Train Graffiti (181/365)

TIME: 7:55 PM
PLACE: 17th St crossing
SUBJECT: Graffiti on train car

Taken while coming home after a lovely supper of sushi with my husband and daughter.

Ikea Aisle (180/365)

TIME: 8:25 PM
PLACE: Ikea
SUBJECT: Ikea Stock area

Stella and I headed to Ikea to pick up some shades for the rental house.

We ended up also purchasing a mirror for the rental bathroom and a rug for Stella’s room.

Stupid Ikea.

Stormy (179/365)

TIME: 6:14 PM
PLACE: Home
SUBJECT: Rain

Tornado and flash flood warnings.

We had a deluge of rain and high winds.

Dad’s wooden fence didn’t make it through the storm.

Heed the Sign (178/365)

TIME: 3:21 PM
PLACE: Annie’s Frozen Custard
SUBJECT: Broken stool

Time for our yearly ice-cream social at work.

We obeyed the sign and sat outside instead.

I think it would have been slightly uncomfortable.

Line of Demarcation (177/365)

TIME: 4:42 PM
PLACE: Highway 55
SUBJECT: Sky

Those clouds do not look friendly.

What I Like About Summer #123 (176/365)

TIME: 7:22 PM
PLACE: Kitchen
SUBJECT: Fruit

I love how the fruit tastes so much better during the summer.

Mom’s House (175/365)

TIME: 2:11 PM
PLACE: West end of town
SUBJECT: Mom’s childhood home

This is the house my mother’s maternal grandparents built in 1906.  They lived there all their lives.  My grandmother did too.  My mother grew up in this house and her sister, my aunt Alice lived here until she wasn’t able to be on her own any longer.  It was sold last year.

It needed a ton of work.  Whoever first bought it sold it to another party who rehabbed it.  I’ve seen the pictures on Zillow, but wanted to check it out in person, There was supposed to be an open house today, but it was cancelled for whatever reason.

I stopped by anyway and took a couple of outside photos.

I hope they re-schedule. 

Here is what it looked like back in the day.

Weingarten (174/365)

TIME: 7:31 PM
PLACE: Weingarten
SUBJECT: Dad and wine

A relative had a 70th birthday party at the Weingarten this evening.

Dad and I met up there to attend the celebration.

The Weingarten is located on a old farm property.

There is a silo….

…and the family cemetery on the grounds.
The Spitznass-Wilderman Cemetery.

This is an old stone – it’s been pretty worn away by time. 
According to FindAGrave, this marker commemorates George Wilderman, born 22 Apr 1788 and who died on 27 Jun 1866.  His wife, Nancy, nee Hill, who was born in 17 Nov 1788, died just a couple of months later on 15 Aug 1866

Cynthia A.
Dau. of
Wm. & Mary Wilderman
Born
Dec. 6, 1832
Died
May 26, 1872

What Is That Rabbit Smoking? (173/365)

TIME: 9:31 PM
PLACE: Alley
SUBJECT: Rabbit

Stella, Claudia and I were on our way home from seeing “The Incredibles 2” when I had to stop in the alley because this rabbit was in the way.

He just sat there. Didn’t even move when I honked the horn.

From this angle, it looks like he’s smoking that leaf on the ground.

Must have mellowed him out.

Library Windows (172/365)

TIME: 7:22 PM
PLACE: Library
SUBJECT: Windows

At the library tonight with Stella.

Yay books!

Shasta Daisy (171/365)

TIME: 12:05 PM
PLACE: Work
SUBJECT: Shasta Daisy

I’ve been trying to take a walk, twice a day at work during my breaks.

We have a little path that goes around the pond in front of our building. From the cafeteria, to the pond, around it twice and back again, is almost a quarter of a mile.

The daisies planted at one end are blooming.

~*~*~*~

The husband had to go to the ER this morning – turns out he has a kidney stone.  This is his 2nd one.  They last time he had one I was out of town with my sister on vacation.

I was just out of town with my sister on vacation last week. 
He gets another  kidney stone.
Coincidence?

In any case, I think he’s going to make it.

Mulder, Hanging Out (170/365)

TIME: 6:03 PM
PLACE: Kitchen
SUBJECT: Mulder

He has de-stuffed the Bark Box Monsieur Acorn, leaving only a ragged shell.

He keeps the world safe from evil fluffy stuffing, one toy at a time.

Forest Happenings (169/365)

TIME: 1:04 PM
PLACE: Pediatrician's exam room
SUBJECT: Window view

As Stella waited for her High School Physical (not to be confused with High School Musical) to commence, the Wolf Fairy was busy leading her wolf pack along with wild buffalo, eagles, tipsy bears, kangaroos, armadillos and koalas to wherever wolves, wild buffalo, eagles, tipsy bears, kangaroos, armadillos and koalas need to go on a Monday afternoon

The gorillas, meanwhile, continued playing in the mist.

Sappy (168/365)

TIME: 8:10 PM
PLACE: Front yard
SUBJECT: Sap

It’s been a bit hot here this week.

The Purple Sand Cherry is leaking sap.

It’s catching the last rays of the sun.

Waiting For Me (167/365)

TIME: 8:43 PM
PLACE: Front porch
SUBJECT: Oreo, Mulder and Jack

I was outside trying to take a few pictures.

They were all waiting for me to come back in the house.

From the Archives (166/365)

TIME: 10:52 AM, 18 Jun 2007
PLACE: The National Shrine of Our Lady of The Snows
SUBJECT: Stella in the splash pad

Here is Miss Stella, 11 years ago, playing in the splash pad at the Shrine.

It looks like she was having a good time.

Flag Day (165/365)

TIME: 8:23 PM
PLACE: Front porch
SUBJECT: Blowing flag

It’s Flag Day.

Parking Lot View (164/365)

TIME: 7:48 AM
PLACE: Work
SUBJECT: Daily view

It certainly has become greener.

And the corn is getting higher.

Dried Flowers (163/365)

TIME: 6:37 PM
PLACE: Kitchen
SUBJECT: Flowers

We gave Stella this bouquet for her 8th grade graduation. 

I think it’s time to dispose of the foliage.

Alamo (162/365)

TIME:  10:00 AM
PLACE: San Antonio, TX
SUBJECT: The Alamo

We couldn’t leave San Antonio without seeing the Alamo.  My sister and I have both been there before, but Stella hasn’t.

She was aware that there is no basement at the Alamo (Thank you Pee-Wee Herman)

We checked out the Riverwalk and ate lunch at Las Canarias.

Then we stopped at the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum.

We spent a lot of quarters on fortunes, sexiness testing, shooting ranges, and pressed pennies.

 

And there were funhouse mirrors.

And my sister was attacked by a wild animal.

So, yeah, we had fun.

*~*~*~*

Today is also James’ 19th birthday!  Happy Birthday to my favorite son – so glad we got to spend the weekend with you!  Love ya!

Enchanted Rock (161/365)

TIME: 11:41-12:40 PM
PLACE: Fredericksburg, TX
SUBJECT: Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

We climbed this 425 foot high giant pink granite boulder today.  It was equivalent to climbing to the top of a 30 or 40 story building.
James was the first to the top – of course – he’s in awesome shape.

I brought up the rear,  I’m sure they could hear my heaving breathing all the way at the bottom.

A panorama of James and Stella at the top. 
The views were beautiful.

Obligatory selfie of all of us.  My sister, me, Stella and James.

James took this photo of me – it was very windy up there!

 

Had to take a photo of the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Reference Mark

Looking down from whence we climbed.  Let me tell you, it was much easier going back down the rock than going up.

We drove back to San Antonio and stopped at Pappadeaux for James’ birthday supper.  James received a free dessert for his birthday, anything from the dessert menu.  He was only going to get ice cream, but my sister and I told him in no uncertain terms, that he was getting the most expensive dessert item listed!  $3.95 ice cream vs. a $6.95 turtle brownie with a scoop of ice cream on top?  No contest. 

They even lit a birthday candle for him.

After, we went back to the base and hung out until he had to check back in.

It was hard saying goodbye to my boy. 

So glad I was able to spend time with him on his birthday weekend.

Saturday (160/365)

Today we met James at the Visitor’s Center so I could obtain my base pass.  The fingerprint scanner wouldn’t register my print.  I joked that thank god the carbolic acid worked on erasing my fingerprints.  Luckily, the guy behind the desk had a sense of humor.  I received my pass anyway. 

James had a soccer game in the morning – so we sat and watched his team play another company.  We won, 4-0.

Then we drove to where we were staying (my sister’s in-laws) so James could shower before we went to eat. 

We ate at the Magnolia Pancake Haus. O. My God.  I was sooo full after eating there.  I didn’t really get hungry again until about 8 in the evening.

Then we went to the Outlet Mall.  I know, an outlet mall.  But hey, that’s where my boy wanted to go.  So that’s where we went.

On the way back, James was hungry (go figure), he wanted to eat a burger at CenterPoint Station.  I had an ice tea and some fries.  I was still stuffed from breakfast.

Then we stopped at Buc-ee’s.
The mother of all gas stations.

 

Hello Buc-ee.
 
68,000 square feet.  60 gas pumps. 18 acres.

It was just a wee bit big.

Finally, we headed back to the house to hang out.  We explored a bit around the property.  James climbed a tree.

Papa D----- has an old Dodge Truck parked on his land.  It looks pretty cool.

 

Grandma J----‘s back porch looks like something out of a gardening magazine.

 
And there were big bugs.

James wanted me to watch a movie he had seen, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” – It was good.

I left with James about 10:15pm to get him back for his late bed check at 11.  It was a full day.