February 25, 2008

Today has been another leisurely day with nothing more than shopping and visiting, very relaxing - how am I going to adjust to home???.

If you should ever have the experience of visiting South Padre Island you must take the time to stop at K’s Jewelry. The owner has been here for years and makes awesome jewelry. You design it she will make it or you can purchase items she has already made. People pick shells and parts of shells along the beach, take them to Kay and she turns them into a piece of art. Many bring the necklaces home to family and friends as souvenirs of South Padre – one lady had 35 made, she came by to pick them up when I was at the store. They were just beautiful!

Anne

Men - doing the guy thing
Miles of shrimp boats are docked due to high fuel costs - residents are afraid they may loose the shrimp boats and the delicious shrimp they catch entirely!

Yucca
Yucca
Yucca

Who can find the Pelican?

The Padre

The causeway bridge between South Padre Island and St. Isobelle
They have a swing bridge - small scale but operates similar to the one on Manitoulin

February 24, 2008

Today we traveled to the NABA International Butterfly Park in the Rio Grande Valley near Mission, Texas. We did not see the number of butterflies we had hoped; however it was interesting to see the park, the various shrubs and flowers they have planted to attract the butterflies and how the park was designed to allow walkers to view the flitting butterflies as they travel from flower to flower. We were about a month early to see the Monarch Butterflies; they are still hibernating in the Mountains of Mexico. Another year I would like to take the 5 day tour from Brownsville to the butterfly sanctuaries in the Michoacan forests in the mountains of Mexico. This year’s coach tour is not going until March which was too late for our plans this year.

We had lunch at the WHAT A BURGER chain in Rio Grande City then traveled to Roma Texas on the Texas/Mexico border. We walked the streets of Roma in 90 degree F temperatures – gosh it was HOT! Roma was rather quiet with little going on; however the community of Ciuda Aleman in Mexico directly across the Rio Grande River was alive with music and people singing. Somewhere over there was a party.

The area surrounding Roma is well known by birders as there are several different kinds of birds passing through. We met a couple of birders from Thunder Bay; they have retired and volunteered their time to work with the birding association in the area.

The community of Roma has been used in many of the older western movies. There are many historical buildings still standing, some are still being used – not necessarily for their original purpose.

We had to take a detour from the main highway just outside of Roma on the way back to South Padre Island due to a automobile accident, this gave us the privilege of traveling through another quaint little town. These Texan’s are so close to the Mexican boarder they seem more Mexican than Texan. They speak Spanish and live as Mexicans.

Another very interesting and enjoyable day!

There were fluorescent cones with notes "watch for rattle snakes" - just a few days before we arrived here there had been a 5 foot long snake which struck at the gardener - it missed him thank goodness!

The Sugar Hackberry

February 23, 2008 Day 20

Squeegee Kids - you find 'em everywhere!

It just doesn’t seem we have been away 20 days – I could get used to this quite easily!

I have been finding it difficult to update my Blog on a daily basis now that we are with friends, we are always talking and doing fun things there just isn’t the time, so I do hope you will be patient with me – I will get it done. Saying this, it sounds like I am making it a task that must be completed regularly – A Job! Not ‘a! It’s a journal - we‘ll get the updates when we get’em!

This afternoon we visited the “Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site” which is about 5 miles north of Brownsville, Texas. Some history I am interested in – like family history, early settlers and their hardships – that sort of thing – but wars and battles NOT! After 40 years of marriage though you realize it is a give and take world so I tagged along. The only thing I found really interesting were the watch for rattle snake signs, and to my amazement there were many signs. I didn’t see any snakes but that could be denial – you know mind over matter. I certainly didn’t hear any so if they were near they weren’t afraid of me – they probably knew I would freeze still and they could get away easily.

Here is Allan’s synopsis on the battle field excursion.

Not having had any previous knowledge of battles between Mexico and US Troops, it was interesting to find that in 1846 the United States used this small battle as a chance to provoke Mexico into a war to defend their land. Mexico lost to the United States which later caused them to negotiate a peace agreement giving up New Mexico, California and Texas south to the Rio Grande River to the Americans.

The Americans won this battle against Mexico because their troops were better trained and they had modernized cannons which shot cannon balls that exploded when they hit, mortally wounding many the Mexican soldiers of their enemy.

It was a very hot day but the breeze made it a pleasant walk throughout the field. As in other historical sites there was various written historical information boards which helped fill in the information on the battle


Many artifacts have been taken from the field over the years, before it was declared an Historical Site people were able to walk the field with metal detectors and take their finds off the property. What a great loss in historical value to the site.

If you are interested in finding out more about this battle and the site look on www.nps.gov/paal

Have a good day,

More updates to follow.

Anne

Following Photos are of the Palo Alto Battlefield