SEVEN DAYS OF SQUEEDUNK: DAYS 3 and 4

Hubby's holding one of several humorous signs sent by his big brother.

Well, we weren't very far into Day 2's Jammy adventure before we got a call that required my getting dressed and hopping into the car, but at least it was for a happy reason. The Wimberley Cafe called to say "Guess what? We're gonna have that apple pie for you today after all, and it'll be ready in 45 minutes!" I was going to leave John home in his jammies while I ran to get it, but he said "Ah well, we might as well both go, and have brunch while we're there." Great idea Snookems! We did, however, come straight back home afterwards, put our jammies back on, and spent the rest of the day binge-watching a new Netflix series called Virgin River. And, of course, there was pie!

Day 3 ran into snags as well (do you see a pattern forming here?). It was supposed to be "Hanging at the Bookstore Day", using up a gift card I have on the both of us and spending some time in the cafe with our purchases and a hot beverage. However, when I got the call that daughter Lex had developed a case of mastitis, and was running a fever -- on the day her hubby was supposed to head back to work -- we decided instead to go grab Mr. Goobs and bring him to our house for a sleepover, so that she and Rowan could get the rest they needed.

If you have grandkids, or kids, or even pets, you know that the first one is the practice kid. And, ever since Calvin outgrew sleeping in a crib, where we could keep him contained, getting him to go to bed, and stay there, has been a problem. We'd tried every different combination of location and who he slept with, if anyone, until we finally figured out that the key was to wear him to a frazzle first. This time we took him on his first hike at Blue Hole Park, let him play on the playground there, then took him to Wimberley Cafe for his favorite dinner, their grilled cheese sandwich.

While I was waiting for the bill, Papa took Calvin next door to the new candy store, to try his first ever Tootsie Roll Pop. He liked it!

Soon as we got home we all got into our jammies and brushed our teeth, pulled open the sofa bed in the living room, and started up a good movie I had recorded for him. This time it was Paddington, and he was sawing logs within fifteen minutes, and stayed that way for 10 or 11 hours, never even noticing when Papa and I snuck back into our own bed! We started the movie up again the next morning, and boy, was he tickled to death when he discovered that I actually had some Paddington-style marmalade in my fridge for him to have with his breakfast, thanks to a dear friend down in Louisiana who is in his 90s, but still manages to make a batch every year using kumquats picked from his own trees!

So, day four was supposed to be our biggest adventure of the week, but when Hubby discovered that our rain tank was almost empty (we never got the fall rains that usually replenish it after our harsh summers) he had to call and order some water to be delivered, and take whatever day they gave him, since we couldn't risk running out altogether. So, instead of the adventure, he got to sit at home all day long, and of course, they didn't come until the very end of the day.

We're really on a roll now!

 

OUT MY WINDOW AND ON MY TABLE

First I spotted this out my desk window, just a couple of days ago...

two little foxes cavorting around our almost empty water tank.  Unfortunately, I could never catch them together in the same photo.

And then, this morning? Rain, glorious rain! Filling up that tank and, hopefully, our bone dry creek.

Do you see our little yoga fox? Every  time Calvin passes her, he pats her on the head and says "Hehwo Fox!"

A perfect day to stay inside, enjoying the steady pitter patter of raindrops on our metal roof , while working on my next "folk art" journal page, wouldn't you agree?

We are not catholic, but we do love our trips down to San Miguel de Allende, where La Virgen de Guadalupe is the Mexican queen -- the mother of the hungry, ill, unemployed, and everyone from singers and soccer players to politicians and taxi drivers. I loved seeing her image everywhere we went, because each one was unique to the artist who created it. Mine will be a conglomeration of them all!

CALVIN AND THE GLASS BOTTOM BOAT ADVENTURE

 
Our daughter and grandson came and spent some time with us last week, while her hubby was away at his big annual hackers' convention in Vegas. While here, we decided that perhaps Calvin was finally old enough to go on some real adventures with Mimi and Papa. First up? Aquarena Springs! Well, what used to be Aquarena Springs. Back in the day there were glass bottom boat rides where you would see mermaids and swimming pigs, but by the time Lex arrived at college there in San Marcos, it had fallen onto hard times and was in serious disrepair. Luckily, Texas State University saved the day by purchasing it and turning it into an educational facility -- renamed The Meadows Center -- where the public can still take boat rides and visit their little aquarium. Alas, the mermaids and swimming pigs are a thing of the past, but there is still plenty of fun to be had!

"A tree tunnel!", Calvin yelled.

The former hotel, in the background, now houses offices, classrooms, and the aquarium.

Abandoned Bits Being Reclaimed By Vegetation

A Most Unusual Fish That Swam Beneath Us

It was so fascinating to me, to actually see the water boiling up out of the ground, here at the beginning, the actual source filling all the aquifers for miles around. The basic 25-minute tour was just about perfect for our toddler, though there is a longer one for those who want to learn more.

We followed this up with lunch at Ivar's River Pub, which also fell on hard times and was closed for a long time, but finally reopened this summer.

Then there was this...

followed by this.

All in all, I'd say it was a mighty fine adventure!

A DAY WITH NURTURE WOMAN AT WATERSTONE

When newest Muse Jenny was inducted a while back, we gave her the name Nurture Woman, having got the impression that she was like a little mother hen, always taking care of everybody and everything. However, we had no idea just how appropriate that name was, until she invited us to spend the day with her on their 150 acre country homestead, Waterstone.

The View Down to the Blanco River From The Lookout

Their house is made from straw clay -- a thick noodle soup of straw, clay and water, packed down into wooden forms that are later removed, leaving wooden frames that you attach siding to -- and is pretty much just what Hubby and I had envisioned building for ourselves, had we not stumbled upon this property we loved, with a house already on it.

Our day began on this porch, sipping coffee and tea while enjoying the antics of her horde of hummers, at the dozen or so hummingbird feeders which she keeps filled with nectar.

Love these handmade tiles in the kitchen, from a local artisan.

And this staircase? Oh My!

Nurture Woman Demonstrates Her Outdoor Shower

Their property has a Wildlife Management agricultural land use designation, which includes supplemental feeding. Julie's personal passion happens to be encouraging the growth of songbirds and other native Texas species, but that involves trying to keep deer, possums, raccoons, etc. just well enough fed to discourage them from raiding bird feeders and nests, but not well enough to become overpopulated themselves. It's a very delicate balance!

Of course, keeping all the critters well-hydrated is just as important as feeding them, which is why you'll see little watering holes like these everywhere you look on the property.

Everything at Waterstone uses rainwater.

So many of their big shady cypress trees along the river banks got uprooted in the big flood, but at least they are salvaging some of the wood, to be made into wonderful furniture and such.

There was a marvelous picnic lunch under a shady tree, followed by more touring, and visiting with her daughter and friends on the property next door. Then, when we just couldn't take the heat one moment longer, there was this!

See the kayak in the tree? A reminder of just how high the water got during the flood.

Does it get any better?

GUESS WHO'S TWO?

Calvin Helps Decorate

Or will be, in just a few days. Remember that decadent dulce de leche/Mexican chocolate/sugar skull cookie creation I told you about a while back, made by Lex's friend at Cake Monster?  Well, we all were jonesin' for another of Stephanie's amazing cakes, but she has a wedding to bake for next weekend. So, of course, we did the only logical thing. We moved Calvin's birthday up a week!

Stars and Moons, Two of His Favorite Things

Uncle Nootie

Where are the prezzies?

A Swimming Pool!

And A Water Table!

Not being familiar with either of those things, he calls them both "bathtubs".

Time To Cut That Cake!

It's On Fire!

Me Help...Eat All Those Cookies.

Nom, Nom, Nom...

And then, he's right back outside -- his favorite place to be -- wondering why no one has his other bathtub set up yet?

 Happy Happy Birthday Little Man! You're the best present your parents ever got!