February 28, 2018 Rio Grande City, TX: Trolley Tour

We  (all six of us) were in Rio Grande City, TX, 50 miles south of Zapata, for a 10:00 a.m. trolley tour of the city.

We enjoyed a two hour tour with guide Aminta aboard the "Bessie III".  Aminta was well informed about the history of the city and families that settled in the area.

Info from tour guide:
"Rio Grande City, county seat of Starr County, lies along the Rio Grande River near the border of Texas and Mexico  It is part of Los Caminos Del Rio or 'roads of the river", a heritage corridor rich in natural and cultural legacies."

There was an influx of French and German refugees escaping the Mexican War of Independence of 1810 who settled in the area.  

The original land grants were sized one mile by 10-15 miles, extending from the Rio Grande River inland.  

The tour included the grounds of Ft. Ringgold, a military reservation consisting of about 360 acres. It was used during the 1810 Mexican War of Independence. It was deactivated in 1944 and sold the the local school district.

This serves as the auditorium for the school.  A local artist painted the historical mural on the front.

1886. Gen. Robert E. Lee came to the fort on two occasions and stayed here.

 After Ft. Ringgold we drove along several streets to observe many buildings, homes, sites in RGC.

At the Catholic church: a replica of "The Grotto of Lourdes" 1928; measures 33 by 90 feet. There was several pieces of petrified wood used in the construction.  Guide Aminta told us there used to be an area of petrified wood between Roma and Rio Grande City.

Original building; 1880's, German doctor's office/residence

1886; built by German immigrant H. Portsheller.

A multi-colored bougainvillea bush: starts as green, goes to white, then pink.  See below.

Note the coral/magenta color in the center: the final color change.

Our gang: Jeff/Marcella; Evelyn/Gary; Gayla/Glen

After a delicious lunch at 'Casa de Adobe", a restored 1880's building, the rest of the Gang returned to Zapata while Glen and I went to the local GMC dealer to have the oil changed, tires rotates and balanced on the truck.  We had a two o'clock appointment; however, "Speedy" was Not in their title.  It was 4:30 when we left!

February 27, 2018 Tuesday Playing Hookey

Tonight we played hookey from the Tuesday night Jam and  attended a performance by the Zapata High School Mariachi Halcon orchestra/band.

It was awesome.  The members are very talented.  All 22 members played either a violin, guitar of varying sizes, or trumpet.  Some also were solo singers.  Such emotion in the music and songs.

This freshman violinist and soloist is the daughter of neighbors.

Displaying the different sizes of guitars that were played.

The costumes/uniforms are striking.

These violinists/performers are beautiful.

The mariachi band recently competed in an competition and won the highest award.

After the performance of the band we slipped in the regular Tuesday night jam, and enjoyed the music from the audience.  

February 25, 2018 Sunday Beef! It's NOT What's for Dinner!

Friday most of us enjoyed a lunch of tamales.!  One of us said "it's not my favorite!"

Thursday when we were in the Valley we shopped at an establishment called "Delia's Tamales!"  We had heard of this from several friends here in Zapata.  

Glen and I enjoyed all flavors...pork, beef, and chicken, and sweet cream cheese and cinnamon.  The sweet variety was dessert; tasting somewhat like bread pudding.  We would stop at Delia's again, either eating at the restaurant, or bringing some with us...or both.

Saturday Jeff and Fred went fishing.  They caught a dozen or so white bass as well as 10 big crappie.  They cleaned the crappie.  Fred went home, returned with Gay.  The rest of us prepared fried potatoes, corn, hush puppies, baked cauliflower, and mixed veggies to go with the Fried Crappie!  Yum! Yum!  Fresh crappie is the best.

We enjoyed this afternoon with nothing to do or on the schedule.  I took a nap!  

There is nothing on this next week's schedule, except for the usual things--Monday night Jam, Tuesday night Jam, and Thursday afternoon Jam!  

February 22, 2018 A Fun Day

Our gang---Gary and Evelyn, Jeff and Marcella, Glen and I, left early (7:30) this morning heading to the south.  

Our goal was Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge near Donna, TX; the other four went to Nuevo Progreso Mexico.

We walked one trail at Santa Ana, then rode the trolley through the NWR for 90 minutes.  The tour leader was a retired history leader, and was excellent at delivering information..

We left Santa Ana, driving about 15 miles to the Riverside Club (in Mission TX), a restaurant, entertainment center, as well as providing a one-hour (pontoon) boat ride south on the Rio Grande River; or, a two-hour boat ride north on the Rio Grande River.

It was a jacket day--cloudy and temps in the 50's.  We drove home in a mist/light rain.

Following are pictures from the day's adventures.  The other four of Our Gang joined us at Riverside Club.

Cole slaw, anyone?  Fields ready for harvest.

Next 8 pics are in Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Donna, TX

Harris Hawk

Indigo snake, on display in Visitor's Center

Texas Tortoise

Red squirrel enjoying the BIRD seeds.

Huisache tree in bloom.

Glen at entrance to 150-year old cementerio--not cemetery,  Cementerio contains vaults/crypts above ground.

Wooden fence made of ebony wood 150-year old (plus)

Trees adorned with Spanish moss

 Now we are at the Riverside Club, ready for departure for the two-hour cruise on the Rio Grande River.

R to L: Glen, Marcella, Jeff, Evelyn, Gary

I am not sure this is politically correct but the boat captain called these "Mexican lawnmowers"!

Unrepaired damage to building of a private recreation area on Mexican side of river from Hurricane Alex in 2010.

Note difference in roofs'.  This has been repaired/restored.

February 21, 2018 Wow! The days are flying! (Still in Zapata)

You will note at the bottom of the blog I attempted to load two videos.  I was not successful, but can't figure out how to delete them.  IGNORE the videos.

The past ten days......

• we celebrated with Dale and Freda, a neighborhood couple, who is moving to Florida to live with their daughter.  We will miss them.   
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• we celebrated Del's 93rd birthday at the local bakery.  Several friends met there to share care and offer birthday wishes.  Del and wife Jean attend church with us.  His wishes on his birthday: "may you all live to be 93 and have half as much fun as I have!"  Del still plays his harmonica each Tuesday night at Jam Session, and each Sunday morning at worship service.
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• we made a trip to Laredo to "fill Mother Hubbard's cupboard!".  Sometimes we just have to shop at Walmart.
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• attended Jam sessions on Sunday afternoon, February 11, and each Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday!  Gary and Jeff handle the "roadie" duties--carry the equipment and assist Glen in sitting up the stands, mikes, and cords.
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• Monday, February 19, we---Marcella/Jeff, Evelyn/Gary, and Glen and I--prepared lunch for the family of Fred and Gay, our friends from Oklahoma.  Their daughter, daughter in law, two granddaughters, and one great-granddaughter were visiting for a few days.  
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• the weather has changed! Finally temps have reached the 80's and beyond.  The past three days the high was been 91 degrees!  We are enjoying sitting outside without worrying about carrying a jacket!

Fred, Gay, Val, Kiley, Brook with Remington Rose, Evelyn, Marcella, and Arleta.  Glen shared his space and mike with Arleta.  This is the Monday night Jam session!

February 10, 2018 (Saturday) "I'll Eat My Shoe!" (Still in Zapata TX)

It has been an "different" kind winter here in Zapata!  I know the folks in the middle of the US would like to have what we often gripe about!

But, there has been an awful (emphasis on "awful") lot of cloudy, drippy days with the temps not reaching 50 degrees, often with a north wind.  Here us whining and griping!  We do enjoy the sunshiny days.

There has been "music, music, music" this week.  We attended two shows at two different RV parks a week ago today as well as yesterday afternoon.

These shows are often retirement-plus aged performers with one or two back-up assistants.  Yesterday there were approximately 40 in the audience with an entry fee of $7 each.  How do these performers make a living?

Last evening the six of us were playing "19-point pitch"; two teams of three.  The team of Glen, Evelyn, and I versus the team of Jeff, Marcella, and Gary.  Two different games had ended us in tied scores and our team had won the play-off hand!  The next game the score was 50 to minus 18 not in our favor.

Marcella piped up and said "if they come back and win, I will eat my shoe!"  We made her worry for several hands, but we lost.  No shoe on her menu!  We offered suggestions to make it more tasty:  ketchup, carmel, ice cream, etc! but none was needed.

February 4, 2081 Super Bowl Sunday

All six of us at different times have said we didn't care "about the Super Bowl"' but.....

we ended up watching the game.  All of us were happy with the winner!  

Here's a picture taken in Roma, Texas.

Here's proof cacti can and does grow anywhere!

February 3, 2018 Saturday Sadness and Beauty

A week ago yesterday our church family lost Mark Miller, age 63, because of kidney cancer.  A memorial service was planned for this morning at First Baptist Church.  

It was standing room only as Mark was well known throughout the community.  The church prepared to feed the family after the service.  I prepared a 7-layer salad, and corn casserole; Marcella prepared another 7-layer salad, and Gary prepared  lemon sherbet pudding bars.  I would estimated that approximately 90 people ate after the service.  Mark C. smoked six briskets; two restaurants sent mashed potatoes and corn, and macaroni/cheese.  There was plenty of food.  

Yesterday our group traveled to Salineno to the bird sanctuary.  There were several varieties of colorful birds.

Green Jay

Audubon's Oriole

Young Altimira Oriole

(Mature) Altimira Oriole

(Immature) Hooded Oriole

Greater Kiskadee tree

Greater Kiskadee

Greater Kiskadee

Golden Fronted Woodpecker

Chachalaca

Ladderbacked Woodpecker

Roma, TX: proving cacti can and does grow anywhere!

From Roma TX bluffs, looking across the Rio Grande River, at a "Red-Shouldered Hawk"

We just returned from a musical concert at a nearby RV Park.  Performing was 'Sherwin Linton and wife Pam Linton"; Sherwin has been performing since the 1950's, and still does a good show.  There were tributes to Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, and Chuck Berry as well as many other songs.