West Texas Pictures part 2.

The backyard at my brother's house. Looking sort of Southeast.

And looking South... see that rise in the center of the picture? That's a huge mesa, Jeff rode his little pit bike all the way over there one day and then called me. I got the binocs and spotted him on the ridge.

Di in the garden. She's very proud of her produce.

As with every first garden, there's always an abundance of something... this year it's squash. We ate squash at almost every meal.

Momma and baby Longhorns were everywhere.

more babies.

They don't even move when you drive up to them.

And if you get too close to the babies they will come after you. I later learned this is the meanest one.

From across the tank.

First catch of the day.

Later Michael and Jeff worked on getting the TV out on the patio.

BEEE-utiful!

So peaceful!

Some may think it's odd to have such fire-power strapped to the dashboard of your jeep. We don't. There was also a rifle mounted just above the sunvisors.

Nice fish! (sorry it's blurry, I was watching for cows.)

That fish broke his $16 fishing pole......

Michael went out to try to get the herd to come up closer...

...and they did, this bull's name is Brisket. I wonder if they have plans for him later on?

Michael and I left the fishermen and went back to the house to prepare breakfast ...

Di was on the phone setting up her next commercial, she produces commercials. I think this one involves Tiger Woods and some sheep.

Voila' breakfast taco, with guacamole, salsa and sour cream and some bacon. YUM!

See they do have some bigger trees on the ranch, it's not all mesquites.

This area is set up for campfires and picnics, with benches and tables, there is a creek just behind those bushes behind Jeff.

Key West may brag about their sunsets, but I think we have something to brag about too.

The next morning Nita and I spotted these two Vinagaroons on a stroll around the outside of the yard.

Wildflowers

There they go again.... off to the tank to fish.

Look! A baby deer! It's at the edge of the water on the right side of the pond.

Michael's house.

This is the 'red' house, where we stayed. It was once a hunting lodge.

Yes, that's a Bobcat. It's a pet of one of Michael's friends. It started storming shortly after this picture was made and put a huge damper on our trip to the lake to watch the Fourth of July Fireworks.

Sunday morning and someone was telling us it was time to go home.... still pouring down raining. I was sitting in the courtyard of the 'red' house looking toward the screened BBQ room.

The Barn Swallows didn't like me being there, but after they figured out that I was going to sit still, they began zooming in and out all around my head. They have the navigation skills of a bat.

Here are some pictures of the inside of the 'red' house. From the kitchen door looking into the dining room with the living room beyond.

Looking from the dining room into the living room.

Another angle of the living room. This house is like a museum. There are thousands of things to look at in here.












Looking back toward the dining room and bar.















Looking into the kitchen from the dining room. That stove was awesome! There are two commercial size refrigerators on the left side of this room. They would put on yearly company parties at this house. They are set up to accommodate around 100 people for a party.








And one last picture for the Meerkat Crew.

That's what I did on my summer vacation. Going to a place like this, sure makes a trip to West Texas worth going.

THANKS Michael and Di for having us at your house for the weekend.

More from New Braunfels

Here are some more of the pictures:

Like I said, my Mother-In-Law can grow anything, and her flowers are fantastic, some of the ones that were still looking good at the end of the day.

The pink and orange Bougainvilleas.











This one is like a Mandevilla only the plant it's self is much larger. I don't know what it's called, but it's pretty.








A orange double Hibiscus.











Jane said this one is against the law to grow in the state of Oklahoma, because people make a hallucinogenic drug out of it. It's the Jimsom Weed. It's very pretty and the bugs were really having a party on them. It's better known as Loco Weed.







This one is a pretty vine and VERY fragrant. I don't know what it's called.











One of my favorites is the Alice Dupont Mandevilla. They take very little water, but we managed to kill ours.


And last but not least, the most hated plant in the yard, not by Jane, but hated by Jody's dad Davey... the passion vine. It takes over the Bar B Q pit and smoker every summer.

Dreams - what do they mean?

I awoke from a dream at 6 this morning... I was dreaming I was in a coffee shop with Jolea and was talking to Tom Cruise. I was about to pay $17 for a cup of coffee! Then Jolea and I walked out of the coffee shop and saw Tom Cruise chasing a guy down the street. I wonder what would have come next in the dream? Would I have been able to run as fast as Tom Cruise? I hope so after paying that much for coffee.

I will be weeding today, yuk.... The In-laws are coming tomorrow and Hubby's mom is such an awesome gardener. The Hydrangeas are going green... it's that time of year. Most people don't even have anything left at this time of year, but mine seem to go on forever, they will start blooming new blooms in the fall when the weather cools down. Not quiet as large as in the spring, but still loads of color.

Hubby will be off to work this morning, he's helping a long time buddy out on some of his projects. Just so happens it's for the company that our son works for. That's the beauty of Hodgkins.... you don't feel bad. The Doctors said that was what was so amazing about Hubby's Hodgkins. They caught it SO early! So early that they we're not sure it was really Hodgkins. You see, because a person doesn't feel bad when they have Hodgkins, they don't go to the Doctor to get it checked out until they do start feeling run down, by then it's spread to the other Lymph glands and becomes a stage 3 or stage 4. Hubby doesn't feel bad at all.... now, annoyed is another subject. He is often annoyed with the 'TUMA', he has bad headaches, constant nose running and trouble sleeping. We had described the 'TUMA' as a Godsend in the beginning, because without it he wouldn't have gone to the Doctor and this chain of events would not have happened. We'll now we're saying, "God, enough is enough the signal is coming in loud and clear."

He's not awake yet so I can't ask him how is hip is feeling. He had the bone marrow scan done yesterday. (His Doctor called later in the evening and said everything looked good... what ever that means) They take the bone marrow from the back of the pelvic bone. They just bore in there with a Turkey Baster and dig out a little bone and marrow. (sorry, hope I didn't ruin your breakfast, lunch or dinner!) Late yesterday evening he was saying his butt hurt and wondered why they did it there. Well.... they do it there because there is less tissue (muscle, fat, etc.) in your lower back region thus making the bone closer to the surface and the pelvic bone is large.... easy target! I'm not a Doctor... I just recently stayed at the Inn at Villa Olga in lovely Saint Thomas, USVI! (if I knew how to add a link to show you the hotel we stayed in I would.... but I can't!)

Off to get coffee, mine is free, so to speak. Maybe I'll start leaving a tip cup by the coffee maker! My luck someone would take the money and drink from the cup.... and guess who would have to wash it?