Texas~ Day Two ~ Don't Mess with Texas

We had a lovely day with Travis and Sharon, cousins who live in Central Texas.







We visited a quaint little town not too far from their home.


Found neat little houses with tin roofs and flowers planted everywhere~






We enjoyed exploring around this little Texas town. !!!



Lunch was fun; only two choices in the tiny town..

Both were crowded~ where did all the people come from?

Inside we settled in for a Texas cafe experience.
I was the only one not ordering steak. I went for the catfish...

When our lunch arrived...I had hit the jackpot~

five large catfish filet's topped fries and rings~ on a
Texas size platter. Another Texas size bowl of coleslaw came with it. DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS!

Around the corner was parked THE CAR...seen before in my joke page.

Think it belonged to the owner of the other restaurant. I couldn't resist going in to just to check it out.















There I met the owner who was seated holding his 6 wk old baby ~ his young wife joined for the photo. ~ The place was packed with happy, happy people.

Made me want to sample their food too. .

This nice, neat sandwich and tea room had no customers at all. Back home in Virginia, this room would be packed...those Texans seemingly love being surrounded with lots of stimulation and real man food !!

Leaving the little town, along the roadwe stopped for a few photos.

Large and wild Jack Rabbits are very abundant in West Texas

We stopped for a close look at what was still in bloom of the famous and prolific Wild Texas Blue Bonnets ~

They grace the roadsides for miles and miles of Texas highways in the Spring.

As you can see...we were a little late in the season to see them at their best.

Have you ever seen Thistle in Bloom?

Wild and considered a weed in Texas.
One guy out there decided to gather, package and sell the seeds.

Word is that he made millions in the seed business.

I think I have actually bought some.

They didn't grow in Virginia.

Neat little wildflowers ... worth a stop and photo to share.

They are growing wild along the roadside and in the fields of Central Texas;

Texas Trip ~ Day Two ~ The Wedding

Family Wedding at Texas A & M UniversityFather 0f The Bride on Left
Bride center with Sister, the Maid of Honor
Surrounded by all blood relatives there to help celebrate her big day!

I think August, the baby,

is perhaps the only one in the photo without at least

one Degree
from Texas A&M
To be an Aggie is family tradition and lives on.



All pictured have the same last name or maiden name

as the Bride

Texas family of proud

German Decent

This was indeed a wonderful day to be in Texas.
We really enjoyed being a part of this wonderful Celebration !

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Arriving in Houston , we needed a rental car appropriate for our two weeks and
the many, many plans for

the Texas visit.








I kinda like this one...but many to choose from...





I really like the blue...

Comfortable? You BET..LOVE IT !!!

I think I had this one in a past life...just perfect to arrive in style...

all needed here is one of my BIG DERBY HATS!



But then....maybe not the convertible








....hummmmm





This one it neat too...

But back to the one I liked first...
feels good...

It is my style, with a picnic basket on the back...

And this color is perfect~ too many decisions...

I want this one... maybe...hummmmm

(Made this photos at a Cadillac Museum somewhere deep in the heart of Texas)

FINALLY~
just the right one caught my eye....

Get a load of this one...

Getting the car settled, we took off across the still wild and wonderful state to see all the family~

Still Going, Going, Going After All These Years

High School friends travel to enjoy life together~

We just keep going, going and going~ Seeing the world together once more.

Neither rain or more rain keeps up for our planned picnic ~

Guess what we shared under the newest hanger at my brother's Airfield? Good ol' Virginia Barbecue~

Too bad we didn't get to go up for a low level flight~ Tommy is a great in the air host~

oh will...next time. AND there WILL be a next time for this group!

Can't resist these photo opps~ Can you believe these ducks are nesting right on the Mall in DC? Yep~ lots of baby ducks on our Reflecting Ponds.

We honor the Unknown Soldiers ~ wreath laying, which always is a time to stop and reflect on those who gave their lives that we may live in a free Country~ (thus far.)

Downtown we enjoyed everything dressed in flowers this Spring.







Always a place to spend all day~

Among the treasures at the Museum of American History is every one's favorite places...

The Inaugural Gowns worn by the First Ladies...

We girls can't get enough ~

We remember Jackie O in her life~and stand sadly at her graveside.





Last day, we visited the Civil War Battle Field.

This historic house stood during that first Battle of Bull Run~ The house was turned into a hospital during the war between the states.

Rain, Rain, Go Away~ Come Again Another Day

Looking out on green, green grass of home~ grass that is growing double-time with a solid week of rain and more falling as I steal a moment to write.

Friends going back to High School Days arrived for a joyous visit. We didn't allow the rain forecast to dampen our spirits enough to keep us off the Mall in DC. Would you believe, the one day we had to spend there, the clouds parted and a little sun graced our visit there.

Tears rolled at the laying of a new Wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Taps sounded throughout and beyond thousands of white head stones, all standing in perfect order, silently overlooking the Grand Potomac River and Mall of Washington D. C.

Our Nations Capitol is a moving experience when we stand face to face with just what our precious Freedom has cost.

Now, we stand by watching news to hear how that precious freedom is being taking away by our own Government. Liberals appear weak and needy and now are in charge of our lives. I stand and weep at the thought.

Spring reminds us that we will be reborn~
That thought makes me happy.

Walking the yard with camera in hand is the only way to capture the fleeting images to keep.

The full azaleas grace the split-rail fence line ~

Lazy morning or late afternoons are spent in the Amish built swing.

Our Garden Club Vice Chair reports to be a photographer with her work shown in our local Backyard Boutique.

Well....this is one little shop I try to avoid

as I want one of everything they have for birds and backyards.

I found myself drawn there to see Jeannie's photography ...

however...once in the door,

my feet took me right over to a new finch feeder. My old one is crowded this year...

and the newest style is the mesh wire to accommodate a crowd.

This morning...we see only 3 feeding, but later, the feeder will be covered.

I did check out the photography. Images of birds were beautiful, no doubt. Another artist has taken her photography of birds and digitally altered them and their surroundings.

Was a fun hour and I LOVE my newest finch feeder.

First Watermelon of the Season

Two unseasonable hot days together here in Northern Virginia, it just seemed only right to have cold watermelon to savor. I returned the grandchildren from a "spend the night" and dropped by the green grocer. There was a large table of seedless and seeded melons to make my choice.
I stood and remembered another time over a stack of watermelons when I learned a very interesting lesson.

Years ago, I stood be the melons testing each with a thump. A man came up to me and said, "You are from Alabama, aren't you?"

I reeled backwards as I had not lived in the Heart of Dixie for 40 years. Did I know this man?
I looked at him for a clue and he smiled. I acknowledged to him I was actually born in Alabama and then he told me something I REALLY didn't know, "Only people from Alabama thump a watermelon."

I was thunderstruck.... Isn't that how you test for ripeness?
He was tapping the melons as he talked. I laughed and he gave me a wink.

I walked away with a wonderful melon that he selected for me with three taps and a new awareness that the world shared the love of watermelons, no matter where you were born.
Some of us thump and others pat. It really doesn't matter, the melons respond with the same sound.