Lotta Love!

I just love Valentine's week!  Hearts and hugs and kisses and candy!!  Oh, and occassionally a broken tooth.

my dentist, Dr. Sondra Slater, and her assistant,  looked like a minions!

see?

2-13-14:  David and I tried the Ridge cafe the other day for breakfast.  Really good spot.  But after I finished it felt like something was stuck to my tooth.  Maybe a potato skin?  When I couldn't get it off, I took a look and realized half my tooth was gone!  Thankfully, no pain whatsoever.  Connie recommended her Kerrville dentist to me and she took care of me!  We actually had a good time!  After she finished working on me she said, "this was really fun today!" I told her she needs to get out more.

This could so be my card to David

but instead I got him a bag full of sweets with mushy words on them

David flashing me

My Valentine

2-14-14:  Man am I lucky!  My valentine is not only sweet and handsome, but he plans the most exciting adventures!  Today David, Rocky, and I  explored new places in the hill country!

Guadalupe River as we went through Hunt, TX

more of the Guadalupe

interesting ironwork at a hill country ranch 

one of the beautiful views on 187 south of Lost Maples Natural Area

Hwy 187 northwest of Utopia TX. Site of Old Taylor School, founded by settlers in 1883.

this view is one reason we love the TX Hill Country so

Mac and Ernie's

David has been trying to get us to this spot to eat for a couple of years.  One winter they were closed for remodeling.  Another winter, we just couldn't manage to hit the few days per week they are open.  Finally made it today and enjoyed a yummy burger.  This was the first place shown on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

saw about 12 or so of these coyotes strung up on a ranch fence

Medina Lake is drying up

Drove on over to Medina Lake to see what toll the 3 year TX drought has had on it. Wow!!

Medina Lake was impounded in 1911 and was filled to capacity in 1919. Water from the lake provides drinking water and is also used to irrigate farm and ranch land southwest of San Antonio.

dam

lake levels have always fluctuated dramatically in times of drought and heavy rains. In 2002 almost a year's worth of rain fell in the area in less than a week. 
Twelve feet of water plunged over the spillway and the lake rose within inches of the top of the dam.

(I read in the Texarkana paper a few days later, that there are efforts underway to open the dam back up for foot traffic)

pretty sad

Lots of homes and businesses around the lake are simply boarded up.

the lake bed looks like a prairie - with canyons

David took this picture of the Medina River as it crosses Hwy 16 north of Medina. The clear, spring-fed stream is quite a contrast to the dry lake bed.

What a wonderful, educational day with my man!

Tom looks great in his apron!

Connie and Myrna

Tonite JCRV had a lovely Valentine's Dinner for all of us.  Connie, Lisa, and Myrna outdid themselves as usual!  The food and decos were so good!  And many of the JCRV guys helped cook, serve, and clean up!

They do spoil us here!

BJ, Bill, George, Jerri, me, David

Perkins and Hoots

My Valentine and me

George and Jerri -- love that we get to spend special occasions with them!

my bestie and me

Kyle and Vickey (from Kansas) won the 1st place thong! Or is it a pollen mask?

After our lovely dinner, 3 couples participated in the annul Newlywed Game.  David and I won this 2 years ago, so we spent much of our day today trying to remember questions and trying to guess new questions!  We were ready!!  However, Connie came up with some great questions that we did not anticipate!  So we got 2nd place.  Which equals next-to-last.  At least we beat Jerri and George (who got 2nd place last year)  For our prize we rec'd a box of Valentine's candy and my own picture that has been on the fireplace mantel winter after winter. Tom quickly reclaimed it, however.

Fun February and we still have more Feb days to go!  

Hugs and Kisses,

Honey, Sweetie, and Sweetakins

Friends, Football, and Forts

me and my man

mistletoe tree (actually, a live oak covered in mistletoe)

unwinding a hank

We are mighty comfy among familiar hill country sights and activities.  So blessed to get to go where we want with each other!

3rd grader, Casey Graves with her card holder

Cranford getting a little help from Drew in Pennies from Heaven

 1-18-14: Got these pix today from Cran and Kathey playing Pennies from Heaven with 2 of their grandkids, Casey and Drew!

can you see the owls?

1-19-14:  learned to cable stitch today --- thx to Dawn.  She gave me a lovely pair of fingerless mittens she made, then taught me how to make some.  I'll add beads for the eyes soon. Of course mine don't look anywhere close to as good as hers.  But fun!!

rocking my fingerless mitt

I have one done.  Eventually, I will have a pair.  Maybe.

the turkeys that follow us along the fenceline on our walk

Jerry, Dee, Connie, and Sarah showing off their hooters at the rv park

  1-20-14:  Oh man, there are tons of cedar "explosions" today!  That means the Juniper trees are putting off their pollen.  It literally looks like smoke throughout the hills.  And today while walking on the back road behind JCRV,  a few exploded before my eyes.  Nevertheless, the girls made hooters outside this afternoon.

Cliff and his hooter

Made one for Cliff, too, because he's been quite interested in our hooters.  Beautiful day and it's supposed to get chilly tomorrow.

a little proof to my Yankee peeps that indeed the word  "dinner" means "lunch in the south

Rocky's frame all jazzed up

i think they turned out nicely!

1-22-14:  Jazzed up picture frames today in crafts.  Thx for the idea, Dawn!  I think we did really well. I used some of the hundreds of buttons of Wanda's.  Makes them extra special for me!

Tom getting ready for some serious cards

Jerri, Dave, Karen, and George

Ron, Dawn, Stan, and Connie

gettin' our Panties on

I think he means "Peace"

Had several couples playing Panties tonite at the clubhouse! Fun.

rr floors in Meltdown

Jerri giving me the evil eye, Melinda enjoying the pile

1-23-14:  Dee, Jerri, Sarah, Melinda, and I tried a new place for lunch today.  It's called Meltdown and was a fun sandwich shop in Kerrville.  Loved their bathroom floors.  $120 worth of pennies! (or shall we say "panties?) Then we headed to Sarah's house to play Panties.  This afternoon we had a light freezing mix.  Winter in the hills!

1-24-14:  Coooooold today!  So it was all about sewing and knitting for me --- all day!

1-25-14:  Jerri and I hit some resale shops today.  Knowing that we were going to eat pizza tonite at Valentino's with spouses and Tom/Dee, we tried really hard not to eat while we were out shopping.  But we got hungry.  Convinced ourselves to stop at Mamacita's and just split an appetizer.  And that's what we did.  But it was about 2 hours before supper time.  We are weak and we were stuffed. So nice to have a partner in crime.

1-28-14:  Brrrrr.  Antartica visited today! Only a light mix, but super cold!  This is unusual for our winter experiences in the hill country.  More winter temps than ever before.

great story about Dawn and her wall hanging on my craft blog

1-29-14:  Made wall hangings in crafts today.  More details on my craft blog.

Johnson Creek

Telegraph, TX

a little of the history there

got a glimpse of some kayakers on this stretch of the South Llano

from one of the trails inside the state park

another great view from inside the park

Rocky, me, and David at an overlook at the river

lots of these on the trails inside the state park

1-31-14:  Date day for David and me. He did a superb job of planning a day trip to South Llano River State Park near Junction.

Ft. McKavett schoolhouse

inside the schoolhouse

the school heating system

in between some of the barracks on the grounds

some of the ruins at the fort

destroyed by fire

maybe the wood to a window or door?

inside one of the sleeping quarters

ruins of the longest barracks west of the Mississippi

an impressive flagpole

 and then over to Ft. McKavett.  This fort was established as protection against raids around the San Sabo River.  Wonderful, scenic day. The Edwards Plateau is something else!  Rocky went with us and passed totally out on the way home.  Got home in time to get ready for a delicious lasagna dinner at the clubhouse.  Connie makes the best lasagna ever!

game? what game?

Ron's story to Kyle must've been.....

the same as George's story to Dave

most of the girls knitted

David got up to take pix just about the same time I did

Love getting to winter with my bestie!

our selfie

me and Mr. Ken

The guys watched the game 

2-2-14: Super Bowl Sunday.

me, Dawn, Connie, Shirlene, Jerri, Sue, and Bobbie

2-3-14:  Our friend, Sue Jackson, came through town today with her friend, Bobbie.  So 5 of us met them at Mamacita's.  Great to see her and to meet Bobbie! Sue, we sure miss ya this year at JCRV!

Jerri, me, Vickey, Connie, and Shirlene

Mr. Ken kept the clubhouse warm while we made aprons

2-5-14:  Made aprons today in crafts.  Fun and easy!

2-6-14:  Rocky strutted his stuff today on his walk with David.  One of the rv'ers has a metal silhouette of a black dog outside their camper.  David stopped to talk to Ron and while waiting, Rocky went after that dog. Barked and kicked his back legs.  I've always said he needs glasses.

Cypress Creek near Comfort

2-8-14:  Date Day!  After the clubhouse breakfast, we drove over to Comfort on a backroad I don't think I had been on before.  It was 1341 and very scenic.  It ran along Cypress Creek as we entered Comfort. Beautiful, HUGE, Bald Cypress trees and a rare black squirrel were some of the treats we got to see.

August Faltin Bldg, 1879

my fave yarn shop

Comfort State Bank Bldg, built in 1907

The Comfort Post Office was built in 1906

Faust Hotel - older section built in 1880. Designed by Alfred Giles who was the architect of many of Comforts quaint bldgs

door to the Gass Schmeide - David's fave bldg in Comfort. The rock mason walked from his home in Sisterdale each week for a year to work on the lower level

Paul Ingenhuett home designed by Giles in 1897

across from the Ingenhuett home

While I was visiting the Tinsmith's Wife yarn shop, David walked around Comfort and got pix of some of the fabulous bldgs in town.  They are loaded with German heritage. Then we headed on to Boerne for the driving range.

On one of the Cibolo Nature Center trails in Boerne

this trail went through the arboretum, which was pretty sparse

Rocky and I resting alongside the Cibolo Creek

beautiful Bald Cypress trees line the creek

some are rather large

I always manage to get David's good side

the trails were flat and easy -- lots of prairie land

repiclas of the dinosaur tracks found at Cibolo Lake Dam in the 1970's

Then we headed to the Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne.  There wasn't much of anything to the nature center itself.  But they have some nice trails that allow dogs.  So the 3 of us hit a couple of them.  Tho they were mostly in the sun, the temps were pleasant and we enjoyed walking around.  Beautiful Cibolo Creek and huge Bald Cypress there, too!

Joe Smith -- one of our neighbors at jcrv

2-9-14:  Finally!!  In the 70's today so the rv park was hopping!  Just about everyone was sitting outside soaking up the sun!  We even met one of our neighbors that we hadn't had a chance to meet because of the weather.  Joe and his wife, Carol, actually know Glen and Sue from their stays in CO.

Donna and me

And our winter friend, Donna, came over to visit it a bit.  So good to see her here each winter since we've been coming here.  We even ran into her in Hot Springs one fall.

Shirley Temple

2-11-14:  Woke up this morning to the news of Shirley Temple's death at 85.  And Laura Lee texted me to be sure I knew.  I cannot count the number of times Laura and I watched The Little Princess -- many times along with my mom.  Laura and Shirley shared the same bday -- Laura in '82 and Shirley in '28.

Jerri and I braved the wintery roads and went over to Melinda's this afternoon to finish our round of Panties with Melinda and Sarah.  Jerri and I got clobbered!! But lots of fun.

It's  Valentine's week around here. JCRV will have a nice dinner that night and David and I will defend our title in the Newlywed Game from a couple of years ago. And looking forward to exploring a few more spots in the hill country.

Much love to our friends!


Henry, Shirley, and Real Dog