First Bluebonnets of 2016

The Woodlands near Gosling and Research Forest Drive

Bluebonnets And Wildflowers of 2015

Taken March 25, 2015

 

 

 

Joplin Rose and Parsons Pearl in the Wildflowers

March 27, 2015

 

 

Parsons Pearl

 

Joplin Rose

 

 

Parsons Pearl

 

Joplin Rose

Parsons Pearl

 

Joplin Rose

Little River Canyon Mouth Park

Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his same sad old song
Every rose has its thorn

Bret Michaels,  C. C. Deville,  Bobby Dall,  Rikki Rockett

I hate this road and I am never going back. 

I did, however, meet a man named Spirit that I will never forget. 

Which only proves that every road in life has a reason. 

And Just Like That She Was Gone

But a few weeks before she left this universe we had a conversation. We talked about her plants. She loved plants. Flowers, trees, vines, herbs, just about anything would grow under the careful tending of her hands. She always had that intuition of what each plant needed at a certain time. Oh, she studied as well. She had many books on the different varieties of plants that she grew or wanted to grow in the future. What information not found there would lead to a trip to the nursery to discuss soil or proper feeding techniques. Although privy to many of these discussions I always had the impression she just instinctively knew.  As far back as I can remember our back yard looked like a plant nursery. Back in the 1970's when macrame hanging pots were popular we had many. Ours were filled with huge ivy and various other plants plentiful with leaves and flowers.

I never had the gift of helping things grow. I never got the formula correct. It was always too much or too little of this or that. I ended up with pitiful dried up pieces of dirt. Many times she would come and help me get my yard presentable. We would dig and get the flowers just right. I had limited success. But I learned a bit along the way.

So she had some amaryllis bulbs and had previously had limited success with them. She had decided to get two huge bags of Miracle Grow potting soil and just put the bulbs in there and see what happened. It was an experiment of sorts.  That was part of our conversation.

A few weeks later she was gone.

While at her house picking up some things, one of them being plants, her husband took me beside the garage and showed me two huge bags of potting soil and asked if I wanted them. I told him I knew exactly what there were, and yes, I did.

I took the bags and planted them in two pots.

The next Spring, 2004, I waited. Would anything happen? Would they bloom?  Finally, the first bit of green appeared above the dirt. A sign. There was life. The experiment had worked. Those bulbs were going to make it. And they did bloom.  One red, the other pink.
And they have bloomed every Spring since then. They have multiplied. I have divided bulbs and put them in different pots and given some away.

10 years of blooms.

I can't help it. I get excited to see the first signs of green popping through the dirt every year. Then when the bud starts it is amazing. When the flower blooms it is wonderous. To others it may just be a flower in a pot. Not to me.

Sometimes the simple things in life can take on a whole different meaning. The bloom of a flower can be like a sister tapping you on the shoulder and saying,

"Sister, I'm still here, look at me!"

We only have to be observant of our surroundings to find the blessings laid in our paths each day.

The flutter of a butterfly. The song of a beautiful red cardinal. The soulful eyes of a wondering dog that crosses our path. A rock shining more brilliantly than all the others. That one brighter star in the sky at night.

Lessons. Gifts. Messages.

We are only left alone if we chose to ignore our blessings.

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Manske Roll ~ San Marcos, Texas

We ain't here for a long time, we here for a good time. ~ Pitbull

And that is why I am back this morning having another delicious Manske Roll! This one with some Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

Manske Roll opened in September 1906 and they still cook their buns fresh each day. You can certainly tell the difference in the quality. Their buns are soft and sweet. It's the actual dough that has a slight sweet taste to it. The cinnamon rolls are not too sweet. Even their hamburger buns have that slight sweet taste. The burgers come in four sizes which is great. And on Mondays you can get two 1/4 pound burgers for $2.00.

This was another good find from Diners, Drive-In's and Dives.

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Bluebonnet - Amazing!

Today we set out to see the "Field Of Dreams" of bluebonnets. Find it we did. Located at Muleshoe Bend Recreational Area this was the largest field we have ever seen - and we are born Texans!
This field looks like a sea of blue. When you look out over it, it just looks like a river or a lake. This used to be the river bed but it is now dry. You can walk or drive through the field. Just be careful not to trample all over them. Be careful of snakes and stickers.

Just do yourself a favor and take the time to visit this field. It is a wonder.

There is a special feeling connected with visiting the bluebonnets every year. Memories of days gone by and the people that have shared our lives. Jerry's mom loved to see the bonnets and looked forward to making the drive from her hill country home to Houston each year to see them.  My dad saw to having bluebonnet seed planted on the Texas highways during his days at the Texas Highway Department. The state once thought it very important to keep our State flower plentiful. As kids we were told it was against the law to pick a bluebonnet if it was on a Texas highway.  When our kids were small we would go out and visit the flowers. That tradition continues now with my grandchildren.

Do people in other states trample out to fields of their state flowers and make fools of themselves as they gaze in awe at the beauty?  I don't know. But I plan to keep doing so until my hair is as blue as the bonnets!

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Spring Trip Has Begun!

Heading out to San Marcos and the Bandera area today. Can't wait to see what wonders the week brings.

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