2021-05-30 Dancing Divas

On Saturday, my son and daughter-in-law were driving up to Brownwood for my Granddaughter Morgan's dance recital. From there, the three of them plus Angus were heading west to New Mexico and Colorado for a little summer vacation. Hmmm, I would like to see her dance too. No big deal, I will just drive up there myself, meet them for the recital, and then drive home. DH didn't want to drive 4 hours each way but I like roadtrips. Rather than caravan with the kids, we just headed out separately. I told them I would meet them at their motel in Brownwood. Angus was going to chill in the hotel room while we were at the recital. Our timing worked out perfectly. We arrived at the high school auditorium close to an hour early as it fills up early with all the parents bringing their dancers.

Morgan was in 5 different dances. I just mostly took photos of the parts she was in but it was a lengthy program with tiny tot dancers up to high school girls. There were even a couple of boys. Morgan's mother and grandmother own the dance studio and they have a large crowd of students.

"Bad Dream"

"Rainbow Hanging Over Your Head"

"99 Red Balloons"

"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" (my personal favorite dance)

"Money, Money, Money"

"Finale"

As part of the Finale, 5 of the backstage personnel donned these unique costumes. The other four all raised their arms straight up as they danced but this is my grandson Cameron and he is too tall to raise his arms straight up. It was very interesting. The program ran long as often happens so it was 5:30 before I was able too give Morgan hugs and head out.

The GPS sent me a different way out of Brownwood. It was a very small rural road but the wild flowers were beautiful. It was surprising  to see so many flowers still in bloom. We have had an unusual amount of rain this year.

There were flowers all along the roadside and even whole fields of them.

Aren't they beautiful? No more bluebonnets but lots of red, orange, and yellow flowers.

The cacti were also blooming. Lots of people don't realize just how beatiful cacti can be when they are blooming. The cacti flowers don't last long but are gorgeous at just the right time.

It was 9:30pm when I arrived at home so it was a long but very enjoyable day. I love road trips.

 

2021-05-23 Goodbye Roses

 Sunday morning was the last time for coffee and goodbyes for those who were heading home. It was a great rally. Polly, Cathy, Teri, and I cleaned the rally rooms. It was a pretty big job that could have used some additional help. 

I spent some time taking more pictures of the miniature horses just because they were so cute. Harley and I went for some more walks and I worked on gathering the pictures for blog. 

Dinner time!

Hey lady.....you got apples or carrots?

2021-05-22 Ingram TRR Rally Saturday

 Saturday morning started out with coffee at 0800, too early for me. Harley likes a walk after his breakfast so it's usually 0900 or even 0930 before I get there. There was a Newcomers Orientation attended by about 10 women, some brand new, some just attending their first rally since the pandemic. Next up was the blessing or christening of the rigs. Anyone with a new or new to them rig can sign up. It is just to wish them safe travels and lots of future RVing fun. Our chapter president, Jimmie, has a water canon these days. Filling up balloons was a very wet job in the past. She conducts the ceremony and the RV owner tells us the name if her RV already has one and a little about the RV. Everyone walks around from rig to rig. Sometimes there are only one or two but this time there were quite a few due to smaller number of rallies held last year. You will see everything from truck campers, to small and large motorhomes, and small and large trailers. 

Sometimes the ladies offer tours of their RVs. You have to pay attention or Jimmie may have moved on without you. 

Polly was our rally hostess this time. 

After the christenings, there was lots of visiting going on, a few went back to the Resale shops or Gibsons. A few brave ladies went swimming in the creek.

Polly also made chili for everyone for dinner on Saturday night.

Others brought some appetizers or desserts to share. Our oldest chapter member, Barbara (94) couldn't bring her RV to the rally because it's in the shop for a few repairs but she and her daughter drove over and she brought two homemade pecan pies. She is famous for them and they didn't last long. Unfortunately they couldn't stay long because heavy rain was on it's way in. It hit about 5pm and lasted about 2 1/2 hours....no storm but very heavy rain which was 3 inches deep on the park roads. Luckily, it drained off very quickly.

Polly had arranged a special evening. The Banjoys entertained us for several hours. These four women played guitars, drums, mandolins, banjos, and harmonicas. I may have missed some instruments but they were fabulous and played all kinds of music. After their performance, they jammed with a few of our chapter members.

2021-05-21 Ingram TRR Rally Day 2

 Friday was a day for site seeing. Several groups went to the many resale shops in Kerrville about 15 minutes away. Polly, Teri, and I opted to check out Ingram and take a drive further up the Guadalupe River towards Hunt. Our first stop was at the Hill Country Arts Foundation.

We were there to see Stonehenge II. It all started with an extra limestone slab from a patio in Hunt. The owner, Doug Hill, got together with his artistic friend, Al Sheppard, and Stonehenge II came to life in the pasture at Al's ranch. It took 9 months to build the steel, metal lathe, and plaster pillars. People were able to drive by and see it. After Al Sheppard died, his family donated Stonehenge II to the Hill Country Arts Foundation and it was moved there in 2012 where anyone can easily visit.

Stonehenge Ii is 90% as wide as the original Stonehenge and 60% as high so not exactly the same proportions but it is a very interesting site.

Al Sheppard visited the Easter Islands and also recreated the famous statues there.

There is a restaurant with music onsite at the foundation and classes are held there as well.

There is both an outdoor and indoor theater with productions put on regularly.

This is the outdoor theater behind the visitor's center.

We all met up at Billy Gene's Restaurant in Kerrville at 1:00PM. It was nice to have a private room because this is a very popular restaurant. 

We had a male and a female waiter who did a phenominal job of taking all our orders, getting the food out quickly, and checking us out as well. The food was really good too.

Later that afternoon, a few in the group went swimming. The pool isn't open yet but the Johnson Creek is always open.

We met at 6 for snacks or leftovers.

And then the movie was on....."The Long, Long Trailer" an oldy but goody.