So...

Better Half and I head to Houston...

Brother, through our phone conversations, sounds very excited...He said the trail ride has approximately 150 riders and 10 or 12 wagons...The group met up in Shepard and planned to arrive in Houston Friday afternoon.

Keep this in mind--Brother has been on the road, so to speak, since Saturday morning last--this is Friday night...Seven days on a horse--in a saddle...hmmm...

I wondered what his state of mind would be...

Alrighty!  I see horses and plenty of  trucks and trailers...hmmm...

There's a cowboy watering his horse...

Moving right along...

A little supper on the stove...I love the inventiveness of these cowboys...
Notice how that contraption is attached to the back of the truck...
Genius! I say!

Same truck...great music playing while the cook is cooking...

It's North!

He looks at me and seems to be saying what he thinks I must obviously know,
It's been a long day, I'm very tired, could be in a bad mood, so,
 leave me in peace for a little while...

Yeah!  The Cowboy!  Brother!

He did it!  Succeeded!  Mission Accomplished!

Next post...The Parade...

Mama has always said Brother # 2 has always liked horses...She's always said when we were kids, he and Brother #3 were always at the barn while #1 and #4 were always doing something else.  I'm Sister #1 and have no interest in horses; however, I do have interest in telling this story...

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is starting now, beginning with the rodeo parade that was last Saturday morning.  From all around Texas, trail rides start with the intention of making it to Houston and a ride in the parade...This events kicks off three exciting weeks of exhibits, rodeos, big name entertainment, eating very delicious food--including a world renowned BBQ cookoff--and celebrating all things cowboy!  I'm excited!
 
Brother #2, the cowboy, has always loved horses and has always owned a horse...
I’ve always thought of him as a weekend cowboy, riding his horse whenever he could find the time...

He retired last year and has found the time…

Brother and a friend decided to give the trail ride a try and ended up in east Texas at the beginning of an eight day ride (as in on a horse) to hope to be a part of the parade. 

Yeah, you read it right--eight days on a horse...just like folks used to ride horses because they had no other mode of transportation...

He had never done this kind of riding…

With not much more than wood for his fire and ice for his beer, he headed to east
Texas to join the trail ride…

I was at his house as the adventure began...

Brother and his trusty horse, North...

Brother and his trail ride partner getting ready to hit the road...
(notice the pocket full of cigars...)

See you next post...
We'll take up the story when I meet these two on the last day of the trail ride--the day before the parade...

I know this is nonsense, but I'm doing it anyway...

That was my thought 25 years ago, as I carefully stored all the most wonderful stuff from my kids' childhood...I didn't keep stuff I just sort of liked--my rule was this--if I totally love it, I'm keeping it...Who knows, thought I, maybe my grandkids will love it...Anyway, I have a huge attic...

Fast forward to this Valentine's Day while I was out and about finding sweet little presents for my favorite two Valentines...I stumbled upon puzzles...wooden puzzles with little handles on the figures where little hands can pick them up and place them back in the puzzle...I bought one for each beautiful granddaughter...

As I saw how much my girls enjoyed them, I remembered...

I think I have some in the attic...

Dang!  Look what I found...

After I took them out of the storage box, brought them down from the attic, washed and cleaned them, I then presented them to my sweet Evangeline...

What a hit!  She loves them and has played with them this entire rainy morning!  I can't wait to see if sweet Kylie loves them, too!

Something wonderful may be fast asleep in your attic...better check...

I'm glad I did...

I really do it up for Easter...Just look back at older posts...

I'm starting my decoration marathon with this beautiful wreath created by my fabulous daughter-in-law...Notice the names...Evangeline, Kylie and Luke...

Evangeline and Kylie have made reality of that theory I've always heard about being a grandparent is far better than being a parent...it's so, so, so true...It's far better...all the pleasure, none of the pain...

About Luke--he is due any day now...I bet we are going to like him just right!

Two girl wabbits (pink) and one boy wabbit (blue)!

Although we are still feeding...

...spring is trying to head our way...

It won't be long, now...

After reading yesterday's entry, Better Half suggested I explain what the krewe thing during Mardi Gras is all about...

The observance of Mardi Gras (also known as Carnival) arises from the desire to have
a good time before fasting--to eat, drink and be merry--before beginning the period of fasting during the Lenten season (40 days of giving up something before Easter Sunday in the Catholic faith...)

My sister-in-law gave up chocolate one Lenten season...that had to be hard to do...I regress, excuse, please...

The first Mardi Gras celebrations were very primitive. The women made costumes for their men for a Fat Tuesday Run...On this day, these masked and costumed men would go from farm to farm knocking on doors, singing songs, dancing, and asking for chickens, rice, and whatever was available from these farms, to make a gumbo. The captain led the group of men and with lots of clowning, merriment and music, wagons, following behind the men,  carried the loot collected along the way.

When everyone returned to their starting point, the women made a gumbo with the ingredients.
 
Hence, the last posting was a fun representation of what happened for real many, many years ago.

Bettter Half remembers his Mama telling Fat Tuesday stories she remembered when she was a little girl living in south Louisiana...how scary it was when men would ride in on horse back and chase their chickens...

A brief history of this very colorful celebration...now you know the rest of the story...

Finally, I'll end with a few pictures of our local Mardi Gras parade...

Throw me something, Mister!

Perfect weather--for Fat Tuesday--that is...lots of rain, lots of mud, lots of windy almost tornado time! Oh, yeah, perfect...

After our small town Mardi Gras parade last Saturday, I was definitely in the mood for good Cajun food.  There's no better and most delicious place for that than DI's, a Cajun restuarant very close to Basile, Louisiana...

Now, understand, DI's is very close to Basile, as in 8 or 10 miles away...right in the middle of nothingness...really, it just appears when I least expect it!

Because the land is so so flat and there are plenty of four corner stop signs on the way, I really get turned around on the trip..  It's a good thing Better Half has such a good sense of direction. On our way down, I told him I would never be able to find this place on my own-- never find without him.  He said it's a good thing I need him for something...Now that I'm thinking about it, do I really need Better Half for directions?  I mean, I do have a GPS...

Happy Valentine's Day, Better Half!

I'm off topic. Sorry...

Anyway, really, the weather was pretty terrible or pretty good...matter of opinion, I guess...Check out those clouds...and muddy, what?  I should take a picture of my boots...

The parking lot...the scary clouds...

I guess this one is pretty self explanatory...the sign...

We waited for a table for about 1 1/2 hours...I didn't mind because there were plenty of things to see and many folks who really wanted to talk...

God Bless America...at the front of the building...

Inside, there is waiting area where customers, well, wait for a table...Everyone was in a very festive mood and just a few were dressed in Mardi Gras colors and costumes...Here, take a look...

As the crowd is patiently waiting, in walks the following...

The krewe badgered, bothered and thoroughly entertained all of us...They then proceeded inside and onto the dance floor to do a little dancing...spirited dancing requiring much energy, I'd like to add...

As many of us as could, followed to watch the show!

A Cajun band played lots of wonderful Cajun music...

I think I'll sneak in through this window, sneak up on these girls and scare them...NOT! 
Yeah, they really look afraid, don't they?

After all that high energy dancing, trying to scare the crowd and running around all over the place, the krewe seemed to wilt like flowers...I heard one say y'all I've got to get up early tomorrow and go to work....

Next thing ya' know, the masks are off and many of them are talking (and resting)
and eating with folks! 
Pretty funny!

By this time and after so much fun entertainment, we were seated and commenced to do what we really came to DI's to do--have an excellent meal...Devils on horseback (shrimp wrapped in bacon then coated in something wonderful, then deep fried) is pretty much worth the trip--not to mention the shrimp and hushpuppies...the potatoes are not too shabby, either...I guess I could go on and on about DI's; however, I'll suffice it and say...
Dang, it's worth the trip to the land of nothingness...

It's another rainy day in the South...

The rain cleared yesterday...cloudy with a hint of sunshine...Better Half suggested a four wheel ride to check the property...

We found, years ago, a cemetery on the back 40...We have never cleaned it up...don't know where it starts or where it stops; however, Better Half has decided we are going to find out a little more about it. 

I took a few pictures of the standing head stones and will take them to a local historian...maybe he will know a little background...

Better Half remembers, as a kid, seeing an old wrought iron gate laying around; however, we didn't find it.

This is going to make a good 2013 project...I'll post our progress as it progresses...

I won't pretend...

I don't like to cook...My mother is an excellent cook, mother-in-law wasn't too shabby in the cooking department, either...I have watched--and continue to watch--lots of cooking shows and I have plenty of cookbooks...There is absolutely no reason for me to not be able to really, really cook...

Better Half loves to eat, as do I...

I simply lack the interest...

When our last one left the nest, Better Half told me I had done my part...slow down, take it easy, don't worry about cooking so much...I thought, hey, he really means this, so, basically, that's what I've done.

But, here's the thing...sometimes, I do like to cook...just certain things, though...

Biscuits is one of those just certain things I like to cook...The following recipe is pretty  spectacularly delicious and very easy to create. 

Making these fabulous biscuits is a breeze--fast and clean...my prerequisite for all cooking...
and sort of homemade...

Really...just four ingredients...a package of pancake mix, sour cream,
cream cheese (softened) and a little milk...

Oh yeah...and Grandy's big ol' mixing bowl...

Before I start mixing the four ingredients, I prepare the old cast iron skillet...

To the packet of pancake mix, add (about) 3 oz. cream cheese and 2-3 T sour cream...

Work in the ingredients, (I use my hands)...add a touch of milk until the mixture looks like this.

OK, here's the trick!  (I forgot to say have a little all purpose flour on hand) 
On the other side of the bowl,
sprinkle flour--for the purpose of moving the mixture over there...

Got it? 

I know it sounds odd, especially if you have never made biscuits in this life; however,
now, our goal is to turn the mixture over,
 cover it in flour (but not too much) and turn it into biscuits...

Trust me on this one...

The mixture is now covered in flour and turned out onto my countertop. 
The flour thing keeps the mixture from sticking everywhere...
(I know you know flour and water make paste, right?)

Press out the mixture...I use my hands; however, many cooks prefer a rolling pin... 
I just don't need another something to clean...

Bring out the biscuit cutter!  Place in the cast iron skillet!

Bake! 

I have a convection oven...it works fast and furious... 

A conventional oven may bake a little differently, just keep a watch...

Ah...The end product...
Oh wait!  Look what Better Half just brought in...
Bacon from the grill...
The perfect combination...
Biscuits, bacon, add some butter and jelly...
Yum...

This breakfast--with the help of Better Half making the bacon--took about
 15 minutes to prepare
and because I was working in my sink,
another 5-10 minute to clean up...

Not too shabby and very tasty...!

When we pulled up, I asked Better Half how he thought I should start the conversation...I didn't have to worry about that because as we got out of our car, BH proceeded to tell nice young man to fill 'er up.  After nice young man started filling it up (putting gas in our car), he then proceded to clean the windshield.

I told him we had read the article and that was why we were there...He simply and quietly stated that would be my grandparents and pointed toward the door...

You see, I agreed to go to Lubbock, stay at the B&B and see the concert IF Better Half would take the time to bring me here...He agreed...

Allow me to regress...

I love differentness...Better Half knows I love differentness...He uses that knowledge to his advantage--when he needs to...

He is very smart...

After reading an article in one of our  farm magazines, which he insisted I read, he knew I would want to see this very place.  So--it was a trade off for him--go to the concert (for him) and take me to this place (for me)...

O'Donnell, Texas is a very ordinary run of the mill pass through on my way to somewhere else kind of place. I would have never stopped here, much less taken the road to the left to get to
Mr. and Mrs. Marurice Jackson's gas station had I not read that article...

Mr. Jackson has been operating this gas station for 45 years--open every day but Sunday...It's certainly not a fancy place; however, the personalities inside and the full service outside is most unusual and made this stop so much fun!

As I entered the front door of the gas station, I first noticed the old heater...a 1927 model with one grate missing.  It surely warmed the place up...On the left far wall book shelf there is an inventory of several grates, brought in by customers through the years, hoping to find the one that can replace the one broken years ago...hasn't happened yet...looks like a missing front tooth!

After introducing myself and telling the older gentlemen I was there because of the article,  they both started talking!  In walked Mrs. Jackson and she started talking! Everybody talking all at once! Then, in walked Better Half and he started talking...and I was talking, for sure!  It was a hoot!

Mr. Jackson is on the left...I do wish I could remember the other gentleman's name...

Married for 55 years, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have been working together for 40 of those years...She is the book keeper while he and nice young man, who happens to be their grandson, pump the gas, clean the windshields and check the oil and radiator levels. They also supply bulk fuel to area farmers.

Surrounded by shelves of family photos and a big picture of Dan Blocker--he used to live in O'Donnell--their office is just the right place to sit a spell for a visit...I learned about their kids, grandkids and the business...What an interesting time...

The other gentleman (whose name I wish I could remember), suggested we follow him down the street, to the museum, to learn more about his town.  So, here we go...

Apparently, the museum opens when people request a tour...He (and two or three others) has a key and sort of takes visitors through the two or three rooms.

Dan Blocker (Hoss on the series Bonanza) was a native son.  He taught at the high school and was discovered while acting in a local play.  There were lots of pictures  and artifacts from him.
Right out the museum doors, across the street and to the right, is a park dedicated to him...

The time spent with the few folks met in O'Donnell, Texas will not be forgotten.  The step back in time, at both the Jackson's full service gas station and the O'Donnell Museum, helps me appreciate a time when lives were lived a little more slowly, friendships were savored and enjoyed and simplicity was the normal rather than exception...

I had a wonderful time in O'Donnell.  If you should be on your way to Lubbock, Texas, it would be worth your while to stop by, fill 'er up, set a spell for a visit and tell them you read the blog and that's why you are here...