Touring the Hill Country in Texas

We had such a great time on Monday.  Took a drive for about 4 hours.  The weather was beautiful, the scenery gorgeous and saw some interesting activities.  Hope you enjoy our drive through the Hill Country of Texas.

The sign on the front says "Waiting Station" -it is on the outskirts of Uvalde.

Made Ron drive around the block twice so I could get this picture...it is a May pole with different tea kettles.  Bet it looks good full of flowers.

John Nance Garner, Vice-president with President FDR.  He is buried in his home town of Uvalde.  One thing we found interesting, he died when he was 99 and his son died 11 months after him.  Garner's wife pre-deceased him by almost 25 years.

One of many beautiful homes we saw on our drive.

This one was built with different rockery.  To the right and in back there is a tree house just like it.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Uvalde.

Another view of the church.  The stained glass windows were gorgeous.

And they like their trees in Uvalde.  This one was in the middle of the road!

A close up of the tree in the road.

One of many beautiful gated entrances on our drive.

A group of buzzards/vultures.  They are huge!!!

Saw a small herd of dear in someone's yard.

Thought this was a great sign.  We decided we didn't want to go up their drive.

Another beautiful entry way.

This bull was right by the road next to this sign (a close up is below).  He stood perfectly still

One of many crosses we saw along our ride.  Many of them have bouquets of flowers placed by them.

Another gated entrance.

Don't know if you can see the horse/mule on the post. 

These mules were behind the fence of the above entrance.  They cane right up to the gate.  I thought of trying to pet one but changed my mind when I saw their teeth...big and lots of them.

Another beautiful cow.

One of the large homes behind those gated entrances.

We cracked up when we saw this sign on a back road.  We never thought of renting our pigs out...we just sold them.

A big eagle...the first one we have seen in a long time.

Look at those horns....maybe we should get a set and put them on the front of the motor home.  What do you think?

Another beautiful long horn.

A sign at the end of a private road.  We have seen many beautiful signs by gated entrances.

A garden scene by a driveway entrance...there was another one just like it on the other side of the drive way.

I thought these were bluebonnets but Ron said no, because they were purple.  Not sure what they are but I wouldn't mind having these growing in my yard ... that is if I had one.

Hope you enjoyed are drive today.

Wild Hog Festival - Sabinal, TX ~~ 3/27/2011

Isn't this guy just the cutest!!!

What a fun time we had in Sabinal, TX for the Wild Hog Festival.  Had deep fried mushrooms and a BBQ pork sandwich.  And shared sweet tea and lemonade.

The mushrooms tasted great but were pretty pricey.

Ron showing off his new hat....pretty dashing I say.

Just lovin these wild hogs.

Sat next to a family that had four members of their group participating in the Catch a Wild Hog contests. The contestants (two to a team)  have to corner, catch and put the hog into a burlap bag and then drag it across the line.  Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Aren't these babies cute?

And this one was our favorite!!!

All the little kids who grabbed or touched a wild baby hog.

Another view of the kids who were busy trying to catch a wild baby hog.

And this is Jacob showing off his blue ribbon!

These two boys won their division.

A mom and her son-in-law trying to get that darn hog into the burlap bag.

And this is Cassidy & Alexa...they won 2nd place in their division.

Ramblin' Thoughts

Want to write, just don't know where to start.  

First off I want to say thank you for all the thoughts and prayers when I was sick earlier this week.  I had decided Wednesday night if I was not feeling better by Thursday morning I would be making that fateful trip to the ER.  I know lots of prayers were said because I felt so much better Thursday morning.  Each day I am feeling a little better and for that I am so thankful.  I still have the cough but my chest does not hurt and I am sleeping well at night.

Today has been a day of mixed emotions.  We found out early this morning that one of our community members here at Lone Star Corral passed away.  Mae was 89 and a very sweet lady. She had not been feeling well and went to the hospital on Monday evening.  Late Wednesday evening she was transferred to ICU and very early this morning she went home to be with Jesus.  Once we heard the news Ron went and put the park's flags at half staff.  They will stay that way until her memorial service.  Mae was a sweet lady.  She always came in to the office to say hi and see how we were doing.  She was one of the ones who had really made us feel welcome here.  I didn't know her very well but I will miss her morning greetings.

I can't say enough how much we are enjoying it here in Texas.  Though I do miss seeing our kids and grandkids and all our friends.  We have been able to Skype a couple of times with Brandon and his family and that is always fun.   The other night when we Skyped as soon as Christopher got on the computer he wanted to talk to his Grandpa.  What am I chopped liver???  It was fun to listen to Grandpa and Christopher talking.  Christopher wanted a kiss so Grandpa kissed the camera and Christopher just giggled and giggled.  He has the sweetest little laugh.  Then we talked to Max for awhile.  We are excited as he is coming to spend a couple of weeks with us this summer.  We gave him an assignment.  He has to find 10 things to do within a 100 mile radius of D'Hanis, TX.  And then he has to email us his list by June 1st.  We told him we weren't promising to do all 10 but it would give us an idea of what he would like to do.  

We know we are going to go to the Alamo and the Riverwalk in San Antonio and hopefully to a rodeo in Banderra (there are three scheduled to happen while he is here).  Not sure what else we will be doing but we know it will be fun.

Tomorrow we are going into Sabinal (about 12 miles from here) for the Wild Hog Festival.  I have the camera on the charger so will definitely be writing a post about that on Wandering Workentins.

I just looked outside and the sky is beautiful this evening.  There are streaks of light orange with blue.  As I look out the window of the motor home the view is framed by two big oak trees, at least I think they are oak trees, full of lush green leaves.  It is a serene, peaceful picture.

I am missing writing but I just can't think of what to write about.  If you have any questions or ideas please don't hesitate to share them with me.

Wishing you each a great day!

Texas ~ One Month Today!

Can't believe it was just one month ago today we pulled into the Lone Star Corral.  On one hand it seems like we just got here and on the other it feels like this has been our life for quite awhile.

We are asked often how we are doing?  We are doing great ~ other than me being sick right now.  We are really liking our jobs.  No two days are ever the same.  Yet we are pretty much getting into a routine.  Our work days usually start between 6:15 and 6:30 a.m.  I have been able to have my quiet time with the Lord.  Right now I am doing a Bible study on James with a group of women called "Good Morning Girls."  We connect via Facebook each day.  I think I am the only one without young children at home.  

By the time I am done with my quiet time, Ron is up and getting ready for work.  We then have breakfast and spend about 20 minutes on the computer checking emails, Facebook or blogs.  Then we walk to work.  It is all of 25'.  We each have things that need to be done each morning.  Ron goes and reads the water meters and drives through the park checking to make sure that things are well in the park.  I get the file drawers unlocked, get the till ready for the day, check work emails, check the calendar to see if there is something specific that needs to be done that day and open the office window.  Ready for business.   Throughout the morning I answer the phone, work on projects and visit with different residents and guests as they come into the office.

And then it is lunch time.  We close the office window from Noon to 2:00 p.m.  We take lunch from Noon to 1:00 p.m.  Sometimes we make a run to the post office or the bank at lunch.  After lunch we head back to work.  Me in the office and Ron around the property.  Some of the projects Ron has worked on is organizing the different sheds, cleaning out the Manager's shed so we could put our stuff in it.  He has done some plumbing, mowed lawns, and checked for a water leak.  Ron says working here at the park is like working at our own place ~ making sure that everything is in working order, doing yard work, making sure the tools, lawnmowers, and the tractor are in working order.  He is definitely enjoying himself.  Yesterday he was mowing lawns and one of the gals came in and I mentioned I had been trying to reach Ron on the radio.  Judy said he was out mowing the lawn and had the biggest smile on his face.  Yes, I would say he is enjoying his work.

My time in the office in the afternoon is more of the same from in the morning.  Yesterday one of my projects was to organize some of the files.  I ran out of hanging file folders so that project is on hold till Tuesday once my order from Office Depot comes in.  I am enjoying my work in the office and figuring out where things are and where they go.

When we first started here at Lone Star Corral we decided we wanted Sunday & Monday as our days off.  But we are finding out that a lot things happen on Saturday's in the neighboring communities and not so much on Sunday's so beginning April 9th & 10th we will be taking Saturday & Sunday's off. 

We continue to look for a church to attend while here.  We know we will find right where the Lord want's us.  And that it will take time...patience, something I am not very good at. We are making friends here and that is good.  We were invited to play Mexican train last night but I was not feeling very well.  I was thinking it was allergies but now believe I just have a bad cold.  I am coughing, wheezing and just feel plain crummy.  So today we are laying low.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for me.  Guess that's all for now.

Not Feeling Well

I don't feel very well today.  I thought it was allergy issues but this morning I think it is a bad cold.  Hopefully it won't turn into bronchitis. 

I started coughing the raspy cough yesterday and this morning I am wheezing along with coughing.  I just feel kinda crummy.  Last night I took Nyquil and some generic allergy medicine and went to bed before 7:30 p.m.  I woke up a little after midnight for a few minutes and then went right back to sleep.  Woke up in the night a couple more times from coughing. 

Got up this morning and made some chicken noodle soup.  It sure felt good going down my throat.

I hate being sick.   What can I say...it is no fun being sick.  I want to write but can't even think of what to write about so I think I will go back to bed and sleep some more.  Maybe I will wake up feeling better.