Henry Thoreau is a touchstone in environmental thinking, and he pioneered a form of political resistance still employed today. But for the last decade of his life, he was devoted to a quieter endeavor: “phenology,” the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena. If he were living in West Texas, he'd be on the lookout now for one of the region's strangest natural spectacles.

For this episode, we're teaming up with “West Texas Wonders” – a reporting series where listeners ask questions and Marfa Public Radio finds answers. This question comes from listener Liz Lambert, of Marfa and Austin.

“I've noticed a lot of times, particularly in the summer after a rain, you can be... Hosted by for KRTS