Theme Songs

I once watched an episode once of Ally McBeal that had to do with theme songs. Tracey Ullman played a therapist who helped Ally develop her own theme song to make herself happy. Ever since that show, I find myself humming my own "theme" song as I go about my day. The point is it should make you happy. There are times I crack myself up. The theme from "Shaft" will go through my head at the oddest times. Suddenly, I find myself giggling.

Other songs I have considered my theme song include "On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever," by Barbra Streisand. (I adore Babs, especially in that movie). If I could sing like anyone, it would be her.



Also, when I started at the SA dealership, I heard this song over and over again. It became "my" song. "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley



I can hear it now without cringing, but four or five times a day, every day for a couple of months, was driving me.... certifiable crazy. lol

I don't need to listen to radio to enjoy music. It will free float in my head. If you can't make yourself smile, goodness gracious, who will?

Rain in San Antonio

This past Saturday, Jerry and I went to a concert that featured the Beatles tribute band, "Rain." We love Beatles music and spending a couple of hours listening to great musicians play some of our favorite music was completely cool.

Yes, I know they aren't the Beatles. They do their damndest to look, talk and sing like them, but they aren't the Fab Four. I'm not delusional to believe I was listening to the original band. But they are pretty darned good singers and musicians in their own right. The guy who portrayed George Harrison could play some serious guitar. He had two solos that were amazing.

They are more of an "event," as much as a concert, as they do videos in between the songs. There were easily three generations of fans in the audience. Everyone had a great time. It was held at the Majestic Theater, which I've mentioned before, is a gorgeous venue. The concert was sold out. In fact, Rain, sold out all eight shows they held here in San Antonio.

I think I can honestly say I enjoy the earlier music of the Beatles. "Love Me Do," "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," "Twist and Shout," and "Help." Man, I can hear those songs and instantly want to get up and dance around the room. Jerry appreciates their later studio music, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band," "Come Together," and the such. They had such diversity. There is something for everyone.

It was a sad day when the Beatles broke up and a devastating day when John was murdered. What a light of goodness he was. We haven't seen Paul McCartney in concert. He's a bit expensive. If I go to see him in concert, baby, I'm sitting right up front. He's a living piece of rock and roll history.

Going out made me realize how I want to do more of it. We've seen concerts in Bakersfield--George Thorogood, Tom Petty, Doobie Brothers, BTO and others. I think I'm going to like the diversity of the bands that come here to San Antonio.

Since it's just Jerry and I now, we can get away to do things. I'm starting to like this middle age spurt we are going through.

If Rain comes to your town, check them out. It's a great night out and will give you a chance to hear some great music.

The Perfect Steak

There's nothing quite like a steak from Texas. If that sounds like bull pucky, it's not. It's true. Since moving here, I've learned that they truly know how to create the most mouth-watering tender steak I've had in my life. And it's not just one restaurant, we've had amazing steak meals at multiple places--Texas Roadhouse, Texas Land & Cattle Company, and Saltgrass Steak House. There's even more places that are highly rated here in San Antonio, that Jerry and I haven't had a chance to visit yet, but they've had great reviews. They include Boudro's On The Riverwalk, Bohanan's Prime Steaks & Seafood, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, The Little Rhein Steakhouse, Morton's The Steakhouse, Myron's Prime Steak House, and Ruth's Chris Steak House.

It's so flipping cool to live in a place that offers a myriad of fine dining choices. I am so not used to that at all. I'm slowly learning the benefit of well-seasoned meat and what exactly quality meat tastes like. My favorite dish at Texas Roadhouse is their sirloin beef tips with mushrooms. It is really good. Their steaks are specially aged and hand-cut every day by their in-house meat cutters. We aren't talking pre-cut frozen steaks bought from a place states away.

By the way, everything made at Texas Roadhouse is made from scratch every day--from the salad dressings to the yeast rolls. Those are to die for. I'm hungry just thinking about it.

If you want a great steak, come to Texas. You will find it.

When I Grow Up

By junior high, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up--a librarian. Go ahead, laugh your butt off. It's true. I fell in love with reading when my parents bought me a handful of hardbound Nancy Drew mysteries. It was love at first paragraph. The deal was closed in the 5th grade when I won a contest in Mrs. White's class and the reward was my own copy of “The Prince and the Pauper.”



I knew then, I needed books—lots and lots of books. Although my real life was dull and boring, books could transport me to other lands, other times, and if I wanted help me be a different person. Every time I opened a cover of a book an adventure awaited. I have literally read thousands and thousands of books, plays and magazines. I think it would be fair to say I'm a bookaholic.

From 7th grade forward I worked in the school library. I knew the Dewey Decimal System backwards and forwards. I was an assistant to every librarian up through my senior year of high school. I even took a library class in college. I was stymied in my attempt to become a librarian due to a couple of reasons--I paid my own way through college (I had no help from anyone) and the University of Nevada, Reno didn't offer a degree an ALA–accredited master’s degree in library and information science. The closest schools that had that program were either Berkeley or UCLA. I couldn't afford either one. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

I wound up moving to California with my parents right after my first semester in college. Yeah, I was closer to UCLA, but boo, I still didn't have enough money. Then a couple of months later I met Jerry and wham bam thank you ma'am, we were married. Before I knew it, we had a family and my college dreams were put aside.

But books still held their allure for me. I never stopped reading. Heck, I even took a book to Vegas when Jerry and I got married. lol

As I raised my son, then my second son came around, I always took them to the Arvin library. It was a small place, but I loved it. I enjoyed being around the books so much, I donated my time to help them shelf books. After doing that for six months, they hired me on. I was thrilled. Even though I was a temporary library clerk I was in seventh heaven. I was around all those wonderful books, helping people, and they paid me for it!

That was such a great summer. I was seriously thinking about applying for a job at the central library in town, but was discouraged by coworkers on how political it was there.

By a strange twist of fate I wound up working at the daily newspaper in Bakersfield. I started as a news clerk (a glorified typist/phone gal) and again opportunity fell in my lap and I became a writer. I had the job before I had the degree.

More than one "real" reporter asked me how I got the job. To my face, mind you. How can I be writing if I hadn't gone to college? I was able to write because I was a professional reader. I wasn't just a casual reader. I can honestly say I have probably read more books than most all of the writers combined from that newsroom. Okay, that might sound a bit arrogant. But in high school, I read seven books and two plays per week. I'm a serious "reader."

I think the key was when I worked at the newspaper that I kept myself humble and I was always learning. I had some incredibly talented teachers--some of them even reporters from the newspaper where I worked. I continued my college career, working full time and raising my sons. It was hard, and without Jerry it would have been impossible. But I did it.

My love of reading carried me to places in my real life I never even knew possible. When we bought our house in Texas, I was able to finally purchase what I always wanted--beautiful custom-made oak bookcases.



I finally had a place to display my beloved friends. That and I have a library in my house. I might not be a professional librarian, but I play one at home. lol

Random Food Thoughts

I had to laugh at myself today. In a flash of awareness I realized how different I must be than most people. As we go through our workday, random thoughts flitter across our minds. Whereas for me, those thoughts usually tie to cooking. Not that I'm a chef. Far from it. I just like to cook. But what I really enjoy cooking are desserts. There is a reason my husband and I are a tad bit overweight. lol

So there I was, processing a handful of payrolls and what am I thinking about? A chocolate cake recipe I am thinking about trying out. I have this great recipe for a chocolate cake from scratch. I've made it before, but with a peanut butter frosting. I was thinking I could make the batter, but pour it into a bundt cake pan instead of a 9x13 pan and then create a flavorful center for it. I have some great blackberry preserves and I thought, "Wow, I wonder if I can mix that in some cream cheese to make a delicious filling for the cake?"

That's not the normal thing a person thinks about during their work day. At least, I don't think they do. I am not sure what it is about desserts that I love so much, but I can cook those until I pass out. I love being creative and mixing them up.

Regular food, I just process out to eat. Spaghetti, sloppy joes and the such are normal meals. I don't get creative with those because they mainly explode into doggie food if I do.

But I have to say, I do make kick ass desserts.

I'm thinking about melting some of those blackberry preserves and pouring them over the bundt cake when it's done as a glaze. Maybe add some fresh blackberries over the top.

I wonder what it would taste like, if I do? What thoughts go through your minds?


-----------------

Best Scratch Chocolate Cake Ever

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup brewed coffee, room temperature

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes. Stir in coffee (batter will be thin).
Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Halloween

Fall happens to be my favorite time of the year. The leaves start to turn, it's cool enough to sleep with the windows open and I eagerly look forward to Halloween. We always had a great time with our kids on Halloween. I think we had more fun decorating the house, than planning their costumes. They always helped me drag the pumpkins, homemade headstones and put together scarecrow cowboy guy. We have always had a bench by the front door and every Halloween we'd pull out a pair of Jerry's old jeans, a cowboy shirt, shoes, gloves and a cowboy hat and stuff it all with newspaper. We'd sit him on the bench so it looked like someone real was sitting there. We'd use an old devil halloween mask as a face. It scared all visitors on Halloween.

The kids in the neighborhood got used to seeing our guy sitting on the bench. Most of the little ones always thought he was real. In fact, one year we had Jared sit there, posing just like the scarecrow cowboy guy, but as the kids walked away he's stand up and touch them on the shoulder. ROFL Talk about screaming kids. We actually made some of them cry. Oh well. lol

I have a new bench on the front porch, but no scarecrow guy. It's just not the same since the kids are older and live elsewhere. I put up decorations and play scary music out the window on Halloween. The neighborhood kids like our decorations. I haven't made anyone cry in Texas. Yet.

Last year, Emily brought Gabriel over to go trick or treating in our neighborhood. He looked great in his bumblebee costume.



The only bad thing of the night was as we were waving goodbye to them, I stepped on a scorpion barefooted. Talk about major pain. We ran inside and called poison control who basically told me to relax I wasn't going to die. I survived, but that first half hour was MAJORLY painful. I guess it serves me right for going barefoot on Halloween. Never again.

We also carved pumpkins last year with Gabriel. It was so wonderful.



We won't be able to do that this year, as Jason, Emily and Gabriel are staying in Abilene for Halloween. Emily will have to take lots of photos. This year, Gabriel is supposed to be Lion King. I can't wait to see the photos.

I love making Halloween goodies for Jerry and I and sitting around watching old, scary movies. I don't go for the new gore-filled horror movies. I like either Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein or something else along those lines. We don't get as many kids here in Texas as we used to get in California, but we live at the end of a long street in a cul-de-sac. I'm just glad no one buses kids to our area. lol

I've done my share of scary things on Halloween--walking through cemetaries, being in a seance room at midnight, and touring ghost towns. We had a blast doing it all.

I always say it's not the dead that worry me on Halloween, it's the living.


Mwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Here's a recipe for those brave enough to try them. They taste so yummy.

Severed Fingers Halloween Cookies

SERVES 15 , 30 cookies

Ingredients
2 tablespoons red food coloring
30 blanched almonds
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pinch salt
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) or parchment paper, and set aside.

2. Place food coloring in a shallow bowl. crack each whole almond into halves. and toss them into the bowl with the food coloring and stir them until the color is evenly distributed. leave them in the bowl and stir them every so often until the color is as dark as you like.

3. Separate 1 egg. Set aside the white. In a small bowl, whisk together yolk, remaining egg, and vanilla. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add egg mixture, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Divide the dough in half. Work with one piece at a time, keeping remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and chilled. Divide the first half into fifteen pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece back and forth with palms into finger shapes, 3 to 4 inches long. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Score each knuckle lightly with the back of a small knife. Transfer fingers to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.

6. When all fingers are formed, brush lightly with egg white. Position almond nails; push into dough to attach.

7. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.

8. note: To make the knuckles more creepy just shape them big and uneven. To keep them from puffing out too much roll the fingers extra skinny (skinnier than you want them to look if that makes sense). I also try to get them out of the oven before they brown. I sometimes add a bit of almond extract to dough.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Severed-Fingers-Halloween-Cookies-135850

McNay Art Museum

On a misty, rain-soaked afternoon, Jerry and I decided it was the perfect day to visit the McNay Art Museum. I had put the bug in his ear weeks earlier and we couldn't have asked for a better day to be inside. Located about 20 miles from our house, we drove through beautiful, older neighborhoods to find the museum. The McNay Art Museum was the former home of Marion Koogler McNay. And what a home it was--a mansion of beauty and charm.



Built in 1927, the mansion is a 24-room Spanish Colonial-Revival that is elaborate without being gaudy. It sits on 23 acres of surrounding land and boasts a courtyard that is lush and calming.





Mrs. McNay was an avid art collector. The very first painting she ever bought was Diego Rivera’s Delfina Flores.



She passed away in 1950, but made sure that her artwork would not only be protected, but enjoyed by everyone. She left behind a collection 700 pieces of amazing art. An endowment she created helped start the first museum of modern art in Texas which opened its doors in 1954.

The collections has grown to more than 20,000 works that includes:
•Medieval and Renaissance art.
•19th- through 21st- century European and American paintings, sculptures and photographs.
•One of the finest collections of prints and drawings in the Southwest.
•The exceptional Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts.

The museum has a visiting exhibition featuring the reclaimed artwork of Jacques Goudstikker. I really enjoyed these paintings. They were Dutch "Golden Age" paintings of the 17th century, and a handful of Renaissance paintings. I find myself drawn to paintings from this era.

We were looking at original artwork from 400-500 years ago. It's mind blowing to think that something hanging on the wall right in front of me was painted so long ago. Colors were vibrant and clear, while others were soft and muted. Clear lines, delicate brushwork on canvases that were created by natural light. No lightbulbs helped the artists. They couldn't just go down to their local Hobby Lobby and pick up a tube of paint. They had to make their own paint fresh every day.

I love the Old Masters more than the modern stuff. I admit it. In one gallery, they hung all the modern paintings and scultpures. There was a painting of a trash bag. Just a trash bag. I don't get it. Sorry. Lots of squiggly lines on one painting. No rhyme, no reason, no clarity. Just a squiggly mess.

We didn't stay long in that gallery. Some people love that kind of stuff. Not me.

Another exhibit they have is the The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art: Works on Paper. This was a beautiful, and touching collection. I have to share what the museum had to say about the collection:

San Antonians Harmon and Harriet Kelley began collecting African American art in the 1980s. Since that time, their collection has grown quantitatively and qualitatively to become one of the finest such collections in public or private hands in the United States. Every room of their home is full of museum-quality paintings, drawings, and prints illustrating the rich history of African American art from the late 19th century to the present. The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art: Works on Paper, featuring nearly 100 prints, drawings, and watercolors, is a wonderful introduction to the riches of their collection and also a remarkable and unique survey of more than a century of American art. A rare opportunity to see these privately held treasures, this exhibition also serves as an advocate for greater understanding and appreciation of the contributions made by African Americans to art history.

Harmon and Harriet Kelley were prescient as collectors, buying works of art at a time when not many other collectors were interested. Hence, their collection contains many works which are not to be seen anywhere else. Among the earliest and rarest works in the exhibition are prints by the 19-century printmaker Grafton Taylor Brown, the first documented professional graphic artist to work on the West Coast. The exhibition is also particularly rich in works by artists of the 1930s and 40s, which document in strikingly beautiful and personal ways the growing awareness of African American heritage and identity. Among the artists included in the exhibition whose work focused on the African American experience are Elizabeth Catlett, Romare Bearden, and Jacob Lawrence. The exhibition also includes contemporary works by Alison Saar and Robert Colescott. In all, more than 50 different artists are represented by works in the exhibition.

I admit I am ignorant about African American artists. I enjoyed walking from gallery to gallery admiring the work I saw. There was one particular one that grabbed my heart and literally almost made me cry.



You can just feel the emotion breathe from this artwork. I find it powerfully sad.

If you ever get a chance to visit the McNay Art Museum, I highly recommend it.

Landscaping

Jerry and I have always been into landscaping. Our house in California was completely tricked out with trees, bushes, and occasional veggies. I have always loved having a lush, green yard. It's a team effort with us--we go together to buy the plants and Jerry plants most of the stuff with me helping. lol

We carried the same viewpoint when we moved to Texas. And moving to our new house we had a huge yard to work with--almost a quarter of an acre all together between the front and back yard. All this yard had really planted in it was grass--that's it.

The first thing we bought to plant was an oak tree for the front side yard. We had a rude awakening with that tree. Jerry spent a day and a half trying to dig the hole for that tree. He learned the hard way what was under our yard--limestone rock. Lots of it. He wound up renting a jackhammer just to plant a tree. That was a first for us. Here is what it looked like when we were done.



The next step we did was to expand the look around the tree and add a retaining wall planter. Our goal is to minimize the lawn that needs to be watered and mowed. We bounced around different ideas until we came up with the following. We did all the work ourselves and saved a lot of money on labor. Although, I did get sunburnt and scratched the heck out of my hands.



We've since added a climbing rosebush in a huge container where the bench is and moved the bench to the side of the house. Today, we added three bottlebrush bushes/trees to the long left side by the wood retaining wall.



I've also tweaked the plants in the brick retainer wall planter. I originally planted rosemary and basil, alongwith other flowering plants. Today, I added parsley, thyme, sage and green onions.

I will try to take photos when I can so I show the newest additions. In the back yard, we have a real challenge to work with.



We have added two oak trees and one Chinese elm to the back yard, alongwith three crepe myrtles. Our big plan is to add a large back patio with a cover. We've had bids, but OMG, way out of our price range for now. We hope to do it piece by piece so we can more affordably accomplish our goals.

We try to go with native plants that are hardy, and I want to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. I like being able to plant my herbs and veggies in the planter up front. I don't have to worry about the dog getting anywhere near it. I am starting to dry my own herbs and make my own spice mixes with them.

There's always something to do or plant and we are having fun doing it. Man, I love it here.

Majestic Theater

San Antonio has many entertainment venues and one of the prettiest and most unique, in my opinion, is the Majestic Theater. Jerry and I saw it for the first time when we saw a comedy show. I was blown away with how elaborate the place is. I was used to the Fox Theater in Bakersfield and thought it was a nice theater, but the Majestic leaves the Fox Theater in the dust. At one point, the Majestic was the largest theatre in Texas.

But size aside, it is a beautiful theater. It has so many visuals to it I want to go back just to tour it without seeing an event.

It's hard for me to explain the interior, so I am just going to grab what they say on their web site.

Inspired by Spanish Mission, Baroque, and Mediterranean architectural traditions, theatre patrons are transported to a fantasy villa. Walls become towers with windows of colorful glass. A rare white peacock perches on a balcony railing as doves are caught in mid-flight. Grape vines creep along the walls and luscious foliage flourishes. The vaulted "sky" comes to life as stars twinkle while drifting clouds pass by overhead. Balconies, tile roofs, arches, and columns, railings, elaborate ornamentation, statues, and a bell tower all aid in the transformation of the theatre into a mystical village.





The acoustics are really great in the theater. And even the bathrooms are cool looking. lol It's classy elegance and a beautiful lady.

Jerry and I hope to buy tickets tomorrow to watch "Rain." They are the Beatle tribute band. We plan to make a night of it with dinner out and then the concert. I am looking forward to visiting the Majestic again.

Want to learn more? Check it out.

http://www.majesticempire.com/aboutMajestic.php

A Foodie Weakness

I am foodie. I love a good meal. One of the cool things about San Antonio is all the food options. We are quite spoiled with the restaurants around town. When we first visited in 2006, Jerry and I ate at a fast food restaurant called Whataburger. It was love at first bite for Jerry. He enjoyed their hamburgers. It reminded him of the way they used to make burgers when he was a kid.

For me, it was the chicken strips with white gravy. Texas was the first place I've ever bought a fast food meal that offered gravy. Until that point only KFC offered gravy with its mashed potatoes. Whataburger had it as a side for the chicken strips. I was so used to having sweet and sour sauce or barbecue. White gravy? Great concept.
I am so hooked on it. I know it's bad for me, but I can't help it. It tastes so dang good.

They dish is up with Texas toast on the side. Can you say, goodness personified? lol It offers up comfort. To me, fried chicken, white gravy and toast is old fashioned comfort. It's not the tofu, soybean, lettuce alternative. It's tasty goodness.

So, I'll just ride an extra mile on my bike. It's so worth it.

Quilting

My mama is an amazing quilter. As far back as I can remember she has been creative with her hands--quilting, crocheting, tatting, sewing, or embroidering. Her hands have always been busy. I still have a poncho she made for me when I was a kid. Crocheted in blue and white, my color choices at the time, and it's still wearable. What I love most of what's she created are her quilts. She comes from a long line of quilters. Her mother, grandmother and up the line have quilted. It's something she loves. At family reunions, like the photo above from the last one, they raffled off homemade quilts. It's a fierce battle between relatives as we all want to win the quilts.

When she moved back to Oklahoma, the thing she loved most was getting together with her aunt and cousins and quilting. They'd get together, sew and talk gossip and laugh. She loves her family. My great aunt Sadie is in her, gosh late 80s, and still sews a mean top piece.

I've tried to quilt. It's not my passion, since I'm as creative and talented as a duck in the desert. But I wanted to try what I could to share the process with my mama. I'd call her up with the questions and challenges I face as I attempt my first quilt. There's a bit of pressure on you when you have a woman in your life who is so dang talented. It is intimidating. But mama laughs and gives me advice. I've threatened to send her all the pieces I have just so she can shake her head over and laugh herself silly.

All this changed on Memorial Day. My mama had a stroke. She refused to go to the hospital for three days. Because of her Okie stubborness, she has residual damage that probably won't go away. Her left side is paralyzed. She can't use her left hand or leg. She went through rehab and now is in a nursing facility near her home. My dad visits her every day.

Mama can't quilt anymore. Nothing has broken my heart more than the thought of her not being able to keep her hands busy. To create beautiful quilts that express how creative she is and to know she can not do it anymore is a crime.

I haven't had the heart to go into my sewing room since her stroke. My enthusiasm has dimmed. I can never be as wonderful at quilting as my mama has been. She is a true artist.

I love you, mama.

A baby's smile

I love a baby's smile. It's so real and joyful. No regrets, nothing fake or insincere. It's from the heart and so wonderful. I especially love the smile of my grandson, Gabriel. He has a way of smiling that just lights my soul. I never thought I could love a child more than I loved my own sons, but Gabriel brings even more love out of me. I am so looking forward to each day to watch him grow up.

I can't wait until my sons have more children. Having babies around is the joy of my life. I love holding them, feeding them, playing with them and rocking them to sleep. To have them smile at me .... it's a gift from God.

I'm grateful for every second I get with them. Maybe you'll be lucky and have a baby smile at you.

Museums

There are many museums in San Antonio and I haven't seen as many as I'd like. The one that I want to see next is the McNay Art Museum. I keep hearing about it on the local news and it peaks my interest. I love art and I believe this place has exhibits that will inspire me.

For those who haven't heard about it, check this out:
http://www.mcnayart.org/#/history/

The grounds look beautiful and I think it would be a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I just have to talk Jerry into visting it. Hummmm....must think... lol

Buckhorn Saloon and Museum

I've been to many museums over the years, but one of the strangest for me was visiting the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum in San Antonio. It's been in continuous operation since 1881. Founder Albert Friedrich opened his doors and offered up a a bargain, "Bring in your deer antlers and you can trade them for a shot of whiskey or a beer." That was the birth of a really unique museum/bar.

This place is a trip. According to the Saloon's web page. "This is where it all started...where Teddy Roosevelt recruited Rough Riders and Pancho Villa is rumored to have planned the Mexican Revolution. Many of the original furnishings still grace today's Buckhorn Saloon, including the back bar which was hand-crafted of marble and cherry wood."

There are horns of all shapes and sizes and animal trophy heads are mounted on all walls of the business. I've never seen so many dead critter parts in one place in my life. It was a bit disconcerting to eat lunch under the watchful glare of deceased animals.



The place boasts that it is five museums in one place. We just visited the bar area and had lunch. We plan to go back and see the other museums which include Fins, Feathers, The Hall of Texas History Wax Museum and the Texas Ranger Museum.

I have to say they do have the strangest gift store I've seen. It has odd animal pieces for sale along with the usual fare. Bones, candy, doohickeys and whatnots. I am going back there to do some Christmas shopping for funky things to put in stockings. lol I can't wait to see the kid's faces when they open up their stocking gifts.

I did love sitting at the back bar and imagining what it was like when Teddy, Pancho Villa, Will Rogers or Henry O sat at the exact same bar and had a drink. In between daydreaming about the past, I found myself apologizing to the trophy heads.

I'm sucker for sad eyes.

Greenbelt

I know many will laugh at my naivete, but I honestly did not know what a greenbelt was and how great is was to live near. It wasn't until I moved to Texas that I was able to experience first hand the perfection that is greenbelt. Where our home is located we have greenbelt on the left side of the house and at the back. It's like having a mini forest right outside my back door. This is our view from the back porch.



Jerry built a gate in the back fence so now we can easily step out into another world of peace and tranquility. Trees, wildflowers, butterflies and deer all abound in our greenbelt. A small creek lies right at the foot of the hill where we live. It's mainly dry in the summer, but once a rainstorm hits, it flows with life and energy. Tadpoles squirm and float, and birds sing and dive at the grasshoppers who happen to chirp so loud even I can hear them without my hearing aids.

I had no greenbelt where I lived in California. We had a canal behind our house full of mosquitos and frogs. Oh, and a train track that clanked at all times of the night. I so don't miss those sounds.

Here, I open up my bedroom windows and enjoy the cool breeze and listen to the birds, grasshoppers and many other crunchy critters I haven't identified yet. I feel so spoiled having such beautiful nature so close to home. It's calming for my soul.

What's great about all this is that being a greenbelt, it's going to stay natural. It will not be bulldozed into another useless shopping center. It will stay green, wild and a home for creatures big and small.

This makes me quite happy.

Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo

When visiting San Antonio most people stop to see the Alamo. It's definately worth seeing. It's a piece of history that is held sacred by most all Texans. It's important to see the video in the soldier's garrison before seeing anything. It will help explain the history behind the Alamo. But I'm not going to focus on the Alamo here. BTW, there is NO basement at the Alamo. lol

What I always recommend to visitors is to check out the Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo. It gives the visual people out there, like myself, an understanding of what missions were like back in the 1700s. Located a bit south of the Alamo, it's also in San Antonio. It's one of the most beautiful missions I've ever seen. It has the land around it that we wish the Alamo still had around it. Mission San Jose is a great place to see the beauty of what was--the artwork there touches my heart.

Founded in 1720, the mission was named for Saint Joseph and the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo, the governor of the Province of Coahuila and Texas at the time. It was built on the banks of the San Antonio river several miles to the south of the earlier mission, San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo).

Its founder was the famed Father Antonio Margil de Jesús, a very prominent Franciscan missionary in early Texas.

It's known as the "Queen of the Missions."

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/SS/uqs23.html

The statues are all around the church:





The next time you are in San Antonio, make sure to check out Mission San Jose. It's free to see and offers a touch of history not often found. You won't regret it.

Kreuz Market and Barbecue

(I took the first three photos and the rest I snagged off of photobucket)



I've read articles spouting the perfection of barbecue in Lockhart, Texas. The Texas legislature has officially deemed it the BBQ capital of Texas. It's been in Bon Appetit, Gourmet Magazine, on the Food Network on more than one show and the Travel Channel. Lockhart is a mere hour and 20 minutes from where I live. Jerry and I had to check it out.

The town is just a bump in the road. It sports on a good day about 12,000 people. It has a handful of beautiful historic houses on main street and a courthouse that harkens back to the good, old days.




On this visit, we went to Kreuz Market (pronounced Krites). It started as a German Market in 1900. There was some family disagreements between the original owners three kids. One kid stayed at the original site and renamed it Smitty's Market, it's right off the town square, and one of the other kids took the name and moved it to a new location on the edge of town and named it Kreuz Market. Kreuz Market is a huge facility. It seats about 560 people.



It has an actual wooden sidewalk out front and an antique-look inside. I loved this sign they had posted.






You go one way to order in a room set aside. You can feel the heat from the BBQ pit as you enter. I felt sorry for the people working in that room. There are no platters or sandwiches. (photo snarked from photobucket as I was too busy deciding on my meat choices to take photos)




This is what the order board looks like:




You order by the pound/half pound. I chose a small amount of brisket, ribs, smoked ham and two links of their homemade sausage(regular and jalapeno). They put your meats on butcher paper, toss on half a loaf of Wonder white bread, a sleeve of crackers and two plastic knives. You then carefully pick up that butcher paper load and head into another room.

This is not Jerry. Another photo snagged.




As you walk to the doors leaving the meat room you feel the heat coming from the BBQ pit. Oak logs glow super hot and the smell is divine.

The second room is where you choose what sides you want. I chose German potatoes, beans and sauerkraut. That's right. BBQ style sauerkraut. Add a side of marinated onions and unsweetened tea and lemonade and Jerry and I are set. By the way, no plates, no forks. We got plastic spoons with the beans and little plastic bowls, but that's it. Oh, and no barbuecue sauce. They have the firm belief that meat this good doesn't need to hide behind a sauce.

I would have taken a photo of the meats, but we were too busy eating. LMAO Here's another photo I snagged off of photobucket of people who had more self control than I had.



The meat was delicious and the sides were tasty. If you would have told me I would eat sauerkraut with barbecue I would have thought you were nuts. But they add some chopped barbecued brisket to the sauerkraut and it was damned good. The brisket was good, but not memorable. I personally believe, and Jerry stated, that my smoked tri-tip tastes tons better. He said I need to market it. LOL The beans must have jalapenos in them because they were HOT. Jerry loved them and the jalapeno sausage. I can't handle the super hot stuff so I just took his word for it. He actually sweated as he ate them. They were that hot. But he said those were his favorites.

For me, it was the smoked ham and sauerkraut. I'd go back just for those.

We had dessert of miniature apple pies that were tasty.

I had wanted to check out Smitty's while we were there, but we were stuffed. I had Jerry drive by it just so we could easily find it next time we visit. It's right nearby the courthouse I showed up above.

The drive was worth it. We had leftovers which makes for a great next day lunch. San Antonio, and it's nearby areas, has so much great food to choose from you never get bored. I love it here.

History

I love history. It ties back to my high school years with my favorite teacher of all times, Mr. Fred Horlacher. My junior year Nevada History class was the most amazing experience of my life. Mr. Horlacher lived and breathed history. He brought it life. We never had a book in his class. If his lecture was on the Civil War, he'd come in dressed as a soldier and tell us about the Civil War as if he lived it. One time he came in full Native American garb. A full feather headress and all. You took your notes from his lecture and that's what he tested on. He was the coolest teacher in the whole school.

He was also the advisor for the Ghost Towners Nevada History Club. You fought to get into his classes and to get into the club. It was only open to upperclassmen and was a blast to be in. We went on field trips all around Northern Nevada. Our initiation into the club was walking around the Virginia City cemetery on Halloween night at midnight. Come on, how cool was that? He had it boobytrapped with sounds and people to scare us. After we walked around (and screamed a lot) we sat around the headstones as he told us real life "ghost" stories about the residents of Virginia City. I can still close my eyes and see exactly what it looked like. It's a snapshot I've had in my brain all these years.

He took us along the same path the infamous Donner Party took that fateful winter. He had handed out beef jerky to us and we walked by moonlight. No flashlights. He told us the sad story about the Donner Party. Of course, once they got to the part of cannibalizing, the beef jerky just didn't taste good anymore. lol

He loved to play practical jokes on us. Sitting around a campfire, he would tell us stories about the Native Americans that lived around Lahontan resevoir. He would have us repeat a few Paiute phrases. Owa Ta Foo Iam. Over and over we'd say it. Suddenly people started giggling. More and more of us got it. What a crack up he was.

He sent newbie students on "snipe" hunting trips. Those who knew about snipes kept out laughter quiet until the newbs were out in the dark making noises and carrying a burlap bag.

I learned to appreciate and respect the history of Nevada because of Mr. Horlacher. And because his passion for history rubbed off on me, I am learning to love and respect the history of Texas. And Texas has a lot of history wrapped up within its borders. Each day trip we take we learn something else about this place we call home.

Mr. Horlacher would be proud.

Texas Scenery

I love the funky scenery I've come across since we've moved to Texas. When friends and family heard we were moving to Texas they were shocked. "Why do you want to move to a place that only has rattlesnakes and tumbleweeds?" Well, I had to educate them that Texas has a lot more going for it. Yes, west Texas does have those things, but where we are--south central Texas--we have a bit more beauty, in my opinion.

Personally, we are living at the edge of what is called "Hill Country." It's lush, peaceful and always beautiful. Even in the drought we are experiencing, it's lovely. Deer are abundant and you can see many birds and butterflies.

The first thing I noticed when we moved here was all the stone. Not only could you see the stone cut along the roadway, it is used as major focal points in housing and retail sites. The photo above was one I took in a retail shopping center. Instead of removing the tree, the planners left it and utilized it in a unique way. I find it so funky, it's almost Zen to me. lol

I can handle living where it is hot, as long as it's pretty. That's always been my mantra. And it's pretty here.

Here are some photos I snagged off the Internet to show you all how gorgeous it is here. :)

Brackettville

Back in January, Jerry and I decided to take a day trip. We drove 2 1/2 hours from San Antonio and visited a place called Brackettville. It's a small town in west Texas that is barely a bump on the road. It was a nice, almost desolate drive from San Antonio. Many places reminded us of our drives in California. The scenery is similar of the central coast. A touch of farm land mixed in with desolate desert and sagebrush. It's almost a mixture of land around Fresno and Mojave jumbled together. The day was beautiful. We left San Antonio when it was cloudy and in the low 60s to Brackettville where it cleared up to blue skies and high 60s.

We drove seven miles outside of Brackettville to a destination knowns as Alamo Village. What is Alamo Village and why were we visiting it? It's a huge, movie set that still is active today. It was originally constructed, basically in the middle of nowhere, for and by John Wayne. He had a movie he really wanted to make, "The Alamo," which also starred Richard Widmark. They started building it in 1957, and finished two years later, and in 1959 they started filming the movie.

This place is not just false-fronted buildings normally seen on movie sets, this is is a complete town. More than a million and a quarter adobe bricks were made and used. They used 12 miles of water pipes and 30,000 square feet of Spanish roofing tiles. Part of the site has a replica of the Alamo from 1830s. They also built a Mexican town from the 1830s that has a jail, saloon, general store, stables, church, cemetery, bank and blacksmith shop.

This was the first movie set built in Texas. It is stocked with stagecoaches, wagons, surreys, cannons, props and set dressings. This year they are celebrating their 50th anniversary. Apparently, they are going to have recreators wandering around in full costume, ranchers will bring cattle and horses, offering trail rides around the ranch and more.

Since it was January, only a handful of visitors were at the site. It was peaceful, quiet and scenic. If I were going to make my own western movie, I'd definately check this place out. Or, if I wanted to do Western themed photos of my family, this is the place. There's not much going on around it, it's quiet. No amusement rides, fudge shops or the rest.

They have filmed more than 100 movies, documentaries and music videos at Alamo Village. Some, I'm sure you've all seen.

Movies
1951 Arrowhead - Charlton Heston
1955 The Last Command - Ernest Borgnine
1958 Five Bold Women - Irish McCalla
1959 John Wayne's "The Alamo"
1960 The Spirit of the Alamo (TV) - NBC
1960 Roy Rogers Show (TV)
1960 John Ford's - Two Rode Together - Jimmy Stewart
1966 Top Hand (TV)
1967 Aye, That Pancho Villa (TV)
1967 Bandolero - Dean Martin
1968 Children's West (Lon Chaney, Jr.) (TV)
1973 A Death in Tombstone
1974 The Texas Ballad (KLRN-TV)
1978 Adventures of Jody Shanan
1978 Centennial, "The Longhorns" (TV) - Dennis Weaver
1979 Code of Josey Wales - Michael Parks
1980 Barbarosa - Gary Busey
1980 Seguin (American Playhouse) - Edward James Olmos
1981 "Kathleen" Kestrel Films
1982 Tennessee to Texas - A Musical Affair (TV) - Tanya Tucker
1984 Up Hill All The Way -Burt Reynolds
1986 Houston - Legend of Texas (TV) - Sam Elliott
1986 The Alamo - Thirteen Days To Glory (TV) - Alec Baldwin
1986 No Safe Haven - Wings Hauser
1987 Alamo: Price of Freedom - Caser Biggs
1988 Lonesome Dove (TV) - Robert Duvall
1989 Gunsmoke - The Last Apache (TV) - James Arness
1991 JCV Japanese Quiz Show (TV)
1991 American Movie Classics (TV - Bob Dorian
1992 Rio Diablo (TV) - Travis Tritt
1992 Travis Smith (direct to video)
1993 Bad Girls - Madeleine Stowe
1994 Gambler V (TV) - Kenny Rogers
1994 James A. Michener's, "Texas" (TV) - John Schneider
1994 Good Old Boys (TV) - Sam Shephard
1995 Streets of Laredo (TV) - James Garner
1995 A&E History Channel's "The Alamo" (TV)
1995 Discovery Channel's - "The Battes of the Alamo" (TV)
1995 PBS - Ken Burns "The West" (TV)
1995 A&E Biography - "Davy Crockett: American Frontier Legend" (TV)
1995 The Learning Channel's - "Famous Battles" - Alamo Segment (TV)
1995 Discovery Channel's - Buffalo Soldiers" (TV)
1996 Once upon A Time In China and America - Sammo Hung
1999 Alamo... The New Defenders (direct to video)
1999 The Bullfighter - Domineca Scorcese
1999 The History Channel's - "Haunted San Antonio" (TV)
2000 Jericho - Mark Valley - Leon Coffee - Buck Taylor
2001 The History Channel's "History vs Hollywood" (TV)
2002 "Westown" Sturghill Productions
2006 Blue Eyes - Walker Cable Productions
2006 Mexican Gold - Walker Cable Productions
2007 The Man Who Came Back - Walker Cable Productions - Eric Braden - Billy Zane
2007 - Friend of The Devil (TV Pilot)

Music Videos

1980 Willie Nelson - "Tougher Than Leather"
1995 Brooks & Dunn - "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone"
1996 Gary Hobbs - "Corazon de la Ardiente"
1996 La Tropa F - "The Sheriff"
1996 "Los Palominos"
1999 Shade of Red - "Revolution"

Here are some photos we took: