After working two days and sending the girls to daycare, I took off the last of the week and we headed out to Harwood. When we returned from the grocery store on Wed, it started hailing outside. We experienced hail again on the drive to Mom's, so we weren't sure what kind of weather or flooding to expect at SBR. It had been raining for the past three days out there.
But the rain tapered off just before Flatonia, and the roads, while muddy, didn't have water on the low spots anymore. Even better, all three tanks (ponds) were full and Dad reported the hog waller had water running in it! (I didn't get to see that.) Thursday we headed out with Lisa, Ashley & Daniel to Seaworld San Antonio. I knew it would be crowded, but wasn't expecting it to be quite THAT CROWDED. It was packed, and we got there about 10 a.m. Apparently record crowds came out after being house-bound for the first three days of spring break. Still, the kids had a great time. They played, rode the Shamu Express, and saw three shows. But the lines...... whoa.
Friday dawned another beautiful day, a little cooler, and Mom & I took the three girls into Gonzales, where they fired the first shot of the Texas Revolution. Our first stop was the
Old Jail Museum, which the girls loved. Who knew they would be so intrigued by the mammoth stone, concrete and steel building, full of iron cells and etched graffiti. The second and third floor gave me the creeps. The girls also played around the Gonzales County Brand Monument. Gonzales is cattle country and the starting point of many cattle drives in the post-Civil War "cowboy" era. We took a good look at the Texas Heroes Monument sculpted by Pompeo Coppini, and the Confederate Heroes Monument sculted by Frank Teich.
On Saturday the kids played outside all day. Literally. Dad & Bryan spent the day putting on a roof to the new pumphouse. I rode with them into town (Luling) to pick up the siding and roofing material. It took them all day and into the dark to get the roof framed and finished. Meanwhile, the kids were "riding" on the gate leading into the yard and broke the top hinge clean off.
Sunday morning, Bryan finally took our girls fishing. He had promised to do it Saturday, but .... well, they had a roof to put on. It was about 8:30 a.m. and just so beautiful. We walked to the back pond and found a few good places to cast, but didn't catch anything. Brenna had a nibble (which made Cameron jealous), but the fish got away. We saw a turtle poking his nose to stare at us a few times. And the birds! The cardinals were so loud - it was never quiet out there that morning.
Actually, we saw more wildlife this time than in recent visits. Cameron & I walked to the front pond on Wed. early evening and saw a great blue heron fly away (we had startled it.) Then we saw a doe come out of the woods - she stared at us, while we stared at her. As we walked away, she came closer to us and ran around very playfully. When Dad drove in that night there was a huge armadillo (the first live one I've seen out there) waddling around by the gate. We also saw red male cardinals in the trees, a woodpecker, the usual turkey vultures. I heard, but did not see, turkeys. We also watched the four little calves playing in the field. Friday night Dad chased away a possum that was nosing around the garbage on the back porch. At first the possum didn't seem to be a bit concerned about Dad and kept about its business, but he did scurry away when Dad started sweeping the broom at him.
The wildflowers are just beginning to bloom, with fields of red phlox already popping up. Bluebonnets could be seen occasionally, with Indian Paintbrushes.
I didn't post any photos, because I didn't have a camera with me. Bryan had it for work - so all the photos of this SBR visit are with Lisa & Mom. Perhaps if they send some to me, I'll update and post some photos.
After spending a little time steeping in Texas history, we went to Walmart, bought fireworks and headed back to Silver Belle Ranch.
