Forgotten Saturday

I failed to post yesterday about our activity Saturday.   We loaded the trikes in the car and drove about 25 miles to the west, north of Pharr, TX to the Texas Trail RV http://www.mytexastrails.com/index.htm  where we rode the trikes for a little over an hour.

There were about 6 long-eared jackrabbits playing in one area of the park that had a lot of vacant lots.

There were a lot of empty lots, but this is a huge park.

 Then we drove south a ways to Rudys Barbecue http://rudysbbq.com/page/home  This was some really tasty barbequed brisket and turkey sandwiches that Phyllis halved so we shared both. We returned to the park for their 2:00 pm Big Band Jam and met several other people from Kenwood RV that came to listen, also.

They have the best, and good sized, ice cream bars for only a $1 that almost made the trip worth it.  That and a big bag of popcorn was our evening meal.
More later, when I remember it.
 Lynn

End of January in Texas

La Feria, TX  70º overcast
    

Had organist add to Lavin's piano at church this morning.

Went to church in the Rec Hall this morning and then went to Harlingen with 8 other people and ate lunch at Denny's. 

Stopped to price a treated 4" x 4" 10' long board to work on the back door roof at Lowe's next door and was going to compare price at a local lumber yard, McCoys, but they were closed so will go over there tomorrow.  This evening we will go to the Rec Hall again, for ice cream, announcements and a program by "The Redheads" a musical group. 
       Received telephone call a bit ago from Brother Don that they were within a few miles of home and had a good trip from the RG Valley back.
      Phyllis is having a bit of trouble with a tooth, so we will go to our dentist in Progresso in the morning to see if can fill a cavity, or whatever it takes.
More later, Lynn

Juanuary is quickly passing

La Feria, TX  65º windy.  Low this morning was 48 and to be 72º later.
  We have had busy week, showing my brother Don and his wife Vicki some of the Valley.  They participated in our group stretching exercises each morning.  We got to Antascosa Wildlife Refuge, Progresso, MX, Don-Wes Flea Market, South Padre Island, several entertainment venues at the Rec Hall, and other stuff.
They left our house about 10:00 am this morning heading north, and intended to stop and do a tour of King Ranch near Kingsville, TX before heading on north.

Phyllis was a model in a fashion show at the Rec Hall yesterday that she and Vicki attended:

 They had a salad buffet luncheon prior to the show.

Has been a busy 10 days and we can now slow down a little.

Till later, Lynn

Warm day in south Texas

La Feria, TX 69º  Was in 80's today and bright sunshine, though when we got to South Padre Island about 10:00 am it was foggy there.

We went to the Convention Center for their Market
Days and saw a lot of people and booths for lots of
things.  We did get some discounted dolphin-watch

tickets to be used later ($10 for $16 tickets).

By the time we got to the beach--at access #11-- it was lifting a bit and the hour and a half we spent there we managed to get some sun.

We had taken some small crackers along and I held several up in the air for the birds to fly in and take out of my fingers on the fly.  After I quit doing that they stood on the sand in front of me like a bunch of Democrats looking for a hand out.

 We drove back over the bridge and ate a late lunch at Pelican Station.  Here is a photo of Phyllis taking a photo of Don & Vicki with South Padre Island in the background.


                              We showed them Bobz World  and all the shells and trinkets that are on sale there.

 For $7.50 each you can tour the area in the back by this big gorilla.  Understand they have all sorts of animals - alligators, etc. in that area.

 You walk into the entrance through this big "shark's teeth".

At the left is the area out near the highway, representing coral in the sea and a lot of sea life.











We then headed back to our house.
After a bit of a long day I was able to hold a riveting conversation with the passengers.

Got here at home in Kenwood RV Resort in time for me to listen to Prairie Home Companion live via the internet.  There are no NPR stations in this area so can't pick it up via radio.  With a little nap during the program, some supper and then we all did a bit in the pool/hot tub after which I did 5.5 miles on the recumbent trike in the dark and cool 70 degree breeze in the park, finishing about 9:40 pm.

Till later, Lynn

Friday is here!

La Feria, TX  71º breezy
Yesterday Cathy had the shuffle board going and as I rode the trike by took couple of photos:

I rode about 12 miles on the recumbent trike yesterday, first time in weeks had a chance to do any distance.  Part of it was late afternoon with Phyllis.  I had gone out earlier while she was sewing at Share and Care and had a minor repair to make to the trike and came back in after 5 miles.  We did the 7 miles later.

Gotta go - till later, Lynn

Slow day in Texas

La Feria, TX  65º partly cloudy
   We had friends over last night and played Pegs & Jokers.

Phyllis, Bob, Doris & Don

Bob, Doris & Bobbi

Don, Bobbi, Phyllis, Vicki & Lyle

Phyllis, Bob, Doris, Don & Bobbi

Three games and the men finally took 2 out of 3.  (Seems like the women dominate usually, or we allow them to win!?)  We had gone to the Don-Wes Market earlier in the day.

Flowers at Don-Wes

Kettle Popcorn making at Don-Wes -- It was a real good lunch.

More flowers at Don-Wes

When we were at Don-Wes last weekend Phyllis bought a couple swimming suits---these are not them:

We had gone to an orchard and picked grapefruit when Al & Carolyn were still here:

Phyllis & Lynn at the trees

What we were after

Al & Phyllis with couple buckets full.

Inside Mitchell Citrus

Inside Mitchell Citrus

We are chilling out while Phyllis is up to the Rec Hall with the gals at Share and Care and I think Vicki is finally made up and going up to participate.
More later, Lynn

Hosting my brother

La Feria, TX  63º overcast

   My brother Don & his wife Vicki got here about 3:00 pm yesterday and we went down to the Rec Hall a little after 4:00 pm for presentation by the Border Patrol.  They had some hard statistics on the fighting between the drug groups in Mexico and did some explaining how they are also on the US side of the river.  They showed some very graphic video that had been provided by the Drug Cartels showing how they handle "snitches" by removing their heads, one with a chain saw and the other with knife and meat cleaver.  This is a video that is shown to parents of kids who are suspected working for the Cartel on this side of the river.  They hope this will make such an impression on the parents that they can make some "change of minds" of the kids.

     Then we went to Harlingen and ate at Gatti's Pizza and back to our house.  This morning Phyllis & I went into Harlingen to doctor appointments (Missing exercises) and returned to have breakfast with Don & Vicki and then drove down to Kings Aloe Farm and visited with JR & Audrie a bit before going on to Don-Wes Flea Market.
    Back to the house and a nap for some of us while Phyllis and some other ladies in the park got their hair cut by Donna.  We went down to the Rec Hall this evening for Soup Supper, and are going to play Pegs & Jokers at our house with 2 other couples from the park.

     Tomorrow will try to fill in our tour of the Aloe Farm earlier and another trip with the Ruhde's that I can't think right now where we went.
Till later, Lynn

King Ranch

La Feria, TX  74º  Sunny & little windy  -- In case you are wondering why I always start out with location I am (with weather) --  I read, when I have time, a lot of blogs -- you see some on the side of this blog, and you can just click on them to read them, also --and quite often they refer to the weather or local trips, etc. but don't tell in that particular blog where the dickens they are.  Since there are some from all parts of the US and Mexico and Canada I find it a little disconcerting some times and read back many, many pages before I come up with hint as to where they are.
   Anyway, since I didn't get much posting last week, I will now bring up last Saturday when O & MJ Herzberg and A & C Ruhde and we went to King Ranch.  We left kind of early to make sure we got a space on the 11:00 am bus tour of the ranch, which we did.

  It was such a nice day (especially after the Thursday tour we had taken at King Aloe Vera Farm in the wind and the cold) and we had some goodies at a table near the Visitor Center.

There was an actual old Chuck Wagon there (no food, though) on display; and, it included a bread recipe.

This wagon was used for many years.  The photos on it showed canvas awnings that were pulled out over the sides when it was being used.

Carolyn found some cattle to ride while we were waiting for time to get on the bus.

We got on the bus, with several other people, and our tour guide Dusk drove the bus.

 Many stops were made for picture taking. 

 We saw a lot of fauna: horses, cattle, deer, turkeys, Caracara, hawks, mules, coyote, armadillo, turkey vultures, etc.;  as well as lots of flora: grasses, brush, cactus  etc., etc.  Dawn gave a good description of the working part of the ranch as well as history.  She had grown up on the ranch.

We drove by the "birthing pasture" and a couple of cows were in the process.

The ranch house is huge, though not large enough now to house all the King descendents, so they have to book times to be at the building.  We were not able to enter the house, but drove by it.

After leaving the 1 hour 45 minute tour we drove through Texas A & M Kingsville campus and to downtown where we toured the Museum and looked around at the

Lots to see and absorb.  Even though this was probably the 4th time we had been to these three locations I think I still learned something and found it interesting.  I did buy a book written by one of the sons of a worker (and he also worked) from the ranch written in 1950. 
Getting late in the afternoon we headed south and went to Bafflin Bay and ate lunch/supper at the Kings Inn Restaurant on  Laguna Salada.  They have no menu and sell fish, shrimp, scallops, etc. by the pound and serve it family style.  Depending on the amount you guess you need, it is a little pricey, but really good food.

Onion rings, shrimp, a scallop, french fried potatoes and slice of tomato.

Shrimp

Scallops

 

MJ will give me the dickens for this picture, but she was enjoying the shrimp.
We headed on down 77 and went west on 107 and south on Bass Road, seeing some area we hadn't seen.  Bass Road, to the north of Expressway 83 looks to be a good road for riding our Trikes.
Was a fun day.  Will fill you in soon on our tour of Kings Aloe Farm last Thursday, our touring Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge Wednesday and our picking oranges and grapefruit.  Remember, click on photos to make larger and give you a slide show.
Till later, Lynn