Gonzales, Texas

The first photo I use in any of my entries is of anything that makes the biggest impression on me of my visit to the area. As I drove into Gonzales from the northwest there were amazing green pastures with lots of cattle, fields of wild flowers and old farms. But once I got into town and parked my car I started noticing some incredibly beautiful homes with so much charm and character. This yellow beauty really made an impression on me and therefore this is how I will remember Gonzalez!

The wildflowers are just starting to come up. I wish I stopped to get a better picture but if you have ever driven in Texas you know that you just don't do that on a major highway!

The homes were not the only thing that got my attention. I visited the only original prison left in town and took many pictures. What got my attention was all of the names, graffiti and carvings on the walls, ceilings and anywhere there was space. Never having been to prison, thankfully so, I can't even imagine how bored one can get while in there. 

This is where the hangings took place where most of the prisoners could see what was coming to some of them. 

The original Come And Get It cannon is in one of the museums in town. 

I almost didn't make it out of town!

This is a very old town and some of these buildings are almost two hundred years old. 

As I left town I decided to take a different road back home and take some of the country farm roads. I was glad to see things that I wouldn't of seen if I was going seventy miles an hour. One of them was a surprise just like coming up on the Road Runner in New Mexico. I was driving along this country road and all of a sudden I saw a little movement out of the corner of my eye. I couldn't get my camera fast enough to take pictures of a very beautiful pair of Caracaras. 

The other thing I ran into reminded me of my new friend from Simon from Silver City, New Mexico because it had the creativity and spirit that he has. 

Thank you for the good time Gonzales, Texas and until we meet again!

Fredericksburg, Texas

I  had to make this the first picture from Fredericksburg because when I read it, it summerised so much of what my journey is about. As I drove along the beautiful Hill Countey roads into town it reminded me of my childhood around the age of five or six years old and going on long walks on my Grandparents farms. 

I came upon farm after farm with huge green pastures, some had horses, a lot had cattle but this one had many llamas on it. 

I finally made me t to town and parked in front of this beautiful old home that had been made into a quaint gift shop named Henfeathers!  Of course I had to go inside and look at all of the wonderful items they had. I met Edie inside and we struck up a conversation. I told her about my trip and she just thought it was the best thing in the world. She told me she had retired to Fredericksburg after working as an airline stewardess. She had been coming here on vacation with her husband for many years and loved it so much that she knew she wanted to retire here. 

I asked if we could take a picture together and she giggled, said she wasn't very photogenic. I think she's beautiful and can just picture her helping so many up in the friendly skies. 

I started walking down Main Street and one can see immediately how busy this little town in the Hill Country gets and how its charm draws people from all over the world. From what I understand the town was settled by German immigrants and to this day that is the influence that attracts all the visitors. 

The town has many very old buildings and homes. 

The visitors are as varied as the colors of the town!

Overall I had a wonderful day and at the end of it all I could think of was how I could continue swimming out to my ship!

Hello Seguin, Texas!

We arrived in Seguin, Texas at around 3:30 in the morning after driving for around fourteen and a half hours. After letting everyone take potty breaks we had to get some sleep because the moving truck was to arrive by eight in the morning. 

I was only able to get a couple of hours of sleep in the back of my car because I couldn't get to the bed in Motel Miguel since we had packed all the house plants in the open space available. The first thing I heard was a male Red Cardinal singing away in the early morning light. Even though I was exhausted, I was also thrilled to see this bird for the very first time in the wild!

The movers arrived right on time at 8am!  It took them the whole day and we were slap happy from the exhaustion. 

By the next day we all had rested and I was finally able to take a walk around the neighborhood. 

The neighborhood cows ran over to the fenceline and welcomed me. Isn't the new baby the cutest thing in the pasture!

Some of the homes around the neighborhood sit right on the banks of the Guadalupe River and they are up on stilts for flood reasons. I guess they had some bad flooding around here back in 1998 and again in 2001. Nevertheless they are beautiful!

On Friday afternoon I met my friend Sue and her daughter for the first time. We decided to meet up at the San Antonio zoo. It was raining but we didn't let that stop us from enjoying the park and a lot of the animals were also having a blast bathing in the cool sprinkles. 

I had only seen one Congo Peafowl in my life at the San Diego Zoo. San Antonia had several pairs throughout the park and I was able to get close to several of them. This male was up on a ledge looking down on us and he was gorgeous. 

A mallard duck pair already had a clutch of about twelve babies out in the water. 

The next morning on my walk I photographed this male Cardinal just singing away in one of the trees by the house. The morning was a bit foggy but very refreshing. 

I've enjoyed walking around Seguins downtown and getting to know this city my friends Hal and Ann have chosen for their new home. I hope that they are able to enjoy it and continue living their life in happiness out in the garden!