MAYBORN MUSEUM - WACO

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!

As always (this is becoming quite the habit, isn't it?), I apologize for the delay between posts.  Things have been happening and I have a lot of pics and things to share... so you may be inundated for a few days!

Okay.  Let's start with an interesting trip to the Mayborn Museum here in Waco.  Had not been previously but my BF and her granddaughter had.  They came up to Waco from Austin/Georgetown for a day and we headed to the museum which the granddaughter absolutely loved!  I could see why.  Lots of interesting things to see plus a lot of electronic "quizzes" for kids to do in several of the rooms.

So... mostly photos with a few comments.  I wish you could actually get the perspective regarding size of a couple of the items.  Tried to get people in a few photos in order to help with that!

We made it!!  Front of museum.

First room we entered had a lot of fossils.

Mastodon skull and tusks.

Ostrich-like ancient bird skeleton.

Humpback whale skull with an 8-year old for scale!!!

Sorry.  Didn't get the names of everything I saw!  This was hanging from the ceiling and is clearly a water animal chasing dinner!

Fossil of a substantial turtle!!  Full-grown adult for scale.

Switching gears...

Very interesting room full of cave items and creatures (not alive!).  Definitely a fun place.

An "early Texas" room with information on the areas covered by Texas.

More of "early Texas" with one of the electronic items for the kids in the center (grey).

Early Plains of Texas with Native American shelter and bison.

Early Plains of Texas with Settler shelter.

There were TONS of other things to photograph but it was just so much fun wandering around and looking... well, I missed some shots.  So sue me!  LOL!

At any rate, if you have opportunities to go to museums, especially those with a diverse collection of items, GO!  Take the young'uns.  Show them things they will never see elsewhere.

Until next post...

GOD BLESS SGT MAJ LARRY STRICKLAND - 9/11/2019

Greetings to my Blogging Pals.

Those who have been with me a while know about my participation in Project 2996. I began my participation in 2009 and plan to continue this as long as I am able to do so. I ask each of you to take a moment to remember what happened on 9/11/2001. Even if you read my tributes previously, please read them again. It's important that we see this as an individual, personal event... not just something that happened in New York, D.C., and Pennsylvania over a decade ago. It affects us all and will continue to do so. I do not see the 12th Anniversary as any different from the 2nd, the 19th, or the 100th. The pain for the families is the same. But this is a tribute to their loved one!! Please read about this wonderful gentleman.

*** This was posted in 2009 as my tribute to Sgt. Maj. Larry Strickland. I repeat it here as I will continue doing so on each anniversary of 9/11 as long as I am able. There are a couple of notes and updates from 2010 in italic.

Please meet Sgt. Maj. Larry Strickland. He was 52 years old, born in Washington State, and had a Bachelor of Science degree. He had served our country in a lot of places including Germany, Washington State, Washington DC, Texas, and Virginia. He had many awards and decorations. Most devastating for me to learn was his plan to retire upon completion of 30 years of service... at the end of September 2001. After all of his service, he was close to spending more time on his hobbies (fishing, hiking, gourmet cooking, and needlepoint) and especially looking forward to spending more time with his family. SGM Strickland left behind a wife, Debra, who was the Garrison Command Sergeant Major of Fort Belvoir, VA. at the time, three adult children, and one grandson who will never know his grandfather as he was only a year old when SGM Strickland was taken. His parents also were left to deal with the untimely loss of their child.

NOTE: I posted a note to the family at Legacy.com and received two emails.

One was from SGM Strickland's son-in-law and read, in part:

"I came across your blog today while searching for SM Larry Strickland. I am lucky enough to be married to his daughter Julia and I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for caring enough to research this remarkable man. Everything you read about him and his character is true. He left behind an amazingly strong wife, a beautiful daughter, his two sons, and his grandson. His grandson was 4, not 1 as many newspaper articles claim, so he does remember his grandfather, and fondly."(I was SO happy to read that his grandson did remember his grandfather and wanted to share that with you all! MNC)

The other email was from SGM Strickland's daughter and read, in part:

"Mary, thank you very much for your kind words. I am Larry's daughter, and it is wonderful to know that though it's been 8 years, remembering him and this tragic event is still as important now as it was the day it happened. He was truly a wonderful man, and the best father anyone could ask for."

SGM Strickland headed out to work that day at the Pentagon as there were some meetings he deemed important enough to attend even though he could have skipped them. He had annual leave built up that needed to be used or lost. He chose to go to work. If you knew nothing more about him than that, you would know the character of the man. It was that character that had him in his office on the second floor when the wing he was in was struck by American Airlines Flight 77.

But this is a tribute to SGM Strickland's life. And I've got to tell you the things said about him and written about him are absolutely glowing!! What a wonderful thing... to have those left behind remember you so well and so lovingly. It's not just family. These were friends, co-workers, people who knew him on a "business" level where, many times, the feelings are not so great. I would suggest you take a few moments today to review three different web sites where there are tributes (and from where I gathered much of the information I am sharing with you). It really won't take that long and, thankfully, most of us did not actually know anyone who was lost that day. Perhaps it would be good to learn about at least one of them. I know it gave me a very new perspective.

Pentagon Memorial Fund - Names of the souls lost at the Pentagon are alphabetical by last name. Scroll down and click on SGM Strickland's name to read about his service career.

Columns - The University of Washington Alumni Magazine- Read a really great article here about SGM Strickland's personal life. Sounds like someone we would all like to have known.

Legacy.com - This is where folks can leave notes for the family. Many folks were positively impacted by SGM Strickland. Some commented here about their appreciation of the man. I invite you to take just a moment to leave a note here to let the family know the loss of their loved one is something we all remember.

9-11 Heroes - This is another site where a note can be left. Again... take a moment to leave a note on at least one of the sites. You have no idea how much this can mean to family members.

Thank you, SGM Strickland, for your service, for your honor, and for your character. I'm glad I got to know you.

We should never forget.

GOD BLESS MAJ RONALD MILAM - 9/11/2019

Greetings to my Blogging Pals.

Those who have been with me a while know about my participation in Project 2996. I began my participation in 2009 and plan to continue this as long as I am able to do so. I ask each of you to take a moment to remember what happened on 9/11/2001. Even if you read my tributes previously, please read them again. It's important that we see this as an individual, personal event... not just something that happened in New York, D.C., and Pennsylvania over a decade ago. It affects us all and will continue to do so. I do not see any Anniversary as any different from the 2nd, the 19th, or the 100th. The pain for the families is the same. But this is a tribute to their loved one!! Please read about this wonderful gentleman.

Major Ronald Dutrell Milam was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and had a Bachelors degree from Eastern New Mexico University earned in 1991. He served his country in Germany, Korea, and Saudi Arabia. He had recently received his assignment as Military Assistant for the Secretary of the Army. He had also recently married Jacqueline on January 15, 2000. Things were definitely going well for Major Milam and his new family. His future was clearly a bright one and who knows what wonderful things he would have accomplished!

On 9/11/2001, Major Milam, who had just turned 33 the month before, was at work at the Pentagon. His wife, Jacqueline, five months pregnant with their second child and an Air Force officer, was also at her job at the Pentagon. Neither had an office in the area where Flight 77 struck that morning. Jacqueline was not terribly concerned immediately after the attack assuming they would connect in the parking lot. Major Milam had been attending a staff meeting that morning... right where the aircraft crashed into the Pentagon.

But this post is a tribute to a man who lived well, with honor and with dedication to his country. His college basketball coach had no doubt Major Milam was a leader and a role model during his years working with him. When Major Milam told his coach he had chosen the military as his career, the coach, who thought Milam should pursue a career in law, told the young man he supported him 100%. Major Milam clearly touched many lives during his own. What a great legacy to leave!! We should all be proud of this young man.

Take a few moments today to visit the sites below. If you can, leave a note for his family at either Legacy.com or at 9-11 Heroes. All of the sites below are links to get you there quickly.


Arlington Cemetery Site - If you read nothing else, read this tribute. Major Milam's wife recounts the events of that day and what has kept her going.

Pentagon Memorial Site - This site has a full obituary providing information on Major Milam's life.

Legacy.Com - Take a moment and leave a note for the family here, if you wish.

9-11 Heroes - Or you can leave a note for the family here, if you wish.

Thank you, Major Milam, for your service, for your honor, and for your character. I'm glad I got to know you.

We should never forget.

THE NATURE OF NATURE

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!

Again... I seem to be always "behind" in posting after I catch a few photos.  I want there to be enough to make a full post so I am sorry for the delay.

Now then... let's talk Nature.  A few interesting and/or funny things have happened lately... and I have attempted a new thing or two, all in the name of Nature.

So... going back to late May, I noticed my heirloom tomato plants seemed to be having issues.  After trying a few things to help them, I found a little "buddy" on one while watering.  Further searching revealed seven more!!  Darn it!!  I worked to eliminate them but was not successful.  Too late.

In early August, after having lost my heirloom tomato plants to those insane Tomato Hornworms, I discovered one on the jalapeno plant!!!  Oh NO, you don't!!  Snatched him off and put him on the woodpecker "butter bar" (where we feed the woodpeckers) in case they might like a little snack.  Don't know the outcome... but have seen no more.

During my walks, I always keep an eye out for the Mississippi Kites that arrive here in late Spring and leave in late Summer.  They are wonderful, small birds of prey.  They have a beautiful high-pitched call.  They snatch insects (primarily cicadas!) out of the air and return to a tree or high wire to feed on them!  Great fun to watch them during their hunt.  I knew they would be leaving again soon... and got lucky.  Found two of them on a tree in front of a house about 4 houses down from ours.  We usually have one that hangs out on the high wire behind our place... but to see two together was really cool.

One doesn't have to walk to find critters.  I'm sure you recall the squirrel post last time?  Well... just know there are plenty of wildlife hanging around... even in one's back yard!

(The leaf shape is on the glass. It keeps birds from flying into the glass door. Has worked well!)

There are two parks very nearby.  Woodway Park #1 and Woodway Park #2.  They are along Lake Waco with trails, roads, picnic tables, etc.  Very nice and very nature-filled.  We nearly always see cottontails, roadrunners, or deer while walking early in the morning.  The Man has even seen a baby Bobcat... which he moved away from as reasonably quickly and quietly as possible.  :)  One of the best things for me are the water birds.  There are herons, egrets, osprey, ducks... lots of beautiful birds.  Here are a few we have seen.  Sorry the photos are not great but they are hard to catch and are typically at a distance.  Most were far away and I had to use the max zoom-in on my phone.  But hopefully you can at least tell what you are seeing!!  The osprey is in the last three photos... sitting, taking flight, then landing across the way in front of a campsite area.

LOOK HARD!!!  HE'S ALONG THE WATER'S EDGE BLENDING WITH THE ROCKS!!!

Alright.  I know.  I have overdone it.  Sorry.  But I try to capture these guys, when possible.  Just sharing an enjoyable morning with you.

Hope you have all had a wonderful summer!  Looking forward to a bit cooler weather!

Until next post...

SQUIRRELLY SUMMER!!!

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!!

Well, it has been a while yet again.  Sorry.  Had a lot of things going on over the past month.

At any rate... let's talk squirrels.  Yep.  You heard me.  Those pesky, yet adorable, amusing, yet irritating, little "tree rodents" (as The Man likes to call them)!!

Upon arriving here, they were EVERYwhere!!  The house we were renovating had been vacant a few years.  They had literally taken over the back yard since there was nothing going on there... and a nice big oak tree with plenty of room for them to hang out.  The Man relocated a number of them to the nearby park area, hoping it would slow down the battles.  Nope.  Move one... two more move in!!  For the past two years, they have come into the garage (when the door is open) where they found my well-covered buckets of bird seed and proceeded to begin the gnawing process of the lids!!  New, more difficult-to-bridge lids have helped end that.  They have bounced around all over the "bird areas" including the bird bath.  They were kept clear of the feeders with the use of a baffle that does not allow them to climb the shepherd's hooks holding the feeders.  Until a little earlier this summer...

In placing the bird seed feeders, I tried to place them where they would be shaded for a good portion of the day but without placing them directly under the big oak tree.  I know squirrels can be creative!  For the past two years, they have spent most of their time scrounging the ground beneath the feeders where some scraps of seed fall out or get kicked out by the birds.  That's fine.  What I did not pay attention to was the growth of the oak tree... until...

Yep.  This little fella' wandered out to the end of a thin branch, then managed to leap onto the shepherd's hook, then made his way to his preferred feeder... the woodpecker "butter bar" as we like to call it.  I watched him do it again later in the day, after scaring him off when I spotted him doing this!  Okay.  Have to change things.

So... I asked The Man to help me move the shepherd's hook further away from the limbs, which he did.  Thought that had solved our problem until I saw a little guy on the feeder again!!  WHAT?!?  The only possible route was to climb the pole... which had a baffle on it to deter them.  Discovered the baffle has to be at a higher location on the pole than we had placed it after moving the pole.  Okay.  That should resolve it.

One thing squirrels apparently do not do is give up easily.  I say that as I spent some time at the French Door snapping the following pics for fun.  Hope you can see the process.  But... I will tell you the ending now... we won.  Finally!!  Whew!

And so... the feeders are now safe from the squirrels.  Hopefully that will continue for a while... but I am keeping an eye on those little guys.  They do NOT quit... ever.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!!!

Until next post...

SPRING IN FREDERICKSBURG!!!

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!

Long time. I know. My fault.  Forgive and read on!  Some nice pics follow!!

My friend and I have been making Fredericksburg, TX runs for several years now.  Things slowed down when I was in Louisiana due to the time needed to travel, etc.  But... now that I'm back in Texas, my plan is to make it twice a year... at MINIMUM!!

So... we decided to make a Spring run.  While we always enjoy wildflowers (which we saw each morning during our walk!), that is not our reason for going.  We enjoy the food, some of the shopping, and, primarily, the wineries!!  We also are always able to meet up with the previous owners of our most excellent B&B!!  We always stayed there in the past.  Once they sold it, we haven't returned.  Can't possibly be as fabulous as it was when they had it.  Sad, really.  But... we always enjoy catching up with them and stay in touch.

Okay.  Let's get started, shall we?  :)

We meet in Georgetown, TX, then head west using the "back roads" to get there.  They take us through Liberty Hill, Bertram, Marble Falls, and Johnson City before we actually arrive in Fredericksburg.  BUT... there are many things to do on the way!

We have stopped in Marble Falls before... at a little winery, to grab a bite, to shop the little "downtown" area (original downtown!), and to just take a break.  Our usual "big" stop before Fredericksburg is in Johnson City.  We know of one winery there we like, Texas Hills Vineyard, so we stopped there first.

After buying the first round of bottles (!), we continued to the little downtown area.  We wandered about looking in a few of the shops while waiting to grab an early dinner at Bryans on 290, a wonderful, surprise gourmet eatery there!  (Incredible as it will seem to some, we actually ordered dessert!!!  I KNOW!  A rare occurrence.)  While wandering, we ran across a brand new little winery downtown.  We popped in on a tasting that had just begun for a winery tour group and were kindly welcomed by all.  The owner was a young man who was clearly passionate about his process!  He was full of tons of information he shared with us.

We absolutely enjoyed the time there... and the wine!  I actually found a red I could drink!!! Exciting!  (Usually can't handle the tannins that follow the wonderful taste... so just don't buy reds.)  And yes... a second round of bottles was piled into the 'Hoe.

So... the first morning in Fredericksburg, we took our little "stroll" through the neighborhood surrounding our accommodations.  While there were lots of interesting things, I was mainly taking wildflower pictures.  These were in vacant lots in the neighborhood!  The Bluebonnets were on their way out at the time but the Indian Blanket (red/orange/yellow) were blooming like crazy!  Just a few (maybe more) for you:

After the walk, it was time to catch brunch at a most favored place... The Peach Tree Restaurant.  There are some things that are worthy of repeating... and we do every time... even down to our order!!  Say hello to Mimosas along with Quiche and Avocado Soup (it's Butternut Squash Soup in the Fall!).

Heaven in the morning.  Yum...

So... after brunch, it was time to hit downtown Fredericksburg... at least the few shops we like to go to each time.  While walking around, we found a couple of new benches the city had put out for the tourists to use for a little break during their stay!  Absolutely cracked us up!!

A few wineries later, it was time to get ready to meet our friends for dinner.  They had suggested a new place for us, the Fredericksburg Herb Farm.  It has cottages (which we will consider staying in on the next trip), a restaurant (more later), and a garden and gift shop area that is lovely.  We had a REALLY wonderful dinner there.  I highly recommend it.  In fact, they told us that they had a great brunch, too!  So, my friend and I decided we should have brunch there the next morning on our way out of town and back to reality!  Here are a few pics of what is there:

A Flight of Mimosas was interesting!  And brunch was excellent... just as good as dinner the night before!  Will definitely add this to our "repeat" place for dining.

Then we wandered through the grounds.  Shot pics capturing the cottages that can be rented, the gift shop, as well as some of the garden area.  Very lovely location.  And... it's VERY close to downtown! 

Okay.  After brunch and a couple more wineries, it was time to head back east to Georgetown, drop off my friend, and return to Woodway.  Sigh.  Hate when the fun ends... but we did make one final stop on the way out.  A pleasant way to say Goodbye until next time (and a very favorite winery, to boot)!

So... that's it, Blogging Pals.  I know some of you may have read of Fredericksburg adventures before... but when we find "new" things, I like to post again.  It is a great place to go hang out, relax, eat, shop, and wine away!  Highly recommended.  Probably avoid weekends and the "prime" wildflower time (as well as Oktoberfest!) to keep crowds lower.

Until next post...