Mimosas and taquitos, coffee and doughnuts for dessert for the birthday kids.
While we watched the turkeys in traffic on the front lawn, and the weather change every five minutes.
Eventually we flanged up and returned to Port A for dinner and birthday cake while overlooking the Lydia Ann channel. Its a rough life.
We are going to The B33. Wayne and Linda’s ranch.
I can’t wait.
Today I was “the first one up?” at 10:00. Not exactly first in the morning.
Dave, Elaine and Clare went to the grocery store while I went back to bed.
They came back with food. But Elaine wasn’t allowed to get a doughnut at the grocery store, because Dave said, oh, lets go to the doughnut shop for that. But the doughnut store was closed by the time they got there.
Guess what we are doing in the morning? I can wake up if doughnuts are involved.
Elaine reads a little of the paper, then naps sitting up. Then awake and turns a page. Then naps again. The coach is warm in the sunlight.
Quiet day.
There are a couple of huge mesquite trees at the mission. Honey mesquite. Its a pest on ranchlands, cattle get into thickets of mesquite and cant be forced out. It’s thorny. Not a good shade tree. Old branches are deceptive, look sturdy but are brittle. Not safe for climbing.
But,
It’s called” honey mesquite” because the beans are edible and sweet. Good source of protein. Elaine bought us some mesquite bean jelly at Wildseed farms.
So. Not all is lost.
Agave is ubiquitous here as well. Lots of it used for landscaping. One place had several of them in front with a Christmas ball on the tip end of each leaf. Looked like great big jester’s hats.
I wish I had a picture for you.
At the frio river, there was a bed of tumbled river rock. I picked up one for my collection. (Dave hates this, shades of Lucy and the long trailer) It was about potato sized. By the time I got to the car my hand was frozen and wouldn’t open without help. Cold day, solid cold limestone…
So of course I went back and got a second one for Tammy. 🙂
Later, Dave found them in the floorboard of the car and put them out on the camp table. Hoping I would forget them.
As if.
A friend said but where are the pictures of you Dolly? I’m taking the pictures so I’m not really there. Well, I’m not all here normally.
Here is one of me in the coach the other night.
I love crossing on the ferry into Port Aransas. It is like taking a long slow breath and shifting into island time.
This morning I had cinnamon cookies for breakfast. 🙂 They were a shortbread made with whole wheat flour. Hey, its like having adult graham crackers when you get up from your nap.
This is the “queen of the missions”, San Jose. It is interesting partly because of the many times it’s been restored.
Built as a mission by Spanish franciscan friars in the 1700’s, later repairs in the 1800s made by the German benedictine monks, they repaired some of the 
moorish style arches and updated them with gothic arches.
During the 30’s the wpa rebuilt the outer ring of the fort as it would have been originally, but they didn’t have perfect understanding of what it should look like and made some architectural mistakes.
Now, that work is over 70 years old and is historic in its own right, so those “mistakes” are part of the heritage.
The church itself is still in operation, and the parish is in charge of maintaining the building tho it is on the grounds of the national historic site of the mission. The front stone carvings around the entry are beautiful reproductions of the original work.
The facade would originally have been colored with frescos, long gone, but for a small area to show what they might have been like.
The interior of the church is warm and simple and beautifully inviting.
All in all, it is an amalgam of history. Fact and better facts piled on top of itself.
The day is glorious, tho cold and windy, clear blue skies.
And
We are off to the coast for our next stop.
We played mexican train to while away the hours till dinner. (Dave wins consistently. Elaine and I team up off and on. He still wins.)
Then to Mi Tierras for margaritas and good mexican food. I love their lights and golden paper cutout banners on the ceiling.
They have a bakery at the front so while you wait you can dream of dessert.
My dinner was enchiladas with mole sauce so Elaine could try it. She liked her tacos better. 
Dave had breakfast- eggs and chorizo. Mucho goodo.
We did get desserts afterwards. Pan dulce for in the morning, cinnamon cookies and ginger pigs. Now off to the riverwalk.
So we wanted to see the nearby mission up close. But it is closed- three days a year and new years day is one of them. Tomorrow we see.
Elaine said lets go there. Dave and I said oh no that’s like going to Italy and eating at pizza hut. Elaine said but there are lots of cars it must be good. Ok. We went to taco cabana at noon for a taco and margarita. Trying to get Elaine drunk so I can win at mexican train.
Oh. They are out of margaritas. Fooey
They said on the news this morning that fireworks are illegal in the city and if anyone heard anything they should call the police at this number. Oh sure, like that’s going to happen.
We go on to the riverwalk early afternoon. New years is a big celebration in San Antonio.
On our way to the river walk Dave sees this meter thing on the street. And he says: hey, great idea! That’s what we need. I say: Yes, we could put one next to the mailbox for anyone to use. Dave: Oh, we should have dozens, put them all over town.
It’s our latest venture.
We get to the riverwalk early to see the lights this evening. Fun but very cold today. The best deal was 99 cent hot chocolate at one of the bars along the way.
Walked into a chocolate store. We each got a piece of candied ginger dipped in chocolate. It was great!
Ended up at Boudreaux for their guacamole before it got dark.
Elaine and Dave had the prickly pear margaritas which were so pretty! Sweet, made with pureed prickly pear.
Guacamole was made at our table. Most excellent. They added orange juice with the lime. Hint of sweetness.
We were home early. I’m chilled.
I was in bed by 6:30 but then up again at 9 because of the fireworks. I’ve never heard such fireworks. Ever. It was like living in a popcorn popper at the 2 minute mark. Noise till long after midnight. The police didn’t have a chance. 🙂
We woke up again at midnight and if we had been willing to get dressed again we could have seen the fireworks in downtown from outside the coach. Instead we peeked out the window then went back to sleep.
San Antonio is a great place for New Years eve. If I had known I would have paced myself better. Next year.
We’re now in San Antonio. Home of the Alamo bowl. Tho we don’t really care. 🙂
We did the laundry. Elaine is watching the news. Dave is walking Clare, and all is right with the world.
I think I’m in for the night. Dave and Elaine are on their own for dinner.
Drive to Lost Maples state park. Winding roads reminds me why the guys like to ride here on motorcycles. Saw only three. It’s overcast and cool.
We are here long after fall color so the lost maples are truly lost. But an occasional oak manages to shine.
At the park store Elaine gets a walking stick. Good thing as we walk along gravel trail in the park.
We get to see the low water crossings closer.
I head back to the car. Elaine is tough and continues on with Dave and Clare.
Lots to see, ball moss nearly covers some trees. 
Its even on the power lines back in town. The cedars (juniper) are immune. Texas mountain laurel is so green.
Bird song and nothing else till people come round the corner. Its surprisingly busy with hikers today.
On to Leakey TX. Population 425. Not leak-y but lake-y.
Tho our waitress says its been leak-ey the last few days. Leaky in lake-y. 🙂
Lunch is chicken fried steaks for all three of us. Dinner. Not lunch. Good salad bar. Dave points out I won’t have room for pie. Yes. That’s the price I pay.
Elaine says: Did anyone see the vegetable plate on the menu?
Me: I heard ‘chicken fried steak’ and my mind went blank.
Outside there is a beeeg Tonka truck.
We are heading out but first I want a stop at the dam in the park.
Yesterday Dave said there is a big tree, probably 24 feet around. I make him measure it today. It comes to 23’8″ Dave’s a good guesser.
While I am taking his picture, Dave is talking. I say stop talking and smile, he keeps talking, and I say hey, stop talking so I can get a good picture of you. He does. Then I turn and there is this woman walking away with two little dogs wearing orange and yellow life jackets. Dave says: that’s what I was telling you!
LOL
I should listen. It was a funny scene and I missed it on camera.
Saw a cute little camper called a Scotty. I love little trailers.
They have their flag out, and striped awning. Pink wheel. It’s perfect.
On the air conditioner is the last supper.
After lunch we walked the shops in Bandera. At the entrance to the general store there was a machine where you squeeze a trigger on a brass knob.
I’m reading aloud: Squeeze handle. No electric shock.
Dave says: go ahead. So I reach for the knob.
Dave says: bzzzttt
and I jump.
Of course.
They sell used boots here, for the dude ranches I suppose. If I wanted boots this is the place.
Then on to Medina TX where they grow apples. Love Creek Orchards has a store where we get two apple strudels and sit by the wood stove. I can’t eat another thing, but yearn for the ice cream with apple caramel sauce. The orchards sell trees too. Its a pick it yourself place in the spring. Fresh organic apples. We need to come back.
As we come into Bandera there is a play getting started near the courthouse. Actors milling about in period costume. One talking to the kids at the corner of the audience. The kids are decked out in western gear too. All wide eyes as the actor deputizes them.
The narrator tells us that Bandera was officially named the Cowboy Capitol of the world by the Texas legislature.
Turns out Bandera is surrounded by dude ranches. Today being Saturday we see lots of dudes and dudettes in town.
Great lunch at the OST, (old spanish trail).
Our table is next to the bar: Saddles for seats. A bit later the kids we saw earlier come in with their family. The youngest, possibly all of five says: Oh, I didn’t know the bar would be this awesome!
I had the best nachos ever, a platter full with enough guacamole on top to feed a family. I ate it all. My tummy is sorry but my mouth is happy.
Today Dave took us to Utopia Texas, then on to Bandera – The Cowboy Capitol of the World.
We first stopped at the museum at the park where we are staying. Garner state park was built by the CCC in the late thirties. I think the best parks in Texas were built by the CCC. The rockwork is beautiful, paths and structures. Here, there is a little cabin preserved from that time as part of the museum. Elaine says oh, take a picture, that’s my new home!
Moved to Garner State Park today. It is on the Frio river. A great old park built by the CCC.
We get set up and Dave and Elaine go for a walk. They find a much better area so we move to another spot. Much better as it is close to the river and more people and camps set up there. More people, more fun.
Dave finds a group of guys with KLR’s but they aren’t exactly KLRs, they’ve put in a different engine.
Played Mexican Train this evening. All of us learning as we go.
Elaine wanted to learn because they play it at home. Unfortunately for her we had a set of rules that were different than the way we learned with Maud and George one evening a month ago. So it is tricky.
Day after Christmas
In the afternoon we went again to Gibson’s, (the hardware/general store), as we walked in Dave said “I want to work here!” It’s like an Elliots way back when. Then on to the ranch again.
By evening we were again at Jessamine’s parents house. As we walk in, Jessamine’s niece is standing in the living room like a princess in her debutante dress that Jessamine’s sister has made. 
Jessamine and her mom are marking and cutting the dress to length. It was a scene out of the movies.
Elaine and I got to tour the ranch.
Watch Tom feed the sheep- black Barbado breed, no wool just hair, the rams have great curled horns. Lots of newborn kids bouncing around like they are on springs. Lots of bleating and sheep talk. Made us laugh.
We got to go in the tree house, it’s complete with carpeting and pella windows. 🙂 They do things up right nice.
Sleeping porch, bench in the trees, then up to the enclosed room. Good blind for shooting deer.
At the base is a fire ring, with tree stumps to sit on that look like they will walk away any minute.
Saw the shooting range in an old caliche pit.
Tom is a world class marksman. I expect the others are too.
Then we drove around and Elaine fed the deer. Pouring cans full of feed out the window as Tom drove around. The deer are practically tame, popped up from the grass as we come into view. They know the drill.
Final view in the twilight of a gorgeous buck standing in silhouette against the evening sky. Perfect. Something the camera can’t capture.
Then dinner at the house, another great meal and good company.
The time spent here is the highlight of our trip. Many thanks to Jessamine and her family’s hospitality.
Then to the Mission.
