I created a new photo album with some pictures I took related to the stories below. Click on my photo gallery tab for the link and look at Texas 2012.
I arrived in Fort Worth, Texas on Wednesday, April 18th. I am staying at my friend Sue’s house for a few days and she has internet so I decided to update my website and add some photos. I have been in Texas for almost a month and I have been so busy doing so many things and I have loved every minute of my time here. I still have not sold my condo in Florida, but I still have hope that it will sell sometime. My health seems to be doing lots better. During the last five weeks I noticed that I don’t have pain in my insides most days which is truly a huge blessing.
I stayed in Elm Mott/Waco at Homestead Heritage for over three weeks and camped in the front yard of my friends the Yardens. I feel like I am so much a part of their family, the Durkin family and also other families which I have met and come to know and love.
During my time there I helped out in the grist mill, cheese shop, and planted and weeded in the vegetable gardens. It is such a loving, kind, friendly, and amazing place to be, the kindness, peacefulness, and respect is felt all over the community.
The other night, and then again the next morning we took a walk through a meadow that was in full bloom with beautiful flowers such as red poppies, purple thistle, and lots of yellow flowers of various varieties. There were so many beautiful butterflies, many species I have never seen before, they were thoroughly enjoying eating the nectar of the flowers. The trail was probably a mile or so round trip.
I left Waco for a few days to go visit a friend named Clark in Leander, which is north of Austin. I had not seen him in about 30 years. It was great catching up on life and renewing our friendship. Clark has dogs, a cat, horses, miniature horses, goats, chickens, and roosters. I got to help feed them and fill the water buckets, and I also got to hold and pet some of the goats which was so much fun.
Week old baby goat
Clark and week old baby goat
There are two sets of twin baby goats which were about a week old. They have boundless energy!!! They can bounce and jump straight up. Watching the goats is something I could do all day long!!! There is a month old baby goat named Gusty who I took an extra liking to, he came up to me and started rubbing his head between his little horn stubs on my leg because I was told the horns itch a little when growing in. After a few days there Gusty would come over to me when I called him or he saw me. I fell in love!!! It’s a good thing I am in a small camper or I would have taken him with me.
The goats are really fun to watch, and they also find things to keep themselves entertained. One day while I was there we heard a noise and all of a sudden we see the large spool come rolling down the hill and stop when it hit a tree. Clark said he had that large spool from cable lodged up against a tree and fence further up the hill. Somehow the goats got it loose from where it was. They would get up on their hind legs and eat the bark and leaves off the trees. On their hind legs some of the goats are over 6 feet tall.
Since I got lots of practice weeding the vegetable gardens in Waco, I thought I would continue practicing and do some weeding in Clark’s garden. I’m amazed at how fast weeds grow. I would think I got all the weeds one day and the next day there are some more about 2-3 inches tall.
After visiting with Clark for a few days, I went back to Waco for two days before heading north to Fort Worth. It was sad saying goodbye to everyone both in Leander and Waco, but I said I would come back when I can for another visit. I have learned so much by helping out at both places and I have also met many new people and made some new friends.
This afternoon Sue and I went to the Main Street Art Festival in downtown Fort Worth. We had lunch at Risky’s Bar-B-Que which I love and I had the all you can eat ribs, which is what I usually order. After we ate lunch we went into the Thomas Kinkade art gallery. I love seeing his paintings and didn’t know that he did some Disney paintings. He died last week at the age of 54.
We then went into the Sid Richardson Gallery/Museum where they had a display of Russell and Remington paintings and watercolor drawings. I have always loved looking at the sculpture of Russell and Remington, they do mostly paintings of cowboys and also Native American Indians. Of course, the day would not be complete without a stop at Braum’s for an ice cream cone, they have the best ice cream!!!
