Home Sweet Home

After six days spent at the Casita Rally in Bandera, Texas, we arrived home Sunday afternoon.  It was a good get-away for us and we are refreshed and ready to continue our daily grind. 

The weather held out for us, although the first two days we were in Bandera it was very cold and windy, the rest of the time the weather was pleasant.  Areas around Bandera    (San Antonio, Hondo, Medina) and south of us (Houston, Port Lavaca, Victoria) were inundated with thunderstorms and flooding.  We have had a few severe thunderstorms in our area yesterday and early today, but they have passed and now blue skies and south Texas humidity prevail! 

We always enjoy going to the Casita Rally's as it gives us an opportunity to visit with those we have met in the past and to meet and make new friends!  It is nice to share "Turtle Tales" with everyone and they in turn shared their stories with us.  In our travels we have gone many miles and sometimes many days without seeing another Casita, so you can imagine our pleasure in being at a rally where there are well over one-hundred Casitas!  Between the seminars and "How To" workshops, and social activities, there is something for everyone!

As always, the dogs were a big attraction at our site!  Everyone who came to visit us ( or we thought they were coming to visit us) had to stop and visit the dogs first!  Princess Penny pretty much takes it all in stride being the once -upon-a-time show dog, but Lacy gets excited and picks up her ball and tries to get someone - anyone- to play ball with her!  At one time she was a shy little girl, but not any more!  And of course the question always comes up "How do you and the dogs all fit in the Casita"?   Or "Where do the dogs sleep"?  (Penny sleeps on the floor and Lacy sleeps in the bed with us) .  But I am sure we are not the only ones that got asked these questions this time around, as there were several Casita owners that came with their really BIG dogs!  (I'm talking Great Dane and Irish Wolfhound!). 

The final tally for the Rally was 143 Casitas and 263 participants! 

Our next Rally will be held next month at the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, TX.  This will be a smaller rally as the RV space is limited, but it should be just as much fun!  Where we go after that depends on Hurricane Season and Jim's heart tune-up.  But we will keep you posted!

Til next time....................enjoy the pictures from the Rally!

 

 

Happy Campers!

 

 

Wine and Cheese (and then some!)

 



Cowboy Up!

Bandera, Texas

A blending of Indian, Mexican, Polish and Western cultures gives Bandera a unique ambiance not found elsewhere in Texas!

History of the area tells us that there were many battles between the Apache and Comanche Indians and the Spanish Conquistadors in Bandera Pass (12 miles north of Bandera.  It is said that for years after these battles, a red "bandera" (Spanish for banner or flag) was flown at the site to define the boundary between Spanish and Indian hunting grounds.

The cypress trees that outline the course of the Medina River which runs through the area, brought the first permanent settlers to Bandera.  A mill that sawed the cypress shingles was established here in 1853.  In 1855, a small group of Polish families immigrated to Bandera to work at the mill.  The polish heritage is evident in much of the town's architecture. 

Bandera's title "Cowboy Capital of the World", originated when it became a staging area for the last great cattle drives of the late 1800's.  A bronze monument honoring the many National Rodeo Champions who call Bandera home, stands on the court house lawn.  And yes, cowboys still ride their horses to town!

Of interest, is the Old Blacksmith Shop on 11th Street.  It was originally used by John James and Charles de Montel while surveying the town.  It was also used by the Methodist Church in the mid 1860's, Langford's cabinet shop in the 1870's, blacksmith and wheelwright shop and later from the 1920's to 1950's as a doctor's office.  Today it is home to the 11th Street Bar which is where the Casita crowd gathered last night to grill steaks and dance the two-step!  We had a good time visiting with Casita friends we hadn't seen in a while, and of course, meeting new friends! Additionally some historic buildings we visited are the old jail, courthouse, cemetery, convent, catholic school, bank, various houses, stores and the oldest continuously operating bar in Texas. There are Casita's here from Canada, California, Mississippi, Florida, Michigan, Connecticut, New York, and of course Texas!

The weather has been chilly in Bandera - but the dogs are loving it!  Today the sun is actually shining and we should get into the 60's.  That will be a nice change!

On the agenda for today is arts and crafts, a Casita workshop and a photography class.  Tonight is pot-luck and networking.  Tomorrow is a tour of the James Avery complex in Kerrville , and open house of all the Casita's that have made modifications  - an opportunity to share ideas on making our Casita's more space effective and functional.  There are close to 150 Casita's here, so it might take a while to cover them all! 

For more information on Bandera, go to www.banderacowboycapital.com


Til next time...........

Welcome to Bandera!

 

Wildflowers - There aren't many!

 

Greeter at Antique Store

 

Bandera Courthouse

 

First United Methodist Church

 

Cypress Trees

 

 

Jimmy Cribbs Band

 

 

Steaks on!

 

Speedy enjoying the town!

 

 

Deer are everywhere!

It's Been Awhile...........

Greetings to all!

It has been a while since we have posted, but as you know, sometimes life simply gets in the way!  Our plan was to head to Key West this past fall, but illness, doctor appointments and other "stuff" seemed to control our plans, and that did not happen!

We are planning on attending the Bluebonnet Casita Rally in Bandera, TX the end of this month, and we do have a couple of other rallies coming up which we plan to attend as well.  If the traveling and the family stay well and we adjust to the small trips with no health issues, we will head out to Key West after hurricane season is over in the fall.

Meanwhile, we have been busy with house chores and of course there are the unending yard chores which seem to double when the grass gets any moisture at all!  We have replaced trim and repainted the outside of the house, and are now in the process of repairing a fence that was knocked down during an intense wind storm in our area last month. 

Outside of the home, we stay busy with church activities and various community ministries.  Recently our church formed a Harvest Kitchen to feed the homeless in our area, and we are involved in that -  it is good feeling to play-it- back to our community.  We remain active in activities at the Senior Center, and I am now the Volunteer Coordinator and have been busy setting up various volunteer recruitment activities and also do crafts twice a month as well. Of course Jim and I still deliver Meals on Wheels every Monday - this is our 7th year delivering meals!
 
We trust everyone is doing well and that our paths will cross on the road again soon!