Wildflowers and the Wild West…

We have had a very busy, informative and fun time this week in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex.

In 1841, John Neely Bryan laid claim to a stretch of land along the Trinity River and built a single log cabin. He envisioned a commerce center that capitalized on the expanse of land and its river. In 1849 Brevet Major Ripley Arnold set up Camp Worth, also on the banks of the Trinity River, at the confluence of the West and Clear forks. With the arrival of the railroad, the steady influx of immigrants, the development of the largest livestock marketing area in the southwest, the discovery of oil, a strong entrepreneurial can-do spirit and an avid pursuit of art and culture, the Metroplex has grown into one of the most diverse, and progressive metropolitan areas in the United States.

After leaving Austin last Monday we stopped in Waco to visit the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum. Waco is also home to the Dr. Pepper Museum. Dr. Pepper is the oldest soft drink in the world, having been developed at “The Old Corner Drugstore” in Waco in the early 1880s.

On Tuesday we went to the Fort Worth Stockyards where we enjoyed the longhorn cattle drive through town as well as visits to the Livestock Exchange where we learned that livestock is no longer brought here to be sold but rather all transactions are now done through the internet and audio/video auctions. A crew goes out to a ranch and films the stock. That footage is broadcast to prospective buyers. The entire auction is done via an internet video feed and bids are tendered either online or over the phone. Once a lot is sold then the buyer sends a stock truck to the seller’s ranch and retrieves the stock to be returned back to their ranch. We actually sat and listened to a “live” auction in progress. All this “high tech” stuff kind of takes all the glamour out of the old west, don’t you think? No more cowboys driving herds of cattle up the old Chisholm Trail. Just a bunch of computer and A/V wonks taking pictures and doing internet feeds! We also went to the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Billy Bob’s which is the world’s largest honky-tonk with a 4,800 square foot rodeo area, 600 feet of bar rails and a 1,650 square foot stage. ALL of the country/western stars (and wanna-bes) have performed at Billy Bob’s. Many people know Billy Bob's as the Host of Country Music's biggest stars, but it has also played host to Rock 'n' Roll & Pop Music stars. Artists such as Gloria Estefan & The Miami Sound Machine, Ringo Starr, .38 Special, Men At Work, The Go-Go's, Steppenwolf, ZZ Top, and even Bob Hope have performed onstage at Billy Bob's. Billy Bob’s opened April 1, 1981 to national attention with Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers as the first performers. Other artists who appeared that first week were Waylon Jennings, Janie Fricke & Willie Nelson.

On Wednesday we drove to Las Colinas which is midway between Dallas and Fort Worth. When Pat was working, one of her offices was in Las Colinas so she wanted to show Judy some of the sights in the area. The Mustangs of Las Colinas is the world’s largest equestrian sculpture. It is a breathtakingly realistic bronze rendering of nine larger-than-life wild mustangs galloping across a granite stream. It was created by Robert Glen, an internationally recognized wildlife sculptor, who took eight years to complete this amazing piece of art which is truly a memorial to the heritage of Texas. There are other beautiful things to see in the area including a very large flower clock and various other sculpture and art exhibits.
While in the Metroplex this week we have also had the opportunity to have dinner a couple evenings with guys that Pat worked with in the area. It’s been fun to catch up and laugh about old times. It’s also GREAT to be retired ;)) they are still putting in time with IBM…

On Thursday we took our last wildflower drive. This was to Ennis, Texas, home of the Bluebonnet Festival. We once again saw miles and miles of gorgeous wildflowers and have taken MANY more photographs. We also visited Waxahatchie, home to the Ennis County Courthouse, an elaborate structure of red sandstone and granite, built in 1895 for a then-lavish cost of $150,000. Italian artisans were imported for exterior stone carving. Interestingly, there is a recurring face of a local lady-about-town, Mabel Frame, the local telegraph operator, with whom, it is rumored, the lead sculptor became enamored.

On Friday we spent the morning at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame which is the only museum in the world dedicated to honoring and documenting the distinguished women of the American West including Georgia O’Keeffe, Dale Evans, Patsy Cline, Sacajawea, Willa Cather, Annie Oakley and many more. By itself this was a great exhibit but it was doubly exciting because they were showing a special exhibit entitled Georgia O'Keeffe and the Faraway. This included several of O'Keeffe's paintings on loan from museums and private collectors from around the country. Also included was her camping gear, which has never before been displayed to the public; numerous sketches made by the artist while camping and hiking in northern New Mexico; a few key pieces of her clothing and multiple photographs taken of her while camping as well as others that document her affinity with the West. We found this exhibit, as I’m sure you can imagine, to be most apropos. Next we spent the afternoon at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History which contains the Noble Planetarium where we saw a presentation on the Texas Sky, The Cattle Raisers Museum and several other interesting and interactive exhibits. Fort Worth is known as the “Museum Capital of the Southwest” and it has certainly lived up to that moniker. In the evening we attended the Stockyards Championship Rodeo at the Cowtown Coliseum. Professional cowboys and cowgirls compete in this rodeo, which is the longest continuous rodeo, having been in existence since 1918.

Saturday we spent in Dallas where we toured the Old Red Courthouse, the John Neely Bryan log cabin, the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial, Cenotaph and Memorial Park and the Dallas Farmer’s Market where we got some GREAT produce. However, the highlight of the day was, without a doubt, the Sixth Floor Museum. It is a permanent, educational exhibition on the life, death and legacy of our 35th President of the United States, housed in the former Texas School Book Depository. The museum afforded the most comprehensive presentation on Kennedy and the events of that fateful day of November 22, 1963 delivered through photographs, artifacts, a 2-hour audio tour and six films. The finite timeline and attention to the minutest detail really contributed to a very informative experience. We both immensely enjoyed the museum although it still – 47 years later – conjures up feelings of sadness.

Sunday was spent just relaxing and getting caught up on things around the RV as we have been really busy of late.
Today, Monday we went to the United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing where we saw, literally, BILLIONS of dollars in currency. This is one of two places where the US prints notes (the other is in Washington, DC) and since this is the larger of the two facilities, there is more produced here. The tour was fantastic. Obviously Judy, the banker and money-person, REALLY enjoyed it. They work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and produce a staggering amount of money. Currently they are running full-bore printing the new 100 dollar bills that will be released into circulation the first of the year. The tour was quite informative; however, very strict security precluded us from taking any photographs. We were also somewhat disappointed in that there were no samples. Every other time we do a factory tour we get samples at the conclusion; e.g. Blue Bell Ice Cream, Hershey Chocolates, etc. But, NO, nothing here!! Those pallets of many “bricks” of hundreds, each containing several million dollars in value, certainly looked enticing.

Tomorrow we are going to the Amon Carter Museum which houses one of the largest collections of Western and American art along with other extensive exhibits. There are more than 400 paintings, drawings and works of sculpture by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell as well as a sizeable display of works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Thomas Brady and many more.
Well, as you can see, we have been VERY, VERY busy. From here we are heading to Oklahoma. We have just about concluded the wildflower portion of this trip and now we’ll spend the next few weeks concentrating on the West and American Indian culture.

As usual, we have included a link to some photos, so please enjoy and drop us an email or post a comment on this blog.

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Until next time…
Stay safe and take care,
Pat and Judy

A GREAT WEEK IN AUSTIN…

We continued our Wildflower Adventure by seeing more and more spectacular flowers. There are said to be 5,000 wildflower species in Texas and we have probably seen several hundred of these. We have spent countless hours driving the highways and back roads, and around every bend the flowers are even more amazing than before. We’ve taken 100’s of photographs and they don’t even begin to capture the beauty. By everyone’s account, this is a record year for spring wildflowers and we have been really fortunate to see them in all their magnificence.

We arrived in Austin a week ago and have really enjoyed Texas’ capital city. It is not very large (slightly over 700,000 inhabitants) but it is chock full of fun and informative things to see and do. Austin embraces a casual spontaneity and is full of life, creativity and new ideas. It is billed as The Live Music Capital of the World; after all, it is home to Austin City Limits and has benefited from Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan and countless other music impresarios who have contributed to its legendary status. Austin is not only home to the HUGE University of Texas campus, but it is also the PROUD standard bearer of the “Keep Austin Weird” moniker. For decades, the city has been a haven for artists, musicians and eccentrics who give Austin its unique and funky cultural atmosphere. Austintonians are passionate about maintaining their city’s individuality and it is this excitement and verve that we have really enjoyed.

The first day we arrived we took a “Bat Cruise” on Lady Bird Lake. When refurbishing the Ann Richards/Congress Ave Bridge in 1980, engineers inadvertently created an ideal roost for Mexican free-tailed bats. The expansion joints on the underside of the bridge are now home to the world’s largest urban bat colony which numbers as many as 1.5 MILLION of the creatures. Shortly after dusk, we anchored under the bridge and watched the bat inhabitants flood out from their crevices to spend the night scavenging for insects. What a sight!!

Wednesday was spent

• viewing the The Treaty Oak, a once-majestic Southern live oak that is the last surviving member of the Council Oaks, a grove of 14 trees that served as a sacred meeting place for Comanche and Tonkawa Tribes. A Native American legend holds that the Council Oaks were a location for the launching of war and peace parties. Legends also hold that women of the Tejas tribe would drink a tea made from honey and the acorns of the oaks to ensure the safety of warriors in battle.

• visiting the Texas State Cemetery which is billed as “The Arlington of Texas”. The grounds include the final resting places of nearly 3,000 patriots, statesmen and heroes, including 2,000 Confederate soldiers, Stephen F. Austin, Governors John Connally and Ann Richards, Barbara Jordan and Tom Landry, to name just a few. The grounds are beautiful and it serves as a testimony to legendary Texans who have made the state what it is today.

• and making a “pilgrimage” to the flagship store of Whole Foods Markets. Wow, what a fantastic experience. Judy was in seventh heaven. The store encompasses an entire city block, has 10 different food bars where you can sit and eat food prepared right before you, attend culinary classes and purchase any and every foodstuff you can possibly imagine. There are even guided tours of the store!!

Thursday was rainy so it was a perfect day to spend at the Texas State History Museum - The Story of Texas. We viewed an IMAX presentation on Texas, 2 features at the Texas Spirit Theatre that included special lighting and sound effects with shaking seats and lots of other “surprises” and viewing the many state-of-the-art and interactive exhibits that trace Texas’ history from before European exploration to the present day. This museum was one of the best we have ever visited. It truly ranks right up there with the Alaska State Museum that we thoroughly enjoyed a couple years ago.

Friday was spent at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center. The following quote, visible at the entrance, really speaks to the former first lady’s commitment and dedication to not only the preservation of wildflowers, but to the beautification of America:

My special cause, the one that alerts my interest and quickens the pace of my life, is to preserve the wildflowers and native plants that define the regions of our land – to encourage and promote their use in appropriate areas, and thus help pass on to generations in waiting, the quiet joys and satisfactions I have known since my childhood.

Lady Bird Johnson

After the Wildflower Center we once again toured the backcountry roads, enjoying the beautiful sights and we eventually ended up in Lockhart, billed as the Barbecue Capital of Texas. We have been making a concerted effort to sample and compare as many BBQ joints as possible ;))

Saturday we started the day at the Austin Farmers Market which presents primarily organic, homemade and free-range products. We then did some more country driving including a trip along the Devil’s Backbone, one of Texas’ most scenic roads which winds along a razor-backed ridge overlooking Hill Country vistas. This excursion included a visit to Wimberley, known as one of America's Top Ten Best Small Towns. This designation is due to its thriving artist’s colony, charming storefronts and most importantly (at least in Pat’s estimation), the Wimberley Pie Company - where folks line up for a slice of their homemade pie. We cannot attest to the deliciousness of ALL their offerings but the cherry and coconut were the BEST we have ever had.

Today, Sunday, was spent downtown at the Texas State Capitol complex and the University of Texas campus. The capitol is a very imposing red granite building that actually stands 14 feet taller than the US Capitol ! Leave it to those Texans – everything is bigger in Texas, right? We also had a great Tex-Mex lunch at a place where all the U of T kids hang out. It’s called Juan in a Million and it was really good.

So, tomorrow we head north to the Dallas-Ft Worth metroplex . Pat spent a lot of time there during her working days so it will be fun to go back as a tourist.
As usual, here is a link to some pictures of this week’s travels. Enjoy and drop us an email or write a comment on this blog if you so desire.

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Take care and stay safe,
Pat & Judy

FINALLY, on the road again…

I know, we have been VERY remiss in updating this blog. It’s not that we haven’t wanted to; it’s not that we haven’t traveled to lots of neat places; and it’s not that we didn’t want to share our experiences with all of you… it’s just that, quite honestly, Pat’s been lazy and hasn’t kept up with it !!!! ;)) She’s not promising that she’ll be better but she is going to TRY.

So, what have we been up to for the last several months?

• Aug. 2009: Disney World and the Space Coast for a couple weeks.
• Sept.-Nov. 2009: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, etc. to see Autumn foliage and visit with lots of family and friends.
• Nov. & Dec. 2009: home in Flagler for the holidays.
• Dec. 2009 & Jan. 2010: Williamsburg, VA for the holiday festivities.
• Jan. & Feb. 2010: several trips around Florida including the Tampa RV show, the birding festival in Titusville and visiting friends and family up-and-down the state.
• Mar. 2010: a GREAT week at Disney World with the grand-daughters and a Birthday B-B-Q for Judy, son David and the two granddaughters, Skyler and Aris.

Now, for fear of sounding like one of those endless holiday newsletters, (like Pat’s Mom used to send every year), we’ll just suffice to say that, as you can see, we have been rather busy.

NOW, on to this trip…

Our first and foremost intention was to get to Texas to see the wildflowers. This was something Judy has looked forward to for several years and so we wanted to be there in the Spring.

We left Flagler the 30th of March, heading west, through the Florida panhandle, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and into Texas. We were joined the first week by our friends Freddie & Sally, whom we had gone to Alaska with. Along the way we stopped in Breaux Bridge, LA, The Crawfish Capital of the World, and had some dee-licous bayou/Cajun food. And, NO, we did not suck the heads off the crawfish; but the tails sure are good!

We arrived in Beaumont, Texas and spent a few days touring. Beaumont is the site of the first great Texas oil well in 1901. The Spindletop-Gladys City oil field spawned Exxon, Mobil, Sun Oil, Gulf, Texaco and a whole lot more of the present day companies that we associate with today’s oil industry. Beaumont is also the home of the Babe Didrickson Zaharias museum, honoring a woman, whom many believe to be the greatest female athlete of the 20th century. She excelled not only at golf, which she is most widely known for, but also track & field (winning Olympic gold in several events), basketball, softball, bowling, pocket billiards and many more sports. We also viewed a 24-foot tall fire hydrant at the Fire Museum. It was a gift to the city of Beaumont from Disney, after they used it to premier the re-release of 101 Dalmatians. The hydrant weighs 4,500 lbs. and can blast 1,500 gallons of water a minute!

Next it was on to San Antonio where we started our wonderful wildflower adventure.

To quote the official Texas Wildflower Report webpage:

“2010 has produced an Extraordinary Wildflower Season. If you have ever thought about visiting Texas to see the spring wildflowers, we urge you to do so this year. The bloom this year is the best in living memory. A prolonged drought followed by an unusually cold winter and plentiful rain due to El Nino, have combined to form the perfect conditions for a widespread and prolific wildflower bloom.”

Friends, we are here to tell you that this account does not lie. The profusion of wildflowers is absolutely PHENOMINAL. They are not only gorgeous but they are everywhere!! There are absolutely no words to describe their beauty. And NO photo can begin to show their beauty. We drove all over the area south of San Antonio and it seems that each vista surpassed the previous. We also went downtown to the Riverwalk and, of course, dined at Rudy's (our favorite San Antonio BBQ joint!). We also visited New Braunfels, one of the areas north of San Antonio which was settled by German immigrants and is steeped in German tradition.

From San Antonio we have driven north to Fredericksburg, another area settled by German farmers in the mid-1800s. We are now in the heart of the Texas “Hill Country”, known for its rugged terrain, its many rivers and, especially, its colorful displays of Spring wildflowers. This area was also the home of our 36th President, Lyndon Baines Johnson. We toured his birthplace, his boyhood home and the “Texas White House”, where both he, and the First Lady, lived until their deaths. It was very interesting and also had a double significance because of his wife, Lady Bird Johnson, who was so instrumental in the beautification of America. Lady Bird’s legacy lives on in the millions and millions of blooms planted not only in the state of Texas, but in our nation’s capital and also along the sweeping banks of U.S. highways. It is thanks to her never-ending quest for sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants and landscapes that we are enjoying this awesome proliferation of beauty here today. We have driven endless miles and taken countless photos of the incredible Texas wildflowers. This year’s display far exceeds anything we could have anticipated.

From here we leave tomorrow, Tuesday, the13th, for Austin. We will spend a week there, touring the area and visiting the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It promises to be even more incredible.

Attached, as usual, is a link to some photos so you can see some of the phenomenal sights we’re experiencing. There is, however, no way to capture the beauty of the wildflowers!

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Please enjoy the pics and feel free to add a comment to this blog or drop us an email at PFerraro1@cfl.rr.com.

Soon…
Take care and stay safe,
Pat & Judy