tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30766173468644297622024-03-12T19:05:31.071-07:00Smoky and Shann's Excellent AdventuresSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-26891710215505782662017-04-08T20:30:00.000-07:002017-04-09T08:37:51.265-07:00Traveling Back Roads (Mostly)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYQ6zkjEEKS0x01s82OIdtlDYCU9HFe1ZkW9JLt241_-S4Y3Q-bg6ngwso4MiemQgNxBegBOa1RwcWIkHmok7PJfA7_ChFN_ijSrkShOWUFrS2Ff7wQF6KBrIBzFV8jPxtI1313NXlqef/s1600/HDD5-7302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYQ6zkjEEKS0x01s82OIdtlDYCU9HFe1ZkW9JLt241_-S4Y3Q-bg6ngwso4MiemQgNxBegBOa1RwcWIkHmok7PJfA7_ChFN_ijSrkShOWUFrS2Ff7wQF6KBrIBzFV8jPxtI1313NXlqef/s320/HDD5-7302.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last shot of our neighbor longhorns before leaving <br />
Leander KOA on Thursday morning.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On Thursday, April 6, we began driving out of Texas headed for Smoky's mom in Illinois, stopping that first night in Gilmer, Texas at Watts RV Park. Traveling to Gilmer gave us a chance to see another part of the state, one not considered Hill Country. We were pleasantly surprised at how many beautiful flowers we saw along the roadside.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4i8dJ6CUClwGqCwYL0a6d0zTv3Qap1YL9vXrwj-ZWsUKlxiZBNNo_Z5ZBjPAuj88T1PtJsXp7zWE1fynD7N6nRkOIqjx0izxAXmS2zRofPHkqSO_tvA_r1nIxnOu2cYhuGEaBxWdvNFrn/s1600/HDD5-7416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4i8dJ6CUClwGqCwYL0a6d0zTv3Qap1YL9vXrwj-ZWsUKlxiZBNNo_Z5ZBjPAuj88T1PtJsXp7zWE1fynD7N6nRkOIqjx0izxAXmS2zRofPHkqSO_tvA_r1nIxnOu2cYhuGEaBxWdvNFrn/s400/HDD5-7416.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roadside wildflowers in northeast Texas.</td></tr>
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Smoky had read somewhere that the Texas Department of Transportation is considered the world's biggest gardener (we hope we remembered this correctly). I discovered on the TDOT website that roadside wildflower programs have been in place since 1932. Now, TDOT buys and sows about 30,000 pounds of wildflower seeds along the roadsides each year.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Rv77E1X1vWzU3B6f6fbZqMd8KkVV50syBigSOWVi8HC026sgwXzMSatoYfxnVQ2PIJQ93e-txpdM9TJedqD7Uk5OdBQmR33wavgeNoNAG95_Cq79Y8e7xPaPnOW6_F8tRiGYqmhTjnOl/s1600/HDD5-7437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Rv77E1X1vWzU3B6f6fbZqMd8KkVV50syBigSOWVi8HC026sgwXzMSatoYfxnVQ2PIJQ93e-txpdM9TJedqD7Uk5OdBQmR33wavgeNoNAG95_Cq79Y8e7xPaPnOW6_F8tRiGYqmhTjnOl/s320/HDD5-7437.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roadside verbena were abundant and found in many colors.</td></tr>
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Encouraging native species of flowers and grasses cuts back on the mowing required, a win-win for everyone. And traveling down the state highways in northeast Texas was thrilling.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fHMKV5-Z1TNM_OLDxRjDDXawfBq6po_1GGWcaGPoRi_AgkWL2QOoCd_x2I8PtjXGzAsgr9nMzSENfKbamwcnJtQLaILR1VrFNcT5q8MeYz3W5nIbe63HOzigQoj_yNj81sU2TGDqersA/s1600/IMG_5461-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fHMKV5-Z1TNM_OLDxRjDDXawfBq6po_1GGWcaGPoRi_AgkWL2QOoCd_x2I8PtjXGzAsgr9nMzSENfKbamwcnJtQLaILR1VrFNcT5q8MeYz3W5nIbe63HOzigQoj_yNj81sU2TGDqersA/s320/IMG_5461-sm.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These beautiful yellow flowers were<br />
abundant along the roadside to Gilmer, TX.</td></tr>
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By Friday, April 7, we had driven out of Texas and into Arkansas. Before crossing the state line, we stopped to see what the bright yellow flower was that covered large patches of Texas roadside. They were beautiful. We are having trouble identifying them, so let us know if you have a clue.<br />
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Friday night we stayed at Catherine's Landing at Hot Springs. The campground was large and right on Lake Catherine. The heated pool was beautiful and popular, and the bath houses were modern and clean. I had a bad experience in the laundry room, however, and had to rewash one load late Friday night after it came out of the washer dirtier than when I put it in! Ugh!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvmSnDLzWZRlgV3SI7ccxn9ocEUa5KtAw-z5QZ8a6EbIjyAqK8vMY4n2NIzq_n_FRgekMK_HPk9vjDDnzK7yBUNl3ulGkwhhM2Ckx_tKhXuEuyhdpRH2N4cWvx326kiHIrPJn6FWkbfDr/s1600/HDD5-7656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvmSnDLzWZRlgV3SI7ccxn9ocEUa5KtAw-z5QZ8a6EbIjyAqK8vMY4n2NIzq_n_FRgekMK_HPk9vjDDnzK7yBUNl3ulGkwhhM2Ckx_tKhXuEuyhdpRH2N4cWvx326kiHIrPJn6FWkbfDr/s320/HDD5-7656.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Scenic Byway 7 of the Grand Canyon<br />
of the Ozarks.</td></tr>
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The weather has been beautiful for these travel days--blue skies, temperatures in the high 70s during the day and cooling down at night. Saturday we traveled on small winding Scenic Byway 7 through the Hot Springs National Park and then through the Ozarks on our way to Harrison, Arkansas. The views were amazing along this curvy road, which is considered by some to be one of the ten most scenic roads in the nation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdehZgvxac-jxnLaGPSDL3-i551eHxQOTjGdu_7pQMm4zEDoBVTLo6BF846LyU2ZRBuHV848JCKq7rFWzhki3t_4zOZTLV7khRRa386qiTZQNpJR3KR84pRQd8EfN2BxxjLatKBWg2BIz/s1600/HDD5-7671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdehZgvxac-jxnLaGPSDL3-i551eHxQOTjGdu_7pQMm4zEDoBVTLo6BF846LyU2ZRBuHV848JCKq7rFWzhki3t_4zOZTLV7khRRa386qiTZQNpJR3KR84pRQd8EfN2BxxjLatKBWg2BIz/s320/HDD5-7671.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harrison Village Campground.</td></tr>
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We arrived after 6 at the Harrison Village Campground, where owner Mike patiently waited for us after his closing time. Mike and lovely wife Becky have owned the campground for 11 seasons, and it is a really charming place to stay.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBLYPhS4XqVxUqXl3WQKw354PvHMQOdqKfHzPNfgilOKnimmCEVYgMhFC8vHR0t20NT6FjMEeevbhkjMvrjQyvbfVifpi0NXTtNtpPspPuG5aDDgU1phqIzT_KninCvpkARSmrVP3g4EV/s1600/HDD5-7673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBLYPhS4XqVxUqXl3WQKw354PvHMQOdqKfHzPNfgilOKnimmCEVYgMhFC8vHR0t20NT6FjMEeevbhkjMvrjQyvbfVifpi0NXTtNtpPspPuG5aDDgU1phqIzT_KninCvpkARSmrVP3g4EV/s200/HDD5-7673.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harrison Village Campground's<br />
amazing laundry room! You don't<br />
see the ironing board, comfy<br />
chairs, and reading material.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJ8CchecR5DORAXi2UhUHOHnVdxyYZJRr0Et754cXoalrNlMGBdOX2t1yXRdZ1g-dN33VjJe4wuIUn_8qdPnPKGcLQU4DPlZY-fa9TIDIqGXqAvK6eDcHXtmgIW1LajdJ50k20dDREsH6/s1600/mike-harrison-village-campground-sml.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJ8CchecR5DORAXi2UhUHOHnVdxyYZJRr0Et754cXoalrNlMGBdOX2t1yXRdZ1g-dN33VjJe4wuIUn_8qdPnPKGcLQU4DPlZY-fa9TIDIqGXqAvK6eDcHXtmgIW1LajdJ50k20dDREsH6/s200/mike-harrison-village-campground-sml.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike, Harrison Village <br />
Campground owner.</td></tr>
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I shared my laundry fiasco from Saturday night with Mike, and he suggested I check out his laundry. Wow! It is great. I've always been crazy about washing clothes. I got it from my grandmother, who also loved doing laundry. Mike's laundry room would have made my Nannie proud! This is our last night camping before moving to our permanent spot in Illinois, and we're voting Harrison Village Campground our favorite spot!<br />
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Off to bed!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeHtAN3AIJhzOotvs3dvjCRfJPf_ZLy_pdWqelDjCTnRxIfObr42RzCRn2Hp1nmwFHunQEgzHJiLaQ2K5oZVQhgTisbOL3d3VJ-5dMoyh9SFsm3-2r0zvWqX6jSsqybT77wnlJP-CNavw/s1600/HDD5-7676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeHtAN3AIJhzOotvs3dvjCRfJPf_ZLy_pdWqelDjCTnRxIfObr42RzCRn2Hp1nmwFHunQEgzHJiLaQ2K5oZVQhgTisbOL3d3VJ-5dMoyh9SFsm3-2r0zvWqX6jSsqybT77wnlJP-CNavw/s320/HDD5-7676.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tonight's almost full moon!</td></tr>
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--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-65663888272779301192017-04-05T20:33:00.000-07:002017-04-10T20:04:27.590-07:00Last Day in Texas Hill CountryToday (Wednesday, April 5) was our last full day in the Austin area. We wanted to explore a little of the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, so we took a couple of their shorter hikes. This was a nice change from previous days.<br />
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Balcones is home to the endangered golden-cheeked warbler, which we hoped to see today. We heard several bird songs which could have been the warbler and caught glimpses of birds in the woods, but only the birds know their identity!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqiINz9MQ-Jcu7k8b2LqPUYoTciuQRFnLHRU8nwgSST1b5kWODmN_a-UVHzm4sceafp9t6uH8oVUIrtTYWuthp2Xbj7t9A-65ykrlb9KykCTG5_LGwKqduBInR27xElaVST8M8IpbC2Zu/s1600/HDD5-7070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqiINz9MQ-Jcu7k8b2LqPUYoTciuQRFnLHRU8nwgSST1b5kWODmN_a-UVHzm4sceafp9t6uH8oVUIrtTYWuthp2Xbj7t9A-65ykrlb9KykCTG5_LGwKqduBInR27xElaVST8M8IpbC2Zu/s320/HDD5-7070.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue curls (<i>Phacilia congesta</i>I</td></tr>
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In spite of slim pickings in the bird department, we saw a lot of wildflowers, including several surprises. One looked very much like the purple fringed phacelia back in the Smokies. We discovered it is called Blue curls (<i>Phacilia congesta)</i> here.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJL6geysPZEyHwL6UqeoSN0lt8g-Yv1v9ITQ7AB0D7qnvp5Xc2kRv5xKNBN7vb77vON6Sp-pj80OeAzp6kemtX2kFzNXewJ5WYosmW05D41f390CVQA-UL6OVHOvCtvAfWYMTaHWzp68W/s1600/HDD5-7240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJL6geysPZEyHwL6UqeoSN0lt8g-Yv1v9ITQ7AB0D7qnvp5Xc2kRv5xKNBN7vb77vON6Sp-pj80OeAzp6kemtX2kFzNXewJ5WYosmW05D41f390CVQA-UL6OVHOvCtvAfWYMTaHWzp68W/s200/HDD5-7240.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely tall flower which we now<br />
know is blue-eyed grass.</td></tr>
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We also saw some blue-eyed grass that looked exceedingly tall. We thought it was blue-eyed grass and then we changed our minds. Next, we thought it was Prairie Pleatleaf from the Iris family, which would explain why it was so tall! After further research, now Smoky says it must be blue-eyed grass after all!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTnORAthijT-KHx15Al7iaHsAbkgAwX8kLTyPZS7Qq5vr4ACzAkEJqz1GJ_6s4w7q37AqKzVkcHVWissc6j47_suJeFGdwW7W4kNC6FyiNwrYEco0XlxG7D6zZ-njABRQuocI6VS43gkF/s1600/HDD5-7011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTnORAthijT-KHx15Al7iaHsAbkgAwX8kLTyPZS7Qq5vr4ACzAkEJqz1GJ_6s4w7q37AqKzVkcHVWissc6j47_suJeFGdwW7W4kNC6FyiNwrYEco0XlxG7D6zZ-njABRQuocI6VS43gkF/s320/HDD5-7011.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Olive" Juniper Hairstreak (<i>Callophrys <br />gryneus gryneus</i>) on a White Milkwort <br />
(<i>Polygala alba</i>).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRM2fBNtRgKrCW7k8HJeCdiLqlNMARcMoNxewZTZPGcnP06nWcFfG-oe4K2KECIB4x8ZotE9MvkfbiatV9AIwyhjByqUMr3y6Y3oB0BgRqtpwWQfvfGkfI1ZFiXVZC-uefW4fVkj2KZ793/s1600/HDD5-7061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRM2fBNtRgKrCW7k8HJeCdiLqlNMARcMoNxewZTZPGcnP06nWcFfG-oe4K2KECIB4x8ZotE9MvkfbiatV9AIwyhjByqUMr3y6Y3oB0BgRqtpwWQfvfGkfI1ZFiXVZC-uefW4fVkj2KZ793/s320/HDD5-7061.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skipper butterfly on phlox.</td></tr>
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Smoky also had a great time photographing some tiny butterflies, smaller than my thumbnail. The colors on them was spectacular. It is truly amazing how much detail you can see when you examine the macro photographs of these beauties.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYdSKZPZ19uKa6NLumITTXEWaPNxBRxMv2ww0JynZsK2k9bIYr90ampFTzCg7ePjhlWIJ9LUuaxNvAkhJz4oZtotakbzdnRHsItBIPGhFDCYkaNh05GB8zRPbd0RXELPWv3wKdKdYrbpB/s1600/HDD5-7204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYdSKZPZ19uKa6NLumITTXEWaPNxBRxMv2ww0JynZsK2k9bIYr90ampFTzCg7ePjhlWIJ9LUuaxNvAkhJz4oZtotakbzdnRHsItBIPGhFDCYkaNh05GB8zRPbd0RXELPWv3wKdKdYrbpB/s400/HDD5-7204.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This unknown damsel species caught our eye <br />
at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, TX.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We are a little sad to be leaving Texas but, as grateful as we are for this opportunity, we look forward to being home again. We have lots of memories to store away. It will be fun to relive those as we look back through Smoky's photographs.<br />
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My plan is to post a few more blog entries about this trip, perhaps summarizing our experience and sharing some additional photos. Thanks for following along with us.<br />
<br />
--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-62839276036086730822017-04-05T07:19:00.000-07:002017-04-09T08:39:15.292-07:00Smoky's April 4 Photo TripSmoky's Bluebonnet Tours trip with photographer Jason Weingart was lots of fun. I think, in a way, it pleased Smoky that several of the places Jason carried the group were places we had discovered on our own. Those, plus several other nice spots, made the tour worthwhile.<br />
<br />
Here are a few of Smoky's favorite images. There will be more to come.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8rZJXvlML7ybkXMWOhs0qkOPFiIHQIiJjF2amTd9BPHQr02j0I5fVNLjQgt05OJRcBMOSE8aUz0PqrSur1LN9TrLLlk3FaDm04VwX_ImFipFbRyYLzj8pjg_RO9joynnNwaDM5MRzakGF/s1600/HDD5-6632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8rZJXvlML7ybkXMWOhs0qkOPFiIHQIiJjF2amTd9BPHQr02j0I5fVNLjQgt05OJRcBMOSE8aUz0PqrSur1LN9TrLLlk3FaDm04VwX_ImFipFbRyYLzj8pjg_RO9joynnNwaDM5MRzakGF/s400/HDD5-6632.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebonnets in a field west of Llano on Highway 29.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxbC1WYonYzEMaxG81LkFkqfNlNVbRVg4uzCeNzYyyKiD6iHz3gfERkr6Jo2APiIOYp0aSyHEY2cuW3c1ITOmkQlCiI56JrqAZYQ-iOK8eohkOMdXZ9Rq7Ldqki4C8Zl8wZZGSPuctjuA/s1600/HDD5-6716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxbC1WYonYzEMaxG81LkFkqfNlNVbRVg4uzCeNzYyyKiD6iHz3gfERkr6Jo2APiIOYp0aSyHEY2cuW3c1ITOmkQlCiI56JrqAZYQ-iOK8eohkOMdXZ9Rq7Ldqki4C8Zl8wZZGSPuctjuA/s400/HDD5-6716.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abandoned railroad tracks overtaken by bluebonnets north of Kingsland. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglU61GDjJnSEDFM_o93K3J2THmFe68SPeyErXzta3Q6nOyKQ-LtLPY1gxkPQxlJKzQs8lKygoCJyXhC0C4m7B-_C0rmYk1esaODyUmYPXBCx0SkFhHItTEqjkLsMkbS8bh5eQqEOd2B8Hn/s1600/HDD5-6786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglU61GDjJnSEDFM_o93K3J2THmFe68SPeyErXzta3Q6nOyKQ-LtLPY1gxkPQxlJKzQs8lKygoCJyXhC0C4m7B-_C0rmYk1esaODyUmYPXBCx0SkFhHItTEqjkLsMkbS8bh5eQqEOd2B8Hn/s400/HDD5-6786.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old farm building in a field of bluebonnets <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">north of Marble Falls </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">at sunset.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaj23cgqJPN8QmMeu1dZBEmmgzUiUEo_IEEJsTcUm16-JEhralE4ffzALajXL39Hxp1rHRKyDEUmrtyS9laUW181pl3FOiYfTBB_GFZucn1vRUTOt4UVH933XdtlM5oG0KOZ-rjGFkQLBI/s1600/HDD5-6845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaj23cgqJPN8QmMeu1dZBEmmgzUiUEo_IEEJsTcUm16-JEhralE4ffzALajXL39Hxp1rHRKyDEUmrtyS9laUW181pl3FOiYfTBB_GFZucn1vRUTOt4UVH933XdtlM5oG0KOZ-rjGFkQLBI/s400/HDD5-6845.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my favorite so far -- the bluebonnets really look amazing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Smoky finished processing more of his photos. Here are some other favorites.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPN1riZjJIEAosiEUMwLyLP2hK_YZtAqKVHnpo1NSuVTKVd6Hp5OLG4IZZ4RQaE1mAgXKW3l6ahtiKi9vBZnRkzd_F_7ym_UDD-vSfk13iQsp4wLLt40Cnsg5cIi3j5Tu5tpDGGeV7c1d6/s1600/HDD5-6895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPN1riZjJIEAosiEUMwLyLP2hK_YZtAqKVHnpo1NSuVTKVd6Hp5OLG4IZZ4RQaE1mAgXKW3l6ahtiKi9vBZnRkzd_F_7ym_UDD-vSfk13iQsp4wLLt40Cnsg5cIi3j5Tu5tpDGGeV7c1d6/s400/HDD5-6895.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another angle of the old farm with bluebonnets.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7uTqUqvtSfjHIAJ1SYi048URDwzshQbx8kObwrYEMrd4Ov6-0kOMWIEenQVmQtYdTLjNqHltKljGESCYSvUp5dALxLX1I_wzxUvnUT2enb0g2HMg6AGnP5m1uuVlHC_9dNT24_ZMjNdZv/s1600/HDD5-6899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7uTqUqvtSfjHIAJ1SYi048URDwzshQbx8kObwrYEMrd4Ov6-0kOMWIEenQVmQtYdTLjNqHltKljGESCYSvUp5dALxLX1I_wzxUvnUT2enb0g2HMg6AGnP5m1uuVlHC_9dNT24_ZMjNdZv/s400/HDD5-6899.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo was taken at sunset (probably a high ISO and tripod).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOKSZXaWmxTfksC6G9Q6b5rwIJ5bS7PN9_-6fB1smFzwz3jNWfL9ovEsI62iGKMB2dJdZKH5cXrXVLvi7WOkBgDvwqKyZlHOORNjWf0UgV3OucoWRUEf-X5IHXEzk1OULmSshmBeizSK5/s1600/HDD5-6606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOKSZXaWmxTfksC6G9Q6b5rwIJ5bS7PN9_-6fB1smFzwz3jNWfL9ovEsI62iGKMB2dJdZKH5cXrXVLvi7WOkBgDvwqKyZlHOORNjWf0UgV3OucoWRUEf-X5IHXEzk1OULmSshmBeizSK5/s320/HDD5-6606.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yarrow from earlier in the afternoon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7toInDGFT5zZmCBKP5u1uAjBP47FbGY-mJg7vZgP4_GqXz8l1KS4ZBHcVoLpb5AUdhziYELFw55EI0wuWRat28x34TYK0z9a7E48YbFkT2jrh39bCG7ZWhPr_8llS_nBAI29SLS5fJ9BY/s1600/HDD5-6610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7toInDGFT5zZmCBKP5u1uAjBP47FbGY-mJg7vZgP4_GqXz8l1KS4ZBHcVoLpb5AUdhziYELFw55EI0wuWRat28x34TYK0z9a7E48YbFkT2jrh39bCG7ZWhPr_8llS_nBAI29SLS5fJ9BY/s320/HDD5-6610.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butterfly on Indian blanket.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-54214104430733506822017-04-04T19:20:00.001-07:002017-04-05T07:06:31.477-07:00Quiet Day (at least for me)It's Tuesday, April 4, and today has been a stay-at-home day for me. Smoky is out with a local photographer going to some of his favorite flower spots. He'll be home soon with lots of great images, I'm sure.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I want to post some of my photos. First, a couple of Indian blanket that just caught my eye.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcfcTJSJbY_Hcm2vP5F-Ikt2pObP7uVII-rbSHbXzB2P-t8B4Pf-X-6XgvGQSfwrUCEiYYiGA74HhzRTeROZ3ONzDyVeZ4IsAqzjmXY1O0S5iqRoZ__3DZxZvn4trmTCtyMqAqaY-1Y0e/s1600/IMG_5441-indian-blanket-crp-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcfcTJSJbY_Hcm2vP5F-Ikt2pObP7uVII-rbSHbXzB2P-t8B4Pf-X-6XgvGQSfwrUCEiYYiGA74HhzRTeROZ3ONzDyVeZ4IsAqzjmXY1O0S5iqRoZ__3DZxZvn4trmTCtyMqAqaY-1Y0e/s320/IMG_5441-indian-blanket-crp-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Indian blanket really stands out against a darker background.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgce8Q40NtCgW3oTZI7MbNN5fmaBUDEsR8JjbKJKbwMglZqO-6RjvYhFS1KCO6qbICELug9MEJeOKaovcwEZeg1Yjp8AYbj57-g6hq845kz0XiN1LnqQbdooUIHf6RqMHCK-NdojHD2BR-8/s1600/IMG_5457-bluebonnets-ind-blanket-crp-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgce8Q40NtCgW3oTZI7MbNN5fmaBUDEsR8JjbKJKbwMglZqO-6RjvYhFS1KCO6qbICELug9MEJeOKaovcwEZeg1Yjp8AYbj57-g6hq845kz0XiN1LnqQbdooUIHf6RqMHCK-NdojHD2BR-8/s320/IMG_5457-bluebonnets-ind-blanket-crp-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the mix of orange and blue.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I've been wandering along the roadsides, looking at flowers and grasses for days, and in my mind's eye I've been seeing images that I couldn't capture in my camera. Tonight, I brought those images into my photo software and tweaked them some till I got them the way my mind's eye wanted them.<br />
<br />
See what you think.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40PG_riqTGCnP2v_vc5Lq3mt0eUBlUQaBTc5x3yMjXtHRsTtPLYOsHgantiepwEfvpomDFS2vO52XtIv4yMYZjlUsN_B0mPwLQKhQuQxq-VonvWHnQcfbVgaUoUe6UmRc8rysUABQsUps/s1600/IMG_5443-grasses-crp-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40PG_riqTGCnP2v_vc5Lq3mt0eUBlUQaBTc5x3yMjXtHRsTtPLYOsHgantiepwEfvpomDFS2vO52XtIv4yMYZjlUsN_B0mPwLQKhQuQxq-VonvWHnQcfbVgaUoUe6UmRc8rysUABQsUps/s320/IMG_5443-grasses-crp-sm.jpg" width="256" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;" width="5px"></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7b8B49Di-zxTncYolBnyGdid7ssEtIaU2QMcfeiRHUB-YzikZZTyJYWmIgUuH-qY7XbDLEBXETMpC-_1kvdXLMjnBPMudM0U9D0LQfC9xsOZk0zcxudlonh74DcAQYQJKcC3Xs2TAOgRV/s1600/IMG_5444-grasses-crp-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7b8B49Di-zxTncYolBnyGdid7ssEtIaU2QMcfeiRHUB-YzikZZTyJYWmIgUuH-qY7XbDLEBXETMpC-_1kvdXLMjnBPMudM0U9D0LQfC9xsOZk0zcxudlonh74DcAQYQJKcC3Xs2TAOgRV/s320/IMG_5444-grasses-crp-sm.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" colspan="3" style="text-align: center;">I saw flowers peaking out among the waving grasses, with just hints of color visible.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpc6xiR0SUGjzXbIhFO8sKTbqHEhg50dbwD6m2uak5c5KyvEuPAeQCqS38ZFgp58dSNevuLXUDmaMFxTAYC3LgLBfvPAM_KIiPR-1Kbqba3hhaxNKphlhfso7ms5-p1zbM8kKoOPsHVAjq/s1600/IMG_5445-grasses-crp-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpc6xiR0SUGjzXbIhFO8sKTbqHEhg50dbwD6m2uak5c5KyvEuPAeQCqS38ZFgp58dSNevuLXUDmaMFxTAYC3LgLBfvPAM_KIiPR-1Kbqba3hhaxNKphlhfso7ms5-p1zbM8kKoOPsHVAjq/s320/IMG_5445-grasses-crp-sm.jpg" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7v0SqyoPf3VvPJd8KbgXh1KO74ETZ6UqqeOhby8hcdZ7r2zbyc7TG8lk6eAWwrg7YuWEgr4uJHAEU8_Y6Nbxh4XbWId8gj1lGMvfghQAw_Oe2DcUZm-Aof-bEYKOQsBdRVX__ZacaKad/s1600/IMG_5447-grasses-lighter-crp-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7v0SqyoPf3VvPJd8KbgXh1KO74ETZ6UqqeOhby8hcdZ7r2zbyc7TG8lk6eAWwrg7YuWEgr4uJHAEU8_Y6Nbxh4XbWId8gj1lGMvfghQAw_Oe2DcUZm-Aof-bEYKOQsBdRVX__ZacaKad/s200/IMG_5447-grasses-lighter-crp-sm.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGldkdAkEkH7FpVYb5VR4gaEQkMKc-nI6UrVT3f8dkWIMLjw3XcYtqx7xBsU2ySXO1UGS0W7_mCcRfp3xN17BSuyshKosW-E_OZB45oZymYTGTvehe1UzZ45gzZSmGMoRNmW9V1vgjGoWa/s1600/IMG_5489-yellow-flowers-crp-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGldkdAkEkH7FpVYb5VR4gaEQkMKc-nI6UrVT3f8dkWIMLjw3XcYtqx7xBsU2ySXO1UGS0W7_mCcRfp3xN17BSuyshKosW-E_OZB45oZymYTGTvehe1UzZ45gzZSmGMoRNmW9V1vgjGoWa/s400/IMG_5489-yellow-flowers-crp-sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The yellow flowers (whose name escapes me) were like little dancing fairies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0IoEQxCtAVFoQstwNi3eFn2OvIa8lKNAM5QPD62ZMPIq0YlfylHZ6XGwI9GshFlvHNzWEGvUFU71E1tnMJ6e4pf27yxmPi0ZEs7Yv6AKGJfBOLKPHCbNdqET3SbYBXe-Cn0doUPuJd6D/s1600/IMG_5491-yello-flowers-crp-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0IoEQxCtAVFoQstwNi3eFn2OvIa8lKNAM5QPD62ZMPIq0YlfylHZ6XGwI9GshFlvHNzWEGvUFU71E1tnMJ6e4pf27yxmPi0ZEs7Yv6AKGJfBOLKPHCbNdqET3SbYBXe-Cn0doUPuJd6D/s320/IMG_5491-yello-flowers-crp-sm.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Tomorrow, I'll post photos from Smoky's excursion tonight. They will be amazing, I'm sure.<br />
<br />
--Shann.Smoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-4221975110224703182017-04-03T20:00:00.001-07:002017-04-04T10:28:57.177-07:00Roadrunner DayThe roadrunner, according to Wikipedia, is a fast-running ground cuckoo with a long tail and a crest. It is found in the southwestern United States and Mexico, usually in the desert. We saw one today on Texas Route 1431 east of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. As it is with most roadrunners, our viewing lasted only a few brief seconds. In fact, by the time Smoky was out of the truck, the roadrunner was gone. But we saw it!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgeOWHSMMTMuh7ArCwMFLW4CzNAXo1Gd7jV5CEpaJIqdnHelBwYzzv5iZkNYAYt7t80uWZ02N_mcoRFZraBJexdSaom6iRp-Kq0GFKm-hUCaPpIBwABV-OmzYJHYY2qr3oiW-1zQodAqI/s1600/HDD5-6074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgeOWHSMMTMuh7ArCwMFLW4CzNAXo1Gd7jV5CEpaJIqdnHelBwYzzv5iZkNYAYt7t80uWZ02N_mcoRFZraBJexdSaom6iRp-Kq0GFKm-hUCaPpIBwABV-OmzYJHYY2qr3oiW-1zQodAqI/s320/HDD5-6074.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our resident longhorns, who fondly nuzzled each other<br />
just before Smoky took this photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We were roadrunners today, too, but at a more modest pace. After watching and photographing our resident longhorn steers and cows, we drove north on Highway 183 until it intersected with 29. We headed northwest past Bertram and Burnet. Not too far past Burnet we spotted a sign on the left labeling a small secondary road as a Texas Hill Country Trail. It also said the road went to Kingsland, and since that was our destination, we turned.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21Yfb_d-6MaWnRrwkdyy9eyFHhCeDN1EsUxtQkGO1QPGa6ieouV6hdizwr1Gb88HwdfwRQiNb_XlBC4JbLMUcam2JoIoLz0ivgnQIauDkbxtATBwdeM_JY8CM4SLKu_zOrJ1a2BqdQBTL/s1600/HDD5-6150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21Yfb_d-6MaWnRrwkdyy9eyFHhCeDN1EsUxtQkGO1QPGa6ieouV6hdizwr1Gb88HwdfwRQiNb_XlBC4JbLMUcam2JoIoLz0ivgnQIauDkbxtATBwdeM_JY8CM4SLKu_zOrJ1a2BqdQBTL/s320/HDD5-6150.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely scene along the Texas Hill<br />
Country Trail, Park Road 4W</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hFcDoilrp0NkmrJF79-UVEugvZXe3qA2MZoYiFRjHVFnejpYENC9PPyK_dCoOoFxyYgSVjc1g0LC9tJeTty3d2cYn5GTx1rad8iU3XG8adDhNmXIpUcRFM2DsyD38t4FoPRhFtXC2SYD/s1600/HDD5-6166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hFcDoilrp0NkmrJF79-UVEugvZXe3qA2MZoYiFRjHVFnejpYENC9PPyK_dCoOoFxyYgSVjc1g0LC9tJeTty3d2cYn5GTx1rad8iU3XG8adDhNmXIpUcRFM2DsyD38t4FoPRhFtXC2SYD/s320/HDD5-6166.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebonnets, Indian blanket, and Indian paintbrush<br />
on Park Road 4W.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
What a great choice that was. The wildflowers on this road were some of the best we've seen so far this trip. The beauty of the flowers was enhanced even more by the pull-offs along the roadside, some of the first we've found in the Hill Country. This road bordered on Inks Lake State Park, which likely is the reason we found pull-offs here where we haven't found many before. Most Texas land is privately owned, and we have been advised over and over not to trespass.
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitb678ilyxwCuGcndUOxv2t6JwYsLEA1TX1q6j4xxIQJ3V4CkjPCCcG5nRAAtq-8bMIXPBeVM9eiMysdFndXKFAG5ism_AyZIN1DjfrSNBP6_jZNS5hT0282Jo-REdtembzPGm1sWa5nl4/s1600/HDD5-6185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitb678ilyxwCuGcndUOxv2t6JwYsLEA1TX1q6j4xxIQJ3V4CkjPCCcG5nRAAtq-8bMIXPBeVM9eiMysdFndXKFAG5ism_AyZIN1DjfrSNBP6_jZNS5hT0282Jo-REdtembzPGm1sWa5nl4/s200/HDD5-6185.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian blanket closeup.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0qI27MRAc0bfCUAIP0f19MEkvUKE4u-gNrVpNhYVHiM6Bnu_YcWKtXDJKj7O9V1BWAXpNWZA37Zx-srxV84YUN97ue_JjYjvkKOsezdKsfqvc4HsO2wa6mjCpSHm2fol6KhegKnWVTJv/s1600/HDD5-6186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0qI27MRAc0bfCUAIP0f19MEkvUKE4u-gNrVpNhYVHiM6Bnu_YcWKtXDJKj7O9V1BWAXpNWZA37Zx-srxV84YUN97ue_JjYjvkKOsezdKsfqvc4HsO2wa6mjCpSHm2fol6KhegKnWVTJv/s400/HDD5-6186.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian blankets are beautiful around this area right now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I asked Smoky today how rural Texans manage to interact with their neighbors. These ranches are big, or really big, or huge, or mega huge. And most every one of them has a fence all around the property with a locked gate at the entrance. Oh well, enough complaining. Back to today, which was marvelous!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDVtAQZqIklVQeUKDFK9EuNjccFj1WMnb1mgrNmAS97KgSxQiGpbQgBqgyNhIiz43LBICUB116C6SGrUe-VhIl0jZa1jY3VdjMdOjZBH_FdPJ_i6BvYvxbx-fVMEsQPAH5LxC2KVqcgJe/s1600/HDD5-6168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDVtAQZqIklVQeUKDFK9EuNjccFj1WMnb1mgrNmAS97KgSxQiGpbQgBqgyNhIiz43LBICUB116C6SGrUe-VhIl0jZa1jY3VdjMdOjZBH_FdPJ_i6BvYvxbx-fVMEsQPAH5LxC2KVqcgJe/s320/HDD5-6168.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spiderwort (<i>tradescantia</i>) caught in a sunbeam.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We both took lots of photographs; Smoky even ran the battery completely down on his camera. By the end of the day, we had found several "new" flowers (ones we had not seen this trip) and a zebra-tailed lizard (<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Callisaurus spp.</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">) in Inks Lake State Park</span>. I shot a short video of the lizard, but we'll have to wait for better wifi connection to add it to the blog.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLvzEzfRQqul5YzHDSm5H0nsrKz4mOsj8FlP8UvxFo3XKrH3pOL4Ilbk_eTHDGNguRitOAOSU3Zj0LUDS8L4O_Td_Ga1ue1fjbIAFGnNgxk1550yrqCv6KYxcycQB-dB7U7kuN8rJcvmV/s1600/HDD5-6258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLvzEzfRQqul5YzHDSm5H0nsrKz4mOsj8FlP8UvxFo3XKrH3pOL4Ilbk_eTHDGNguRitOAOSU3Zj0LUDS8L4O_Td_Ga1ue1fjbIAFGnNgxk1550yrqCv6KYxcycQB-dB7U7kuN8rJcvmV/s320/HDD5-6258.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zebra-tailed lizard blends in with the <br />
granite rock really well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<clear>
Here is Smoky's still photo of the zebra-tailed lizard. He can curl his tail up over his body, much like a scorpion.<br />
<br />
On the way home we stopped at a Tex Mex restaurant for dinner. It wasn't as good as the last place, but we cleaned our plates anyway.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3dMTkSbzo4c_yRFxpAMOTsJfePbGrzdomlTWQDClgWpc_eFdfcitsYQmufWlS45kS1IW6o7K4NZVt27qMtqibsOwVbBleAsGeIU1Jlhxexg6uQpqNV1s4cb0EplvCJ0ZArvZ7FDahgXu/s1600/HDD5-6544-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3dMTkSbzo4c_yRFxpAMOTsJfePbGrzdomlTWQDClgWpc_eFdfcitsYQmufWlS45kS1IW6o7K4NZVt27qMtqibsOwVbBleAsGeIU1Jlhxexg6uQpqNV1s4cb0EplvCJ0ZArvZ7FDahgXu/s200/HDD5-6544-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black and white version of last night's<br />
boat-tailed grackle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmgTKGtDkrv7pJgce1DMavpo_Pi1Y5qjmMKjEtLsuACcIp2ijiOx4EZmRByh0_AUIsCOZn-gcwP3win4osFfip0wo4_3v8bSt68cMYCzF0vs9xeI6NQ1M1lnYOhpORDmrqw1p6oZ97HCp/s1600/HDD5-6544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmgTKGtDkrv7pJgce1DMavpo_Pi1Y5qjmMKjEtLsuACcIp2ijiOx4EZmRByh0_AUIsCOZn-gcwP3win4osFfip0wo4_3v8bSt68cMYCzF0vs9xeI6NQ1M1lnYOhpORDmrqw1p6oZ97HCp/s200/HDD5-6544.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Color version of last night's boat-<br />
tailed grackle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On the way back to the truck, the boat-tailed grackles were busy in the parking lot. Smoky got a great shot of a male. I like both the black and white and the color versions.<br />
<br />
--Shann</clear>Smoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-11691543361413928892017-04-02T20:07:00.000-07:002017-04-02T20:08:17.013-07:00Longhorn DayToday (April 2) was a quiet day. Smoky called it recuperation day. I did laundry and went to the grocery store. Let's talk grocery stores for a minute. This area of Texas has H-E-B Grocery stores. I've shopped at H-E-B twice now and I'm a fan! Not only do they have lots of fresh produce, prices are reasonable and there are lots of organic products. The store has a sign when you walk in saying they are focused on selling products without high-fructose corn syrup. Yea!<br />
<br />
We're talking big, folks. Texas big. Think Walmart on steroids. Texans (and visitors like me) swarm these stores. You'll only find H-E-B in Texas and Mexico, which is a fairly recent expansion. According to Wikipedia, the business grew to $13 billion in 2006. I'm going to miss H-E-B when we head home.<br />
<br />
This afternoon, Smoky looked out our trailer door and noticed that the longhorn cattle were in the field right behind our parking spot. He grabbed the camera and headed down the road to get some pictures.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwEtz4W9l_Xuni8DKvxngWhT-Z49IEcSum2UZUZC5E19zr7zZWqB5nTey5cZVS6RZqcB4OhFfnexrETqKyh3LvuvcrLCI080KqNeHq1OLIU-XTiGy4aBUOQ2yqmySRXuqckVxVnhBhexl/s1600/HDD5-6000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwEtz4W9l_Xuni8DKvxngWhT-Z49IEcSum2UZUZC5E19zr7zZWqB5nTey5cZVS6RZqcB4OhFfnexrETqKyh3LvuvcrLCI080KqNeHq1OLIU-XTiGy4aBUOQ2yqmySRXuqckVxVnhBhexl/s400/HDD5-6000.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw four adult longhorn just over the fence from our trailer (and some<br />
bluebonnets are in the field!).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Smoky had not been photographing long when our neighbor came out of his trailer carrying a bag of Mission tortilla chips. He said to me, "They like chips. Watch." Then he started calling for Oreo, the name his grandson had given to the biggest steer. In a few minutes, Oreo and one of the cows walked down the field toward us. Meanwhile, Smoky was still shooting some distance away.<br />
<br />
Afraid he was going to miss the excitement with the tortilla chips, I called him. And called. And called. Finally he glanced my way and headed to the neighbor with the chips. By this time Oreo and the other adults (two cows and one other steer) had made their way to us. Oreo wasn't shy at all about poking his head over the fence to get better access to the chips.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrdNh1c3g-g_vVYbHuoegXQCDZAUZBnb1teAW9xyeuykZJhtNiXAtbHxawfKY2ZlP103vgVwss3Qz9wSY9D_29oXoa90lBVzfLB-fQWcs7vd5n8-4Vn2JYEJx0K6qcLVWi9ee6BLdtDkM/s1600/HDD5-6019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrdNh1c3g-g_vVYbHuoegXQCDZAUZBnb1teAW9xyeuykZJhtNiXAtbHxawfKY2ZlP103vgVwss3Qz9wSY9D_29oXoa90lBVzfLB-fQWcs7vd5n8-4Vn2JYEJx0K6qcLVWi9ee6BLdtDkM/s400/HDD5-6019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet Oreo, Texas longhorn, up close and personal!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OHm-ngSokoyaWd-pRd-vPUqEqwm4xmmdl39_xO1viwShbiAH51ETtNotHFWOy3e-uw6izyAm720svKcxK8Svhpl_J0jFLd-AZrtXz8EpJaGsr7TZSXjrZ9JYMX48W9sjTzSrlBinpBnq/s1600/HDD5-6025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OHm-ngSokoyaWd-pRd-vPUqEqwm4xmmdl39_xO1viwShbiAH51ETtNotHFWOy3e-uw6izyAm720svKcxK8Svhpl_J0jFLd-AZrtXz8EpJaGsr7TZSXjrZ9JYMX48W9sjTzSrlBinpBnq/s400/HDD5-6025.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These longhorns love tortilla chips!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When Smoky got to us, he showed me what he had been photographing when I called him.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0oL1pZjRg8muGoTksiRuqPWB7Y4mJ_nGKK8P6HBXOqgl3DoWSbsqXqJTvj2OHp-trh6m3BuJKOJxg_swS79tiMKUBwXJPMOAhqOcsE9r3ei6M5ZmUNzGxgeABjB8XCmIZkLZATcZa5pK/s1600/HDD5-6006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0oL1pZjRg8muGoTksiRuqPWB7Y4mJ_nGKK8P6HBXOqgl3DoWSbsqXqJTvj2OHp-trh6m3BuJKOJxg_swS79tiMKUBwXJPMOAhqOcsE9r3ei6M5ZmUNzGxgeABjB8XCmIZkLZATcZa5pK/s400/HDD5-6006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoky saw and photographed the young calf, who was born in this field. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
No wonder he didn't respond right away!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO86uziS3BxZ4pbeyGWj-irtO18JbYmLdPocyUednorJ8VNqUJrwHFI1J9RCywCCtYGR6efRoLQSnDHFg9eOHf9WoilnMl9r9NdPcAkWgG_thx5L6OcVNv5II7jnlq0TH55pUmH7X7eyr6/s1600/HDD5-6012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO86uziS3BxZ4pbeyGWj-irtO18JbYmLdPocyUednorJ8VNqUJrwHFI1J9RCywCCtYGR6efRoLQSnDHFg9eOHf9WoilnMl9r9NdPcAkWgG_thx5L6OcVNv5II7jnlq0TH55pUmH7X7eyr6/s400/HDD5-6012.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's a cute little thing, isn't he?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I met another of our neighbors while doing laundry, learned that her husband Ron loved photography, and learned they were going out with a local guide for a bluebonnet tour on Tuesday morning. She graciously got the information about the guide, and Smoky was able to sign up with him as well. His trip is Tuesday late afternoon/evening. If you want a sneak peak at what encouraged Smoky to sign up, go to this <a href="http://www.jasonrweingart.com/bluebonnet-tours/" target="_blank">website</a>. I expect we'll have a bunch of photos to post after Tuesday!<br />
<br />
--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-83738595848654623372017-04-02T13:38:00.002-07:002017-04-02T20:23:07.151-07:00Back to Luckenbach for April Fool's DayApril Fool's Day, and we couldn't think of a single joke. Oh wait, I didn't really lose my camera. April Fool's!!<br />
<br />
It was sad leaving Fredericksburg -- what a great place to be -- but we were looking forward to stopping by Luckenbach again on our way to Leander (just outside of Austin) for the next leg of our trip. Smoky had a date with the Snail Creek Hat Company to pick up his new cowboy hat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThA63tE9K2Gwo-rlbNUyg4kjXHCAZ8BlkREKoo6YKEH3dzPZwXrpaIh-7CBAOwiVHtElZLqpmb0-KJF_gDSg9LPzd2pANQoIM7OnlU952u-k_GevqmYoFMdgDts6c26YQ7baxaQU8Zcn0/s1600/IMG_5373-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThA63tE9K2Gwo-rlbNUyg4kjXHCAZ8BlkREKoo6YKEH3dzPZwXrpaIh-7CBAOwiVHtElZLqpmb0-KJF_gDSg9LPzd2pANQoIM7OnlU952u-k_GevqmYoFMdgDts6c26YQ7baxaQU8Zcn0/s400/IMG_5373-sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snail Creek Hat Company, Luckenbach, Texas.</td></tr>
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<br />
Snail Creek must do a brisk business in Luckenbach. They are only open on weekends, and they had lots of hats in their small shop. Smoky had talked with Tony Wilson a few days ago about the hat he wanted, and Tony promised to have some on hand.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqUxlAevOHM9Yox3tB2CxhEnq4nVXmhhp3ysLkdvfvpIDv3pD-kQvfEFzV7ZLm-M3COQ5UgXGio6c6S_EwEMfHBOh9cIO8bp2mefQVAOgo1ey7TcL9_LnGgXv8JIcqKcRuVVSupvf6Y0N/s1600/HDD5-5943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqUxlAevOHM9Yox3tB2CxhEnq4nVXmhhp3ysLkdvfvpIDv3pD-kQvfEFzV7ZLm-M3COQ5UgXGio6c6S_EwEMfHBOh9cIO8bp2mefQVAOgo1ey7TcL9_LnGgXv8JIcqKcRuVVSupvf6Y0N/s320/HDD5-5943.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the hats at Snail Creek Hat Company.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoONX9iNUQjUTrZYlb8_PEcfPS7weFDTtXRyvZtZzKt2-xx8KhKvoCuQuxcStNkkNQp7ru9HYDHWGOijk1BE1gqi20PDMt9ySO9Y48Evcn-IeILYqUl128Q_qjirf6eMyyXWa8HQVOjC9/s1600/IMG_5395-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoONX9iNUQjUTrZYlb8_PEcfPS7weFDTtXRyvZtZzKt2-xx8KhKvoCuQuxcStNkkNQp7ru9HYDHWGOijk1BE1gqi20PDMt9ySO9Y48Evcn-IeILYqUl128Q_qjirf6eMyyXWa8HQVOjC9/s320/IMG_5395-sm.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoky in his new hat!</td></tr>
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This special hat, called a Golden Gus by SunBody Hats, is made of palm fiber and has a soft, comfortable feel to it. Here's how SunBody describes it on their website:<br />
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This is a very soft and comfortable hat. 4" brim, 5-1/2" crown. Pressed. Not Stiffened. Re-shaping not recommended. Brown bound edge. Mexican fine pressed palm.</span></blockquote>
Smoky looks great in his new hat. It is just what he wanted. Especially after they added a leather chin strap to it!<br />
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While at Luckenbach, we decided to try Amy's Apple Pie Fries again, and they were just as yummy this time as last. I talked with Amy about her fries last time we were there. She said she decided to try them because no one else was making them. Although she wouldn't give out her recipe, I tried to watch the preparation. Maybe I'll try making some when we get back home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnUWLr-ZyotFzcQxR8UI0dVFkTkp3dmBZSQvLqrXiY4ljABHSkVI2Fhlm_AWEIKo3xPqJnEg3YpIpJZ6OhMEK-bI5GvNRUxmGmef6u0uANLPmqin-PPNJRbJihPjDLcqnyzgEH7jqbaCH/s1600/HDD5-5955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnUWLr-ZyotFzcQxR8UI0dVFkTkp3dmBZSQvLqrXiY4ljABHSkVI2Fhlm_AWEIKo3xPqJnEg3YpIpJZ6OhMEK-bI5GvNRUxmGmef6u0uANLPmqin-PPNJRbJihPjDLcqnyzgEH7jqbaCH/s200/HDD5-5955.jpg" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy herself!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoKHOInU9NDQpVpSz_LSfMt87MU0MYBrIvX-eAM5iF5UqRUpFpHqWQYYAzWZZOAKFCi2DagnoIoLcfjD3tDmXV9TJlUC2KK6TXV1WNwzazeY4TBafotiDdWGwt0QD6stvX0CGobNe39hi/s1600/HDD5-5953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoKHOInU9NDQpVpSz_LSfMt87MU0MYBrIvX-eAM5iF5UqRUpFpHqWQYYAzWZZOAKFCi2DagnoIoLcfjD3tDmXV9TJlUC2KK6TXV1WNwzazeY4TBafotiDdWGwt0QD6stvX0CGobNe39hi/s200/HDD5-5953.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnHnz1pFK9DI_eV1-Xp6BqhKtn1A2gkc1IDp-Hn8GucsEZ-CawvLeYz8BjcD57d02k3FI5BZOJLkmwCdTy-3lFxxfHYr9Aj8y6uBj-2wssDBrbxO8af2bkc0nQD3canmRTbEr243Noxkl/s1600/HDD5-5973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnHnz1pFK9DI_eV1-Xp6BqhKtn1A2gkc1IDp-Hn8GucsEZ-CawvLeYz8BjcD57d02k3FI5BZOJLkmwCdTy-3lFxxfHYr9Aj8y6uBj-2wssDBrbxO8af2bkc0nQD3canmRTbEr243Noxkl/s200/HDD5-5973.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her famous apple pie fries!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXGGTkRAtQzMtZZEJ25Cit1US5h_bXirEd0D3mPN0pB5kf_fISNOqOYniVMQbSGfBLUE82oC0Wbnd8QV9rwL83s5wY9dErqIAz-2Q61R0dPLU3a2Z71pldUBjR28p3b6F2kt0rh2VVs6j/s1600/HDD5-5948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXGGTkRAtQzMtZZEJ25Cit1US5h_bXirEd0D3mPN0pB5kf_fISNOqOYniVMQbSGfBLUE82oC0Wbnd8QV9rwL83s5wY9dErqIAz-2Q61R0dPLU3a2Z71pldUBjR28p3b6F2kt0rh2VVs6j/s320/HDD5-5948.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add your license to the wall in Luckenbach.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The day was a little overcast, so Smoky's photos of the town turned out better than on our last trip. Here are some of our favorites.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKa_fp1d0gHq70BUI9O4nIFIoiNr_Q0S6RcnNiNHBsELAK5sK_lgd3II6eoNzh1k7CDZX6K7MVnlDf9LzkHYpkZrYd-heZpWfzST8LjM-5ggEk52ifPw95fhRujjoY4k4nGc0NmT_RB_w/s1600/HDD5-5969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKa_fp1d0gHq70BUI9O4nIFIoiNr_Q0S6RcnNiNHBsELAK5sK_lgd3II6eoNzh1k7CDZX6K7MVnlDf9LzkHYpkZrYd-heZpWfzST8LjM-5ggEk52ifPw95fhRujjoY4k4nGc0NmT_RB_w/s400/HDD5-5969.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luckenbach Post Office.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IIq2UIInfwUd23MGmZ9usii7iCZQNuZrzEgKVJcqQy_lPWUsgl-RR_W6yiOWG-wAFUuRfa7TZeenPOvjLDhkedbpRNL6dUgzFsPGqiLmfaHs2_YCH2nv6t41GnJgms9AMnP9PH0sKJh-/s1600/HDD5-5974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IIq2UIInfwUd23MGmZ9usii7iCZQNuZrzEgKVJcqQy_lPWUsgl-RR_W6yiOWG-wAFUuRfa7TZeenPOvjLDhkedbpRNL6dUgzFsPGqiLmfaHs2_YCH2nv6t41GnJgms9AMnP9PH0sKJh-/s320/HDD5-5974.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luckenbach picnic table carvings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnO5Y6yK1eR7toEnhUBA4fQHo1yEXqI6KLFHC63mtFmvWz5Q8OCf7aYAgPDzYZntPhrWcNCb1iwvVkuK9F9JvcvjftqVMvflcEOp7lY6-PmtUiaR05A_ofHZp8lX1PaXcjJT9cIUETG0gC/s1600/HDD5-5986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnO5Y6yK1eR7toEnhUBA4fQHo1yEXqI6KLFHC63mtFmvWz5Q8OCf7aYAgPDzYZntPhrWcNCb1iwvVkuK9F9JvcvjftqVMvflcEOp7lY6-PmtUiaR05A_ofHZp8lX1PaXcjJT9cIUETG0gC/s400/HDD5-5986.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink evening primroses on the way to Leander.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-hVBY5w-jUZFnXfTFoGOSOPZYJhxpHyGsr9L7bzNM1C_Hz-y4F7cgRVCLRA3P-kLAS63MT-cUdOHSqkR9mh7R0tQ3jpYWIujFfEr-3t-HLX4UHXgIKE5CGznL29MCT8Fsc2zuK0uJsa6/s1600/HDD5-5991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-hVBY5w-jUZFnXfTFoGOSOPZYJhxpHyGsr9L7bzNM1C_Hz-y4F7cgRVCLRA3P-kLAS63MT-cUdOHSqkR9mh7R0tQ3jpYWIujFfEr-3t-HLX4UHXgIKE5CGznL29MCT8Fsc2zuK0uJsa6/s320/HDD5-5991.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our spot at Leander KOA.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We checked into the Leander KOA mid afternoon, got settled in our spot before the rain started, and hunkered down for an upcoming storm, set to hit in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Smoky even had time to take a picture of a spiderwort growing along the fence behind our spot.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OamI2rR3WEl1NclEs_jDYxpQX2goCh2f-xVY2umwzoKE7CuHjorO5Wq7qMsEZP0g3GdK5k6UUA8tXPcM3lkEPZkku-zsEqmINO9DOmt0yqHth4KeI-5bx-zV1bQw_ItyhIcCeIu_2V5C/s1600/HDD5-5989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OamI2rR3WEl1NclEs_jDYxpQX2goCh2f-xVY2umwzoKE7CuHjorO5Wq7qMsEZP0g3GdK5k6UUA8tXPcM3lkEPZkku-zsEqmINO9DOmt0yqHth4KeI-5bx-zV1bQw_ItyhIcCeIu_2V5C/s200/HDD5-5989.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tradescantia (spiderwort), Leander<br />
KOA.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-62449755576172050632017-03-31T19:00:00.001-07:002017-04-30T13:32:58.664-07:00The Camera Gods Have SpokenToday (Friday, March 31) was our last full day in Fredericksburg. I wanted to check out the quilt shops in town -- my friend Susie gave me a neat guide to quilt shops across the states so I knew there were four listed in town. Smoky stayed home processing his photos and I headed to the first on the list.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymOQY_AVBKWFm90OVqLq_NJKzXlrCTYWLD6TnsgEav2a8GK7KWFJA1Ize9c9_NPWmGbFbvJk7Wjr2kA5e4bE40enICkRVRnBmFs1RgIEQ1O4UYAw5eDuCQUvJInyS165VabQRt7JVnGnz/s1600/IMG_5337-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymOQY_AVBKWFm90OVqLq_NJKzXlrCTYWLD6TnsgEav2a8GK7KWFJA1Ize9c9_NPWmGbFbvJk7Wjr2kA5e4bE40enICkRVRnBmFs1RgIEQ1O4UYAw5eDuCQUvJInyS165VabQRt7JVnGnz/s200/IMG_5337-sm.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fredericksburg Pie Company -- yummy <br />
pies and so much more!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxUM0Uqbrq8cdGvvukQ_uQT9-Hns2_9t73C0UjuywV0DQztyKbPLV3qRih2VONIIBKNg0UdLtTbhYWztsb3NNtbjq4wfqAyw-iG1XrZEuoe4DjB-4I3eJdK1_PX-k-3XkLMI4r9kVKvlk/s1600/IMG_5338-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxUM0Uqbrq8cdGvvukQ_uQT9-Hns2_9t73C0UjuywV0DQztyKbPLV3qRih2VONIIBKNg0UdLtTbhYWztsb3NNtbjq4wfqAyw-iG1XrZEuoe4DjB-4I3eJdK1_PX-k-3XkLMI4r9kVKvlk/s200/IMG_5338-sm.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fat quarters at the Pie <br />
Company.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It was named the Fredericksburg Pie Company. I wondered about "Pie" in the name, but that passed quickly as I stepped inside the neatly decorated shop just one block off Main Street and found display cases full of pies. There were more than 20 kinds on the menu for today. I picked out one piece for me (chocolate pecan) and one for Smoky (peach blueberry) and headed to the quilt room. There I found a case full of fat quarters and a lot of vintage quilts and other linens. This was a great little shop, but I was still hungry for more.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dhsXNAs1KDm_hJvqPCnXJf7G93-pRSol69Khb6Pi4ux4hxvUlGot_CcaOYKGHOxrN5uQ_AHcyzudjB8QHdCFhaoAckWYetYstdCgTEFK3MaTM_EjEmdK_HoQz1wHUYqdh44DT-TZh13a/s1600/IMG_5348-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dhsXNAs1KDm_hJvqPCnXJf7G93-pRSol69Khb6Pi4ux4hxvUlGot_CcaOYKGHOxrN5uQ_AHcyzudjB8QHdCFhaoAckWYetYstdCgTEFK3MaTM_EjEmdK_HoQz1wHUYqdh44DT-TZh13a/s320/IMG_5348-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One Quilt Place was amazing -- quilter's heaven!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The next shop was closed. It was really a design studio/classroom/B&B, so I headed on to number 3 on the list. The name, One Quilt Place, showed more promise, but I admit to being a little worried as I drove into a residential area of town. But then I saw the sign and the large parking lot in front of a huge building. Eagerly I parked the truck and went inside. Wow! This place was amazing.<br />
<br />
Designed as a large open space with several alcoves plus another room at the end, there was room in One Quilt Place for everything imaginable -- sale fabrics, baby prints, patriotic, western, batiks, reproduction, and lots more, such as notions, patterns and cutting tables, and long-arm quilting machines. Lots of sample quilts were hung for inspiration. The room at the end was full of wool and flannel. I had a smile ear to ear. I left with some fat quarters and a few cuts of fabric for my stash back home. Check out their <a href="http://www.onequiltplace.com/" target="_blank">website</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjfXxeBtXhNcgItRJmGF8Z1TVsyHnvqM-J9IfdKsByvmXaZTut2NVPcPHfR9ggl6OeYhbJvI_0EuFVZ1mVf_Imc8MjIHmSegzaKT6OziGz7RB98-o_1vlsDtv20XpiL7EvOLzv5iZuxF6/s1600/IMG_5350-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjfXxeBtXhNcgItRJmGF8Z1TVsyHnvqM-J9IfdKsByvmXaZTut2NVPcPHfR9ggl6OeYhbJvI_0EuFVZ1mVf_Imc8MjIHmSegzaKT6OziGz7RB98-o_1vlsDtv20XpiL7EvOLzv5iZuxF6/s400/IMG_5350-sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One alcove of fabric at One Quilt Place.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86_briQer2bde0of2rh_JSqxbNDlp9F-h0fAzH0klAuDilOaTjmCHcwOfPCw3VEw4YU5PYfde0fRo-cITBGwhNVN1RVduZP7MG9DiJFpc1DCnuekhS_O450ylvn-nY8u5GW4rLk7h68Hk/s1600/IMG_5356-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86_briQer2bde0of2rh_JSqxbNDlp9F-h0fAzH0klAuDilOaTjmCHcwOfPCw3VEw4YU5PYfde0fRo-cITBGwhNVN1RVduZP7MG9DiJFpc1DCnuekhS_O450ylvn-nY8u5GW4rLk7h68Hk/s200/IMG_5356-sm.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This gorgeous quilt was hung<br />
for inspiration.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After lunch we headed southwest to Kerrville, planning to drive a little north from there and back to Fredericksburg, taking back roads whenever possible. On the way to Kerrville on Highway 16 we spotted a field full of bluebonnets. The setting was exactly what we had been hoping for all this week. Plus there was room on the roadside to pull off and stop! Smoky helped me with some camera settings so I could capture the field just the way I saw it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0B-ig06A-lyZhOeqyZATcyhcYM9vsMUrH0mi86LBZKhUbu2cs2RkHPCKXnyY5253Df9kDBP8jWuSt-yCBxRaIt0e75gJgt7-AuwZ21UrTlHvJqEdlWGqx3cl2I-t_o84PQp5ackJLvCG/s1600/HDC5-5778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0B-ig06A-lyZhOeqyZATcyhcYM9vsMUrH0mi86LBZKhUbu2cs2RkHPCKXnyY5253Df9kDBP8jWuSt-yCBxRaIt0e75gJgt7-AuwZ21UrTlHvJqEdlWGqx3cl2I-t_o84PQp5ackJLvCG/s400/HDC5-5778.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This field of bluebonnets was beautiful!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCjvZhJCpALuWR6OAEmkRSjx8ceqvSB5868k76Dz_CT3067sPI_XvF8QwvTj1LWbPeKMQ-pldyrdzIO-9loFf9UHddBJw46kn2VhBo3rIGjQjlcqCHkm8zHaPzBHXQ8IXlv2yyBfsb1Lq/s1600/HDC5-5860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCjvZhJCpALuWR6OAEmkRSjx8ceqvSB5868k76Dz_CT3067sPI_XvF8QwvTj1LWbPeKMQ-pldyrdzIO-9loFf9UHddBJw46kn2VhBo3rIGjQjlcqCHkm8zHaPzBHXQ8IXlv2yyBfsb1Lq/s320/HDC5-5860.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working windmill near Fredericksburg.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After that excitement, we spotted a working windmill, which was on Smoky's must-find list, and some Texas long-horn cattle, another item on his list.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0411EnyNKROZSf99_0uHW9jGQemS8lKqRYfFT4olIJjPnTivNGp4NMpUWdx43FKBIkvSthRtmXCb3RCkgHtHerxpFZPS3SP0J3zKEYeMiTtATaX8run9z-1QyNeIupl0Oz6EqHoHbgBg7/s1600/HDC5-5897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0411EnyNKROZSf99_0uHW9jGQemS8lKqRYfFT4olIJjPnTivNGp4NMpUWdx43FKBIkvSthRtmXCb3RCkgHtHerxpFZPS3SP0J3zKEYeMiTtATaX8run9z-1QyNeIupl0Oz6EqHoHbgBg7/s200/HDC5-5897.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Texas longhorn, seen same day as<br />
windmill.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We stopped for dinner at Mamacita's Mexican Restaurant in Fredericksburg. Mamacita's salad (taco salad with fajita chicken, mushrooms and cheeses) was my choice, and Smoky's chicken fajitas were great as well.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdh9bpzGTDgbqYkEHpoXn9EaalLCgdKNaCwH5A7YCdNHm6z0H83xk1X1i3v9osqAntDCv_B3DJNnRyxHdioSLe4vEbNGQ34y0dFoZdtbW3rOrv6pfrN39N68gwxl0vrKJVI54RQezBR1AE/s1600/HDC5-5933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdh9bpzGTDgbqYkEHpoXn9EaalLCgdKNaCwH5A7YCdNHm6z0H83xk1X1i3v9osqAntDCv_B3DJNnRyxHdioSLe4vEbNGQ34y0dFoZdtbW3rOrv6pfrN39N68gwxl0vrKJVI54RQezBR1AE/s320/HDC5-5933.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Mamacita's Mexican Restaurant. Yummy food.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Back home I realized the Camera God had spoken to me. My camera was missing. We searched the truck top to bottom. No camera. Sigh. Fortunately I had downloaded everything last night so I only lost today's photos.<br />
<br />
Smoky has many more great photos from today. Hopefully, I'll get some added later.<br />
<br />
--Shann<br />
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<br />Smoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-88692497123487591402017-03-30T19:45:00.001-07:002017-04-02T12:25:30.497-07:00A Step Back in History<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmVlB1FjChCFuWgIZFv7-OdbnFk2Z7K-tXg4ygwY0eFVd2mnrNJsUPsLw4ClKLGfVKOleGI5x-_yCcxVti9SPmJB2Z8zwPtiYJ50aViINBfUpaiqb9IxjqKbe4mfwncBwSJu6B7zx2yur/s1600/HDC5-5447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmVlB1FjChCFuWgIZFv7-OdbnFk2Z7K-tXg4ygwY0eFVd2mnrNJsUPsLw4ClKLGfVKOleGI5x-_yCcxVti9SPmJB2Z8zwPtiYJ50aViINBfUpaiqb9IxjqKbe4mfwncBwSJu6B7zx2yur/s320/HDC5-5447.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Road to Sauer-Beckmann Farm.</td></tr>
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Today was a stay-home day for me. Smoky ventured out after lunch to visit the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site and the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm. A visit to the farm gave Smoky a chance to see first hand what life was like on a pioneer farmstead a century ago. The people who work at the farm dress in period costume and do chores just as they would have been done a century ago.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXB8c1uR-FPvZYR-s5HZaS1_6ZMhoSLKw1rNqULKymcJdQVCU39Pp4DAxZ2DSdYlGm-fiM3CpZKu01L77HPO02knIb0h50L4kZulwIFyvIZ4f972zQnNJrkGq5rtP0AXipn1aEXlCqJ2xU/s1600/HDC5-5579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXB8c1uR-FPvZYR-s5HZaS1_6ZMhoSLKw1rNqULKymcJdQVCU39Pp4DAxZ2DSdYlGm-fiM3CpZKu01L77HPO02knIb0h50L4kZulwIFyvIZ4f972zQnNJrkGq5rtP0AXipn1aEXlCqJ2xU/s320/HDC5-5579.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planting the garden.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1UUZVzcQcf7IuF8qx4ntM_CLmt_eZC16DSRq9gbBhrZL-E2yDDc-w5I6daELMnLHvwH2uOTCZ1UEETaB4lSq2vYWIx4LFurMQOE2SWSCsASYGI8-edQWKKAdvNNSTxGXd9ValDzvxXKA/s1600/HDC5-5583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1UUZVzcQcf7IuF8qx4ntM_CLmt_eZC16DSRq9gbBhrZL-E2yDDc-w5I6daELMnLHvwH2uOTCZ1UEETaB4lSq2vYWIx4LFurMQOE2SWSCsASYGI8-edQWKKAdvNNSTxGXd9ValDzvxXKA/s320/HDC5-5583.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planting the garden takes more than one.</td></tr>
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<div>
Smoky explained, as he showed me his photos, that this Texas-German farm has had only three owners. It was initially settled in 1869 by Johann and Christine Sauer. Then the Beckmann family acquired the property in 1900. The main crop was cotton; after a prosperous year, they were able to grow the farm and modernize the original rock home, creating a beautiful Victorian home on the property.</div>
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In 1966, a Beckmann relative sold the property to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the farm was opened to the public in 1975. This farm is part of the LBJ State Park and Historic Site.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSPPqsqFusAYzl_v554BxY5uVxe5llogAhBfE5l0dqC2fWqxLNSfUMCpxiFaeZI41s_GQFun9kuchLCeQa3Rd20GXlMHcETJynJPVU6vW29UfFKdjAXnT3dr8ofM5J5LZsoG7TzmkYsgj/s1600/HDC5-5435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSPPqsqFusAYzl_v554BxY5uVxe5llogAhBfE5l0dqC2fWqxLNSfUMCpxiFaeZI41s_GQFun9kuchLCeQa3Rd20GXlMHcETJynJPVU6vW29UfFKdjAXnT3dr8ofM5J5LZsoG7TzmkYsgj/s400/HDC5-5435.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step back in time at this farm.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1Qoio6J9prsSEOPHvWeT9kmvAX8DjhKp2pV3GSsM_I1O7GwKvFHk0-YWxJJPRVIeKnyVCw_81-YlcvQmUUxivrDM2UXVMEmeYHmYY_kKp9kBmALXlgSKNWOUBjv9iqLTgP97jlj7e0Lv/s1600/HDC5-5419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1Qoio6J9prsSEOPHvWeT9kmvAX8DjhKp2pV3GSsM_I1O7GwKvFHk0-YWxJJPRVIeKnyVCw_81-YlcvQmUUxivrDM2UXVMEmeYHmYY_kKp9kBmALXlgSKNWOUBjv9iqLTgP97jlj7e0Lv/s320/HDC5-5419.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4g287bcCrpy-Kki5zSHOflRtvEJAX_rfrZsW0H3xd__Mnji3sIHuOdRdtOtlRA1RdRYrkiyqRhyphenhyphenktw_3xpB4jT2XaEyIMoV1dPGneOIQns4Qw55uWbnD3YjD1fLSy1LSS8b2x33lYJlXj/s1600/HDC5-5429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4g287bcCrpy-Kki5zSHOflRtvEJAX_rfrZsW0H3xd__Mnji3sIHuOdRdtOtlRA1RdRYrkiyqRhyphenhyphenktw_3xpB4jT2XaEyIMoV1dPGneOIQns4Qw55uWbnD3YjD1fLSy1LSS8b2x33lYJlXj/s320/HDC5-5429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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On the way back from the Sauer-Beckmann farm, Smoky stopped by St. Mary's Catholic Church in Fredericksburg. The church began in 1846 and the current church structure in 1902. It is a remarkable church, inside and out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZ_BEjl_FLf_wtHK0oEnwRjC7VvxYA2VQExPNPRxU-iE5zwUR5Y6BfY9E4DzJ3n1mpEJ3Mt79jKw6CfKMUv2a91UAHoI1Jeu36AuXmF61dIDAQG5uCEpmrBv_7STzW0whyphenhyphenOx9B8m6xs0s/s1600/HDC5-5928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZ_BEjl_FLf_wtHK0oEnwRjC7VvxYA2VQExPNPRxU-iE5zwUR5Y6BfY9E4DzJ3n1mpEJ3Mt79jKw6CfKMUv2a91UAHoI1Jeu36AuXmF61dIDAQG5uCEpmrBv_7STzW0whyphenhyphenOx9B8m6xs0s/s400/HDC5-5928.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Mary's Catholic Church, Fredericksburg, Texas.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLjeMcVdjNrYf-XfOkOXFSqecnUYdQ3zkQp-ZTMhKApW1le-FkImir28ypD1A-r0x7bCbpIq2P1iUM3puGwSBi_TyhWnsegQhXREZ6jDUzWMPj8LLBo8XFfLg10cUlTa5msNLu4e_dgGR/s1600/HDC5-5767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLjeMcVdjNrYf-XfOkOXFSqecnUYdQ3zkQp-ZTMhKApW1le-FkImir28ypD1A-r0x7bCbpIq2P1iUM3puGwSBi_TyhWnsegQhXREZ6jDUzWMPj8LLBo8XFfLg10cUlTa5msNLu4e_dgGR/s400/HDC5-5767.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The incredible inside of St. Mary's Catholic Church.</td></tr>
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Tomorrow is our last day in the Fredericksburg area. We'll be heading toward Austin on Saturday (and making another stop in Luckenbach to get Smoky a new cowboy hat!). We can't leave Fredericksburg without a photo of the chicken truck, parked outside a business on Main Street.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYgcs5xXRDTn1rXavygC73pGqXTOk1Iqm9yn39eW6t4x6qFwTbYAwnAfA05RAnH0bDGuTS2CYKemPWK26W18Sn-l8no3ht-_iqD6vxI8itKZgjPzUNtgmqV7T5f3llRKnGbkbhF3dX3Yp/s1600/HDC5-5751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYgcs5xXRDTn1rXavygC73pGqXTOk1Iqm9yn39eW6t4x6qFwTbYAwnAfA05RAnH0bDGuTS2CYKemPWK26W18Sn-l8no3ht-_iqD6vxI8itKZgjPzUNtgmqV7T5f3llRKnGbkbhF3dX3Yp/s400/HDC5-5751.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this chicken truck. We need one at our house in Tennessee.</td></tr>
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--Shann<br />
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Smoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-27690849635722262072017-03-29T21:22:00.001-07:002017-03-31T20:57:54.980-07:00Traveling the Fredericksburg Back RoadsEarly Wednesday morning (a little after midnight actually), a serious thunderstorm hit Fredericksburg and a lot of the surrounding areas. I didn't get to sleep before it arrived, which was too bad because it was quite a noisy and well-lit storm, with heavy rain, lightening and thunder. I finally got to sleep between 2 and 3am. Oh yes, and Smoky slept through the whole thing!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBw0xVLVqfIzj1j2jnJgRJ4FYrZe_Kz9e4GAOLTDp7HmJ20wjqJ6hggOrXQLRSjk3rEDx5JDsbqgHleKCrNHw0nHdxx25LrETeCdoKkaDX_IVi_jiX0iudvLfHoeb9n9hRmaXT0ccg9iO/s1600/HDC5-5171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBw0xVLVqfIzj1j2jnJgRJ4FYrZe_Kz9e4GAOLTDp7HmJ20wjqJ6hggOrXQLRSjk3rEDx5JDsbqgHleKCrNHw0nHdxx25LrETeCdoKkaDX_IVi_jiX0iudvLfHoeb9n9hRmaXT0ccg9iO/s320/HDC5-5171.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enchanted Rock, a massive granite batholith.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The sun came out and the day was beautiful! We tried another popular wildflower route -- State Route 965 out of Fredericksburg past Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Enchanted Rock is a massive pink granite batholith that is a popular rock climbing spot. We pulled into the parking area, took a closer look at the rock and the people climbing it, and decided it was a bit out of our league.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2g5zWcTT7UC2_Dlz-80GvinjGd8dpHp0nUMcnum8C8bDBP2VNSnAVdQUwIvIwr87BAFmcWVeQX_H4VreTwgsfmLyRvg9009mfixw8WmnT4WH0QosqtcG4J6E54z8VudwPK8cctu8Hkv_/s1600/HDC5-5174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2g5zWcTT7UC2_Dlz-80GvinjGd8dpHp0nUMcnum8C8bDBP2VNSnAVdQUwIvIwr87BAFmcWVeQX_H4VreTwgsfmLyRvg9009mfixw8WmnT4WH0QosqtcG4J6E54z8VudwPK8cctu8Hkv_/s320/HDC5-5174.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebonnets along Route 965 past Enchanted Rock.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Besides, the road past Enchanted Rock was framed with beautiful wildflowers. From 965, we turned north on Highway 16 and found a small road marked as a Texas State Wildlife Route. Smoky and I looked at each other and said, "Why not try this?"<br />
<br />
One problem we had been having on the more heavily traveled roads was finding a spot to pull over so we could take photographs. We hoped this road wouldn't have much traffic and we might see flowers and wildlife!<br />
<br />
We saw wild turkeys first followed further down the road by a deer. And the flowers were lovely. We turned around and headed back to Highway 16 and into Llano, Texas.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0pi8qsM8u6-lX27T_ul1eLtj9qC7JhFgXRK-75iznY0FtOAAvAKAheQXd_NgYmgdqf7XhbfTlPKmAbXbpc-DxTVV476lnAFh59ar36yc0g2JjKbzMH6ECcB1n6FDnXio3p4gePgtVeya/s1600/HDC5-5224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0pi8qsM8u6-lX27T_ul1eLtj9qC7JhFgXRK-75iznY0FtOAAvAKAheQXd_NgYmgdqf7XhbfTlPKmAbXbpc-DxTVV476lnAFh59ar36yc0g2JjKbzMH6ECcB1n6FDnXio3p4gePgtVeya/s400/HDC5-5224.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild turkeys in Texas look a little different from those <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">back in Tennessee.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHLilaDGywQobiqyexMozRIrvfQgV-FlCj46-49f868ZAmm7207JQ3TEZKbTjAz0qJ0vo-QcY5XpeeylODbgXA5SnQ94bUqMT41UVHze2sdWNOT_TmTge_7ft-okX3iiJcZP4ovVGx7Sy/s1600/HDC5-5251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHLilaDGywQobiqyexMozRIrvfQgV-FlCj46-49f868ZAmm7207JQ3TEZKbTjAz0qJ0vo-QcY5XpeeylODbgXA5SnQ94bUqMT41UVHze2sdWNOT_TmTge_7ft-okX3iiJcZP4ovVGx7Sy/s200/HDC5-5251.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cow may not quality as wildlife<br />
on the Texas State <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Wildlife Route, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">but she wanted her photo made</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Because it was past lunch time, we decided to look for an ice cream shop. Instead we found Berry Street Bakery, and my, my, was it full of deliciousness! We bought an apricot twist for dessert and ate it (along with our packed sandwiches) for lunch, sitting on the bakery's porch. Afterwards, Smoky bought a cinnamon roll to bring home and I got some homemade granola. Absolutely everything in their display case looked incredibly yummy, including the doggie treats!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJl3CO9UnpE8WV5hPE66VAf_YzH6dz_slrOkuA7Z87A3zf8IPaPNkaz9VTnrEQzz-D5hyphenhyphen6hjwaAgl5Efd9RLBkCz2ziThy0x4DFehTkmHdiKDPFmqiLug0GvbE1q6ZnHAfKjNyqQC86xQg/s1600/HDC5-5281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJl3CO9UnpE8WV5hPE66VAf_YzH6dz_slrOkuA7Z87A3zf8IPaPNkaz9VTnrEQzz-D5hyphenhyphen6hjwaAgl5Efd9RLBkCz2ziThy0x4DFehTkmHdiKDPFmqiLug0GvbE1q6ZnHAfKjNyqQC86xQg/s320/HDC5-5281.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apricot twist from Berry Street Bakery. It was as yummy<br />
as it looks!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaoxo-c-_hewnNIDaLR2tI2g7xc5Qm0NB9mYKSRej1Mq7QJNFyahsHkCiW4iTVac1epnrPH4vfpObjckydtr5Z8jAwCy2ea97ZpRudQVI_mfnvJntUBhhrjzF24F-bt_onx3J4zHAtppi/s1600/HDC5-5291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaoxo-c-_hewnNIDaLR2tI2g7xc5Qm0NB9mYKSRej1Mq7QJNFyahsHkCiW4iTVac1epnrPH4vfpObjckydtr5Z8jAwCy2ea97ZpRudQVI_mfnvJntUBhhrjzF24F-bt_onx3J4zHAtppi/s320/HDC5-5291.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Introducing Heaven, who works at the<br />
bakery and served us heavenly treats!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrULUYEFyFeWjOBfEurRipwkcHziPaBAb48QtknJ94dir_Urvf4hgtdr91QlwzuNb8Q56YEhRDINldIxuEk6g5H5d3uq2093rsHvAiwsskrCbOKTCm-Zid7ZH97p6ysbnilKEuOHA1Hc4D/s1600/HDC5-5298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrULUYEFyFeWjOBfEurRipwkcHziPaBAb48QtknJ94dir_Urvf4hgtdr91QlwzuNb8Q56YEhRDINldIxuEk6g5H5d3uq2093rsHvAiwsskrCbOKTCm-Zid7ZH97p6ysbnilKEuOHA1Hc4D/s400/HDC5-5298.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Llano's striking stone courthouse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After a walk around Llano's amazing stone courthouse, we headed back to the wildflower route, taking FM 2323 to Route 87 back to Fredericksburg.<br />
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<br />
Our plans for the evening included a trip to Old Tunnel State Park, where an no-longer-in-use railroad tunnel is home to millions of Mexican free-tailed bats, who emerge from the tunnel around dusk to feed. We knew we were taking a chance, because most of the bats are migratory, and it is a little early in the season for them to be in Texas. But about a thousand bats of a different species live in the tunnel year round, and we hoped to see them.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, when we arrived, the volunteer rangers who monitor the area each day said they had not had a dusk emergence in a good while. The bats are coming out later, after dark, when there isn't enough light to see them. If we get back to Texas Hill Country between mid-April and September, we'll check on the bats again!<br />
<br />
Here are some of our other favorite photos from today.<br />
<br />
--Shann<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgozsbDFZWCdU9XLzfoBrjRYaLGyzl5iK7YxCkz74wQdzfqpGeOorP-sjYQ9f5ULboqoaBIvu11plJpZTOewVr1wTVqnzP1M6rOKv-TOAkEMPA8F7LhGZbpAdKGPRdgUpzskv8-Htsr1J/s1600/HDC5-5179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgozsbDFZWCdU9XLzfoBrjRYaLGyzl5iK7YxCkz74wQdzfqpGeOorP-sjYQ9f5ULboqoaBIvu11plJpZTOewVr1wTVqnzP1M6rOKv-TOAkEMPA8F7LhGZbpAdKGPRdgUpzskv8-Htsr1J/s400/HDC5-5179.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian Paintbrush along road to Llano.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbE9TQXEjOz0G0N0LPATIYau2e3l0O9nbof-SKxDgJgzBwFnTLRPeZl0z4RszBko6juWauMa1AVGgLtwRHcMikZNAgSZCv_rB2DQ25-jI1agMVabcqCEVphPXinRhX2m9k-hQiSKEeLIU/s1600/HDC5-5189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbE9TQXEjOz0G0N0LPATIYau2e3l0O9nbof-SKxDgJgzBwFnTLRPeZl0z4RszBko6juWauMa1AVGgLtwRHcMikZNAgSZCv_rB2DQ25-jI1agMVabcqCEVphPXinRhX2m9k-hQiSKEeLIU/s200/HDC5-5189.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hudson flax.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-zzzy3ieuyPPmScJY5iw3R2dy4iXt_36nipsDTkDnFuRVNZ87BkeYJi6GlInrPqks4dPkt_IAVFFBophUJFFNkFt2gIR3aQSdzvJi9TRfKh8LPKPkl3OP3H8aec_AoVHg2vGrhua-sf0/s1600/HDC5-5198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-zzzy3ieuyPPmScJY5iw3R2dy4iXt_36nipsDTkDnFuRVNZ87BkeYJi6GlInrPqks4dPkt_IAVFFBophUJFFNkFt2gIR3aQSdzvJi9TRfKh8LPKPkl3OP3H8aec_AoVHg2vGrhua-sf0/s320/HDC5-5198.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were hoping to find an area where the paintbrush<br />
and bluebonnets were evenly mixed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszLEyn-5FSWl8OLllQWvhPaPhwmY6AVXPfZ2pZDNBTD_A_BWfeyq2FL-xmlVxohAlB5c-7eqUNkX2Gxix7m5ZRc_cVIqE9xsSTZqnK40U5It4wsJZAzKVlqM9t2NBDhlpoK_cIzEweR8l/s1600/HDC5-5263.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszLEyn-5FSWl8OLllQWvhPaPhwmY6AVXPfZ2pZDNBTD_A_BWfeyq2FL-xmlVxohAlB5c-7eqUNkX2Gxix7m5ZRc_cVIqE9xsSTZqnK40U5It4wsJZAzKVlqM9t2NBDhlpoK_cIzEweR8l/s200/HDC5-5263.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drummond's onion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOa9piDpzpCXKLI50lcJuDTPACSNtdoV-D8CuEgMwQgWIFvfLvsj7RIa3GrRL8Geg8AhwGwzWKbe45CBCVKoG1EoqjOkiFFnURI4iVISvkgMdPvw87VlefX7-pFS3Tq1XYsAYzn0J9FFnG/s1600/HDC5-5267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOa9piDpzpCXKLI50lcJuDTPACSNtdoV-D8CuEgMwQgWIFvfLvsj7RIa3GrRL8Geg8AhwGwzWKbe45CBCVKoG1EoqjOkiFFnURI4iVISvkgMdPvw87VlefX7-pFS3Tq1XYsAYzn0J9FFnG/s320/HDC5-5267.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comanche dancer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Smoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-91999272533343892082017-03-29T07:53:00.000-07:002017-03-31T17:57:46.188-07:00Willkommen to FredericksburgOn the evening of Monday, March 27, we arrived in Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country, population just over 10,000. Here's what their welcome sign says:<br />
<blockquote>
<i>Rich with the culture of German pioneers who settled here over 160 years ago. It's in our music. Festivals. Architecture. Everywhere. So Willkommen, y'all. Enjoy!</i></blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_kW4zey8bHEo7SfleG9I5FjNcKctSv9y2BQq9Xy1jGzAKcTFz2_JmMlD5CTmi4hAGxo0r22Zhszi4w32e3DFD61KTJCWL0HBHlBx0KuPiuA80n-REy7RyTLZQF62CTK6tlSfym8W-bbL/s1600/HDC5-5018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_kW4zey8bHEo7SfleG9I5FjNcKctSv9y2BQq9Xy1jGzAKcTFz2_JmMlD5CTmi4hAGxo0r22Zhszi4w32e3DFD61KTJCWL0HBHlBx0KuPiuA80n-REy7RyTLZQF62CTK6tlSfym8W-bbL/s320/HDC5-5018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scene from the Fredericksburg area.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We drove down the main street of town, totally enchanted. There was something about this little town that really felt, well, welcoming. Maybe Ron's German heritage on his mom's side has something to do with it. Whatever it is, after the first night, we decided to change our plans and stay a few extra days here.<br />
<br />
We were already seeing some bluebonnets and Texas Indian Paintbrush along roadsides, and the hostess at the super nice Fredericksburg RV Park gave us advice for where to go to see more flowers. In addition, she recommended an RV repair man who makes "house" calls. We phoned Glenn after we got set up (about 6:30) and he was here within 10 minutes. Not only did Glenn fix our toilet (it flushes better than it ever did), he also gave us some great advice about how to maximize battery power and electrical performance. Before he left, he said, "Call me anytime you have a problem, no matter where you are. I'll try to walk you through what to do by phone, and there will be no charge."<br />
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So you can see how Glenn contributed to our very positive reaction to this lovely little town!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiN_Y8dKLeLF9FPFxuFGEHSQljYao6FtoTve97jdhdgSO0GUk7SEz93opavcHXg-HgfmJYkQ97raHoZbJ3nCw7S6DZi1SFBKT_5nCPYoCUW5_M5Ph2vMjf43-IUksFtJudRnsWhBE85UC8/s1600/HDC5-5019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiN_Y8dKLeLF9FPFxuFGEHSQljYao6FtoTve97jdhdgSO0GUk7SEz93opavcHXg-HgfmJYkQ97raHoZbJ3nCw7S6DZi1SFBKT_5nCPYoCUW5_M5Ph2vMjf43-IUksFtJudRnsWhBE85UC8/s320/HDC5-5019.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View along Willow City Loop. Lots of bluebonnets!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On Tuesday, after a grocery run and lunch, we drove the Willow City Loop road, one well known for having lots of beautiful wildflowers near the road. We understand that over the weekend this road was bumper to bumper with "peepers" (what I've dubbed folks like us who want to see those wildflowers). Today, traffic was much lighter. That was a good thing, because it really isn't possible to stop along the roadside. The public road runs among private ranches, and most land owners don't want people on their land. Our trip today was a great example of a photographer's "drive-by shooting." There were few pull-offs, but we managed well with me driving and Smoky hopping out to quickly frame some shots before we had to drive on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3DMg3BOuJLFx0CqkylMFcP4m_Zjj1njxy0XKBXxG0Tnlk2pBAd2bggl_8rJgWL_VgdytMzfEWRtOu7mFA-IM5-mE2oKp58q6X5xIydN4UQ4OV6kH_5zo0MTDOH5PwOtTZM_MoNY9zHP0/s1600/HDC5-5046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3DMg3BOuJLFx0CqkylMFcP4m_Zjj1njxy0XKBXxG0Tnlk2pBAd2bggl_8rJgWL_VgdytMzfEWRtOu7mFA-IM5-mE2oKp58q6X5xIydN4UQ4OV6kH_5zo0MTDOH5PwOtTZM_MoNY9zHP0/s320/HDC5-5046.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A creek along Willow City Loop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We were surprised at how lush and green this part of the Texas Hill Country is. We passed a number of meandering creeks. Beautiful mature trees are scattered around everywhere. And of course we saw some fields full of wildflowers such as the striking bluebonnet, the cheery Texas Indian Paintbrush, and the elegant white poppy.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHSuBbxSF9fbfNHH7cvOhwLJIVmmFN1FQ_thqbkuPB-fyI1Rrp39azKBmz0cIs65PdeIhMGPu-XjKofjYEVcgZNHrluccezGkcoSosofhyphenhyphenvYHtsoBVi_gqUqDDXl5AfemaotKFdeyOXTp/s1600/HDC5-4976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHSuBbxSF9fbfNHH7cvOhwLJIVmmFN1FQ_thqbkuPB-fyI1Rrp39azKBmz0cIs65PdeIhMGPu-XjKofjYEVcgZNHrluccezGkcoSosofhyphenhyphenvYHtsoBVi_gqUqDDXl5AfemaotKFdeyOXTp/s400/HDC5-4976.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "blue" in these bluebonnets was particularly dark.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There weren't very many places to pull over on the Willow City Loop (or on any of the other roads we've been on), but at one we had a great view of the valley and the rolling hills. At another, in the distance we could see fields of blue. What a treat!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVROePoHNlZhg1EHh1N1jDT_qaTVnZjJD2jQNPVMDeMuebknAO9G8ZGlt_HiZl1dIRrMGXNHVDxy1cKeaJx3x1nfuek7LEYhRX3RuZZEoph4eNetSr3XdB3BSkKfDeapJh5yfg7LtzN1lS/s1600/HDC5-4992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVROePoHNlZhg1EHh1N1jDT_qaTVnZjJD2jQNPVMDeMuebknAO9G8ZGlt_HiZl1dIRrMGXNHVDxy1cKeaJx3x1nfuek7LEYhRX3RuZZEoph4eNetSr3XdB3BSkKfDeapJh5yfg7LtzN1lS/s400/HDC5-4992.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from one of the higher elevation points on Willow City Loop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQbaYTd5u0NoptTq-nbXLuVFA70P2Q7cm-UO5u8cdpUP9q6VF3UB3K_q1CPj62qOPfH-eWMQZUwBYici-nFt8N1HJqiPE2kYj_1GJbnxn8Wm6UhANCFGgEsaDcCRoK_z32L5VTgD1QfUA/s1600/HDC5-5022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQbaYTd5u0NoptTq-nbXLuVFA70P2Q7cm-UO5u8cdpUP9q6VF3UB3K_q1CPj62qOPfH-eWMQZUwBYici-nFt8N1HJqiPE2kYj_1GJbnxn8Wm6UhANCFGgEsaDcCRoK_z32L5VTgD1QfUA/s400/HDC5-5022.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hint of bluish purple color in this photo comes from fields of bluebonnets.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Near the beginning of the Willow City Loop, we passed a ranch where the boundary was fenced, and atop each fence post on the Loop road was a cowboy boot, carefully inverted over the post and attached. What better way to know just where you are!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQlByBFNj911FUaDiW8sgEDP50UJI7FbDm3hlHn0Y-0MIv5HdA0ddULNIjs52ltgFB_sFPUPw8xZg5-1xOCP3MixmmceYhyphenhyphen5FhoOhz7xOi6dXI-7zlwnGxMm9jcbGrSCkK6yQcntyRzm5/s1600/HDC5-4977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQlByBFNj911FUaDiW8sgEDP50UJI7FbDm3hlHn0Y-0MIv5HdA0ddULNIjs52ltgFB_sFPUPw8xZg5-1xOCP3MixmmceYhyphenhyphen5FhoOhz7xOi6dXI-7zlwnGxMm9jcbGrSCkK6yQcntyRzm5/s400/HDC5-4977.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boot-topped fence on Willow City Loop. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Smoky is on the look-out for a new cowboy hat. So stay tuned; I'll let you know the outcome.<br />
<br />
More photos coming.<br />
<br />
--Shann<br />
<br />
<br />Smoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-86403184644330067832017-03-28T18:46:00.000-07:002017-03-29T20:24:32.063-07:00Back to the Basics<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDvEXtZHlVuAe7KmtQQZmwX45J656YIqbKWWEofQGWMQcifQu5Cjw8jIUP-oBr6pYIyQFtGejbsPLciIZ4GZPW2NejSzs02g03x-hW9gztj1cvmsJ28cn006dwj2bJLDqBusSUVsaAzIy/s1600/HDC5-4758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDvEXtZHlVuAe7KmtQQZmwX45J656YIqbKWWEofQGWMQcifQu5Cjw8jIUP-oBr6pYIyQFtGejbsPLciIZ4GZPW2NejSzs02g03x-hW9gztj1cvmsJ28cn006dwj2bJLDqBusSUVsaAzIy/s200/HDC5-4758.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1k6JRqAoU0PtohWIxqA75Fm6idyFj9_GMn54DXmYvrBxNpWmb0veNF5mR6Zn3VwDVfb0ExJusaQ37qRA8OHV1-w97thS-8S8F_Kxk8g3vzvzy6Hg-6XjRDTDV1lwqy-Quw6iDEFpxPfGg/s1600/HDC5-4759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1k6JRqAoU0PtohWIxqA75Fm6idyFj9_GMn54DXmYvrBxNpWmb0veNF5mR6Zn3VwDVfb0ExJusaQ37qRA8OHV1-w97thS-8S8F_Kxk8g3vzvzy6Hg-6XjRDTDV1lwqy-Quw6iDEFpxPfGg/s200/HDC5-4759.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On Monday morning, March 27, we left San Antonio with Fredericksburg our destination. Because the shortest distance between these two places is only 70 miles, we decided to take an alternate route through Luckenbach, Texas. It was a few extra miles but well worth the time.<br />
<br />
Luckenbach, if you haven't heard of it, has an eclectic history. You can read the whole interesting story on the <a href="http://www.luckenbachtexas.com/history-module/a-texas-state-of-mind" target="_blank">Luckenbach, Texas, website</a>, and I encourage you to do so. Afterwards, I bet you will want to visit there, too, if you are in the area.<br />
<br />
The current population of Luckenbach is officially listed as 3 on the sign, but that doesn't count the free roaming hens and roosters or the cats who live in the bar. We loved the mailbox with its separate container for bills. No wonder life is so good there!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left; width: 100;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50JAzWCLfNiVclfdED4gb73Ymk_lvpLlWvqoFY8WiFPgymtmTltMgocCrM9u6Xlkj6jWN-0BMxBWQdhTLlQlCemvgqEdAvi13OAxJAWqOnFF_q_LiF5UvYCn-yC3kewS00yXtZ-v1sDN7/s1600/HDC5-4779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50JAzWCLfNiVclfdED4gb73Ymk_lvpLlWvqoFY8WiFPgymtmTltMgocCrM9u6Xlkj6jWN-0BMxBWQdhTLlQlCemvgqEdAvi13OAxJAWqOnFF_q_LiF5UvYCn-yC3kewS00yXtZ-v1sDN7/s200/HDC5-4779.jpg" width="200" /></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cat no. 3. Let us know if you want<br />
to see the other two.</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVo3_gxPXYQ4cp213nAU-o5Qr4eLR0PxhyphenhyphentV7NWcb5Grxnzf-2oJ4FoGurLIJHFaNvvObi0jABw3a2LsOA_WekmYlv_-H8-tfQtiu2gr0AoNKesX63pd7ukgcjoYTNEm1b6-dNc4bFsJ9S/s1600/HDC5-4785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVo3_gxPXYQ4cp213nAU-o5Qr4eLR0PxhyphenhyphentV7NWcb5Grxnzf-2oJ4FoGurLIJHFaNvvObi0jABw3a2LsOA_WekmYlv_-H8-tfQtiu2gr0AoNKesX63pd7ukgcjoYTNEm1b6-dNc4bFsJ9S/s320/HDC5-4785.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luckenbach rooster, who crowed while the<br />
cowboys sang!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You'll find a dance hall, a bar, a general store in the building that once was the post office, the Lone Star Cafe -- where they serve real food, including some incredibly yummy apple pie fries (granny smith apples, fried, covered with cinnamon and sugar, and dressed with caramel) -- and a great outdoor area where musicians gather. You can hear live music every day.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-WlILhyphenhypheniIyxZaRm8BvB6JcZzwpBedBj8cnOeSXHABZOegCkPNDLjtC3ot2bbqdR_O86qS18-o_K1L25-T0YvXNUZKFaKi8ZYQAQ9rhlsXkp3pzEOMI1UdToIQSYWXTYW74KoEyCK9oH0/s1600/HDC5-4788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-WlILhyphenhypheniIyxZaRm8BvB6JcZzwpBedBj8cnOeSXHABZOegCkPNDLjtC3ot2bbqdR_O86qS18-o_K1L25-T0YvXNUZKFaKi8ZYQAQ9rhlsXkp3pzEOMI1UdToIQSYWXTYW74KoEyCK9oH0/s320/HDC5-4788.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lone Star Cafe, where the food was yummy. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dxaImk3EAifCW_8r2UYGD5hyChfMswq1ylmObpxFBJuORb5geMRH4xSmzioEeSbYUu8X2JpFb_Mkj2Vwya0z6hLSwwQPrefxZE1Ko9wskIApv2YdFjVFAFJhUdu0KFR5-cUHKi9-Ldsd/s1600/IMG_5284-applepiefries.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dxaImk3EAifCW_8r2UYGD5hyChfMswq1ylmObpxFBJuORb5geMRH4xSmzioEeSbYUu8X2JpFb_Mkj2Vwya0z6hLSwwQPrefxZE1Ko9wskIApv2YdFjVFAFJhUdu0KFR5-cUHKi9-Ldsd/s200/IMG_5284-applepiefries.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lone Star's Apple Pie Fries!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXIlLW2nHZG_7t8qrmcFCqR8MUid09JD2_c4xckpHBzZ4fP5I0DwC-YnaV3pcLtvoVvKTcivCq6Ulat7hufx9wZk63fE1YgIcpNE91emtzffG3aEd55U48w1FHAacpIQiR5F_XiB-sKoJ/s1600/HDC5-4760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXIlLW2nHZG_7t8qrmcFCqR8MUid09JD2_c4xckpHBzZ4fP5I0DwC-YnaV3pcLtvoVvKTcivCq6Ulat7hufx9wZk63fE1YgIcpNE91emtzffG3aEd55U48w1FHAacpIQiR5F_XiB-sKoJ/s400/HDC5-4760.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luckenbach Dance Hall, empty (almost) the day we were there but rocking<br />
most weekends.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5s578ud8u8P21ZRk4Nkg8M-D_GuHdgMWWlzNLcqip8mlhXL1z6lffOjjoGGAys8uT3M6n8Y_hppl8vlZLbTRC1-RfdtKXMHrHXUUfPfFS9yuEDu9EmuytJPLkmp0p5FBMYTADPlWoW6p/s1600/HDC5-4762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5s578ud8u8P21ZRk4Nkg8M-D_GuHdgMWWlzNLcqip8mlhXL1z6lffOjjoGGAys8uT3M6n8Y_hppl8vlZLbTRC1-RfdtKXMHrHXUUfPfFS9yuEDu9EmuytJPLkmp0p5FBMYTADPlWoW6p/s400/HDC5-4762.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luckenbach general store, the post office in a previous life.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sOLoLpd5hqKNTLYEn0ucMFbfKNwAtWaBaaShxjz4B13TRS8a9aL2NI0wIm9N5EVHPFF7ABig37jYwx1xujQ1AgAuBchLlRT2QwLpX6EiAuOKGrsjmIHXD9xS4wyOENmZEfLAG7IRASzZ/s1600/HDC5-4764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sOLoLpd5hqKNTLYEn0ucMFbfKNwAtWaBaaShxjz4B13TRS8a9aL2NI0wIm9N5EVHPFF7ABig37jYwx1xujQ1AgAuBchLlRT2QwLpX6EiAuOKGrsjmIHXD9xS4wyOENmZEfLAG7IRASzZ/s400/HDC5-4764.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note sign over door about not writing on the store. Note writing, which was<br />
literally everywhere on the building's porch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Back in the mid-1970s, Bobby Emmons and Chips Moman wrote “Luckenbach Texas (Back to the Basics),” which became a massive hit for Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson, and this brought Luckenbach to worldwide fame. While we were in Luckenbach, we found a copy of "Ultimate Waylon Jennings" because it had that song on it. We later learned that Willie Nelson returns to Luckenbach each year in July along with about 1000 of his friends. Now wouldn't that be a great time to visit.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMI5X_OKzbOGavYck9QjnUOqAt7rsVOhgvRAsDcIWExP7Cjdhat-5Tx0ld-y4OXxRjV9HbBJkd9_mboeTCROuFNH6jIyYJcXm8FOkbN61AayrM1BEQl1WKZranVHtLDUnAtFeJmpuBltw/s1600/HDC5-4793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMI5X_OKzbOGavYck9QjnUOqAt7rsVOhgvRAsDcIWExP7Cjdhat-5Tx0ld-y4OXxRjV9HbBJkd9_mboeTCROuFNH6jIyYJcXm8FOkbN61AayrM1BEQl1WKZranVHtLDUnAtFeJmpuBltw/s320/HDC5-4793.jpg" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Music happens every day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZL2stQJ4HqnAg6Y4tJnPSrqvYe2tlBCK0WI7m1HHZQ9YHimGc9-Sz3ScRIXrzTyGF0nsSVnDVU95QzKXOva1h-7PepRSZ-GG-jZnuUPCKI-Fk1H31hKIoEBLu8AcEE08Pf6dgr6EGJFw/s1600/HDC5-4794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZL2stQJ4HqnAg6Y4tJnPSrqvYe2tlBCK0WI7m1HHZQ9YHimGc9-Sz3ScRIXrzTyGF0nsSVnDVU95QzKXOva1h-7PepRSZ-GG-jZnuUPCKI-Fk1H31hKIoEBLu8AcEE08Pf6dgr6EGJFw/s320/HDC5-4794.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting under the live oak trees, playing<br />
the guitar -- what could be better?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
By mid-afternoon, we figured we had better move on down the road, so we headed out of Luckenbach toward Fredericksburg.<br />
<br />
One last side trip was a stop at Wildseed Farms, the largest working wildflower farm in the nation. Here we saw our first view of acres of blue bonnets and poppies, both red and white. This definitely got us in the mood for more flowers.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDL201uVDmYRbz9zMLrk0usGYjai2gYBzk97EWg4tiLK9_RWhED5LJ4hAncR3LvU_dQ5d3OMhZSnC1E2HVWW7wL8gfz-z_CLRD5DTVDvmeYkLw0mRte3TpunMl-e7Qtc7kpoRqduVrYVd/s1600/HDC5-4832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDL201uVDmYRbz9zMLrk0usGYjai2gYBzk97EWg4tiLK9_RWhED5LJ4hAncR3LvU_dQ5d3OMhZSnC1E2HVWW7wL8gfz-z_CLRD5DTVDvmeYkLw0mRte3TpunMl-e7Qtc7kpoRqduVrYVd/s400/HDC5-4832.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue bonnets at Wildseed Farms.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxStJI5BYLnFLeogswqWCjFpUB2ZVaT4nTMLCFQJ7ruqXk_K2rNizmAgNE2O7F0_2sidv8p4BOt024RnIqsJAUB8gjpuJ3zuN6kqXnUVfspREdwitHOha0jpazefM-jEPHBfjENlr8Lm6z/s1600/HDC5-4906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxStJI5BYLnFLeogswqWCjFpUB2ZVaT4nTMLCFQJ7ruqXk_K2rNizmAgNE2O7F0_2sidv8p4BOt024RnIqsJAUB8gjpuJ3zuN6kqXnUVfspREdwitHOha0jpazefM-jEPHBfjENlr8Lm6z/s400/HDC5-4906.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fields full of red poppies waving in the breeze at Wildseed Farms.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOnj_OTYHHd9w2DWC5v5KPtzlYON_7Mz2Xdt3pOGk1l6NS1WHNQfBvhltCVC3WF16ejvH85f2SZwYeQVB1SgAcbPX617HSj0d15wpTFX31TKeTDwweclcnoDMHQXzZxWlpPF8QKHH_30p/s1600/HDC5-4926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOnj_OTYHHd9w2DWC5v5KPtzlYON_7Mz2Xdt3pOGk1l6NS1WHNQfBvhltCVC3WF16ejvH85f2SZwYeQVB1SgAcbPX617HSj0d15wpTFX31TKeTDwweclcnoDMHQXzZxWlpPF8QKHH_30p/s400/HDC5-4926.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fields of blue bonnets at Wildseed Farms.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW4jCTmX6MIvb3tYMQJowJyV82dwqMf1zf3njYHduPdH3qSB9vug8X3WjcGlRjIh3CLYvQQGt7PZMemEHyXySYfXg5PnLQnyloxeRH1nk00MRhPJoa-vqnKFyQtLzFE-wHjdNgNkXzV7b/s1600/HDC5-4846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW4jCTmX6MIvb3tYMQJowJyV82dwqMf1zf3njYHduPdH3qSB9vug8X3WjcGlRjIh3CLYvQQGt7PZMemEHyXySYfXg5PnLQnyloxeRH1nk00MRhPJoa-vqnKFyQtLzFE-wHjdNgNkXzV7b/s320/HDC5-4846.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closeup of the lovely evening primrose. Amazing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDc2zbotGcGl6S4HSTlDOFb2wOnsozUrTmGoEjIM-ogynG61H2WsUTFnBYT-jmwSjmR_bx8wuUGnLrc9I15iVV6f7gN4CaDF7MQnzED043zGtTPd8C8LgNw3SjuEqqm-Jm0mAt_jFOEjVi/s1600/HDC5-4848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDc2zbotGcGl6S4HSTlDOFb2wOnsozUrTmGoEjIM-ogynG61H2WsUTFnBYT-jmwSjmR_bx8wuUGnLrc9I15iVV6f7gN4CaDF7MQnzED043zGtTPd8C8LgNw3SjuEqqm-Jm0mAt_jFOEjVi/s320/HDC5-4848.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow poppy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7l_nyZOV_CPepCIrLyV1VIdoK85Qyy0wEPpkQfWtnxkm0yUe3J1Rwwe7GqU1ezksUNIL38245nHmwPRynSKOvIFn8LOMac46RhElkuV6foHc_ZwLpsmo-USTtQmukZnNyP9Br5JllJr3H/s1600/HDC5-4856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7l_nyZOV_CPepCIrLyV1VIdoK85Qyy0wEPpkQfWtnxkm0yUe3J1Rwwe7GqU1ezksUNIL38245nHmwPRynSKOvIFn8LOMac46RhElkuV6foHc_ZwLpsmo-USTtQmukZnNyP9Br5JllJr3H/s320/HDC5-4856.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoky's closeup of a red poppy. </td></tr>
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More about Fredericksburg in the next post.<br />
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Keep scrolling down for more amazing flower pictures.<br />
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--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-90804508497891704622017-03-27T07:10:00.002-07:002017-03-28T20:50:17.624-07:00Remember the Alamo!Saturday, March 25, found us back on I-10W headed to San Antonio. I-10 goes through Houston, and Texas certainly grew Houston big! Traffic was crazy, but we made it without problem. By mid-afternoon, as we approached San Antonio, we began to see wildflowers along the edges of the interstate.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFo9499_pLPl3epHY8Dqvymff0PqvwHliI4Z5qPEMPwkgmADuahD1ejMn8bJ3fCl5cZFLzAOncf-GeePi2GqBRovLRjYDQZDqdnTr3Zm7-8YxpKlkHfkjcqPUIXCaqJLZ6iRKYFIPCATMp/s1600/HDC5-4231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFo9499_pLPl3epHY8Dqvymff0PqvwHliI4Z5qPEMPwkgmADuahD1ejMn8bJ3fCl5cZFLzAOncf-GeePi2GqBRovLRjYDQZDqdnTr3Zm7-8YxpKlkHfkjcqPUIXCaqJLZ6iRKYFIPCATMp/s320/HDC5-4231.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White poppies.</td></tr>
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Fortunately for us, Texas has some frontage roads that run alongside the interstate, so we were able to get off at one exit, park the truck and trailer at a wide spot on the frontage road, and wander into the flowers with our cameras. We saw white poppies, Texas Indian Paintbrush in an almost orange color, pink evening primrose, and several other flowers we have yet to identify. Seeing these flowers in bloom was encouraging, convincing us that we were going to get to the Hill Country before the flowers were gone.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAp26ObgCeDnhevb0E4wSyZio1pOu5qjQrx4y1R9fE6NKgox0f6iIlIrhyphenhyphenDn2lT2UIoSdbB7XONvkcw5LSirA6DuB37y6CbLfJqr23gETLDKRbEoOvm9k12P6pQ5XPTuv6yF110qu9gSA-/s1600/HDC5-4227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAp26ObgCeDnhevb0E4wSyZio1pOu5qjQrx4y1R9fE6NKgox0f6iIlIrhyphenhyphenDn2lT2UIoSdbB7XONvkcw5LSirA6DuB37y6CbLfJqr23gETLDKRbEoOvm9k12P6pQ5XPTuv6yF110qu9gSA-/s320/HDC5-4227.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White poppy closeup.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXowGHu9hsbmqoWFDau5FYCKDomwLxHLVdOXiyqh921-Yb7GJyKKnUdiX5FE83H93z9UqT-rsZg6rnC-zOEjRfVNwgGnCwNOiamFNJ_n3yPIxzzj_lENe9DBPFKAOzZv6gVVJhSj2-6sPb/s1600/HDC5-4257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXowGHu9hsbmqoWFDau5FYCKDomwLxHLVdOXiyqh921-Yb7GJyKKnUdiX5FE83H93z9UqT-rsZg6rnC-zOEjRfVNwgGnCwNOiamFNJ_n3yPIxzzj_lENe9DBPFKAOzZv6gVVJhSj2-6sPb/s400/HDC5-4257.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue bonnet.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERO_bCR2LNqy_6wXR9Rx5mqiS_QMDIY12Pg5mAq740QieOTVolG_HXdCRXkCgIOv6zVLp0sXI7J5n68PqfA5VCOEOy_K7-DcjuFIu9jOlsgNZjbdegTB5N0z__U19YTHOemjs2MhTdb2x/s1600/HDC5-4314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERO_bCR2LNqy_6wXR9Rx5mqiS_QMDIY12Pg5mAq740QieOTVolG_HXdCRXkCgIOv6zVLp0sXI7J5n68PqfA5VCOEOy_K7-DcjuFIu9jOlsgNZjbdegTB5N0z__U19YTHOemjs2MhTdb2x/s320/HDC5-4314.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Texas Indian Paintbrush.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5AcvFXE_wO106MUNFp21n9UWlIJFcxYC2FH_guNZXbpri02ar_cUiU1_PkSCi1jl32ELiERsslJE62wofbY47s7nQTsm2zJ5_lIXZvoC8W9yZ2qg2VMT_VG8dzu6k9TF0vOHUzk45Ml_n/s1600/HDC5-4239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5AcvFXE_wO106MUNFp21n9UWlIJFcxYC2FH_guNZXbpri02ar_cUiU1_PkSCi1jl32ELiERsslJE62wofbY47s7nQTsm2zJ5_lIXZvoC8W9yZ2qg2VMT_VG8dzu6k9TF0vOHUzk45Ml_n/s200/HDC5-4239.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phlox (we think).</td></tr>
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We pulled into the San Antonio KOA around 6pm with plenty of time to get hooked up before dark. This is a large campground just outside San Antonio with lots of trees, a swimming pool, a small lake, and access to the walking/biking trail beside Salado Creek. With 300 sites spread over 40 acres, this is a great place to stay, especially in that the Wifi even works!<br />
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Sunday morning we caught the local bus for a quick ride downtown to see the Alamo. Smoky had been here 50 years ago when he was in Air Force Officer Training School (before the time he spent in Biloxi). I had never been here. I learned a lot about the history of the Alamo today. Those who died in the siege and battle in late February/early March of 1836 were heroes. Their ultimate sacrifice for freedom paved the way for Texas to win its freedom.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PaZpmD37PXci7SoeYGI7CY1ZEmsYaCOVwQ75Id7bNNEBD37qw7BOTRjZOMevwqB9DM2VjVqMf87ZJWDB5a-3sXvLoxuH15wPZy3PEOzlU2C6AiD4EUuLtRRqdpASD36i8K3y05HGU4aT/s1600/HDC5-4372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PaZpmD37PXci7SoeYGI7CY1ZEmsYaCOVwQ75Id7bNNEBD37qw7BOTRjZOMevwqB9DM2VjVqMf87ZJWDB5a-3sXvLoxuH15wPZy3PEOzlU2C6AiD4EUuLtRRqdpASD36i8K3y05HGU4aT/s400/HDC5-4372.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Alamo front entrance into the mission building.</td></tr>
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The Alamo is in the middle of downtown San Antonio. Today's footprint is much smaller than the original Alamo, but what remains is inspiring. When we examined the list of those who died in the Alamo, we were surprised to find names of people from many of the 24 states at that time plus several from England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and Denmark.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5XTbQiVGTvP7oJwYBEMgycZk9ZlROgUSCJ0mgh0X6VkRfpRydCmj9EyGUzyQUB2rRmX0Bzj1khkmRLSM9Rny9VWEiRfUNohRXFKsoHbbJFlkJ7xK4An8NRf_mvWPIwxlFOuq0gazbSBW/s1600/HDC5-4381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5XTbQiVGTvP7oJwYBEMgycZk9ZlROgUSCJ0mgh0X6VkRfpRydCmj9EyGUzyQUB2rRmX0Bzj1khkmRLSM9Rny9VWEiRfUNohRXFKsoHbbJFlkJ7xK4An8NRf_mvWPIwxlFOuq0gazbSBW/s400/HDC5-4381.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Alamo, lots of visitors examined the simple structure.</td></tr>
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While we were in downtown San Antonio at the Alamo, we decided to experience the town's River Walk. You can find almost any type of shop or restaurant you might be interested in. Some people take a tour boat ride down the San Antonio River.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyGM_EjQ3F6Kc-EoJYXz84VGFopdqBrYvH6alBUToj4S8vkZZM1lyhyphenhyphenJngw6XO4Ie9xpORQuAXhErj6fE32vSxp7bOkJz45-DiQXXxDh-xhPzH6vPonS7x52O-_Ll-zMfYgt9szjwDCJJ/s1600/HDC5-4456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyGM_EjQ3F6Kc-EoJYXz84VGFopdqBrYvH6alBUToj4S8vkZZM1lyhyphenhyphenJngw6XO4Ie9xpORQuAXhErj6fE32vSxp7bOkJz45-DiQXXxDh-xhPzH6vPonS7x52O-_Ll-zMfYgt9szjwDCJJ/s400/HDC5-4456.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San Antonio's River Walk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhYzxSt-U_KGI-AAG1nUOeaFv5K_z9C6Nddx36wCgmrkPSWyL_uTV13EE2x72qP6Xv05Jh5kmTxBct_IWoQBD9CAg4vanU895QR8n3JTZZ0CQB4q_pK9rGyil-BKuWpSoFs3t441UxDNI/s1600/HDC5-4464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhYzxSt-U_KGI-AAG1nUOeaFv5K_z9C6Nddx36wCgmrkPSWyL_uTV13EE2x72qP6Xv05Jh5kmTxBct_IWoQBD9CAg4vanU895QR8n3JTZZ0CQB4q_pK9rGyil-BKuWpSoFs3t441UxDNI/s400/HDC5-4464.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take a tour boat down the San Antonio River.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_dPytmlfyxapWBr-pcz46RoHtVefOCpgg4-oYrYbu2tDv_sFmCX8h2Mqa8bxliEvkCko-V55gSlOpzdsHwahesUB6_8-Ps1cND1WY2cYTi__tZ0kd2IzqYcQBvq-xwLurLZPsBMeUApV/s1600/HDC5-4467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_dPytmlfyxapWBr-pcz46RoHtVefOCpgg4-oYrYbu2tDv_sFmCX8h2Mqa8bxliEvkCko-V55gSlOpzdsHwahesUB6_8-Ps1cND1WY2cYTi__tZ0kd2IzqYcQBvq-xwLurLZPsBMeUApV/s320/HDC5-4467.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mission Concepcion</td></tr>
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We didn't stay long on the River Walk because Smoky also wanted to see some of the historic missions in San Antonio, which had been established in the 1700s. Franciscan friars congregated groups of native peoples in hopes of converting them to Christianity and the ways of Spanish citizenship. Some of these missions had been moved from other locations. They started out as unwalled communities but later, as tensions built, walls were added for protection. The history around these missions is complicated, too much so for me to even attempt to summarize. But they were interesting to see and photograph.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvCnsoW5i2eRbtL6jGDqwvjsbOnuXUWL2iCA9YgQW2-RlZunFWmcHlcxFkiPK-g4sIvEVjXe3nLaPYFpGv91haj2aZbdLxx1HUXe_H4YmsgVZrIVMLNQaKx3kRPr1-h8w7K6O69J_zwJ6/s1600/HDC5-4489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvCnsoW5i2eRbtL6jGDqwvjsbOnuXUWL2iCA9YgQW2-RlZunFWmcHlcxFkiPK-g4sIvEVjXe3nLaPYFpGv91haj2aZbdLxx1HUXe_H4YmsgVZrIVMLNQaKx3kRPr1-h8w7K6O69J_zwJ6/s200/HDC5-4489.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walkway inside<br />
Mission Concepcion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRaf1cCi3HwkXKQbN3NFEeRIl66ZgUhnqz60FD83oAslg_it2QzvoOtFT3BfMWax20AJCT3wDRrN683gs5C5geHPWYZuhnEzY9-12-4nxBB18Q8xaUH4jovORJ2AR4wQTCnV6KQ-9cvxV/s1600/HDC5-4589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRaf1cCi3HwkXKQbN3NFEeRIl66ZgUhnqz60FD83oAslg_it2QzvoOtFT3BfMWax20AJCT3wDRrN683gs5C5geHPWYZuhnEzY9-12-4nxBB18Q8xaUH4jovORJ2AR4wQTCnV6KQ-9cvxV/s320/HDC5-4589.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mission San Jose.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhln7uU_3JLdDdyghmw_q0t4bYagMTUGHMRGuENPJCZIbHg5U5o5mC57la9dJ4EklpYkzfd_l3W1otDeot2WMEnuvEjxNY7hhpTqg9x6uPG44Pzp1IC86HK1zFc7q9ulwBGeM9HDESLFdV1/s1600/HDC5-4627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhln7uU_3JLdDdyghmw_q0t4bYagMTUGHMRGuENPJCZIbHg5U5o5mC57la9dJ4EklpYkzfd_l3W1otDeot2WMEnuvEjxNY7hhpTqg9x6uPG44Pzp1IC86HK1zFc7q9ulwBGeM9HDESLFdV1/s400/HDC5-4627.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Mission San Jose.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7Ok5Fz4YCdUr4NDzTH4dMYh4ByHhEgpIffxVUM8ueUQDlRu-wEspxQLH3_XZWA6bTfImkXf7NCuIiStLUx9IcToTyQ-zB1AXxmk4onGOo1nnL1pr1Xd5k-NJuwvVzhX0K6CO0fDcZo75/s1600/HDC5-4705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7Ok5Fz4YCdUr4NDzTH4dMYh4ByHhEgpIffxVUM8ueUQDlRu-wEspxQLH3_XZWA6bTfImkXf7NCuIiStLUx9IcToTyQ-zB1AXxmk4onGOo1nnL1pr1Xd5k-NJuwvVzhX0K6CO0fDcZo75/s320/HDC5-4705.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Mission San Juan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFv5A9As91NlFuzOrF7_bu52iuQzgfHSdWXDu-KQcy06uBdfx86J42YgL6Nv7qTs84-XUDPPkz80VIpAVcYYN4JdbagtGEt3yFLmjCsMfyfvs23d95p3oPwV6EBQpPVYrqP3GsgjcN8V7g/s1600/HDC5-4692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFv5A9As91NlFuzOrF7_bu52iuQzgfHSdWXDu-KQcy06uBdfx86J42YgL6Nv7qTs84-XUDPPkz80VIpAVcYYN4JdbagtGEt3yFLmjCsMfyfvs23d95p3oPwV6EBQpPVYrqP3GsgjcN8V7g/s320/HDC5-4692.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of Mission San Juan.<br /></td></tr>
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Monday we head to Fredericksburg and the heart of Texas Hill Country to see more wildflowers! In case you want to see more of Smoky's photos, you can visit his <a href="http://aronsha.zenfolio.com/f803783193" target="_blank">Zenfolio website</a>.<br />
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-- ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-63867754017114543002017-03-26T17:46:00.001-07:002017-04-26T09:44:28.053-07:00Beaumont's Cattail Marsh <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FKyUOwsuPejCdQkSLZWghS3tNxa9Es_mg_f2ox_La83uhTYsYJ2805CI9uVP_q_cF-YKGuDnaiyplBx8z4SWW4gi20j0TyroKpTvubL1jiBsJ0qOp2_C8GLpDwAT689ZImsfZRNNPI4X/s1600/HDC7-4401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FKyUOwsuPejCdQkSLZWghS3tNxa9Es_mg_f2ox_La83uhTYsYJ2805CI9uVP_q_cF-YKGuDnaiyplBx8z4SWW4gi20j0TyroKpTvubL1jiBsJ0qOp2_C8GLpDwAT689ZImsfZRNNPI4X/s320/HDC7-4401.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boardwalk at Beaumont's Cattail Marsh.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tyrrell Park includes a botanical garden, a golf course, and the amazing 900-acre Cattail Marsh, which was created as one of the final stages of waste water filtration for the city of Beaumont. The marsh and surrounding areas support a wide variety of local wildlife, including many species of birds. We love watching and photographing birds, and the Cattail Marsh has a new (in July 2016) boardwalk that provided a great place from which to photograph.<br />
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As I mentioned earlier, Smoky was excited about some of the more unusual birds we saw. On Friday morning, in spite of a steady and rather strong wind, he had many photos that we both really liked. On Friday afternoon, after hearing that a big storm was coming through the Beaumont area that evening, I elected to stay at the trailer and do the laundry, just in case the storm was really bad. Smoky returned to the marsh.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkt6dZNFxw-FfZZOBSg3paNJc519yVw2NLjl3Z9vIzLlmEE3Qm9O9HYIW8jbG_3lu4VBkuU5NairUfptqias63h-bvvAU0zE9E1bNMtbh2qIIJoa4-WQDqs-FnnEYSoEGHUv7bLYxGqkpd/s1600/HDC5-4138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkt6dZNFxw-FfZZOBSg3paNJc519yVw2NLjl3Z9vIzLlmEE3Qm9O9HYIW8jbG_3lu4VBkuU5NairUfptqias63h-bvvAU0zE9E1bNMtbh2qIIJoa4-WQDqs-FnnEYSoEGHUv7bLYxGqkpd/s320/HDC5-4138.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Avocet, a beautiful wading bird. Males have<br />
a rusty-colored breast.</td></tr>
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Just before dinner, when he returned, he said the wind was even stronger than it had been in the morning, and he didn't dare turn loose of the tripod, in case the wind grabbed it and his camera. In spite of this, he had a great time with the birds.<br />
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Here are some more of our favorite photos from the marsh.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9dzcJ_jUZStVBuSrntRYVBpTmbMBPEPiXda3cbulHi_8V-8WLvJeTVrjdXSLMwIEE-6jIzxOtFBFHXQlpIFAPki-mNJSnekGAMQ9UMQgVqtXxeQYTtac6nPkPOT346_Aaxb05yRyBx7u/s1600/HDC39727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9dzcJ_jUZStVBuSrntRYVBpTmbMBPEPiXda3cbulHi_8V-8WLvJeTVrjdXSLMwIEE-6jIzxOtFBFHXQlpIFAPki-mNJSnekGAMQ9UMQgVqtXxeQYTtac6nPkPOT346_Aaxb05yRyBx7u/s320/HDC39727.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green-winged teal; this duck is amazing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6XAGZ0wVohETCd4MT0yTRqM6zIMgumJ2B6ygUjIbSTpz5xb3iu9yVAkOWD0SUytdAuTv33ISucGjOyaM1SKGJOVUr_TDpdzqn4OPxO2SIIAwq6Wbhe1x_6OaCuoiq_zG5UA_PW8V64C0a/s1600/HDC39750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6XAGZ0wVohETCd4MT0yTRqM6zIMgumJ2B6ygUjIbSTpz5xb3iu9yVAkOWD0SUytdAuTv33ISucGjOyaM1SKGJOVUr_TDpdzqn4OPxO2SIIAwq6Wbhe1x_6OaCuoiq_zG5UA_PW8V64C0a/s320/HDC39750.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the green-winged teal. Notice the feather<br />
detail.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrgtI9hWskRILC8akLeXZ7Lh89VJ4siflzKGEuN24eOvbxm4VFWkDMa7IzHUTMUfFZCbtplH-jDWb3D78ejFrkTMzdECzHKBFdN4gSXSs83nGP8K3ZV2Lj5_2geFSjAGO544Upar172fr/s1600/HDC5-4209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrgtI9hWskRILC8akLeXZ7Lh89VJ4siflzKGEuN24eOvbxm4VFWkDMa7IzHUTMUfFZCbtplH-jDWb3D78ejFrkTMzdECzHKBFdN4gSXSs83nGP8K3ZV2Lj5_2geFSjAGO544Upar172fr/s400/HDC5-4209.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This elegant creature is most likely an immature little blue heron. [Update:<br />
turns out it is a snowy egret!]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7coH13QNVNoV9U5uGCZVFj7r-DXgLDl3lwhG7GiaoLepl37TgT-m9NPivtKnxCYi4mt4YGLbFKHrQzSAWhzNssxGiTvZcpMUfCRxDgd2bNBBCvRCUh2WOm8o5WRsFXRXife8TatpaqBEi/s1600/HDC39734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7coH13QNVNoV9U5uGCZVFj7r-DXgLDl3lwhG7GiaoLepl37TgT-m9NPivtKnxCYi4mt4YGLbFKHrQzSAWhzNssxGiTvZcpMUfCRxDgd2bNBBCvRCUh2WOm8o5WRsFXRXife8TatpaqBEi/s200/HDC39734.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvD1pJ7ohvjg4UiBMBElBJpw1GwgV3MiNGdg8MbUvjWJJRQz4iaVhEDVab__K-xhv1eLadaKJE0yxujudehgWtZ3Sn4qARX17447YwVz0AzIZqJGgKcTYzBovLI5QM6NGEiqT4XvwL2Nk/s1600/HDC5-4168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvD1pJ7ohvjg4UiBMBElBJpw1GwgV3MiNGdg8MbUvjWJJRQz4iaVhEDVab__K-xhv1eLadaKJE0yxujudehgWtZ3Sn4qARX17447YwVz0AzIZqJGgKcTYzBovLI5QM6NGEiqT4XvwL2Nk/s200/HDC5-4168.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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This beautiful brown wading bird (photos left and right) may be a long-billed dowitcher.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlbe7lFoOi1mwNePc2-IIN0i6QFKHLy5IRIp3CJLnmWquaJNJs_5btuWWhktWhTdRkTniITuQ7UFhu2ZhfZfPGX8s3JVTJgqlLeBw7-__cnrAqoBnMQ2_IaR2nnHyaQJdL2mHrn_T3yUg/s1600/HDC5-4024-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlbe7lFoOi1mwNePc2-IIN0i6QFKHLy5IRIp3CJLnmWquaJNJs_5btuWWhktWhTdRkTniITuQ7UFhu2ZhfZfPGX8s3JVTJgqlLeBw7-__cnrAqoBnMQ2_IaR2nnHyaQJdL2mHrn_T3yUg/s400/HDC5-4024-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This bird reminded us of a sparrow, but it is a female red-winged blackbird.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On Saturday, we travel on I-10W again through Houston and on to San Antonio.<br />
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-- ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-28868379578395858952017-03-25T07:24:00.001-07:002017-03-25T19:18:22.492-07:00Heading to the Lone Star StateOn Thursday, March 23, we drove from New Orleans through Baton Rouge and into Texas. Traveling on I-10W was an experience to remember. I am not a big fan of interstate travel under the best conditions, and, unfortunately, conditions were not the best this day. Actually, I doubt that the day had much to do with those conditions. Interstates in Louisiana had already proven to be far less than ideal, and towing a trailer on those bumpy roads caused us both misery.<br />
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Much to our sorrow, when we crossed the Texas state line (still on I-10W), road conditions did not improve for a while. Eventually, the worst parts were interrupted by patches of much better road surfaces, so at least we had a chance to breathe deeply for a little while.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJpiHQJRXSWdxFldCxIJFGfTC4P02TguVNU9-3CCkOvkPTAo7D9JrQbo_GpPCmtY3Djr9XxtPYepWUrRyi86nIKwMkVAIAw4ScqIOH_dT9C0W8bCI3GTySCrRc_WUGou56ZaYVWXyXHaY/s1600/HDC5-3949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJpiHQJRXSWdxFldCxIJFGfTC4P02TguVNU9-3CCkOvkPTAo7D9JrQbo_GpPCmtY3Djr9XxtPYepWUrRyi86nIKwMkVAIAw4ScqIOH_dT9C0W8bCI3GTySCrRc_WUGou56ZaYVWXyXHaY/s320/HDC5-3949.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Texas I-10W Visitor Center boardwalk over <br />
Blue Elbow Swamp.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A stop at the Texas Visitor Center just over the state line was a welcome relief, plus we wanted to get some information about spring wildflowers and other things of interest in Texas. This center was very much like going into a national park visitor center. Two knowledgeable employees were available to help visitors, and behind the center was a boardwalk over a large marshy area called Blue Elbow Swamp. We stayed quite a while, watching some small snakes and turtles and finding several interesting sets of tracks. The ecology of this swampy area has changed since the interstate was built, causing the bald cypress to struggle to stay alive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7L-pjkVg0q5nX5zGnqdajFX5K1XGhfrJq1P7UHvygVbkEpHPFq-gMnlntCtXJSHj104hH-pYUcOtIhEjRZhbA7ggNpgirsKkDoz6ysZk2dn-OvN-VkvEqOM_hvB-zeOlAW3HHq4nzEogP/s1600/HDC5-3937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7L-pjkVg0q5nX5zGnqdajFX5K1XGhfrJq1P7UHvygVbkEpHPFq-gMnlntCtXJSHj104hH-pYUcOtIhEjRZhbA7ggNpgirsKkDoz6ysZk2dn-OvN-VkvEqOM_hvB-zeOlAW3HHq4nzEogP/s400/HDC5-3937.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broad-banded water snake.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXc0wd-qHKdrsWroDLeVPXBqpV_cKIW4EAtTfUpi8Y0Se-9yO16LZmnkCEbsxcxIWljJ6lmBKxLvmwBVXMJ1hsaJrJqnEjbQKb-aQcxCfwMAwcvgF2oi5REs5-W6z9lpET6x6h1i2WBQka/s1600/HDC5-3969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXc0wd-qHKdrsWroDLeVPXBqpV_cKIW4EAtTfUpi8Y0Se-9yO16LZmnkCEbsxcxIWljJ6lmBKxLvmwBVXMJ1hsaJrJqnEjbQKb-aQcxCfwMAwcvgF2oi5REs5-W6z9lpET6x6h1i2WBQka/s320/HDC5-3969.jpg" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dragonfly, female (<i>Pachydiplax longipennis</i>).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDrkihxcnu9wUekVZoeP_4TnUqRIzvLTj5_30l5bYXFz4E-UMPPvn-ndifnE-BivW_IYEgC4ZZ-AZiwXZ_Ozd5L0sq2pG-iDOBS_xFiPrfqlIhJsczzVf5T6Bm_dQM4YqyobKQPZnqkgw/s1600/HDC5-3976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDrkihxcnu9wUekVZoeP_4TnUqRIzvLTj5_30l5bYXFz4E-UMPPvn-ndifnE-BivW_IYEgC4ZZ-AZiwXZ_Ozd5L0sq2pG-iDOBS_xFiPrfqlIhJsczzVf5T6Bm_dQM4YqyobKQPZnqkgw/s400/HDC5-3976.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We think this is turtle tracks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylCzCxrYBYdAMDZU62XvweCODYqtXS8t0ZsPIvqO1fmxs1YomdkXsLe8NpOhIN4F3_c8wgvD-UUvmYbMRHOC8WTJaJjdCTroVRoMMMIVPk6Rj-IS9Jjsugwl2nZeiaUMFkwBv0p2YXnbZ/s1600/HDC5-3985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylCzCxrYBYdAMDZU62XvweCODYqtXS8t0ZsPIvqO1fmxs1YomdkXsLe8NpOhIN4F3_c8wgvD-UUvmYbMRHOC8WTJaJjdCTroVRoMMMIVPk6Rj-IS9Jjsugwl2nZeiaUMFkwBv0p2YXnbZ/s400/HDC5-3985.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alligator tracks. How cool, right?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Back in the truck and bracing for more bumps, we continued to Beaumont and found Hidden Lake RV Park. Another gem of an RV Park, we happily pulled into our spot and settled in for the evening. After dinner we walked over to the hidden lake for which this campground is named, and it was beautiful in the fading light.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhCUBgMfHHD1d1LWJPkpaGWap-38-75dx-0xALmZlEeyAa-9NVFjPDErXCBDvOdX02t40X-wdjhWwyeT9J9h3hQQt59iAJwuH34M5MoHb7YcC_WeeK2oUUL_a-yMZGAd9eaUljpWytEx_/s1600/HDC7-4393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhCUBgMfHHD1d1LWJPkpaGWap-38-75dx-0xALmZlEeyAa-9NVFjPDErXCBDvOdX02t40X-wdjhWwyeT9J9h3hQQt59iAJwuH34M5MoHb7YcC_WeeK2oUUL_a-yMZGAd9eaUljpWytEx_/s400/HDC7-4393.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hidden Lake at our campground by the same name.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Smoky had found what looked to be a promising bird-watching area just a short distance from our campground, so after breakfast on Friday, March 24, we headed to Tyrrell Park to check out its Cattail Marsh, covering 900 acres of wetlands, surrounded by walking trails, with several boardwalks and viewing platforms. What a treat to spend the morning and part of the afternoon watching a variety of ducks and wading birds in this beautiful area. Smoky was ecstatic because this was his first opportunity to photograph some of these birds. I'll post photos from that shoot later.<br />
<br />
--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-10761553400971663102017-03-24T19:25:00.002-07:002017-03-24T19:32:25.027-07:00Photos of FlowersThis trip was primarily focused on photographing wildflowers, so I thought I would make one blog entry just for flower photos we've shot so far. These were photographed on the Natchez Trace, but now that we're in Texas, we will hopefully be finding lots more. We have tried to identify these properly; let us know if you find an error.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagbbQgY9LTvuXiLJ7Ea21oXyYIPNAK64uI7P9S4MDfS2tCK21PQefhdrWry95ImXQw8c_0nhjIOSI3UWlKCNVWGKJxVLBo2DvtbwdldivnIYsBBSyqgQC1WxNAlpF-mf1eQ12MZMwzUCD/s1600/HDC5-2885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagbbQgY9LTvuXiLJ7Ea21oXyYIPNAK64uI7P9S4MDfS2tCK21PQefhdrWry95ImXQw8c_0nhjIOSI3UWlKCNVWGKJxVLBo2DvtbwdldivnIYsBBSyqgQC1WxNAlpF-mf1eQ12MZMwzUCD/s320/HDC5-2885.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring Beauty, Natchez Trace.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMVc4CIyhFyb136WvS8xJABN5TEDjZm34ebdAtuFL7h8kt4IjzUcUbQ2MdxdJoPYOWS-jyfLHiB3nZb5tCoXe3k5Ico0wvMTqh4WFFkWBZYMqaP6tp4v3GNPdkHg9KcKoTbXv3X3VTWc5/s1600/HDC5-3166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMVc4CIyhFyb136WvS8xJABN5TEDjZm34ebdAtuFL7h8kt4IjzUcUbQ2MdxdJoPYOWS-jyfLHiB3nZb5tCoXe3k5Ico0wvMTqh4WFFkWBZYMqaP6tp4v3GNPdkHg9KcKoTbXv3X3VTWc5/s320/HDC5-3166.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unidentified flowering tree.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzVNKmTAXBCOGW2Pzcy_2aumLqVJKKQL7EtBzO77DzUFsovOixaiH4OHW7iJVK40Q9SjGm4hqj68-meMfalCtWk6-RptxZMH4E74KyiG7SUH8deGMht5Ph7nyXYBG2ar-riNXPGU0Kosb/s1600/HDC5-3177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzVNKmTAXBCOGW2Pzcy_2aumLqVJKKQL7EtBzO77DzUFsovOixaiH4OHW7iJVK40Q9SjGm4hqj68-meMfalCtWk6-RptxZMH4E74KyiG7SUH8deGMht5Ph7nyXYBG2ar-riNXPGU0Kosb/s320/HDC5-3177.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tradescantia (spiderwort).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfAdMmpNjs2ioMlji28QM0oKyrvOnq633xCfGwbhDmGlyTM111PGjC8fEW3aBHTVYmGyjXNTbncxR45ixeofgwguPc-l9AbEpypvZJbc1qZ0yUlsKi1ELZBm2yvW_qD3E4o4l3ys3QGfE/s1600/HDC5-3451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfAdMmpNjs2ioMlji28QM0oKyrvOnq633xCfGwbhDmGlyTM111PGjC8fEW3aBHTVYmGyjXNTbncxR45ixeofgwguPc-l9AbEpypvZJbc1qZ0yUlsKi1ELZBm2yvW_qD3E4o4l3ys3QGfE/s320/HDC5-3451.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daisy fleebane.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ykQxAXKCgF7okwL_w-VjVqtI2JlrW2zrknr9YxuQp0n6XMUesRvr8_4qDYbY38c3yp1rJ9_MSRdn8iGkq6FeC5OMi27R_pclDO3FZyFoR4cj83x4-Ht0P89akIHmMxPgNQrHq4w3fDEK/s1600/HDC5-3459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ykQxAXKCgF7okwL_w-VjVqtI2JlrW2zrknr9YxuQp0n6XMUesRvr8_4qDYbY38c3yp1rJ9_MSRdn8iGkq6FeC5OMi27R_pclDO3FZyFoR4cj83x4-Ht0P89akIHmMxPgNQrHq4w3fDEK/s320/HDC5-3459.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue-eyed grass.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbJ01yKcsZt3ON3a4t49_vVgOExWkL7mdEGfQ0ner38gupRqiuKCf5xNI0TIidayHlcuo_OboxMGLQyOt2B-4poKSaYEiD8LUXemPxEeoGiWOegLIrLa7boPCjlMawQWHZzHqXtIJ6mat/s1600/HDC5-3460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbJ01yKcsZt3ON3a4t49_vVgOExWkL7mdEGfQ0ner38gupRqiuKCf5xNI0TIidayHlcuo_OboxMGLQyOt2B-4poKSaYEiD8LUXemPxEeoGiWOegLIrLa7boPCjlMawQWHZzHqXtIJ6mat/s320/HDC5-3460.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue-eyed grass closeup.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
-- ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-42514827909260487192017-03-24T18:14:00.001-07:002017-04-26T09:21:07.271-07:00On to New OrleansAfter the drive from Vidalia to New Orleans on Tuesday, March 21, and fighting our way through rush-hour traffic, we pulled into the Jude Trailer Park on Chef Menteur Highway, chosen because of its location, which was approximately 5 miles from the French Quarter.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChzAXK2bMgofWzlgv0d2tMi4WJEfSVBaFtGVIAwg2oZ3rcDAq8_MhWehecZsrLW7LvQJ_E74qLdBqsDPdOGFQYExh12ObSalCBF-wsiVLQ7y9UNLzPHDyNH8URtMDqFcUdxsC-hT0wltA/s1600/HDC5-3694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChzAXK2bMgofWzlgv0d2tMi4WJEfSVBaFtGVIAwg2oZ3rcDAq8_MhWehecZsrLW7LvQJ_E74qLdBqsDPdOGFQYExh12ObSalCBF-wsiVLQ7y9UNLzPHDyNH8URtMDqFcUdxsC-hT0wltA/s200/HDC5-3694.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOLA French Market.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Marla, the campground owner, gave us lots of great information about how to get to the French Quarter, making our trip on Wednesday morning easier than if we had tried it alone. The parking lot she recommended was about a block from the French Market.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIIidxtUyC4_4ELh2Ago7Gg-uEp4pCvFa3jP_zHwM_F9odCm9bWd7RZKHE5F85pW1t6Jst-cT4_HE5tRbwhULdHjc5kNbSw1OszUgTUxAS7ciY3u4O1jE9ne37XflVrUj8R9MJMm_Tb5x/s1600/HDC5-3696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIIidxtUyC4_4ELh2Ago7Gg-uEp4pCvFa3jP_zHwM_F9odCm9bWd7RZKHE5F85pW1t6Jst-cT4_HE5tRbwhULdHjc5kNbSw1OszUgTUxAS7ciY3u4O1jE9ne37XflVrUj8R9MJMm_Tb5x/s200/HDC5-3696.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the French Market you could find<br />
anything to satisfy your urge to shop!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhDNAg9DPzXs4HRgpglv7U_hnW1DgKHfI3SLrRk2VPwu_JaeUv-3h0S7_ZWxwX2du4YgoJLXhys2Qo3up3smhcCXn4JetkpK8tbF76h_lW_Km2V0-6tHP0Uzz8tHwkZCRqaZGgydw4ZdL/s1600/HDC5-3710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhDNAg9DPzXs4HRgpglv7U_hnW1DgKHfI3SLrRk2VPwu_JaeUv-3h0S7_ZWxwX2du4YgoJLXhys2Qo3up3smhcCXn4JetkpK8tbF76h_lW_Km2V0-6tHP0Uzz8tHwkZCRqaZGgydw4ZdL/s320/HDC5-3710.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the lovely balconies in the French Quarter. This<br />
one was part of a restaurant.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Smoky was last in New Orleans in 1967-68. In 1967 he was stationed in Biloxi, MS, for communications electronics officer training in the Air Force. On weekend leave, he drove his white Buick Special convertible with red vinyl interior. Can't you just imagine him driving this sweet vehicle to New Orleans!<br />
<br />
Our trip to NOLA was a time of remembering for Smoky. We walked through the French Quarter, ate beignets at Cafe Du Monde, and then strolled down Royal Street, stopping frequently to listen to buskers playing music.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwoeunZItoD_DRedafY7hEGClAw0zjj5DSx80sZ25CvtgaQfq04fDOXgufQ88QWS5qHkKXdMc7tt3jiwjgPQEK7d7DyJBq5auYNOwQLZxy3xZxNhO7twtY-TrqdP7G9KegvjJByJHN2kmq/s1600/HDC5-3739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwoeunZItoD_DRedafY7hEGClAw0zjj5DSx80sZ25CvtgaQfq04fDOXgufQ88QWS5qHkKXdMc7tt3jiwjgPQEK7d7DyJBq5auYNOwQLZxy3xZxNhO7twtY-TrqdP7G9KegvjJByJHN2kmq/s200/HDC5-3739.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beignets at Cafe Du Monde.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlf6WBvlcyXS27rQPSbpI6SebwqQHbRhFdSZ9mXfgZ_bsr-ctr4KlkkVVouUB_kgAUBWP8o8EVbLoPmSJCCQxqEa4E6q25UQBY-AniPa8Uk8GXaFYbk_NlTs1bBvhP0L5Dyxh9On0OTIFs/s1600/HDC5-3741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlf6WBvlcyXS27rQPSbpI6SebwqQHbRhFdSZ9mXfgZ_bsr-ctr4KlkkVVouUB_kgAUBWP8o8EVbLoPmSJCCQxqEa4E6q25UQBY-AniPa8Uk8GXaFYbk_NlTs1bBvhP0L5Dyxh9On0OTIFs/s200/HDC5-3741.jpg" width="144" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yum, yum!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Smoky remembered the St. Louis Cathedral at Jackson Square, so after our beignets we walked over to see it. Visitors were welcome to go inside this elegant cathedral, which is the oldest one in North America, founded as a Catholic Parish in 1720. The original church burned; the lovely cathedral we visited was completed in 1794.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfHtE7F6YGLNgiJp4TRh2dpR7MgpwuXn9aHbv1UP8DhrhewvXpHVnlc_oCy3CU9EhohI8FcJGRo613KHpm-dTzR8On_WZxck7-VXUJK6t2zDRL_d5a-z0utFEbsww7vStnOB4sOX7th3R/s1600/HDC5-3769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfHtE7F6YGLNgiJp4TRh2dpR7MgpwuXn9aHbv1UP8DhrhewvXpHVnlc_oCy3CU9EhohI8FcJGRo613KHpm-dTzR8On_WZxck7-VXUJK6t2zDRL_d5a-z0utFEbsww7vStnOB4sOX7th3R/s400/HDC5-3769.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Louis Cathedral, seen across<br />
Jackson Square.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHc4BqwU1rx2Op702LWA23MYZ4rP1VaQmGQFYeaq4YnTwAAmyd7G22LiIlAYZJ4PqpJqqnzg_4ms0AFOX74uviBLu7BavJe7WJHwbH2R7yzjcajWNGhMpfT-Af5bimLKfUwFBq2WxnVDRC/s1600/HDC5-3798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHc4BqwU1rx2Op702LWA23MYZ4rP1VaQmGQFYeaq4YnTwAAmyd7G22LiIlAYZJ4PqpJqqnzg_4ms0AFOX74uviBLu7BavJe7WJHwbH2R7yzjcajWNGhMpfT-Af5bimLKfUwFBq2WxnVDRC/s400/HDC5-3798.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the amazing St. Louis Cathedral.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Only in New Orleans could you visit a place like St. Louis Cathedral and then step out the front door and have your fortune told, receive a tarot reading, and hear a jazz band before you left the block!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Pw4G33gg_1FAapnOAGndTzCyUk1CxZerXs8cThuLogY1TuBDwgwwSQ4LKQrPUBAuimAURhx3H4uiTIL-YSmFhyBg1vAPQeTLRrvALqnNzL8qVF9yDMBOqa2UJFI5BIh1EWylq1MvILdt/s1600/HDC5-3920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Pw4G33gg_1FAapnOAGndTzCyUk1CxZerXs8cThuLogY1TuBDwgwwSQ4LKQrPUBAuimAURhx3H4uiTIL-YSmFhyBg1vAPQeTLRrvALqnNzL8qVF9yDMBOqa2UJFI5BIh1EWylq1MvILdt/s200/HDC5-3920.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tarot reading by the Realistic Mystic.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XdAA6Ezr-STITcj0eYFyvUKozbB491AUTWUrGKR2LVDOj_qa7cNWozNOFuXmh9KlpMfWDtjxX3NbvUP-KJtQxTPzLYR8Ewkb-2GeMQbQ_kvmxyu-5rpcDUhLdCYjDPDoaJfqZvobLz-2/s1600/HDC5-3925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XdAA6Ezr-STITcj0eYFyvUKozbB491AUTWUrGKR2LVDOj_qa7cNWozNOFuXmh9KlpMfWDtjxX3NbvUP-KJtQxTPzLYR8Ewkb-2GeMQbQ_kvmxyu-5rpcDUhLdCYjDPDoaJfqZvobLz-2/s200/HDC5-3925.jpg" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tarot and palm reader.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4x3LXQHec2ogog5Qof2twXjpU5TWzGrAPtLemdY4TAdfEEjk4_MwbjhjTZ0slla-9nAm5db0DkfBp0XSano5L9PgXxPRhmXCD9CNQc8bYkbaXK03aImFKi3fBGK057ePp48AGGNDCxiDp/s1600/HDC5-3857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4x3LXQHec2ogog5Qof2twXjpU5TWzGrAPtLemdY4TAdfEEjk4_MwbjhjTZ0slla-9nAm5db0DkfBp0XSano5L9PgXxPRhmXCD9CNQc8bYkbaXK03aImFKi3fBGK057ePp48AGGNDCxiDp/s320/HDC5-3857.jpg" width="204" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall decoration in inner courtyard<br />
at Oceana Grill.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEk_ktujLKdU2B0DriaCjKc6MH5KR_zix_rj8sYcuOD3KBP2WkoiFxg4R0R9VCYDsHyi5iNHNxoZ1OcBizSGp-ON3B160pxH6GYwaKJfioXm-ZMyj0KVd5V5VZ8SICCmA-Zd1nR6xqlQl/s1600/HDC5-3851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEk_ktujLKdU2B0DriaCjKc6MH5KR_zix_rj8sYcuOD3KBP2WkoiFxg4R0R9VCYDsHyi5iNHNxoZ1OcBizSGp-ON3B160pxH6GYwaKJfioXm-ZMyj0KVd5V5VZ8SICCmA-Zd1nR6xqlQl/s200/HDC5-3851.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bourbon Street.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We treated ourselves to a late lunch at the Oceana Grill on Conti Street, where we sat in their inner courtyard and enjoyed a catfish po-boy and shrimp fettuccine alfredo. After lunch we walked down Bourbon Street, which Smoky remembered fondly during Mardi Gras in 1968. What tales he told me of that trip! Now Bourbon Street felt a little seedy and sad.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1_Zd4q7ma09r9ziEGlPjnT5ftYeRvYIuuZoXlirmt9HstLCsPGj_1-UqGjXUVkzcYrX3Xt6JeXE99Vu-5pMCO9BZFho11SMqhznD9kHMTRW6YwOsCCx9yfVzmOwYV7bdYUTQ4bmYS_9b/s1600/HDC5-3873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1_Zd4q7ma09r9ziEGlPjnT5ftYeRvYIuuZoXlirmt9HstLCsPGj_1-UqGjXUVkzcYrX3Xt6JeXE99Vu-5pMCO9BZFho11SMqhznD9kHMTRW6YwOsCCx9yfVzmOwYV7bdYUTQ4bmYS_9b/s320/HDC5-3873.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reza Anvari, creator of fantastic carnival masks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Royal Street, just one block over, was an entirely different place from Bourbon Street. There we found a little shop where venetian carnival masks were being made by Reza Anvari. Smoky bought a beautiful white one with quail and rooster feathers to use in his photography classes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANB5-tb80Cjj2ke92FVSN8h-kO2uJbkr_Sn195aKw0svm9znVRw4MIC7cRyvfei5mTbUJ5Sy3Qdrl_eqh_nl-VR2iOI8Bz0YBQaM1kV8S_wOUqJM-4pNq_fJXiDxsAFHr6YO7wYFN2WsG/s1600/HDC5-3879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANB5-tb80Cjj2ke92FVSN8h-kO2uJbkr_Sn195aKw0svm9znVRw4MIC7cRyvfei5mTbUJ5Sy3Qdrl_eqh_nl-VR2iOI8Bz0YBQaM1kV8S_wOUqJM-4pNq_fJXiDxsAFHr6YO7wYFN2WsG/s320/HDC5-3879.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preservation Hall sign above entrance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We had hoped to see a performance at Preservation Hall, another memory of the past for Smoky, but the performances that day didn't start until 8pm and the line outside the hall for the first performance was already down the block.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfqK6I3ESnNvQ2kbkZ4Sr1iKank-3vpQl2Hi20kptPD629taRz3__zb5rHkQkthW65NKS3cJX395v0ckpfO-VAb83xqwX4_AqiDKRuXhR-QEuWnTlCL-r3MYTlm1FVCQjUA7G_eelCXGD/s1600/HDC5-3878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfqK6I3ESnNvQ2kbkZ4Sr1iKank-3vpQl2Hi20kptPD629taRz3__zb5rHkQkthW65NKS3cJX395v0ckpfO-VAb83xqwX4_AqiDKRuXhR-QEuWnTlCL-r3MYTlm1FVCQjUA7G_eelCXGD/s400/HDC5-3878.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At 4pm, the line outside Preservation Hall for the 8pm show was already<br />
down the block.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We satisfied ourselves with listening to groups on the street. One of our favorites was St. Cinder, a group of guys who played ragtime using interesting instruments, including a mandolin, harmonica and washboard with spoons. These guys dressed in period clothing and really sounded authentic.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFGFh7jqW-de7mJKTORGGl_v1RwxX_QSFCABiSitI57mAMNNUQL0a7V306EgMiJ_GY5Ij4R4jstin3S_0m1WXAZlsIO6cEiYMpnTfQJxjVEYAYr9mWer95eofZ9q4Agh83lGsmQx0k-Hb/s1600/HDC5-3841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFGFh7jqW-de7mJKTORGGl_v1RwxX_QSFCABiSitI57mAMNNUQL0a7V306EgMiJ_GY5Ij4R4jstin3S_0m1WXAZlsIO6cEiYMpnTfQJxjVEYAYr9mWer95eofZ9q4Agh83lGsmQx0k-Hb/s400/HDC5-3841.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Cinder Ragtime group dressed the part and played great music.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaSY9cCR9NQNDnLPxaJUSF_QhywqEHwdoNYNMPkIiECxb-hMas3QLSF3hFwMqLvHWhX77VDtL7IpTC6jLWBWEOb3E73ZozHNGzmYZAuJiPpT9MHCWI5sQnWf8Pst3Jy3kBXOfIYOsLrNN/s1600/HDC5-3844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaSY9cCR9NQNDnLPxaJUSF_QhywqEHwdoNYNMPkIiECxb-hMas3QLSF3hFwMqLvHWhX77VDtL7IpTC6jLWBWEOb3E73ZozHNGzmYZAuJiPpT9MHCWI5sQnWf8Pst3Jy3kBXOfIYOsLrNN/s200/HDC5-3844.jpg" width="138" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banjo player also played mandolin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnx2k2hvPLxlWIuU6Apv-athCGqLo57XVnWni0mbyHvSTIz9gokKMv9mpohQVtS3bveJY-P-GIMbtZ-bSLr3MkvgqUAW1VnTlGacWGoViOQ4JlE5H9FaaN2vSRlV0FVisrzhvipkntr-K/s1600/HDC5-3845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnx2k2hvPLxlWIuU6Apv-athCGqLo57XVnWni0mbyHvSTIz9gokKMv9mpohQVtS3bveJY-P-GIMbtZ-bSLr3MkvgqUAW1VnTlGacWGoViOQ4JlE5H9FaaN2vSRlV0FVisrzhvipkntr-K/s200/HDC5-3845.jpg" width="144" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy was amazing -- <br />
a one-man percussion <br />
wizard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnWjfsNE-z4PNX3eDpLerb_SFLPDhecnQui4AxAR_lXe24S5wlsyl42Lpz2u1GIPlWJLJwMVm8GEobHkrShYSWJpmEkymfG7gkX88LfkfJMKv7-hL4n6aM72xeNT2KhwHbbFcvNKMLR5r/s1600/HDC5-3847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnWjfsNE-z4PNX3eDpLerb_SFLPDhecnQui4AxAR_lXe24S5wlsyl42Lpz2u1GIPlWJLJwMVm8GEobHkrShYSWJpmEkymfG7gkX88LfkfJMKv7-hL4n6aM72xeNT2KhwHbbFcvNKMLR5r/s200/HDC5-3847.jpg" width="126" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clarinetist.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was a full day in the French Quarter. Hopefully, Smoky returned home with some new memories to join with those from 50 years ago!<br />
<br />
--Shann<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Smoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-68650141957754987592017-03-23T19:52:00.001-07:002017-03-24T19:30:35.288-07:00Exploring Natchez on Monday, March 20<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvI-YcoODTwHvbGZkoROkcfQRoaoZgFeJPmbVXAd19X5BToD48kKQC5S7IZSupTZXxWV0v3g79JvATELRt_xNYqITi1qKnajeCmnieA_ss06nu9igDMuuIAb_xfS_VxFSU4O9st3Mxx4h7/s1600/HDC5-3594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvI-YcoODTwHvbGZkoROkcfQRoaoZgFeJPmbVXAd19X5BToD48kKQC5S7IZSupTZXxWV0v3g79JvATELRt_xNYqITi1qKnajeCmnieA_ss06nu9igDMuuIAb_xfS_VxFSU4O9st3Mxx4h7/s320/HDC5-3594.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the bedrooms upstairs in the William Johnson<br />
home in Natchez. It might have been a bedroom/playroom<br />
for some of the children.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We had a day to explore Natchez, which obviously isn't nearly enough time to see everything. We checked at the Visitor's Center to see what they recommended for the limited time we had. First, we decided to visit the William Johnson house, now a museum owned by the National Park Service. William Johnson was a free man of color. Settled in Natchez, he began as an apprentice to a barber, and later purchased the barber shop where he studied. A successful businessman and prominent citizen of the community, he was known as the Barber of Natchez. He taught other free young blacks the trade.<br />
<br />
For 16 years of his life, from 1835 to 1851, Mr. Johnson kept a diary. Today, his diary is an important resource for the study of free blacks, African–American history and American history in general. Several pages of the diary are incorporated into the museum in Natchez. The bottom floor of the house was his barbershop and the upper floor was the family dwelling, where Johnson, his wife, and their 11 children lived.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mCK3eUDQ0G3a_xqcBxcQq5P78EVfELuBbobSNd67UyUJ6RhJw219WE0l1XiUhOd4biCZOD1VJO7usHvvy77ak6_-P60P7ysyjmdYLhyYL0JoCQrP-ECJWjorxqQ7-Jxy5xdimPspeYF1/s1600/HDC5-3605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mCK3eUDQ0G3a_xqcBxcQq5P78EVfELuBbobSNd67UyUJ6RhJw219WE0l1XiUhOd4biCZOD1VJO7usHvvy77ak6_-P60P7ysyjmdYLhyYL0JoCQrP-ECJWjorxqQ7-Jxy5xdimPspeYF1/s320/HDC5-3605.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melrose, elegant plantation home of John McMurran <br />
and family.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Natchez during the early to mid 1800s was home to a number of the richest men in the United States. We had hoped to get to tour one of the mansions of these wealthy families. Rather than participating in the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage, we elected to visit Melrose, a cotton kingdom estate now owned and managed by the National Park Service. It was built in the mid-1800s by John McMurran as the family home for himself, his wife and two children.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXpMf0TtjoAl4j83TOEz5nXD3_1BZIf2PnO3nwZZFZf1EWrRvy14sGzIIQAPctjyauRlLoIH_Fp3ViQY6dNrqdf2qh9Cmg6HGK75eNGyIaK9raqb1zgjiAgOfvEcOA6TtzOegAJl5SxIj/s1600/HDC5-3628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXpMf0TtjoAl4j83TOEz5nXD3_1BZIf2PnO3nwZZFZf1EWrRvy14sGzIIQAPctjyauRlLoIH_Fp3ViQY6dNrqdf2qh9Cmg6HGK75eNGyIaK9raqb1zgjiAgOfvEcOA6TtzOegAJl5SxIj/s320/HDC5-3628.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barney Schoby, park ranger, shows us<br />
the dining room at Melrose.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We thought we were only going to be able to tour the grounds, but when we arrived, the last tour was in progress. Barney Schoby, park ranger and tour guide at Melrose, was gracious enough to allow us to join his tour in progress. What a gift that was! Barney brought the house and its rich history to life with his animated tales as he walked us through the house. Barney engaged each person in the tour group in his story; that small gesture helped us all feel what it was like to live at Melrose in the 1800s. This experience at Melrose is one we will remember for a long time!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXjznX9ckpheMILqsV9K6SessXhGY7ORXc0L4ShyT87boHHXZ3S8uT2lEhRuOiGH9jd3m3fSjjFwREoC2GBMhJcEacQmV8QRKGhTk81pgi4LbMXRfL5-YbhLHcFN5c11Vf8XrJdYqoqJH/s1600/HDC5-3619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXjznX9ckpheMILqsV9K6SessXhGY7ORXc0L4ShyT87boHHXZ3S8uT2lEhRuOiGH9jd3m3fSjjFwREoC2GBMhJcEacQmV8QRKGhTk81pgi4LbMXRfL5-YbhLHcFN5c11Vf8XrJdYqoqJH/s400/HDC5-3619.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The parlor at Melrose, with its 14-carat gold trim. No expense was<br />
spared in the building and furnishing of this mansion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As we were driving through Nachez, one house really stood out to us. If you decide to make your home special by adding "yard art," here is one in Natchez that will give you some stiff competition. If you want to see a larger version, just click the photo.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmWIaBXOllZTZkzydDDU8yOjLPOTHkYkO9aqg0ptWFQa40GT8Nzs9ulxr5FSPI1SVZMpDrEFuaf36u579vo3XRH9JZlhN2hsYngzF_9rd5sfBa8kJQu6w1CqEGG45TFXxF4ntexf2biYU/s1600/HDC5-3551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmWIaBXOllZTZkzydDDU8yOjLPOTHkYkO9aqg0ptWFQa40GT8Nzs9ulxr5FSPI1SVZMpDrEFuaf36u579vo3XRH9JZlhN2hsYngzF_9rd5sfBa8kJQu6w1CqEGG45TFXxF4ntexf2biYU/s400/HDC5-3551.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yard art extraordinaire!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7wUJWok-CJq3Bj5_XHO3DUnQzMkxJEyQqocp4LnFj_WTXIo_0wlpr0R2rKZpg5x_O7zHw5r0XBNImvFuNamRYovQgAULXMP5UQCt-Tof6iTPDcOfGUHIC0PdUadt1qHy5WSIkgkUoZzg/s1600/HDC5-3531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7wUJWok-CJq3Bj5_XHO3DUnQzMkxJEyQqocp4LnFj_WTXIo_0wlpr0R2rKZpg5x_O7zHw5r0XBNImvFuNamRYovQgAULXMP5UQCt-Tof6iTPDcOfGUHIC0PdUadt1qHy5WSIkgkUoZzg/s320/HDC5-3531.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our trailer at River View Campground, night view.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After dinner at the Butt Hut Bar-B-Que, we returned to River View Campground for one last night in Vidalia.<br />
<br />
--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-69592684141738308532017-03-22T20:26:00.000-07:002017-04-26T08:59:49.585-07:00Natchez Trace Day 3 continued<b>Continuing Sunday, March 19</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWJ7VpvBhd92JMflqTK2EE7NP7TA9qn81iz0OwBnJ4HtgYrr8VpHiZpeqLhajwM-CXz9FlYSa2GZSARC-SJ5P4mOrP-_2PDQ03YZ913fcXk5UlSI_ycHk5i8N4PDeslMtxuuRKfIj4ytc/s1600/HDC5-3478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWJ7VpvBhd92JMflqTK2EE7NP7TA9qn81iz0OwBnJ4HtgYrr8VpHiZpeqLhajwM-CXz9FlYSa2GZSARC-SJ5P4mOrP-_2PDQ03YZ913fcXk5UlSI_ycHk5i8N4PDeslMtxuuRKfIj4ytc/s320/HDC5-3478.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mount Locust, seen from the entrance path.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Back in the truck after stopping for the section of old sunken Trace, we headed for just two more stops before the end of our journey. The first was Mount Locust at MM 15.5. This home, built in 1780, is one of the oldest dwellings in Mississippi. It was both a working plantation and an inn used by travelers on the Trace. For just 25 cents, a traveler could get a place to sleep (most likely on the Mount Locust grounds) and a meal of corn mush and milk.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIq2vS1Nu4eQWLUI54XuabiqNoYYT20GixgsSZVtKVMjU5lAzEfqEhssqoHHtpLjCvmqDfLU_f_LHdTa4DhFI-QAYuUFToC38eJ77SXUHhnFcAUImsYEiDR2qid9QV2QCt2X5mfVDXaKt/s1600/HDC5-3387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIq2vS1Nu4eQWLUI54XuabiqNoYYT20GixgsSZVtKVMjU5lAzEfqEhssqoHHtpLjCvmqDfLU_f_LHdTa4DhFI-QAYuUFToC38eJ77SXUHhnFcAUImsYEiDR2qid9QV2QCt2X5mfVDXaKt/s400/HDC5-3387.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The room most likely used as a dining room for visitors to Mount Locust.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_FJAVBcgNqCicA4CPUs6pRJO1XUSDFG83N07jtupfsjA2XF8uV3d-wfXwB3ucp1Du_JhNxm2_qKuvyT4QXLd5HF-oAR0ylBfI3orzslc9NXuUaMizudIrYZRUJzuWtUu40sfovNUktF8/s1600/HDC5-3390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_FJAVBcgNqCicA4CPUs6pRJO1XUSDFG83N07jtupfsjA2XF8uV3d-wfXwB3ucp1Du_JhNxm2_qKuvyT4QXLd5HF-oAR0ylBfI3orzslc9NXuUaMizudIrYZRUJzuWtUu40sfovNUktF8/s320/HDC5-3390.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoky loved the old tools in this room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mount Locust has been restored to its 1890 appearance. We checked out all the rooms on the first floor, strolled around the house on a lovely brick walkway, and wandered through the slave cemetery in a wooded area just beyond the field in the back of the house. As we walked back to the house, we noticed the expansive panoramic view of the house and couldn't resist trying out the iPhone camera's panoramic setting.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUr6dZr2UhKQJLiQYNtBW5DQMJgkfpehbW8DTIRJ2t8qGUDArhC0W6nIGHZQWNc9XCJAA3eAaLkmhCGg6gOZ6EX6ciqbW09XNS-vlMlERjVhzU9LRZdk8pzXv7WqjKtoIw0iOE-KMUXXrV/s1600/HDCiPh-2143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUr6dZr2UhKQJLiQYNtBW5DQMJgkfpehbW8DTIRJ2t8qGUDArhC0W6nIGHZQWNc9XCJAA3eAaLkmhCGg6gOZ6EX6ciqbW09XNS-vlMlERjVhzU9LRZdk8pzXv7WqjKtoIw0iOE-KMUXXrV/s400/HDCiPh-2143.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panoramic view of the back of Mount Locust, shot from the path<br />
leading to the slave cemetery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
At MM 10.3, Emerald Mound is the largest of seven groups of mounds along the Trace. In fact, it is huge compared with the others. It covers 8 acres and stands about 70 ft high at the highest point. Smoky stood on the highest point of the mound and shot a panorama of the rest of the mound.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZW9Z_ABTTO34EvmU0Qb1MTY3LGnZMAmnYfUjD3T2tRcQtcl6IBbu5BwoIeSR3LC29oIOCflILhm8vie1RN-OuC7KrIdDQcAK7BZfHcjgYK-mndMw4z2sJuf8bzk-qoKuiQPorC9kGJyP0/s1600/HDCiPh-2155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZW9Z_ABTTO34EvmU0Qb1MTY3LGnZMAmnYfUjD3T2tRcQtcl6IBbu5BwoIeSR3LC29oIOCflILhm8vie1RN-OuC7KrIdDQcAK7BZfHcjgYK-mndMw4z2sJuf8bzk-qoKuiQPorC9kGJyP0/s400/HDCiPh-2155.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panoramic view of Emerald Mound, shot from the highest point looking<br />
out over <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">the rest of the mound top.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNb1cNiLbAqj3EpDAjHOP1QYEHBHrlEtcTWdV88T5dPxhuJG3pkpQUe3bIsD6Jm0jZgoJSwL-uLq4uL2vdmuR0XW8doJ6tWuXiKHmbIk4MzK3Jjyd2G4BuLk3acmqGxUagklPbbNEpT_Ts/s1600/HDC5-3522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNb1cNiLbAqj3EpDAjHOP1QYEHBHrlEtcTWdV88T5dPxhuJG3pkpQUe3bIsD6Jm0jZgoJSwL-uLq4uL2vdmuR0XW8doJ6tWuXiKHmbIk4MzK3Jjyd2G4BuLk3acmqGxUagklPbbNEpT_Ts/s320/HDC5-3522.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the end of the Trace (for us), MM 1.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We couldn't resist taking one final shot of our truck and trailer with the sign at the southern terminus of the Trace in the background. This trip down the full 440 miles of beautiful scenic roadway was a treat.<br />
<br />
We arrived at River View campground in Vidalia, Louisiana, just over the bridge from Natchez, Mississippi, in time to take a walk along the river and enjoy the lights of the bridge reflected in the river.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-3THvFasu025L4N7swwvBtks3fVcNfEXZyhlSsuP-B00AWinnCGOsVN6S5TLTcJ7K13DDdAp02aALkjuAvzOEc3vlOynpafH4dBRqdJU2Lw4uXaIxqlj4MALafA87tQrPc4ifyTHQu5f/s1600/HDC5-3538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-3THvFasu025L4N7swwvBtks3fVcNfEXZyhlSsuP-B00AWinnCGOsVN6S5TLTcJ7K13DDdAp02aALkjuAvzOEc3vlOynpafH4dBRqdJU2Lw4uXaIxqlj4MALafA87tQrPc4ifyTHQu5f/s400/HDC5-3538.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Natchez-Vidalia Bridge showing off its beautiful lights.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEcUDci5Ed3f5BiI_fewvxpFBMCLLrQrN_PnEOed8OppjMy2oo4ZQ-BM7hJ-B1Re4lcDGFiElLxOiq42pg2rD4zR3E-2I5LVO-QAcqjsk0tRayacNEcWDGth3Q6veeUasu1CJJco-vYv3S/s1600/HDC5-3548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEcUDci5Ed3f5BiI_fewvxpFBMCLLrQrN_PnEOed8OppjMy2oo4ZQ-BM7hJ-B1Re4lcDGFiElLxOiq42pg2rD4zR3E-2I5LVO-QAcqjsk0tRayacNEcWDGth3Q6veeUasu1CJJco-vYv3S/s400/HDC5-3548.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grain handling facility on the Mississippi River.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
-- ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-25331950932544241772017-03-21T20:07:00.001-07:002017-04-26T08:55:51.418-07:00Natchez Trace Day 3<b>Sunday, March 19</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyHOjItDHEG6nHwzbG1wZDWATq8U8UrV_ZwAXbQdLjlsmntDmVypnHj-E4zmAILKyqfw7tWhN-YIeM1UHGTxT5KUPHV0f6OS-_tptWwUyhS95biM9sZZ9Bc01jgFT3CHLPl03ykbhoaxf/s1600/HDC5-3094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyHOjItDHEG6nHwzbG1wZDWATq8U8UrV_ZwAXbQdLjlsmntDmVypnHj-E4zmAILKyqfw7tWhN-YIeM1UHGTxT5KUPHV0f6OS-_tptWwUyhS95biM9sZZ9Bc01jgFT3CHLPl03ykbhoaxf/s320/HDC5-3094.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Natchez Trace from our truck.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We woke early (for us) on Sunday morning at the Springridge RV Park in Clinton, Mississippi, which is just south of Jackson. We had mixed feelings about the upcoming day -- it would be our last day traveling the Natchez Trace, an experience we recommend, especially to those of you who like to escape hectic traffic. Driving down a restricted access road with little traffic and great spots to pull over, wander through woods and along streams, and visit historic locations is something that appeals to us. We would miss the lovely scenery when we left the Trace.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, at the end of the day we would be closer to our destination, the hill country in Texas, where hopefully the spring wildflowers would still be blooming.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVpEX19WnwTToCDimLtuJQy0z-4r17tRw6b6irYhp9pZBMicaYCsm3zt81TKXZIgLiXU9XlFJMsYFaiEelGXTKtyaND_FDy_kOFZW1ECXFCoi5ZOMXSJz2EI2OUvY3r3CAwee7JSKqoKT/s1600/HDC5-2923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVpEX19WnwTToCDimLtuJQy0z-4r17tRw6b6irYhp9pZBMicaYCsm3zt81TKXZIgLiXU9XlFJMsYFaiEelGXTKtyaND_FDy_kOFZW1ECXFCoi5ZOMXSJz2EI2OUvY3r3CAwee7JSKqoKT/s320/HDC5-2923.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking along a section of the old Trace.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At MM 73.5, the Dean Stand Site, we saw our first blooming trillium, a red erect variety. While walking along a short section of the original trace, we found quite a few other trillium in bloom. By the end of the day, in addition to the trillium, we saw small purple violet, jack-in-the-pulpit (not yet blooming), yellow oxalis, daisy fleabane, Mayapple, blue-eyed grass, tiny blue-eyed grass, and evening primrose. The last flower just listed was found after dark in our campground on Sunday night in Vidalia, Louisiana, just over the river from Natchez.<br />
<br />
Back to the Dean Stand Site, on an information board we learned the definition of a stand: "William Dean built a stand (aka inn) back in 1823 near this site on the Natchez Trace, though nothing remains of it today. Unlike modern hotels, most stands were not separate buildings, but just rooms for rent in the proprietor’s house or a place to sleep in the yard, the first “bed and breakfast” establishments, so to speak."<br />
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As we have been traveling the Trace, the temperatures have been steadily getting warmer. Just past the Dean Stand Site, I shed my sweatshirt. By afternoon, Smoky had removed his long-sleeved shirt and we both hung our coats and vests in the back of the truck for the duration of the trip.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNhXs0D-MgaO6xC6mIZw5CadYq4tDA3uGf80ZOqG6xQ2YmG-ue0hQh9Q-nBD1NA9-vvS8RUkLt44feai3gsLf4dEKhaHqlGhfvWVa6DImnWZhgj1G7NvWFgupRxObrkYLRP1PVQMerHcP/s1600/HDC5-3203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNhXs0D-MgaO6xC6mIZw5CadYq4tDA3uGf80ZOqG6xQ2YmG-ue0hQh9Q-nBD1NA9-vvS8RUkLt44feai3gsLf4dEKhaHqlGhfvWVa6DImnWZhgj1G7NvWFgupRxObrkYLRP1PVQMerHcP/s320/HDC5-3203.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving a section of the old Trace to the Rocky Springs<br />
settlement site.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At MM 54.8, we drove our truck/trailer up a narrow winding road that turned out to be part of the original trace. At the top of the road we found an area that had once been the site of the thriving community of Rocky Springs. Settlement began in 1790; by 1860, over 2800 people called Rocky Springs home. Unfortunately the Civil War, yellow fever, crop insects, and poor land management all contributed to the destruction of this once thriving community. By the 1930s, the last store in the area closed its doors.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirq_XgxXvizOIDAGMvei5p0vUKd92ih5yJc_M7pvzMG2lUwhOCHQDbw8A_mXXyExep6FJAHBTI8b6Rj845SEFJEzmhZwldEJD2UnwuzMjFGz67J0IRc9KaqYQUgbpfwSCj8f1TeiI9Ggl3/s1600/HDC5-3214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirq_XgxXvizOIDAGMvei5p0vUKd92ih5yJc_M7pvzMG2lUwhOCHQDbw8A_mXXyExep6FJAHBTI8b6Rj845SEFJEzmhZwldEJD2UnwuzMjFGz67J0IRc9KaqYQUgbpfwSCj8f1TeiI9Ggl3/s200/HDC5-3214.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocky Springs Church, built 1837.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Rocky Springs Church, built in 1837, still stands at the top of the hill. The present day congregation encourages visitors to step inside. We spent time in the lovely old building and in the cemetery next to the churchyard.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSvupeBoKW6ZBCxVq58LcdKWLRyoN0mt-btAJIq6vJEU-ILQSkly0ENc_K9GtZIQgo9aNqfMS96qxtJ5nhCCAjBFu7e6nIHC_2e9powKTpnfBoXsqGAmRG46vugfYKXXLjINmtXmAJvuW/s1600/HDC5-3224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSvupeBoKW6ZBCxVq58LcdKWLRyoN0mt-btAJIq6vJEU-ILQSkly0ENc_K9GtZIQgo9aNqfMS96qxtJ5nhCCAjBFu7e6nIHC_2e9powKTpnfBoXsqGAmRG46vugfYKXXLjINmtXmAJvuW/s320/HDC5-3224.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Rocky Springs Church.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsqpJNek4oLA63sLFmUyxbRUkx4usUmu3QkkWFFqqGLHqcYiPxHfSdl4ss13U96OOo5IlrypxlO0UVol79I5G0rg77cPfP2s3egNGXeP3MQfkQfqVaneIQo03O4xowydkzTOO4uYd6FAP/s1600/HDC5-3238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsqpJNek4oLA63sLFmUyxbRUkx4usUmu3QkkWFFqqGLHqcYiPxHfSdl4ss13U96OOo5IlrypxlO0UVol79I5G0rg77cPfP2s3egNGXeP3MQfkQfqVaneIQo03O4xowydkzTOO4uYd6FAP/s320/HDC5-3238.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocky Springs Church cemetery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfU1xObGKnbpG8YgbEgjocfvYvu8UgmLRKS2Rd7nMcWwUk0iMlfE73XymMGSF8PTzUKtur95-nXtZlY6kzvyDT9mHPvd8F-z05k4dZC2hiyJN8THXVeb_jR7JIRCOi4zz4ZJK6ncSY_9R/s1600/HDC5-3251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfU1xObGKnbpG8YgbEgjocfvYvu8UgmLRKS2Rd7nMcWwUk0iMlfE73XymMGSF8PTzUKtur95-nXtZlY6kzvyDT9mHPvd8F-z05k4dZC2hiyJN8THXVeb_jR7JIRCOi4zz4ZJK6ncSY_9R/s200/HDC5-3251.jpg" width="143" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grave marker at Rocky <br />
Springs cemetery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
At MM 41.5, we stopped to see the best remaining example of the old sunken trace. Before we could check it out, however, Smoky discovered a large group of blooming Mayapples.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEill3GsrwN7IbWdYTaq-XazAgG_pBzeXHwRQ5mHYFZNQf7zB7-D8HD4WRSquaCwHlOk3M8ShtzAqHLGu3b2SlkO2ChspoHXsKGSaSh6GLlF8nG47nVVgKpG-N5Ch-iby4pThghyphenhyphenhKju-pTy/s1600/HDC5-3295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEill3GsrwN7IbWdYTaq-XazAgG_pBzeXHwRQ5mHYFZNQf7zB7-D8HD4WRSquaCwHlOk3M8ShtzAqHLGu3b2SlkO2ChspoHXsKGSaSh6GLlF8nG47nVVgKpG-N5Ch-iby4pThghyphenhyphenhKju-pTy/s200/HDC5-3295.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayapple in bloom.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xw6JKZDjQveUduYKV-3rLNG3fJJ2zrNUKj4WDmuWnwZoxIJCjoJcWjPxMeTnnGYk3gb7mswhQdINDDjzvzKnODltCH2C5z2edRdjJatBiK-fbgKl8qe_KXNe1oWO8701DhkjyEFtqurV/s1600/HDC5-3292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xw6JKZDjQveUduYKV-3rLNG3fJJ2zrNUKj4WDmuWnwZoxIJCjoJcWjPxMeTnnGYk3gb7mswhQdINDDjzvzKnODltCH2C5z2edRdjJatBiK-fbgKl8qe_KXNe1oWO8701DhkjyEFtqurV/s200/HDC5-3292.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayapple closeup.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyZdsqiDXeh-Z1PZwQ9WbqRj0FtIbTRAY4KxPX5L_toG5Fg6-VriLZ7MqgOab_6T9TTuL6BjA1uDu6S0UytKJYd70dWiLy6qmiUTwoYccmfEXrRBUkFwxf5R_0T5x_XX8ptAk314JqXe-/s1600/HDC5-3313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyZdsqiDXeh-Z1PZwQ9WbqRj0FtIbTRAY4KxPX5L_toG5Fg6-VriLZ7MqgOab_6T9TTuL6BjA1uDu6S0UytKJYd70dWiLy6qmiUTwoYccmfEXrRBUkFwxf5R_0T5x_XX8ptAk314JqXe-/s320/HDC5-3313.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking along the deeply eroded old Trace.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We had learned earlier, while at the Rocky Springs settlement, that what caused the Trace to sink was the loess soil in this area of Mississippi. Loess soil is ice age dust that blew in from the great plains area, settling all over this part of the country. Unfortunately, it had no binding agents in it. It was great for growing crops, but water washed it away. The combination of foot and wagon traffic on the Trace along with rainfall caused the soil to erode over time.<br />
<br />
There is still more to report on Trace day 3, so stay tuned.<br />
<br />
--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-88001052323506342992017-03-21T07:54:00.000-07:002017-04-26T08:43:55.303-07:00Natchez Trace Day 2Saturday, March 18<br />
<br />
We spent Friday night at the Campground at Barnes Crossing in Tupelo, Mississippi. We arrived after dark but fortunately were able to see well enough to get hooked up. It rained a lot overnight, but by the time we were ready to leave mid morning, the rain had cleared, leaving way for a beautiful, blue-sky day!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJGKlWfGgPA6IPxw94TOU0BlVdDLJRZng7E1o939RpS0sMp-rxo9Z4CF_lkYW9J5ezZJdJUH2DP-xwafGYDsWTg_cSsPpwYo88WD_cGRX5JjHzPaBd0Z6vaMhso-cWR0skg-UNK1pRZWm/s1600/mm261.8-spring-beauty-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJGKlWfGgPA6IPxw94TOU0BlVdDLJRZng7E1o939RpS0sMp-rxo9Z4CF_lkYW9J5ezZJdJUH2DP-xwafGYDsWTg_cSsPpwYo88WD_cGRX5JjHzPaBd0Z6vaMhso-cWR0skg-UNK1pRZWm/s320/mm261.8-spring-beauty-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Area around Chickasaw Village Site, <br />
covered with spring beauties!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We stopped at MM 261.8, the Chickasaw Village Site, interested in learning a little about the Native Americans who lived in the area. As we pulled into the parking area and looked toward the exhibit, we noticed that the ground around the exhibit seemed to be covered with something blooming. On closer examination, those blooms turned out to be spring beauty. We had never seen it growing in an open field; back home it was usually on the edge of woodlands.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwM4nWw5xYlTFa7EmG5dC9owJUtLvHdqtvpeuZ6VgdQHX5o5rhIp12Uaos0smiirHXMLWcEfGURAEcTnt2z8aDGmLsHgldetWqr6cAQKC8RA0CFU26X7DsZOjA9iJALVvGjIhuMIHoh6nd/s1600/mm261.8-spring-beauty-closeup-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwM4nWw5xYlTFa7EmG5dC9owJUtLvHdqtvpeuZ6VgdQHX5o5rhIp12Uaos0smiirHXMLWcEfGURAEcTnt2z8aDGmLsHgldetWqr6cAQKC8RA0CFU26X7DsZOjA9iJALVvGjIhuMIHoh6nd/s200/mm261.8-spring-beauty-closeup-sm.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closeup of spring beauties growing<br />
next to daffodil.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mixed in with the spring beauty were some other tiny wildflowers. We forgot all about reading about the Chickasaw, but we surely did enjoy their lovely spring beauties!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcpsKj8Sw_wBINnenv7GhfXWWxljD5tx5N8DrmECxC0SEzZsHRKcxw8BwJGT0w0az3wuvNoLIeaQXSUXfhwjx6URyBtW878RrdMaevR0_WTAuAyzjH2mbsRr4izfZoWAkuSky7UReD4gk/s1600/HDC5-3062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcpsKj8Sw_wBINnenv7GhfXWWxljD5tx5N8DrmECxC0SEzZsHRKcxw8BwJGT0w0az3wuvNoLIeaQXSUXfhwjx6URyBtW878RrdMaevR0_WTAuAyzjH2mbsRr4izfZoWAkuSky7UReD4gk/s200/HDC5-3062.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild violets peaked out of the grass.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After seeing these spring beauties, we noticed they were also abundant at almost every other similar stop along this section of the Trace. Spring was upon us. Even though the trees were just beginning to leaf out, we began to see other wildflowers as well. Violets, blue-eyed grass, and a tiny double-clustered white flower we weren't familiar with caught our eye. On a section of the Old Trace, we found blueberry bushes in bloom.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNuOCO6plsK-nsHHKNXA8ubd37XxP1H0IYzmyOGkgpuEC6b7oD_E85IHBZNB6f53qs-nGSXXQ3Jx101WonC5G86H15EhhznflRXb-HiMMJELTWPHand43SngvNBo1shWy_uUzKFuhqekL/s1600/HDC5-3183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNuOCO6plsK-nsHHKNXA8ubd37XxP1H0IYzmyOGkgpuEC6b7oD_E85IHBZNB6f53qs-nGSXXQ3Jx101WonC5G86H15EhhznflRXb-HiMMJELTWPHand43SngvNBo1shWy_uUzKFuhqekL/s200/HDC5-3183.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tradescantia (spiderwort)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Twice during the afternoon we stopped at bald cyprus swamps. Wow! They look our breath away with their majestic, stately beauty. Smoky's comment, with a big smile on his face, "I'm in photography overload!" The first was Cole Creek at MM 175.6. A short trail through the swamp illustrated the transition from swamp to hardwood and was lined with wildflowers. The second, Cyprus Swamp, was at MM 122, and it too was lined with wildflowers.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5yj6xqrGyggpxUUpxZdcF2h0rEyDeZWJ3B2iiJcR1yKg-MQR6nfQ11kmjjA1WronltVU0URK2QGe6x_Q5VScR3DUGtMwjqGbtBZD3rdV9VjvQ8oZ-JE_I-hR9wm7j7xznJ_B6uKAk6AQ/s1600/HDC5-3120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5yj6xqrGyggpxUUpxZdcF2h0rEyDeZWJ3B2iiJcR1yKg-MQR6nfQ11kmjjA1WronltVU0URK2QGe6x_Q5VScR3DUGtMwjqGbtBZD3rdV9VjvQ8oZ-JE_I-hR9wm7j7xznJ_B6uKAk6AQ/s400/HDC5-3120.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bald Cypress and reflections</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK8udwsFW1xv8XfdNQqL6UR0CgUmzClb8zOSSUjgDBv9dgzYNZUbSQVtsWGRK1tjx7JNrTxlZ7HF1lIeroFxSPAHvf5HUsfMFP7aMPCmvPMynhofPpRwsT-vv7aswmEitSKGYNmsmgf0B/s1600/HDC5-3158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK8udwsFW1xv8XfdNQqL6UR0CgUmzClb8zOSSUjgDBv9dgzYNZUbSQVtsWGRK1tjx7JNrTxlZ7HF1lIeroFxSPAHvf5HUsfMFP7aMPCmvPMynhofPpRwsT-vv7aswmEitSKGYNmsmgf0B/s400/HDC5-3158.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail in the cypress swamp.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By the end of the day, we drug our weary bodies to a campground in Jackson, MS, tired but happy with the day.<br />
<br />
--Shann<br />
<span id="goog_2059297502"></span><span id="goog_2059297503"></span><br />Smoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-90601417065729434312017-03-19T21:08:00.000-07:002017-04-26T08:38:40.648-07:00Our First Day on the Natchez Trace<b>Friday morning, March 17</b><br />
We had planned to get up early to call an RV repair shop, hoping to get our non-flushing toilet fixed. After several calls, we decided flushing with a bucket of water didn't sound so bad after all! By mid morning, we were on the road and headed for the northern terminus of the Natchez Trace.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWpVv3LytZr0ghLaj6mRxbGcz4_uMFXe7rmhhVBzB40KVWzKB2nl6R65604-7tWjFLetSwRkeBKsuGN8KipxYrsmF0mU60qF5rchhQUbNOC4tfKKRMkdtkn_Yj6jin6EJuHiPnO4aJEjw/s1600/HDC5-2626-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWpVv3LytZr0ghLaj6mRxbGcz4_uMFXe7rmhhVBzB40KVWzKB2nl6R65604-7tWjFLetSwRkeBKsuGN8KipxYrsmF0mU60qF5rchhQUbNOC4tfKKRMkdtkn_Yj6jin6EJuHiPnO4aJEjw/s320/HDC5-2626-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving onto the Natchez Trace.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At 11:52, we reached the Trace at MM 444. The weather was cool and rainy, which kind of set the stage for stepping back in time. Pulling onto the Trace, which is a simple two-lane road (no commercial vehicles allowed) with no stop signs or traffic lights and very little in the way of roadside signage, we found ourselves taking a deep breath and exhaling a feeling of peace. The speed limit is 50 miles per hour; we planned to stop at some of the historic Trace areas of interest, all of which are noted in a well-prepared map and mile marker guide.<br />
<br />
At MM 438, not too far down the Trace, we found the Double Arch Bridge over Birdsong Hollow. This is a very long bridge, and we exited the parkway to look for the best viewpoint for photographing the bridge. It turned out that the best spot was from this same road on the way back on the Trace.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpaLugJOGRgXW6DmGEPhyphenhyphenoR__UbzKMswRRNAYvMeRt7-LVk1VbK2Q5Ki1-UK_7yz_5QK_zorvaZkA_Ejt-e2RTsSWWlDa2yJYOaGSyHfVUkgbv69pNPF4TxtvpWZkbC1eGsdDlJl4FFof/s1600/HDC5-2644-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpaLugJOGRgXW6DmGEPhyphenhyphenoR__UbzKMswRRNAYvMeRt7-LVk1VbK2Q5Ki1-UK_7yz_5QK_zorvaZkA_Ejt-e2RTsSWWlDa2yJYOaGSyHfVUkgbv69pNPF4TxtvpWZkbC1eGsdDlJl4FFof/s320/HDC5-2644-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double Arch Bridge over Birdsong Hollow, MM 438.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The scenery on the part of the Trace running through Tennessee is lovely, and since we live in Tennessee, we felt right at home. The pull-offs on the Trace are marked by a discrete sign about 1/2 mile ahead of the parking area for the featured spot. All the places we stopped had ample parking, even for our truck and trailer; most had an information board providing a little history about the Trace and the featured spot.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAGN-2C82AgfHkY1tqFn800QAPin8V_t9Qtnbjw1monS0EEP4_UGIUli-q3EgTLImcm6NFLPLxXA4HNO8xoUUA8GHMNLIbjhLnJugY9qf7CNdHvE0sa04DStxhnEOgKg_C78fM3Dx8Thb/s1600/HDC5-2679-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAGN-2C82AgfHkY1tqFn800QAPin8V_t9Qtnbjw1monS0EEP4_UGIUli-q3EgTLImcm6NFLPLxXA4HNO8xoUUA8GHMNLIbjhLnJugY9qf7CNdHvE0sa04DStxhnEOgKg_C78fM3Dx8Thb/s320/HDC5-2679-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Water Valley overlook, MM 411.8.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHDwJbisSAg_rjeUPC__hJqRn1AbPF3iwIczBNpTwJ1HecWQaRQ4RMWNg-X_EEAnRIggmP9EEw7xWq50aj8ZaSIY414wjBcO-Eq35wc3aUAcSYoUz1T90bt0TFikF_Jo0Q9eRJlOzCDRZ/s1600/HDC5-2749-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHDwJbisSAg_rjeUPC__hJqRn1AbPF3iwIczBNpTwJ1HecWQaRQ4RMWNg-X_EEAnRIggmP9EEw7xWq50aj8ZaSIY414wjBcO-Eq35wc3aUAcSYoUz1T90bt0TFikF_Jo0Q9eRJlOzCDRZ/s320/HDC5-2749-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoky's view of the Duck River.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Water Valley Overlook turned out to have a really amazing view. We turned off the Trace and followed a paved road to the top of the ridge, walked across a field, and saw this amazing view.<br />
<br />
We stopped briefly at the Gordon House Historic Site, MM 407.7, but the most important part of that stop was seeing the Duck River. Smoky had not photographed it in a long time, and he was excited about the opportunity today. According to Wikipedia, the Duck River is 284 miles long and is the longest river located entirely within the state of Tennessee. Free flowing for most of its length, the Duck River is home to over 50 species of freshwater mussels and 151 species of fish, making it the most biologically diverse river in North America. It was a privilege to see it.<br />
<br />
By the way, most of the photos on the blog are taken by Smoky!<br />
<br />
--Shann Smoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-1279524321456030192017-03-16T18:09:00.000-07:002017-04-26T08:30:00.270-07:00A New Adventure BeginsIt's March 16, and we are staying overnight at the Nashville/Lebanon KOA, a one-night stopover on our way to the Natchez Trace Parkway. Our plan was to take the Trace all the way to Natchez, spending three days so we could stop frequently along the way.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, the most carefully thought-out plans fall apart, and for us the fallout started when we couldn't get the toilet in our trailer to flush tonight. Push the pedal down and no water comes out. Smoky fiddled with everything he could push and prod and check, but still no water. We are getting water in the sink now (not at first), but something is obviously wrong.<br />
<br />
So tomorrow we head to a local RV repair shop, hoping for a quick repair; otherwise our schedule on the Trace flies right out the window! I'll provide an update tomorrow and let you know how things are going.<br />
<br />
Once we get to the Trace, one of the first stops is the well known double arch bridge over Birdsong Hollow at mile marker 438. Smokey is anxious to get some photos of this lovely place. Stay tuned.<br />
<br />
--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-20167150457594390772016-07-19T20:47:00.000-07:002016-07-31T19:42:39.229-07:00On to IllinoisSmoky's mom and much of his extended family lives in southern Illinois and just over the river in Missouri. We were lucky enough to find a small trailer park in a town near Smoky's mom where we could rent a spot by the month and thereby have a place for our little home on wheels whenever we needed to be close by.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-IDOBq2q51e_amwL6WZ3snTvcfJyfqqx5fVB9FWw7Jx3R1b77DhTifml6JCHGRiQW3pu38EsqCl56gaXy55Tt7bjukbvxKhOKTCmhzO_ZvV0Z-WKC2Sm6YuDyoTitU8M4Kks-TSn_dEx/s1600/IMG_4438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-IDOBq2q51e_amwL6WZ3snTvcfJyfqqx5fVB9FWw7Jx3R1b77DhTifml6JCHGRiQW3pu38EsqCl56gaXy55Tt7bjukbvxKhOKTCmhzO_ZvV0Z-WKC2Sm6YuDyoTitU8M4Kks-TSn_dEx/s320/IMG_4438.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our great spot at our trailer park.</td></tr>
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Tuesday afternoon, after a rather bumpy trip on the interstate between Paducah and Illinois, we arrived at our new lot. Bill, the trailer park's maintenance person, and Grace, his mom, greeted us and helped us get set up on our spot.<br />
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We had a great first visit with Smoky's mom in the afternoon, but because a really large storm was brewing, we headed to the grocery store and the local Walmart and then back home to prepare dinner.<br />
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The storm was everything predicted, with strong winds, heavy rain, and power outages. Fortunately, our electric power returned very quickly, but even as the evening nears midnight, it is still raining. Tomorrow promises to be a great day.<br />
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--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076617346864429762.post-59634488648376513002016-07-19T20:24:00.001-07:002016-07-19T20:24:18.837-07:00Paducah Here We Come!On Monday, July 19, we headed west on I-40, driving through Nashville and north to Clarksville, with Paducah, Kentucky, our first stop. We had a reservation at Duck Creek RV Park, where Smoky had wisely asked if they could give us a slot we could drive through rather than back into.<br />
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We arrived around 5:30 in the afternoon, with plenty of time to get set up before dinner. It was different this time, given that we couldn't run back home for whatever we forgot. All the planning Smoky put in paid off. We had all the parts and pieces needed. And we got to use my great bamboo clothes line!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh51lviINiZ9WBf6D7QNm5lRvSQWdMOq8NerKKzjPyni7UMjO0jE7FWjOutjd5rfej0m8DVERchalzVNJ5bqcLIVvmLx6COJuNSufjLefqYeAvbIRueKx_9pSURcIJZZGRvZJigRB5ezVQq/s1600/duckcreektrailer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh51lviINiZ9WBf6D7QNm5lRvSQWdMOq8NerKKzjPyni7UMjO0jE7FWjOutjd5rfej0m8DVERchalzVNJ5bqcLIVvmLx6COJuNSufjLefqYeAvbIRueKx_9pSURcIJZZGRvZJigRB5ezVQq/s320/duckcreektrailer.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoky outside our trailer at Duck Creek RV Park.</td></tr>
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I learned some lessons regarding dinner prep: mainly, plan ahead and remove what you want to eat from the freezer before the last minute. The microwave doesn't work quite as efficiently as our larger one at home. But we did eat, eventually, and it tasted pretty darned good, especially the chocolate cake!<br />
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After dinner, I walked around the campground, which was almost full! The sun had gone down, but the temperature was still in the 90s with humidity just as high. This made us both really happy to have a trailer with air conditioning.<br />
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Before bed, we showered at Duck Creek's very nice clubhouse, figuring one last experience in a large shower was OK, given that the rest of our trip showers would be in our little trailer. Early Tuesday morning, the sun was bright and hot. "Welcome to the midwest," said Smoky.<br />
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--ShannSmoky and Shannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05312037900489270286noreply@blogger.com0