Dinosaur Valley

Texas's Jurassic Park likes about an hour from Fort Worth, along the Paluxy River, near Glen Rose. Three kinds of dinosaur footprints can be found imprinted in the rock of the river bed. Two live dinosaurs, a carnopod (meat eater, see the teeth) and a sauropod (plant eater) guard the entrance.

Texas Barbecue

There's nothing that says weekend eating like Texas barbecue. It differs from other styles in that it's dry, served with a thin sauce on the side. Beef, especially beef brisket and beef ribs, is by far the preferred meat. Chicken and sausage or bologna are popular too, but only rarely can one get pork. Typically, Texas barbecue is served with beans, coleslaw, potato salad, a thick slice of onion, and toasted bread. Whether a small, family-owned restaurant or a chain, the sign of a good barbecue place is the firewood, piled out front and the number of big trucks in the parking lot.

Erath County

My job took me to Stephenville, Texas, about 60 miles southeast on Hwy 277. October's nine inches of rain (3.5 is average for the month) have made everything green and happy.

Natty Flat, Texas

Natty Flat, Texas, boasts the world's largest cedar rocking chair. A true roadside attraction, the little complex includes a dozen charming outbuildings built from local trees, a smokehouse and a rustic furniture store.
Larry kept us company throughout dinner. He's not only the establishment's owner, but the builder of the chair. "We didn't set out to break a world record," he explains, "we jus' wanted to build a really big rocking chair."

Dublin, Texas

The first Sunday in November brought glorious sunny skies and the call of the open road. We headed south west, through Granbury and Stephenville, on to Dublin, TX, home of the oldest Dr Pepper bottling plant in the country. Today the sickenenly sweet soft drink is owned by Snapple, but the proud little Dublin (pop. 1064) shop still makes Dr Pepper according to the original formula, with 100% pure Imperial cane sugar (ick). It also recycles the same, decades-old bottles. The machinery consists of a giant industrial bottle washer and a modest bottle filling and capping machine. Locals buy a crate of 24 and return the empties to get another crate.

Summer Fun

This is why we had to have a backyard pool in Texas. The weather a tolerable 101 degrees, Lauren and her mom came over to hang out.

"I'm a Texas Girl"

Going to downtown Fort Worth on a Saturday night calls for dressing up. Gwendolen is into the cowgirl spirit. I don't know where she got it

Everythng is Bigger in Texas

This cicada is about eight inches long (kidding.)

Cat in a Fairy House

No sooner had Gwendolen and I put the finishing touches on Thumbellina's new fairy house (made entirely of found objects) than Bella moved in.

Ahhhh

After driving home in 105 degree heat, sitting in a traffic jam with the sun beating through the window, coming home to a pool is essential.

Common Buckeye, Mating

I saw this beauty at the Fort Worth Nature Preserve. They were too busy to fly away and let me get really close

Texas Spring

At last some beauty in this flat, parched land. The Nature Preserve was a riot of spring wildflowers, cactus, yucca and that famous Texas sky.

Clark Botanic Gardens

Wow. Why have I not heard of this place until now? Thirty-five landscaped acres of gardens created by one guy,
located half way between Fort Worth and Weatherford. Acres of iris, ponds full of water lilies, poppies everywhere, woodland paths, fountains, islands, swans, peacocks, the Clark Botanic Garden is a lush wonderland in the middle of the Texas prairie. It's like the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens only bigger, prettier and without the traffic in the middle. We appeared to be the only people there on a May Saturday.

Lake Mineral Wells State Park and Trailway

How did we manage to pick a cool, moist, overcast spring day to visit Lake Mineral Wells State Park and Trailway? Good for me, bad for photographs. I love these cactus. They're everywhere.

Silk Stocking Bed and Breakfast

The motivation for a trip to Mineral Wells was a gift certificate for a one night's stay at the Silk Stocking Bed and Breakfast that I bought at the annual auction for the Alzheimer's Association. I always wanted to go inside one of those big, old Victorian houses. Now I got to spend the night. Thanks, Chuck and Wilene for an enjoyable stay. Breakfast was fantastic. But oh my gosh is the place over decorated.

Mineral Wells, Texas

Last weekend, I took the family on a mini vacation to the small Texas town of Mineral Wells, oh 'bout an hour's drive from Fort Worth. Once famous for its nasty tasting water, which was said to have curing properties, and bolstered economically by a military base, since closed, Mineral Wells is a shadow of its former self.
Like so many small towns, it's Main Street (actually Oak St.) has been emptied by competition from the local WalMart.

Pool Weather is Here!

The Garden

I've been working madly trying to turn this backyard into a garden before the weather gets too hot and without spending a fortune. Here we have some kind of sage (I'm trying to go native and drought resistant) and some sunflower and zinnia seedlings. It's pretty sparse now, but by July, it should be a riot of color.

Three Generations of Bruces

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit so we got our picture taken.

Gwendy Lynn at the H3 Ranch

Here is Gwendy Lynn hanging out at the H3 Ranch, a Stockyards establishment where they have dead animal heads on the walls, a beer called "Buffalo Butt" and the best pulled pork sandwich I've ever had.