Monday, December 1, 2008

Daingerfield camping trip....



The first morning in Daingerfield State Park. Alex and I got up early and took a long walk and watched the sun come up. We saw all kinds of animals, they have grey squirrel's....which I could not get a picture of because they move so fast or I am getting too slow with the camera. When you walk through the park you can smell the wonderful pine trees...clean fresh air!!












We walked for quit a while the first morning and got great pictures and saw some pretty bold ducks.....too bad we didn't take bread with us. They acted hungry...


It starts out pretty quiet for us, even though we had a family of 6 kids that followed us out there. They are from California so anytime we make camping reservations we get one for them too....eventually they will have been to all the same parks we have gone to. We are slowly but surely taking a tour of Texas state parks. We all later Tuesday morning, took a walk all the way around the lake. I think its about a 3 mile walk....what fun!!! and of course I took more pic's...Tuesday night we had a nice big fire and roasted plenty of marshmallows... the children ALL want to put a stick in the fire. I never though much about it when my boys did it, but its much different when there is six kids! "Danger danger Will Robinson!!!!"










Wednesday....more friends arrive at the park. Lidia and Mia show up...they are staying in a tent, so we set up their tent...Go girl power!!! actually I have never seen such an easy tent to put up. I had saved some lights from my camp site so that she could have some hanging lights at her camp site. So it looked really homey once we got them set up.... a heater was shared, just in case. we don't want our girls left out in the cold!!! LOL We also had another family show up with their travel trailer also, they parked at the camp site next to ours. How cozy... friends to the right, friends to the left and friends across the street!!! So Wednesday night we all cook together and have another big fire and roast marshmallows....


Thursday....more friends!!! we have more friends show up, Also one of my kids show up! this is shaping up nicely. Chris Comes and spends the day with his wife and us. Kathi and her family come up for the day also. We have a bible study outside around the fire, then we all go to the lake and see if the store is open to rent boats.... well it wasn't sooo what do we do??? take another walk around the lake (since we were with some who were not there before) I really didn't think I was up for it again, but it was with new people so off I go. When we get back we make some dinner and since it was a cool night I made some "glow wine" its what the Germans call it. Its a burgundy wine, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves you heat, but not boil so not to lose the alcohol content. We drank this around the camp fire...now we were warm on the outside and inside!!! Then about 9:00pm Chris and Kathi and her family left...so sad!!








Friday.....rain, rain, rain!!! all day long! But did that keep us from having fun?? naw of course not. Lidia and Mia showed up around 9:30am, ready for breakfast. Pancakes are the order of the day....yea! Since it was raining, I wanted to watch a movie, but the girls wanted to play chicken feet. So we started....we played and ate sandwiches until a knock on the door in the rain?? It was Stephen!! what a surprise, my youngest shows up!! Did not know he was coming.... So he was now sucked into having to play chicken feet until 6pm and we had dinner over at a friends trailer.












Saturday..... NO RAIN!!! whoohoo! For breakfast this morning biscuits and gravy! Since I have more people than I thought I would have I need to add something with it..Pancakes again!! sure why not... So yes pancakes again along with sausage and biscuits and gravy! Once we all had our showers and washed dishes, it was time to go down to the lake and check on the boats. And its open!! so we got paddle boats and set out on crossing the lake. I have never since such out of shape young ones.... I was on of the ones that could paddle across the lake. Must be all the 4 mile workouts up at work.... after the boats we came back to camp and ate (of course) Alex had a nice big fire going when we got back, so we vegged out by the fire some friends stopped by and hung out by the fire also, until it was time for Lidia, Mia and Stephen to go home. Then we get another call and some more friends on the way... they show up after dark, then I am realizing it is getting cold! So we try to keep the fire going until all are tired and turn in. I never got to see the movie I wanted to see. We stayed out late by the fire every night. I will have to see it another time. We will be packing up to leave in the morning. Even though we don't rush the pack up its alot of work, but well worth it!!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Ahhhhh the hill country!!!











Finally a change in scenery..... Just what I was looking forward too. There is something about the hill country that makes you relax. We are on our way to Fredericksburg Tx!!!!
We took the back roads.... Hwy 281 was slow but worth it! Looking at these small towns was great fun. We were hungry by the time we made it to Lampasses, so we made a stop for lunch. A cute little place called the YUMM Cafe, a cute little place. We ate outside under a huge oak tree! They had a spring mattress hanging in one tree and had other metal things hanging from it for decoration. I give them an A for creativity!
































My favorite of course was the big metal rooster!!
















After we have driven for about 2 1/2 hours I finally see it... the changes.... the road turns and over the hill I see the beginning of the hills!



There are 2 main areas of Texas tht are really beautifull, the east texas pines and the south texas hill country. There are cool things to see in the hill country. There is a place called "the slab" in marble falls. The ground in this area is solid granite and some of it is a river bed. Then there is the enchanted rock.....another solid piece of granite, except its a small mountain. Rock climbers climb it, but any one (well with good knees) can walk up it with out a rope. Its very impressive!



Anyhow along our way to Fredericksburg it was the hills this time that I was looking forward too.
Even though we went through some weather, the drive on the way down was really nice.


















There were some leaves trying to change so I got some pictures of those, for Texas its almost to early for pretty leaves.




So we got to Fredericksburg in about 6 hours ...thats what happens when you take the back roads. But it was worth it...





What I realized when we got to town is that I forgot any information about the hotel, no phone numbers or address!! this was soooo funny and so out of character for me. I usually have some information about the place I am going to stay at. I would have stopped at a gas station, but no not my husband.... what is it about guys asking for directions? What we ended up doing is stopping by the visitors bureau....which is a smart idea, but they were closed..lol So the next thing we saw was a map out by the street setup like a historical marker. SHAZZAMM there it was! we found the airport and thus found the hanger hotel. I think Alex and I would be great on the amazing race.... This hotel was fashioned after the 40's so there are many antique's around.





This old chevy is a small look at the old stuff......
















Since this hotel sits right on the airport we had the luxury of watching airplanes, that my husband and kids love to do. We think there was a club of retiree's that flew there altogether so they gave us some plane watching to do. This hotel has a balcony on the second floor that faces the air strip so anytime you want to go out for fresh air or watch for airplanes you could.



So pic's of the airplanes I will put in the slide show on the side bar.




On the day that it was not raining we drove out to the wild seed farms. I think this place is a mix between an auboretum and a nursery...perhaps a little zoo since it had a "butterfly haus". I guess the butterfly's were German too..lol


What we learned about the wild seed farms is that
they grow their own flowers and allow them to seed and take the seeds and package them. Then you have some really fresh seeds! Soooo of course I bought some! This is lady bird territory so I got some flowers named after her. Beautiful sights there of course... I could live in a place like this! Butterflies are every where. The monarchs are migrating to Mexico right now, and the wildseed farms are good about having the plants there available for them to eat on their way.








It was really neat to see the butterflies crawl into the flowers to get nector and fly out.





After the widseed farms, we went to sisters creek winery and did a wine making tour and then of course tasted their own blend of wine. Of course I found my favorite! On the way back to town we saw a sign for Luckenbach, so we turned because we have all heard the song about waylon and willie and the boys singing there.... well we got a really good laugh! Luckenbach consist of one dance hall which had no glass in the windows so only natural air conditioning and a post office.... I guess you have to consider it being a town since it has a post office. Only 2 buidlings in the big town of Luckenbach Texas!








Well they also have a nice sign! I always figured the town was small, but I have never seen one this small....





At dusk we went to a place that bats come out when they are ready to feed. There is an old train tunnel that is no longer used and they have set up house there. So the State parks and recreation people built some seating on the edge of a drop off for bat watching. There was a strange odor, they blamed it on the bats I suppose thats possible since I have not read up on bats. So we ended our vacation with bats and deer. On this road we took to see the bats was also busy with dear out grazing.
On the way home we did cloud watching since we were in and out of the rain the whole way....
So this was our trip in a nut shell.... can't wait for the next excursion! For more pictures click below....
Fredericksburg Texas

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Family time


SAY CHEESE!!!



Just a couple of my family pics. My brother was in town so we got together. Mom in the middle.

























My Uncle here in the middle has survived with cancer, so it was a real joy to get to see him!!!!


Oh and yes my Dad is a twin... My dad is the one in the red shirt.

Also the Sage is blooming everywhere here. Mine did wonderfully as well.







Thursday, July 17, 2008

My new friends

My new friends.














I have been trying to draw in different types of birds in my yard. Two years in a row I have had a mother mourning dove hatch 2 babies each year. So I have put bird seed out just to have them come back. Now I am getting the usual house finch. I also have 2 barn swallows coming under the porch cover to get out of the sun. The picture I have is kinda of a blurr. The most interesting is the red headed bird that is coming. It looks kind of like a female cardinal or a red headed finch.
It was really hard to take their picture. It was almost like they knew I was taking their picture and just trying to give me a hard time!. I wished the picture was more clear, this bird is really pretty.



























Here is my house finch that keeps returning with the red one and a couple of other friends.








Thats how I spent my time off .... watching birds and fish!!!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Green Thumb










I just had to show my latest water lily blooming....these guys are just beautiful!






I now have baby frogs hopping around on the lily pads. At this age they are soooo cute! I went outside as dusk and a BIG frog (perhaps the Mom ma) jumped out and scared me half to death...of course typical female, I let out a scream! Then I thought to myself... just a frog, not sure what I thought it might be. Just got startled I suppose.












The backside of my little fish pond. This is the first time these flowers have bloomed. It has been so long I forgot the name of them. Perhaps someone will let me know.


The banana trees are coming along nicely this year.....





Little more of my flower bed. My giant elephant ears are really doing well this year. I brought these from my home I moved from. We lived there for 18 years and wanted something to remember my pretty yard I left behind. These bagonia's are returning from last year. I did not replant...looks like we are turning into the tropic's, with the mild winters we have been having.





Looks like someone else is enjoying the backyard!!

Friday, June 6, 2008

My very first blog... June 6th 2008



Well I finally did it... created my very first blog. I have enjoyed reading other blogs and wanted to create my own. I took some pictures of the things I love to do.



My pride and joy outside that takes alot of work is my fish pond.... and yes I have had the Blue Herron scare as well. They have come down and eaten my goldfish. Pretty heart breaking, they always take them after you get attached and they get to know you. I am experimenting with the fish line around the pond to keep them away. I have tadpoles and one small snake along with 3 older fish and 4 new ones (I just had a visit from the crane and had to replace them).

It was pretty windy on this day, so lots of water had to be added today. The fish really love it when you add fresh water, they begin swimming quickly through the water like they are at the water park or something, its quite funny.

Sitting outside just watching them can put a nice calm end to a very hectic day at the office.


Here in the picture to the right is one of the many lilly's I will get this year. The lilly pads seem to be alot bigger this year than in the past. We did not have much of a winter this year, perhaps that has something to do with it.














This is a picture of my spreading petunia's in the front yard... aren't they spectacular!! I just love it when flowers come back each year and look this great. Makes it look like you spend alot of time in the yard when you haven't...well exept when they take over the sidewalk and you have to get out there and shave them back. Since the rains we just had they have really grown more!!















So this is my beginning.... I will enjoy adding to my blog more pictures of my other backyard flower beds.