Open Mic and the Quilting Ladies

Yikes - I'm a slow blogger again.  We've traveled miles and stayed at two Texas state parks and are now back in San Antonio since my last post (well alright, I wasn't so bad, I did do the roadrunner post).

I think I'd mentioned that the "resort" we stayed at in San Benito (when we were close to South Padre Island) had lots and lots of activities and was a very social pleasant group of "winter Texans".  Well every Monday they have an open mic session from 1 - 3.  We loved it!!!

While the tunes are happening so are the quilting ladies ~ I loved that ... it was nice to be with a group of quilters and help them with their projects that day.  Seems they donate these quilts (queen size and crib size) to a local homeless shelter.  When supplies run low they raffle off a quilt to provide funds for more fabric etc.  

After we left there we headed to Falcon Lake State Park.  Well this is on the Great Texas Birding Trail.  As I've mentioned before, I think the only bird I can recognize is a cardinal and a robin, so what is that green beauty right in the center of the trees below?

  

Little did we know that Falcon Lake was the scene of a very nasty event last fall involving and American citizen jet skiing with his wife and a group of Mexican "pirates".  And to correct a misconception ~ Kimmy we don't hate Mexico, in fact Mexico has some beautiful areas and lots of history.  What we hate is the corruption, the "politics" and the inability of the "authorities" to get a handle on it and stop all the violence.  

So once we found out about the tragedy that happened on the lake (thanks Chester) I was fearful to even walk the dog!  The lake was beautiful to look at and the park was nice and quiet, but there was nothing, and I mean nothing in the area, no where to eat, no where to buy groceries, another of those very depressed areas so common lately!

After we left Falcon Lake we went to another lovely state park.  This was Lake Casa Blanca in Laredo.  Oh my what a find this was (Laredo, well not so much, but the park well WOW).  I must admit the state of Texas, in spite of some nickel and diming, does a marvelous job taking advantage of and marketing their natural beauty.  Another huge quiet space with nicely sized sites.

There was an air show while we were there and we got to watch it from the campground - it was like a private show!  Rick thoroughly enjoyed it, as well as the old military planes, one of which had crashed in Alaska several years ago.  The pilot and crew walked away and the plane was encrusted in ice for many years.  It was rediscovered in the 90's, I believe, and repaired etc and that particular plane was flying in the show!

There was this really neat old building at the park as well.  Rick asked one of the rangers and was told it was the "science center" at the park and has been out of use for about 30 years.  At least it can still be used for a photo op with the bikes.  I loved how the doors and exterior woodwork blends in with the blue sky so you wonder if you are looking through broken windows!

Check out the dog in the front of the pontoon boat below.  We were out on the bikes one day last week and stopped for fuel and saw this boat/dog at the gas station.  When we got back to the park that afternoon the boat had just come out of the water and we recognized it.  I asked the man if I could take some pictures of his dog (whom Rick and I named "Petey").  Well, as has happened often over the last few weeks, communication was an issue .... um how to put this and still be pc .... I thought the language in America was English, not the case in these parts, not the case.

As I said we are back in San Antonio for a week.  Our niece Elisha and her friend are arriving tonight!  They needed to escape the cold and snow of upstate New York .... and the San Antonio weather is going to cooperate!