaves, resemble grass. Then, when the rains come, their yellow flowers pop up.
 Rain lilies are easy to grow and do well in gardens. Mature plants grow in clusters up to one foot tall and can be easily divided. Bulbs can be planted in the spring. Their paper-thin seeds can also be planted under a light layer of soil.  The seeds dry out quickly, so it's best to sow them right away. They grow well in moderate to full sun, with moderate watering. 
Images by Jim Martinez. 
Visiting Schools and Groups
Weslaco High School,
Rio Grande Valley, Texas
Hike led by Linda and Alejandro (Hoot) Baez. 
Odessa Christian Faith Center
Hike led by Linda and Alejandro (Hoot) Baez.
Volunteers Participated in a Highway Clean Up with the TXDOT Adopt-a-Highway Program
We're looking forward to seeing you at
the BBQ & Auction!
August 10th!
Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, P.O. Box 905, Fort Davis, TX 79734
432.364.2499

www.cdri.org


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