30 September 2014 - Louisiana

Today we left Houston heading east.  As we left Houston, Ronda snapped a picture of the Houston skyline.   We enjoy this area and the clouds are typical of a location by the ocean with morning mists and clouds which lift and clear as the day goes on.  Later the clouds gather again as the warm moist air starts to cool as it rises in the evening.  It is humid and the heat can be oppressive, but we like the place and having David and Shirlee and the kids there is an added attraction.
As we moved along we passed the San Jacinto battlefield where the Texans won their independence from Mexico and the battleship, Texas is permanently moored there.  We have visited both places on a past visit and found them so very interesting. 
The freeway carried us out of Houston, the 4th largest city in the U.S. and then, the city just peters out, opening up to flat, broad, coastal plains, covered with thick, green grass, dense stands of trees and beautiful pastures and fields.  Further on, at Port Arthur and Beaumont, the area sprouts refineries, chemical plants. bays and estuaries thick with shipping and commerce.  On one of our stops for gasoline, as we pulled off the road, we found an interesting location that reminded us of a certain children's book by Booth.

We didn't see a possum, but if he comes a knockin', don't open the door.





We continued on, crossing into Louisiana. Our goal was to reach Lafayette, LA, in the heart of Cajun country.  David told us of the Acadian Cultural Center, which we wanted to visit.  Unfortunately it closes at 4 p.m. and we were a little late.  Nearby, the National Park Service has a location that gives a movie history of the Acadians or Cajuns to help us learn about them.  We got there for the last showing. It was most interesting and right in the middle of it, the subtitles in English changed to French, even though the narration continued in English. We later found that a couple that speaks French had come and walked in to see the movie after it started. The personnel were kind enough to accommodate their language part way through the film.   We noted similarities with the exodus of the Saints. Both groups were persecuted for their beliefs and their heritage and forced to leave treasured homes and lands and go into exile.  The Acadians eventually found a haven and respite in southern Louisiana, mainly because the French ceded it to Spain and both were Catholic countries, so offered haven to the exiles from Nova Scotia.   In the visitor's center hangs a flag of the Cajun people, representing some of this heritage.

  You can see the French fleur de lis, the castle and colors of Spain and the single star, which we were told represented the Virgin Mary, to whom they looked for guidance and succor.



We also learned about the different kinds of music native to this area, Cajun and Zydeco, as well as the haunting melodies and tones carried down from Canada during the exile.  We bought a couple of CD's of the music.  Zydeco is in 3/4 time and Cajun in 4/4 time, one way to tell them apart.  I find them fascinating and fun to hear. They have a catchy beat and the guide warned us that if we listen on the car CD player, not to let our feet get tapping in rhythm.......on the accelerator.

Most of the Cajun music is played on simple instruments.  In the past they consisted of a simple accordion, something to make a rhythm and a wash board played with spoons or church keys, which, if you look closely, you can see hanging at the bottom of this device, made to hang on the shoulders when played.


As we were leaving the center, we noted a long blue stripe on the floor.  It represented a length of 18 feet, the longest known alligator found to date.  As you can see, with Mom as the comparison, that would be one humongous critter, which would be very wide and easily devour any size man and most beasts.

We left to get settled in our room but plan to return to the Acadian Culture Center again tomorrow and learn more and see a replica of an old Acadian Village, how they lived, etc.  For dinner we decided to find a restaurant that specialized in Cajun food.  All the folks we asked told us to go to Prejean's, (pronounced pray zonz).  We took their advice and had a delicious meal, focusing on local cuisine.  We both enjoyed a gratis cup of chicken and sausage gumbo, courtesy of our hotel and then Mom had a Louisiana Crawfish and Alligator Sausage Cheesecake. It was not what you know as a typical cheesecake, but had fresh crawfish and alligator sausage baked in a savory cheesecake mixture with smoked Gouda cheese and a Parmesan crust.  It was quite tasty.  I selected Crawfish Etoufee (ay too fay), a delicious thick sauce filled with crawfish tails and spices and in the middle of the plate, a plump homemade crawfish pie.  It was delicious and I could have it again anytime.  I may send a picture on Instagram.  Leaving the restaurant, we passed "Big Al", a stuffed, 14 foot alligator caught nearby, weighing 800 lbs and estimated to be about 65 years old when caught.  Impressive!!   We will keep you updated as we go along. We noted how cold it has become in Utah and we are enjoying warm and delightful weather here.

29 September, 2014 - A day in Katy, texas

We spent the day just relaxing and doing a few housekeeping items. We did a little shopping, washed clothes and hung out with Shirlee until the kids came home. It was fun to see them be so excited to see us again when they got off the bus.  They are happy, vibrant children, bright and intelligent and very active.  When Maya got home it was right to homework and practice the violin. For Ethen, it was to play and be excited to get Grandpa to join in building Lego things.  He also had to practice piano as well.

Shirlee practiced her violin and also played the piano.   Like most of us, she tries to be well organized.  She had arranged to send some costumes home with us for Halloween and when she  went to find them, the Gremlins had hidden them away.  It was not until after David had come home and helped her look that they found them.  They do not have a basement and
Shirlee lamented the lack of storage space, but they do quite well with what they have.

Ronda took the occasion to spend some reading time with Maya, sharing one of her suspense filled children's novels.  I think Mom enjoyed it as much as Maya.  When Dave got home it was Chinese take-out (delicious, by the way), getting the kids to bed and spending a few moments talking. 

Tomorrow we will head on our way again toward the Florida Gulf Coast.  We plan to find a nice place along the way and if we are able, end up for the Conference weekend along the Atlantic Coast of Florida.  We will see how far we get.  We appreciated Rachel and Eric watching over our home while we are away.  We deeply love all our children and this time with David and his family has been a real treat.

28 September, 2014 - Day After

Today has been Fast Sunday, a day of fasting and prayer.  For us it was a day of gratitude for all we have been given, and in such abundance.  As we consider our family, we feel that Heavenly Father has been so generous, kind and merciful.  All of us have challenges, but also, we all have blessings.  As parents, we give thanks for the love that infuses our families and that we all care for each other.
We attended Church today with David and Shirlee and the kids. Shirlee had to leave earlier to take her parents and Nicole and Taya to the airport. They had to be home today.  So the rest of us got ready and made it to Church on time and found Shirlee waiting there for us.  They have a large ward,  the singing was good and there were no lapses in testimonies during the time allotted. 

Before the Braithwaites left, Maya favored us with an impromptu violin performance, doing once again the number she played at the baptism.

She is progressing so nicely.  Interesting enough, Shirlee also plays the violin and so does Jon Braithwaite.  We heard from 3 generations this morning. Nicole also plays and I think that almost the entire family is musically talented.  Leonora does not play the violin, but the piano is her forte'.





When we broke the fast after Church, Shirlee fixed a lovely meal for us and we enjoyed a relaxing time together.  David, Shirlee and I went for a  comfortable walk after dinner. We followed the trails around the subdivision, seeing duck, egrets and cranes and swatting an occasional mosquito. We walked to the lake, which is surrounded by lush lawns, large houses and beautiful trees.  Landscaping here is done so tastefully and there is almost always something blooming and green.

For her birthday, Maya got a Lego set of "Friends" and it was time to attack the project. Mom paid close attention as the kids began to undertake the project.  It did not get nearly finished, but good progress was made. I am sure it will take several days to complete.

 Look at all the stuff involved.  I-pads, blocks, instruction manuals and extra guidance from Mom, using her skill and perception.  You can see how involved she is.  We have decided to extend our stay here one more night to have a day tomorrow to wash, put things together again and have one more evening with this family that we love so much.  It has been a good and relaxing Sabbath.

27 September - Baptism Day

Today has been a very special day, the day that Maya was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was baptized and confirmed by her worthy father, supported by many who love them both.

Maya looked beautiful and we are so pleased by her choice.  It was a privilege to be there.  Mom gave the opening prayer and I gave a talk on baptism.  Maya and Shirlee did a violin and piano duet, which was lovely.  David did the baptism just right with Jon Braithwaite and I as witnesses.  It was very nice that even though only one person was to be baptized, a number of people were in attendance, both from the Ward and from friends and neighbors of Dave and Shirlee. There were probably 30 or 40 people there. At least, almost all the cookies and cupcakes disappeared!

They looked so tasty that I had to let my diet slide a bit and take a taste.  Indeed, they were sweet and soft, not dry and crumbly.  It is a good thing that I have a little self discipline or I could have eaten the whole plate all by myself.





Jon Braithwaite, her grandpa, gave a sweet talk on the Holy Ghost and then the priesthood formed a circle around Maya, laid our hands on her head and she was confirmed by David.  He gave her a sweet blessing also.  Maya was wondering how to involve the people she loved in this program, so she included her Grandma Braithwaite who led the singing and Ethen gave the closing prayer.  It was amazing how well he did.  It was a terrific program but most of all a special spirit was present and we felt it with grateful hearts.

I am so proud of Maya and love her so very much.  I love all of my grandchildren and know that they are all trying to be very good and to choose the right.  When I see them get baptized, Like Lizzie, Tyler and Maya have done, I know they are on the right path.








Maya has recently been fitted with new glasses and commented that she did not know she "was so blind". Now she can see so well and with the Gift of the Holy Ghost will be able to see even better in life, the way she should go and the things she should do. 

Maya wore this beautiful dress and, as you can see, she also enjoyed the luscious cookies her mom had made.

Here, with Maya, are her brother Ethen, her cousin Taya and a neighbor friend, Leah.  I thought it was so nice to invite her friend to join in this event and celebration. It showed a spirit of missionary work and love for those around her.  She is a special child.

Proud parents and a sweet couple.  We love them so very much.  You can tell that this is happy day for both of them and for us it was so nice to be with them and feel of the love in this family.

Just as a side note, with all the preparation Shirlee did for this day, David thought it might be nice to not have to worry about breakfast so he went out and bought a bunch of Kolache's to eat.  Lance knows that these are wonderful, tasty, filled pastries with eggs, cheese, bacon, sausage, etc..





After we got home and changed our clothes, we drove out to the Houston Space Center and enjoyed an interesting visit.  As you know, I love the things of space and exploration and it was a treat to visit this interesting place.

At the entrance they had a Boeing 747 with a mock-up of the space shuttle perched on top.  Inside we saw such wonderful displays and even got to touch a moon rock and see a movie of the history of space exploration by the US.  And I had a lot of fun.

  We finished the tour and decided to all go out to dinner at a fun Mexican restaurant called Jimmy Changa's.  It was packed and we had a long wait to get seated, but the food was wonderful. I ate too much, but at least tomorrow is Fast Sunday.  Mom had a stuffed and deep fried avacodo, filled with luscious, spiced meat.  I had a special salad, a Shrimp, Mango Tostada Salad. Wow!  When they brought it out, I was so impressed that I had to take a picture with my phone.

After dinner we headed home, having had a wonderful and momentous, as well as delicious day.On the drive home the sunset provided a spectacular close.

26September - David's

We had a great drive from Corsicana, Texas to Houston.  On the way, we decided to take a slight detour to see the Sam Houston National Forest.  Unlike the ones we are used to, all the roads are lined with homes, businesses and farms.  I guess that people owned these places before the national forest was created and they just designated the area around private ownership as federal ground. We did find a little spot for Freddy the Falcon to visit and record the location.  Then on to David's.  We took a photo to confirm our arrival.

It was good to find ourselves again with people we love.  When we got to the house, we found that lovely Shirlee had been working on a display for the coming baptism.  She had prepared beautiful pictures and mementos, programs and flowers. When we arrived she was making cookies and cupcakes for the event.




You can see how attractive is the display.  It highlights this cute girl who has made this decision to join the Church of Jesus Christ. 

Ronda is a true believer in cookies for special events. In fact, she followed her motto: "Everyone has to believe in something. I believe I will have another cookie!"  She was able to confirm that the cookies were delicious.  The frosting was so tasty and the design great.





Shortly after we arrived, Maya and Ethen returned from school and we went to the bus stop to welcome them home.  They were excited to see us and their hugs were sweet.  It is good to be here.

We love these people. They are so dear to our hearts. To be able to be here for Maya's baptism is a treat and a blessing.  The other grandparents, The Braithwaite's, along with Nicole (Jared's wife) and their daughter Taya, arrived in a short while and we had a great reunion. Tomorrow is the special day and we are looking forward to it.

25 September 2014 - Start Texas

We headed further south today moving through the wonderful countryside of Oklahoma. Both Ronda and I love this area.  It is green and open, with rolling hills, pastoral farms and, right now, warm temperatures.  We did pull off to view Turner Falls, the highest falls in Oklahoma. It tumbles down limestone cliffs into a large pool, a natural place for swimming.  We expected more, but it was a lovely spot.

 This place became the first state park in Oklahoma and has been a gathering spot for the residents for a long time.  There are old cabins along the river and one man even built his "dream castle" on the hillside overlooking the stream.  It is of stone and has battlements and a tower, looking like a small version of European strongholds. Sadly, it has fallen into disuse and disrepair.  But, it was interesting.

 We dropped into the Red River Valley and just before crossing the river into Texas, we took a side trip to Murray Lake, in the heart of the Red River Valley.  It is a man-made lake covering a large area. Unfortunately, the dry seasons have depleted the water and the level has dropped substantially.  We went to the lodge and walked out onto the dock, which is now sitting almost 20 feet above the water to take a picture with Freddy the Falcon.  The dock was rickety and it somewhat intimidated Mom.  She had to hold on to me to make it out. We looked into the water and could see walleye fish swimming around.  On the way out, we passed a lovely picnic area called Pecan Grove. We pulled in and found it was indeed a beautiful grove of pecan trees with picnic tables.  We picked a couple of the low hanging nuts for our own curiosity.  They are still in the husks and have a wonderful, fragrant woody smell. We plan to bring a couple home for kids to see because the IQ demands it!  You can see how attractive the place is to have a picnic.

The day was moving along so we hurried back to the freeway, crossed the Red River and headed toward Dallas.  The closer we got, the heavier the traffic became.  In spots everything clogged with construction and narrow lanes.  Nevertheless, we soldiered on but made a decision that we needed to visit the Dallas Arboretum, which was featuring their Autumn Festival with pumpkins galore.  We made it there with about 1.25 hours to go before they closed.  It was indeed worth the traffic aggravation and the effort to visit this gorgeous spot.

 When we walked in the entrance was a pile of multicolored pumpkins and gourds and squash.  I did not know there were so many varieties.  The fall colors were astounding. We asked where they go so many different types and they told us they are grown in western Texas.  They must haul in truckloads to decorate the arboretum.  All the pathways are lined with pumpkins and squash and one area is especially decorated for kids and adults alike.  We were enthralled!

Look at the piles of different squash and pumpkins.  One of the workers said she had counted the varieties listed and had come up with 49 of them.  Children were rushing about laughing and squealing, climbing on pumpkins and touching the different shapes and textures.  I had no idea there were so many.  They even had Cinderella's coach with a big pumpkin on top and life-size horses made of stalks and wheat, etc.  The had made a number of pumpkin and squash houses representing several children's stories about pumpkins. Some we had never heard of and they were fascinating.

 

We saw lots of squirrels, most at least twice as big as the ones we see in our backyard in Utah.  I snapped a picture of one that had purloined a small pumpkin from the display, literally rolling it under a bench and then fiddling with it until it could bite into it enough to carry it away as it scampered over the larger squash and into the bushes and up a tree.

Ronda looked lovely as a scarecrow among the stalks of corn and we had a great time in this fabulous Autumn display.  It was a great visit and a nice break from the drive.

24 September, 2014 - We've Reached Oklahoma

What a beautiful day for a drive!  An early morning walk took me past fields of corn and sorghum.  The corn seemed a bit stunted, what the locals call "droughty corn".  But bobwhites were singing, the sky blue and clear and the weather warm and comfortable.  It was a good start to the day.  We headed east on I-70 and the pristine flat lands of the middle American plains rolled past.  We felt relaxed and the view was easy on the eyes, focus as far as you can see.  We passed small towns, built around quaint churches with grain silos girdling each location.  On the plains, fields of corn, sorghum and, here and there, soybeans stretched away on either side.
At Salina we turned south on I-135 and moved in the direction of Oklahoma and Texas.  Now and then we encountered construction, but mostly it was open road and cruise control, some of the best driving, relaxed and easy.
We knew we needed to stop at Lindsborg again, one of our favorite little towns,  and made the proper exit when suddenly, beside the road, opened a field of sunflowers, Ronda's favorite.  We had to stop and march into the field and feel the beauty of the bright yellow and deep green.

This field had been freshly renewed by a big rainstorm the day before.  The air was clean and you could smell the earthy plant smell of these growing wonders.  Birds were singing and butterflies were dancing from flower head to flower head, stopping to feed and gently wave their wings.  It was quite pastoral and lovely.

 As you can see from the look on her face, Ronda felt renewed and exhilarated to be in among these floral symbols of the sun, growth and life. The bending flower heads had turned toward the sun and will turn with it, tracking its course across the sky. Perhaps she loves them so much because they follow the sun, a symbol of truly following the Son.  Other than a single mosquito bite, in which the little bug sacrificed its life with a quick smack, this was a refreshing stop after a couple of hours of driving.  Then it was on into Lindsborg.


 That special, Swede founded town, was as quaint, lovely and pleasant as when we first visited it.  The streets were not crowded and parking was easy to find.  We strolled among the multicolored Dala horses lining the street and found one to use in picturing Freddy the Falcon. (Pay no attention to the man behind the horse. He is looking for saddle sores.)

 
In one shop we browsed among wonderful trinkets and found a talented lady who actually paints the horses after they are cut out of fresh planks of wood.  She can custom paint them if requested.  She loves what she does and does it well.

I know you cannot believe it, but as we passed the Swedish Crown Restaurant, an enticement just reached out to us, filled our ears with its beckoning call and, unbidden, our feet carried us in, sat us down and in minutes we had plates of Swedish Pancakes and lingonberries resting in front of us.  We suffered through their consumption, only able to free ourselves when the plates were empty:)




Pleasantly satisfied, we resumed our journey, leaving Kansas and crossing into Oklahoma. We think that Oklahoma is a slice of rolling hill goodness, with farms and ranches, lush fields and sweet air.  Both of us love the state.  We have not gone as far as Oklahoma City, with its crowded bustle and frenetic pace, but should move past it quickly tomorrow. Tonight we are in Edmond, OK with a comfortable place to stay.  We are loving the trip.

23 September, 2014 - On to Colorado

We left Rawlins today blown along by the relentless Wyoming wind. The sky was beautiful, but the wind biting and persistent. I walked a couple of miles this morning and felt like I was crossing Rocky Ridge.  On the way back to the hotel, I could have opened my coat, and if on a skateboard, just coasted back, wind sailing me along.  But the drive took us through the rolling hills and grasslands of Eastern Wyoming, dotted with oil wells and skittering antelope. It was lovely and open forever.  At Cheyenne we turned south and headed towards Colorado. Just before the border, we turned off to visit the Terry Bison Ranch.  They have a couple of herds of bison (buffalo) and a tourist ranch.  We decided not to take the tour, but did visit the tame buffalo along with Sami's contribution to the journey, Freddie Falcon, a drawing of her school mascot.  He will travel with us and also visit parts of this great country.

See Freddy hiding by the horn?  It felt good to be back in the saddle again and "Riding High". 












I tried to get Ronda to climb aboard the Jackalope, but she declined and jumped on our buffalo instead. With the hat and quilted jacket, I think she looked quite stylish.  Ready to go out and chase the herds and head 'em west.

They sell fresh bison meat and all sorts of touristy stuff.  As I looked about, I found a wonderful rolled bison roast that looked delicious. I wish we could have taken it to bring home and slow cook in the crockpot.  But it is not the right time make that happen, at the start of our journey.  I even asked if they shipped meat and they said no.  The owner came in and told me that in just a few minutes they were adding about a thousand pounds of fresh buffalo hamburger to the shelf.  I think that if I lived close, I might be fetching steaks, hamburger and roasts relatively frequently. Buffalo is lean and delicious, a real treat.

As we left the ranch, we passed this enticing outlet, but Ronda forbade me going in to browse around.  I was sure I could find something brilliant or sparkly to take to David or even to bring home. I do think I have the "spark" of a pyro in me.




We crossed the border into Colorado and watched the terrain change to reveal emerald fields, crops and grass, open spaces and straight roads. Other than spots of construction it was smooth sailing.  As we drove further south, we began to see the rugged and beautiful peaks of the Rocky Mountains in the distance.  Even with some haze, they looked impressive.  I tried to capture the effect when we pulled off the freeway for the express purpose of taking a picture.  The didn't show up as well as I would have liked, telephoto would have been a better choice. But still wonderful.

On this same dirt road, with scattered farms spread along both sides, we passed fields of ripe squash, ready for the harvest.  We found both butternut and spaghetti squash in abundance. Between the fields you could see the beehives, strategically placed to provide pollination for the plants. I understand that now beekeepers will peddle hives of bees to needy farmers, moving them from the vicinity of one field to another to provide a service.

In the pictures you can see the squash and the beehives.

Here you can see both types of squash, stretching out on the fertile ground.

From here, we skirted Denver and headed east on I-70 and the rolling hills flattened out to billiard table earth, stretching as far as one could see.  We found ourselves catching up, again, with the storm we had in Salt Lake on Sunday. The clouds increased and thickened, turning darker the more we moved east. Then we could see curtains of rain, white in the setting sun and dark grey as we closed on them. A beautiful rainbow appeared and the roads got wetter and wetter and then, almost like a switch flipped, the clouds scattered, the sun broke through and we sailed on.  We are staying in Colby, Kansas tonight.  We talked to a couple of farmers at the restaurant and learned of the tough drought conditions they have been experiencing. This rain was welcome but not nearly enough.  We hope the season will be better for them.  It has been a good day of easy and pleasant driving.

September 22, 2014 - The trip begins

It took a bit of doing, but we finally were able to get on the road today for another anticipated road trip. We are looking forward to attending Maya's baptism and celebrating her birthday and Shirlee's.  We were able to cross some of the high plains country in Wyoming and have reached the sleepy town of Rawlins.  On the way, we passed the wind farms situated in the wind corridors between Rock Springs and Rawlins.  We pulled off the road to get close to them.  The wind rushed through the huge blades and we could hear the "whoosh, whoosh" as they spun against the sky.

The vista on these flat and stretching plains is spectacular.  Unlimited expanse with fluffy clouds sliding against deep blue sky and pristine air which fills the lungs with sweetness.  I loved the view and the open feeling of freedom we experienced here.  The massive windmills marched away as if they would stride into the horizon.
However, I was reminded that they do have a down side.....they have become "bird blenders", a tribute to our current White House occupant's fixation on climate change.
I felt happy to see herds of antelope feeding along the freeway, beautiful white and tan against the sage and grass.  Here and there we could see the herd buck, black horns jutting up and the dark stripe of the jowl markings obvious.  Although it was a short driving day we look forward to another gorgeous day tomorrow.