First signs of Spring in our Hometown

We arrived home on April 10th and there wasn’t any sign of spring.  It looked like winter without the snow – the earth was asleep.  And then we had nothing but rain, rain, rain.  So much that the rivers up north of us – already full of snow-melt have overflowed and severe flooding has caused serious damage.

BUT – finally the sun came out during the last week of April and BAM!  Spring Exploded !!  It only took 2 days of warmth and these are the photos of our area. Daffodils are always first.  Forsythia bushes are everywhere – a very early bloomer.

Tulips are always welcome  and heralds the huge “Tulip Festival” in Albany.

Phlox always shows us a beautiful display.  An ornamental flowering cherry is an eye-catcher in our neighborhood.   And wild violets are already in our yard.

But the “It’s Spring Prize” goes to the dandelion – It’s EVERYWHERE!!

Next week, we’ll have a whole new crop of Spring Flowers – hope you enjoyed this.

Prattville, Alabama–with the Taltons

Sweet Home Alabama and pure Southern Hospitality from Mary Patt & Joe Talton.This property has been in her family since the 1830’s and has extensive land that is timbered and used for hunting.   Here we are in our RV following them down their driveway.

We had a covered shelter, plus electric and water AND use of their Guest house. 

Mary Patt & Joe in their dining room. Next are photos of the exterior of their home.

The sun room was my favorite spot and it overlooks the lake. The amaryllis was in full bloom!Time to head home to NY.

Rockport, Texas–lots to do & see

Sunrise is at 7:30am and just a few steps from our door is this incredible view and a new day.

The Bluebonnets are in bloom.  This photo was taken in the local cemetery – next to our RV park.  Even Burger King has a nautical theme and you have a view of Aransas Bay as you eat your filet of fish.

The local supermarket, HEB, has a great selection of fishing gear.  Here’s Don in the nature park that’s across the street from the Super Wal-Mart.  Note the little green lizard that’s “all puffed up” trying to attract a mate.  It’s Oyster season and we watched them unload the 100+ pound bags.  One man said that “this is like Florida in the 70’s”.  Undeveloped – and we hope it stays this way!

2011-3 Rockport, TX

The Rockport/Fulton Coastal Bend is just 30 minutes north of Corpus Christi, TX.  It’s “off the beaten path” – is an “artist colony” and a big fishing and tourist area.  The weather in March is in the 70’s – and not as windy as in the Rio Grande valley. 

Here’s the view of our WatersEdge RV park from their pier. 

And the view of the water & pier from out our front window

This weekend was the annual “Oysterfest” which is a fundraiser for the local Fulton fire department.  Don is in Oyster Heaven! To top it off, the Carnival Lady guessed Don’s age to be 71 ! 

Winter in Alamo Palms–2010-2011

 

 

The Navel oranges on our tree were plentiful and delicious.  The Rio Grande Valley also grows the sweetest carrots and the famous 1015 onions – we bought a 50 pound bag of each to bring home.

 

Christmas Eve in our motorhome was memorable with our good friends, whom we will dearly miss. L to R: Carol, Mary Patt, Joe, Jim & Don.

Don gave me a new Panasonic Lumix 8X 14 mp camera for Christmas.  It fits in my purse and takes a nice, wide photo.

 

Don celebrated his 82nd Birthday at the Outback Steakhouse!

  I can’t resist wild flowers.  These were growing in a ditch at the Convention Center in McAllen.

Our newly remodeled Wal-Mart Superstore in Alamo, has a great bakery and a huge tortilla making machine.

 

I learned about quilting 9 years ago at Alamo Palms.  This is the “Bow Tie” quilt top that I’m making for grandson Trevor Gibson. 

This cat is one of my favorites.  It was on display at the Rio Grande Valley Quilt show in McAllen.  I don’t think this cat likes that bird on his back.

Our local HEB supermarket did  great decorating for Valentine’s Day.  Very festive!

Our good friends Mary Patt and Joe Talton from Alabama are square dancers.  They toured India last fall and Mary Patt made this dress from fabric that she bought in India.

Alamo Palms Fashion Show and Luncheon is one of the year’s highlights featuring upscale fashions.  Charlene Peterson is modeling this beautiful outfit.

We left Alamo Palms on Feb. 28th with a wonderful send-off from our friends & neighbors.  I’m sad to leave and will remember my friends there forever.

Fall Trip to Texas

We started our trip on Oct. 17th, 2010.  We took I-81 through Virginia – a very scenic route.  This is a photo of the Blue Ridge Mountains along our route.

This “camper” is from California.  It was in a Virginia rest stop and we got a chuckle seeing it.

We met George and Joanne Dunn in Alamo Palms a couple of years ago.  They are “full timers” and we visited them in their home state of Alabama. 

This is Lakeside Landing – our campsite while visiting our Alabama friends.  George & Joanne drove us all around – we saw the Honda plant where Don’s Accord was made; we had a great catfish lunch & shopped at the Pink Store – that’s even better than the Dollar Store, which George calls the “Alabama Macy’s”. 

Jim & Sara Prickett put on a dinner for 14 people – all folks that we had met in Texas.  This is Sara’s big country kitchen.  She made spaghetti and homemade sour dough bread, plus peach cobbler.  We learned about real Southern Hospitality!

Jim Prickett - and

Sara Prickett.  Our Hosts!  Their 50th wedding anniversary is very soon and they will renew their vows. 

The Pricketts have 45 acres and a lake. After dinner,  I picked up pecans while Don went fishing.

Don’s fish!

Joe  Talton and

his wife Mary Patt .  She’s wearing her Alabama dirt shirt and I’m laughing at the big breakfast.  We’ll be seeing them in Alamo Palms this winter.

Our farewell breakfast.  L to R- George, Joanne, Don.  We sure had a wonderful time in Alabama.

Knoxville, TN – We stayed at the Escapees’ Raccoon Valley RV Park in Heiskell.  From there we toured Oak Ridge where Atomic Energy was developed – along with the atomic bomb that ended WWII.

Outside the Energy Museum is this tower sculpture made from pieces of the World Trade Center tragedy on 9/11.

from a brochure on the museum.

While in Shreveport, LA, we couldn’t resist the great lunch buffet at Sam’s Town Casino.  We also lost a few bucks – very quickly  - playing the slots.

We saw some REALLY BIG, beautiful churches in Shreveport.

These huge crosses are sure to catch your attention as you drive through the south.

This is KUDZU – the plant that ate the south.  It’s invasive and is all over- literally. 

 

In Livingston, TX, we stayed at the Headquarters of the Escapees – Rainbow’s End.  Thousands of “full timers” use this as their home base and mailing address.

Welcome to Houston, TX!  We stayed at Elks Lodge 121 – full hookups, huge concrete pad – and easy access to the freeways - (Don’s nightmare).

I have always wanted to visit Bayou Bend, former home of Texas Governor Hogg and his philanthropist daughter, Miss Ima Hogg.  We were not able to tour inside the home because of a private tour, but we enjoyed the beautiful gardens with an audio self-guided headset.

Even the iron gate is a work of art.

These formal gardens are on the south side of the house.  There were 9 separate garden areas to explore – a very pleasant afternoon.

Don braved Huston’s freeways again on Friday to take me to the International Quilt Show.  This photo of downtown was taken outside the Convention Center.

We had never been is such a huge convention center before.  The quilt show took up the entire building with half dedicated to quilt display and the other half to vendors. 

Eleanor Burns of “Quilt in a Day” fame,  gave a funny, half hour presentation.  I caught up with her at her booth and Don took our photo.  Great fun!  Below are some of the quilts that we photographed. 

View Full Album

After the quilt show, we had lunch at Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen – one of our favorite restaurants.

I love this photo of Don eating his ice cream cone.  Adios, Houston!