Wild Weekend Past

Wild well maybe not so wild but it was fun and wild flowers.. Besides it got your attention didn't it. I've been trying to write this for over a week but here I am trying again.

Picture by P.O

 A week ago Friday it was date night. We headed to the Cypress Saloon on Telge to listen to Max Stalling and his band. The first time I saw and heard him it was just him and his lovely talented wife Heather. Heather has her own band and plays a mean fiddle but that night it was just the two of them. Anyway our first stop that night was the Harpers for a drink. We only lasted through one drink because everyone was hungry. I called our daughter and told her we were headed to P.O.'s located right behind the Cypress Saloon for dinner so if she wanted to jump in the car and join us come on. Didn't have to twist her arm. P.O's is a no frill and family friendly. It's been around since around 1980. They have a wide menu from burgers to chicken fried steak. The food wasn't bad. The burgers were juicy but they needed more spice on the fries and onion rings for my taste.
There was a warm up band before Max and I'm sorry they did nothing for me. The instrumental music was good but I couldn't handle the singing. They made such an impression I can't even remember the bands name. I think they thought if they played really loud you wouldn't notice they couldn't sing. I never understood a single word they sang. But Yee Haw on came Max Stalling and his band. Max is a Texas song writer and singer.  He and his band rocked Cypress Saloon with their music and songs. I think we found him 2 new fans.. The Harpers. ;o) Didn't get home until midnight. Fun evening and we had to get up early Saturday for more wild fun. Next time I'll take some pictures I hope.

Saturday Morning we're up but not moving real fast. We cleaned up, packed, loaded the car, kissed Pamela and Dexter goodbye and we were on the road to the Texas Hill Country to just relax.

At one point I told David as he's driving that last stretch of 290 towards Fredericksburg that the next time he saw a good patch of wildflowers and he could stop, would he so I could take some pictures. He said sure. Driving along when all of a sudden he slams on the brakes and slides over to the wide spot on the side of the road.  Cool I think. Stomach wasn't so sure.  David tells me to hop out take all the pictures I want and oh watch for snakes. Gee Thanks Honey. But I was happy to stop and take some pictures.Traffic was really heavy. Let's see it was the Bluebonnet Festival in Chappell Hill, a 5K and a 10K run in Brenham and who knows what else. And there's always dead stopped traffic on I-35 in Austin and least not I forget the construction and traffic between Dripping Springs and Johnson City. Holy cow it took us for ever. Now as we're driving down the road we're noticing all the wild flowers and there was some bluebonnets hidden in there. Oh did I mention I was also car sick. Grrr. I thought I was past that but it's back. I was miserable but I wasn't about to miss a weekend with the hubby where he was actually willing to relax.

By the time we get to Fredericksburg we're starving. Those 2 sausage kolaches had worn off. We checked into the The Fredericksburg Inn. It's right on Barons Creek about a 2 blocks off main street on 16 S. Instead of driving we decided to walk and find a new place to eat. We

shopped as we went down the street and passed a couple of places that looked like a candidate to eat at but we weren't sure so we trudged on. Just before crossing over to the next block we saw the Buffalo Nickel. We made a comment about eating there the last time so let's try now.
David got a burger and I got a chicken sandwich. Pretty tasty. The other food being served around us looked pretty good too. Might have to try them again when we come back to the area. There's so many places to try. After that we're back on the streets and shopping or mainly looking around.
It wasn't long and we got a call from our friends that were already in Fredericksburg too. They wanted to see we had made it yet and if we wanted to join them for a bite to eat. We met them but we had something to drink and let them eat. Before we knew it, it was time to head out to Luckenback to listen to some music. Boot scootin and toe tapping.♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪•.

Now have you ever watched a rooster climb a tree. I hadn't but this handsome guy climbed right on up high in the tree branches.



Not to be left behind the spotted hen runs up right behind him.

Now this is a much younger rooster and not as pretty as the other one. Being younger his crow is a little broken and now as strong so we figured he hadn't hit puberty.

I forgot who but someone nickname him Justin Bieber. LOL



 If you had any question where I was here's a picture of the Luckenbach post office.




 I really like their mail box for the bills.

Do you see what I mean? The opening is facing down.






I recently found out that I liked Corona so that
was my flavor for the nite. Not that I'm a big beer drinker but this one works unless they have Blue Moon with Oranges which they didn't.

 You couldn't have asked for better weather to be outside drinking and listening to some great music. Had a great time. By about 10pm it was actually getting a little cool with the breeze but comfortable.

This is our friends Tim and Gigi.
We're their daughter's Godparents and they're our daughter's God parents. We stood up in each others weddings too.


It was photo time. I snapped a picture of Michelle and Shaun. Michelle used to work with Gigi but she and the hubby has since moved to Fredericksburg. Really nice couple.


And I wanted a picture of David and I. It was getting late and David was getting really tired. I mean we got up early, okay early for me on a Saturday but he did all the driving.  Aren't we cute.       













When we woke up the next morning it was raining. Isn't this rose beautiful? It's one of the many on the bush below right outside our room door.  See the circular pad behind it. They had chairs set up for a small wedding ceremony the night before.  Beautiful setting with all the trees. 

After a few pictures around the hotel we off to find some breakfast. Ran across this place. It's not very big but it served really tasty food. Oh yum. David ate a classic egg, bacon, potato and toast plate but I decided to be adventurous and try Eggs Benedict with crab cakes. I was pleasantly surprised. Thank goodness. Found us another place to eat ate.

 It's not often I get to take a picture of the hubby. He tends to get a little grumpy when I point the picture in his direction. But today he cooperated with me.  After breakfast we headed to the Veterans Park there on Main. You know me and my camera I wanted to take some pictures. It was so colorful and relaxing. David borrowed my camera to snap this picture. 

 

















Look all the petals on this rose. My favorite. Are you bored yet with all my rantings and pictures.  There was just so much to see. 


Next we headed off to the WildSeed Farm. 
 I guess we've never been to the Hill Country in the Spring because I don't remember so many flowers. Here I am standing in the poppy field. They were everywhere.




 Don't know what these purple flowers but they were everywhere too. 

 Now it's time to head home. So you see it was a WILD flower weekend.

On our way back down 290 I asked for another flower photo shoot chance. I wanted to get a picture of a flower I kept seeing. And here it is.

We back home thru Bastrope on 71 and then hit 21 to get back to 290. Boy was I shocked. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I never thought about how close the fires of September 2011 were to the highway. Sorry for the blurr but I tried focusing as we went by when I should have focused ahead.The devastation was almost overwhelming as we drove down 21. Things are starting to turn green around the trees but the scars are still there. 

 To end my long winded post is my last sudden stop picture.  I just might put this one in a frame in the guest room. I kinda like this one.

 

So Until next blog.... 
There are three words I like to repeat to myself: glass half full. Just to remind myself to be grateful for everything I have.

 

Come on I dare you, I double dare you!

A quick recap of my Easter. I don’t know about you but I had a very relaxing time with Family. My sister-in-law Lynn (she’s married to David’s brother) had everyone over for lunch.

Everything was yummy.  Lynn made a Chocolate Eclair for dessert  in honor of her dad, her daughter my niece Shelby and my of nephew Phillip's (Glenda's oldest son) birthday.

Chocolate Elclair seems to be everyones favorite dessert including mine.

 Collage of some of the characters present.

• Good looking young man on the top left is my nephew Kevin
• Kevin and my daughter Pamela
• Lynn holding her little pooch named Pepper and that's my daughter Pamela again in the peach colored shirt
• Center photo of three beautiful girls - the 2blondes are Gary and Lynn's daughter's Kendall and Shelby with their cousin Pamela (all the kids grew up thinking their names were "cousin" Kendal, cousin Shelby etc)
• bottom left is nephew Kevin, his mom Glenda (David's sister),and Pamela
• then there's my other good lookin nephew Phillip and his cute girlfriend Courtney
• the last picture is of my niece Shelby with Pepper

Once we got home late Easter Sunday afternoon David and I relaxed on the patio while Pam went in and did school work and Nursing job applications. 

It's so nice just sitting out there starring off in the distance at the lake and watching the birds.

Okay I dare them to finish my driveway. I double dare them.
I know there’s a rhyme and reason for doing the new driveway in sections but it’s like they’re teasing us with each section they tear out and pour. LOL! It's taking forever. First 60’ done, then the next 10’ with a real sidewalk to the front door done, then the next 95’ and then last Thursday night when I got home they had torn out the last 15’ of driveway. This last 15’ will complete our 193’ (I think I added that righrt) long driveway renovation. Yippee.  This past Friday the workers started forming up those last 15ft and curbs over the culverts and the plan was for them to come back on Saturday and pour concrete. I can’t wait.  Right now it's looking good.



David and I left Pamela in charge while we took off for the Hill Country this past Saturday. Just before we left the guys showed up to finish the forms and pour the concrete. Later that afternoon when I was talking with Pamela the workers were pouring concrete. 7 more days and we'll be able to drive on our new driveway. We got home too late Sunday to take pictures. Who knew when we started this patio addition and driveway renovation that it would take 4 months for them to complete.

Also last Thursday night I wanted to attend a sewing bee with the Church Ladies(do you remember the Church Lady (Dana Carvey) from Saturday Nite Live) so I had fun pulling my rolling sewing bag, with quilty tools, project and fabric across the dirt at the side of the driveway, then through the side yard and through the ditch to my car.  Since the end of the drive way was tore up it was the only way to get to my car. Not a big deal in the day light but at 9:30pm that night it was a little difficult. I couldn’t see the mud bug holes in the ditch and got stuck a couple of times. It was rather comical but you had to be there to truly get the full picture.

Oh Well until next blog.......A Family is a Patchwork of Love

Color, What color?

Recently I was reading my friend Tom Russell's blog called Tom Russell Quilts where he shares his adventures in life and talents like quilting, applique and always his "Magic Monday". He has quite the eye for taking photos and such a sense of humor. I'm either smiling or laughing out loud about something he wrote.

I commented how I loved all the flowers and color he had and that right now my new yard doesn't have color. But that's not to say David isn't dying to get in there and landscape. Trust me, he is he is. He's ready but he wants to wait until all the construction is done. Well sorta. He has already started working on a design for a flower bed just off the patio and has positioned the crepe myrtles he bought in the late fall to see how they'll look. He's now pondering what plants he'll fill in with. 

Wait! Color! I remembered there's an Amaryllis blooming in the front yard.  A single Amaryllis plant and it's really pretty. It came with the house. It's the only flower unless you count the Ligustrum bushes that are now starting to bloom.


They don’t smell so good but it’s color right? I looked around, nope nothing else to see here.
So I walked to the back yard. No Color has been planted in the ground but there's color in them there flower pots that we used to have around the pool from the old house.



Hey I at least found some color.






In Quilting news:  See this little pile of thread. I've had bigger. Me and my sewing machine are not one. One of us have a problem and it's not me this time. The quilt is simple enough but thread keeps jamming and making a mess of my baby quilt. GRRRRR.

Partial Sneak peak below.
Can't post it here yet in case Lisa is reading. She and the hubby had a beautiful baby girl. Baby Abigail Victoria sounds so sweet and delicate I hope she don't mind a Texas Quilt Welcome. I hope to finish this up and get it to her before she turns 1. That's seems to be About my speed for quilting. 

So until next blog.....
I think I've discovered the secret of life -you just hang around until you get used to it . ~Charles M Schulz~

Leave it to me

Good grief. What was I thinking? On my last post I had a problem with blogger freezing up and when I restarted it some of my paragraphs moved around on their own so when I tried retyping some of the info I either left out words, added extra words in the sentences or used wrong words. Like "Britt and Scottie brought us a house warming gift which they should have" which should have read "they SHOULDN'T have. Good grief. There were other minor boo boos but I won't point them all out since I'm sure you found them. I know the hubby did and here I didn't even think he took time to read my blog. Surprise.







Remember in my last post where I bragged on my niece Emily, Ole Twinkle Toes. Well Here is another picture that really captured my attention. I love how it captured her in air.  Okay so I've showed her graceful and beautiful side...................................................................................................

Now let me show you the every day side on the farm in Missouri. LOL. The little guy in the back is my nephew Josiah.   

I had to laugh when I saw this picture.

Meet Fajita. He wanted to play so head butted Emily. Surprise. LOL 
How do you like that name? I mean really?! They named the poor thing Fajita.. isn't that kinda like rubbing it in his face what the future holds? LOL.            

They at least named the smaller calf Daisy.

Last Tuesday night I went to the Tri County Quilt Guild meeting. We had the most awesome speaker. Edyta Sitar presented her program called "Reasons for Quilting."  You can see some of her work Here.

She entertained us, shared stories and through her stories she showed us her Reasons (and love) for Quilting.

Her husband who normally doesn't travel with her played Vanna and held up each quilt as Edyta weaved her story. She was such a delight. 

Edyta's own children are growing up so she couldn't pass at the chance to hold this little cutie pie of one of our newest members. 


I hear Edyta's workshop on Wednesday was just as delightful. She's based out of Michigan, but if you get a chance to hear her speak don't miss it. You won't be disappointed.

When I got home last Wednesday, guess what I found??? A sidewalk to the front door!! So exciting. A real sidewalk instead of flagstones just tossed on the ground or crushed granite. I have to wait a couple of days to use it, but it's really there. They also poured another small section of driveway.

The little trench and the red paint line is how much wider the narrower part of the driveway will be.

They came on Saturday to tear out all be the entry of the old driveway and will pour concrete on Tuesday. Construction zone will be over soon. Can't wait. I'm told that there will be one more pad of concrete poured in the back for the small trailer we have and maybe another step off the 10x14 area off the patio. It's a pretty big step down so a transition step may be needed.