JellyPages.com

Thursday, January 5, 2017

All Roads Lead to Texas


Today I'm deviating from talking about the Hart brothers and book stuff and focusing on the state of Texas. I live in a state that borders Texas, so I've visited there many times. As a kid, going to Six Flags Over Texas was always something I looked forward to. I've enjoyed visiting the Dallas World Aquarium several times, as well as the Dallas Zoo. When our boys were small, we went to Houston and took them to the Johnson Space Center. 


My hubby and I have been to the panhandle, the Alamo, and Galveston--more than once. While traveling, I started snapping pictures, especially of animals, flowers, and butterflies. Here are some that I took in the Waco area.

Three hawks in the same tree.

Meep meep! Roadrunner!

Lovely butterfly on a pretty shrub.
About seven years ago, we spent a week in Waco doing research for a pair of books I set there. We were there before the Fixer Upper craze, so I haven't seen any of the Magnolia stores. I did love visiting the Texas Rangers' Hall of Fame and Museum, and we found the suspension bridge fascinating. We spent hours doing research at the Baylor Library. 


Historical Waco Church
As a historical writer, I especially like seeing the 19th century buildings. One of my favorite places that we've visited was Fredericksburg. It's an older German town with B & B's in vintage homes, fun places to shop, and some fascinating historical buildings. One site I found most interesting was the Vereins Kirche, formerly a church in a roundish building. Now it's part of a pioneer museum.


           
Vereins Kirche
Buckhorn Cabin


 

I have two unfulfilled Texas dreams. First is that I want to go to Round Top, Tx, during the Antique Week. I've seen it advertised many times but I've never gotten to go. Second, I want to see a giant field of blue bonnets in bloom. I've seen them in small quantities, and they are one of the prettiest flowers ever.


How about you? Do you have a favorite Texas site? Or is there a place you've always wanted to visit but haven't yet gotten to go?

I'm pasting in the Seven Brides for Seven Texans word search puzzle again. Work this by tomorrow at five p.m. Central time, then send me an email via my website: www.vickiemcdonough.com to let me know you completed it, & I'll enter in my drawing for The Texas Boardinghouse Brides series. You should be able to either click or right-click on the puzzle to save it. Open it and then print a copy. 





a Rafflecopter giveaway

10 comments:

  1. I've only been to Texas three times, and one of those was as a small child, so I can't remember much. The other two trips were brief: one to Midland, where my mother and my father-in-law grew up, and one to Dallas for an ACFW conference, where all I got to see was the hotel right at the airport. I'd like to see San Antonio and take the River Walk and visit the Alamo. I'd like to visit our relatives in Midland again and get a chance to look around that part of West Texas. I'd like to explore Houston, Dallas and Galveston. Like you, I'd love to see a huge display of bluebonnets in bloom.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I attended ACFW in Dallas--the first time it was there, I think. Texas is so big and there's so much to see. I haven't begun to see all of it. One place I really liked but forgot to mention is the Palo Dura Canyon.

      Delete
  2. Vicki, your pictures are lovely. Thank you for sharing them.
    I have not been to Texas myself but have seen many pictures, as I have cousins that live there and my mom has been there (she said I didn't need to go since she told me all about it.) I too would LOVE to see a field of Bluebonnets.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you get to go one day. There is so much to see.

      Delete
  3. Love the pictures! I have always loved the town of Bastrop - back when it was all old parts left there. Of course the Alamo is a favorite, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't been to Bastrop. I'll have to look it up. The Alamo is a neat place to visit.

      Delete
  4. We have only been through Texas, traveling on our way to Florida. We haven't stopped to visit or look at anything, but it is on our list of places to go play tourist. I would love to go see The Alamo and other historical places.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You could take several vacations to Texas and not begin to see all of it. The are so many historical sites to visit.

      Delete
  5. We have visited Texas twice and haven't even scratched the surface. I am not counting the three or so times we cut through the tip of the panhandle on our way to Colorado. We have been to the Dallas - Fort Worth area twice. The first time we went from there to San Antonio and Austin. We barely scratched the surface of what was available to see. The second trip to Dallas was for the RT convention after which we headed for Big Bend National Park. We spent several days there, but the hiking was kept to a minimum since the temperature was in the high 90's to 105. From there we went to Fort Davis. They are doing a nice job of restoring the site. We also went to the McDonald Observatory. It was a day of low clouds and the entire facility was clouded in. I feel sorry for the astronomers who had signed up to use the telescopes that week. They weren't able to see anything. The lodge at the State Park is lovely and very reasonable. From there we headed to Arizona and New Mexico. There is much more we would like to see and hope to get back soon. My husband is now retired, so we will be able to explore on our own timetable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Big Bend area is another part of Texas that I haven't seen. I'd love to go, but I doubt we will since it's so far away. I hope you and your husband do get to travel more now that he's retired.

      Delete