I smile every time we have an overnight stay in Mineral Wells, TX and read this sign.
Tag: Texas
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2026 Road Trip Home – Day 2
Yesterday was all about bucket list hits.
Along the way from San Angelo, TX to Amarillo, TX we saw some varied and beautiful scenery and enjoyed a couple of breaks from driving to check out attractions.
The weather has been more than cooperative with sunshine, warmth, and clear blue skies.
Breakfast and road snacks from our hotel 
Near Sterling City, TX 
Red Soil at Ackerly, TX. The white specks are debris from the cotton harvest Our first stop was Lubbock, TX – birthplace of Buddy Holly.
After touring Clear Lake, Iowa on our way south this past fall, which I posted about here , we were interested in visiting Buddy Holly’s hometown.
Lubbock Texas has streets named after their favourite son.
There’s also the Buddy Holly Center which is a museum tribute to his life, and includes an art gallery inside an old attached train station.
Across the street, is The Buddy and Maria Elena Holly Plaza which includes the West Texas Walk of Fame – with inductees from the area named in plaques along a curved wall. Among the many inductees were Tanya Tucker, Merle Haggard, Roy Orbison, and Dan Blocker.
We also toured the house of JI Allison, the first drummer for Buddy Holly’s band, The Crickets. In his bedroom was a piano and a drum kit and this is where “That’ll Be the Day” and “Peggy Sue” were written.
I was in Rock n Roll heaven here.
Entrance to the Buddy Holly Center 
Me with the famous glasses 
This courtyard can be rented out 
Inside the entrance 
Lots of reading involved 
Doorway to the Art Gallery 
Three large sections for exhibits 
Original doors to the old train station 
Hubs was most interested in the history of the train station 
JI Allison’s home 
JI’s room in the home 
Buddy and Maria Elena Holly Plaza 
Front of the old train station 
Dedication Plaque From Lubbock, we made the 121 mile (194 km) drive to Amarillo, TX where we checked out our first stop on historic Route 66.
2026 is the hundredth anniversary of “The Mother Road”, so over the course of this year we plan to see as much of it as we can.
First stop: Cadillac Ranch
There’s spray paint everywhere 
Even on the pavement alongside the entrance 
Spray painted locks on the fence 
This truck pulls the souvenir trailer 
Every souvenir you could want is in here 
The famous interactive art installation, created in 1974 
I took my turn at spray painting 
Hubs did some tagging too 
The Second
Amendment Cowboy with a neon sign (one of many on Rte 66)
A diner and gift shop behind the cowboy For those of you wondering about fuel prices:
This is per US Gallon (3.75 liters) We saw it as low as $2.99 and as high as $3.99 Yesterday was a ten hour day, worth every enjoyable second.
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2026 Road Trip Home – Day 1
Yesterday was take off day and we logged nine hours on the road with only quick rest stops.
Texas is a big state and because we’re headed up to the panhandle, we’re taking the longest route from south to north.
It’s bluebonnet time in Texas and the state flower was abundant on the roadsides and in fields along the way. My feature photo was on the way by, so more blurred than I like but it gives you the idea.
Here are a few more “on the way by” photos.
I had to do a white balance correction on them, because of the tinted windows in our truck.
Check stop at Encino, TX 
One of many overpasses at San Antonio, TX 
Coming to Comfort, TX 
Comfort TX 
Fredericksburg, TX 
Many great old buildings in Fredericksburg 
Mason, TX Courthouse
My Moment 58 mmTele Lens for iPhone does a pretty good job of bringing things closer and at the same time, reducing blur. It’s my favourite attachment for shooting from a moving vehicle.
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“I Can’t Believe You Just Did That!”
Some photos just beg to be captioned.
What would yours be for this one?
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Love is All You Need
My cousin, Carrie has visited us in Texas a few times since we bought our place here.
Hubs and I have enjoyed touring her around and I’ve especially enjoyed the fact that she loves to walk and hike.
My feature photo was taken at Quinta Mazatlan, a fascinating and fun place to visit in McAllen, Tx
We found this mural while hiking the trails that surround the historic adobe mansion.
As I was making this post, I was reminded of the Beatles’ song, “All You Need is Love”.
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Steamroller Blues?
I’m out of sync with my regular post times this week.
This is a busy week, so today will be my only post.
On Saturday, we made the two hour drive to Kingsville, TX to take in the Ranch Hand Festival.
This was our third trip to the festival and our second trip there with good friends from home who winter in a park near here.
One of the demonstrations that was new to all of us was the one by TAMUK (Texas A & M University Kingsville) arts department Javelina Printing Club.
Their printing press was a steamroller! My feature photo is a screenshot from a movie I found about them on Facebook – not my own.
The process: Designs are carved into a block of wood, and then ink is rolled over the whole slab.
This is a clip from a movie I shot Once this step is complete, the slab is laid face up on the ground and a large sheet of paper placed over it, and then thick matting is layered on top of all.
The steamroller then drives over and backs up over the lot.
And voila!
This is my own photo of the finished print being lifted off the ground It was fun and interesting to witness this unique process!
There were many prints done over the course of the day, and this was apparently their 12th year at the Ranch Hand festival.
Google Image I don’t know how we missed it on previous visits, but am happy we found it this time!
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Cats and Colours
We’ve been stopping in Llano, TX every year on our way south since 2019.
I found the subject for my feature photo during a walkabout on our first visit there.
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A Timely Message
Now that we’ve finally settled in to our winter home, I’m able to resume some of my normal routine for blog posts.
I still have several murals to contribute to my Monday Murals theme, and a couple of other travel posts to add to my 2016 theme.
The M/W/F posting schedule seems to be working out, so my plan is to continue with those days.
I’ll also continue with Foodie Friday posts.
The mural in my feature photo is in Weslaco, Tx (a town a few miles from here that we visit often).
The mural’s message is a good reminder.
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When in Texas …
From our first taste in 2019, hubs and I became seriously attached to Blue Bell ice cream.
Made in Texas, this brand is the next best thing to home made ice cream and we love that every year, new flavours are added to the line.
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Feathered Friends
Both of my parents were avid “at home” bird watchers, and had many feeders around our yard. They loved to share with us kids, what they learned through this hobby, so I grew up loving and appreciating birds.
A part of the enjoyment of wintering in South Texas is the new varieties of birds we get to experience there.
I was fortunate to catch this shot of a Great Kiskadee at one of the many birding locations in the RGV, and was pleased that I also caught a decent reflection.
Radically Retired 