More Hot Springs Adventures

We started out the day by going to the Hot Springs Farmers and Artisans Market. It is held almost every Saturday morning and Tuesday evening. We enjoyed some live music and picked up some fresh produce.

Next we drove to Garvan Woodland Gardens, a 210-acre botanical garden located on the shore of Lake Hamilton, south of Hot Springs. The garden belongs to the University of Arkansas Department of Landscape Architecture. We had a lovely day exploring the various areas of the garden.

One interesting feature is a garden railroad operated by local model railroaders. It has three separate loop tracks and runs three trains plus Thomas the Train.

Near the end of our visit we came upon this whimsical fairy garden, constructed entirely of local materials (plus a few additions from Walmart--the online tour guide comments "How Arkansas is that?")

This "Wing Emporium" has the advertising slogan "Walk In, Fly Out."

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Hot Springs National Park

We drove into Hot Springs today to the National Park Visitor Center, located in the historic Fordyce Bathhouse. We had to drive around for a bit to find parking for our big truck. Then we climbed up to the Grand Promenade, which runs along behind Bathhouse Row.

We got to the visitor center in time to join a ranger led tour in progress. Our tour guide, Kevin, was both very entertaining and informative. This sculpture is located in the former Men's Bathhall. It depicts a native American woman kneeling and offering water from the fountain of youth to Hernando de Soto. There is actually no record of de Soto having visited Hot Springs.

After lunch we hiked up the mountain behind the bathhouses and hiked the Hot Springs Mountain Trail. It is one of several trails used by doctors prescribing exercise for their patients taking the waters.

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A Place Called Hope

We left Texarkana this morning headed to Hot Springs, AR. Along the way we stopped at Hope, AR, the birthplace of William Jefferson Blythe Clinton. The National Park Service maintains the house he lived in when he was born as a National  Historic Site.

A friendly ranger led a tour of the home, which has been renovated by a local foundation. It is decorated and furnished in authentic period style, but only a couple of the artifacts are original. The home belonged to Clinton's mother's parents. His father had died in an auto accident three months before he was born.

The kitchen features a period range similar to the one I had in my first apartment in 1964.

Bill's bedroom includes a Hopalong Cassidy bedspread similar to one Ken had as a child.

We are spending the holiday weekend at Treasure Isle RV Park in Hot Springs. It's located on the Ouchita River about eight miles west of Hot Springs.

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Texarkana

We left Tyler this morning after a great visit. We're on our way to Hot Springs, AR, but for now we are spending the night at the Texarkana RV Park. It's conveniently located off of Highway 59, and it's a very well kept park. The only real downside is the road noise. Highway 59 is a major truck route.

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Happy Mother's Day! and Happy Birthday to Ken

Chris sent these lovely flowers for Mother's Day.

Today is also Ken's birthday. Here's the birthday boy wearing his American Embassy Singapore shirt that Blake and Terri sent him for Christmas. We celebrated with dinner at Oliveto's last week because Mother's Day is usually very crowded at restaurants.

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Happy Birthday to Carol and Ken

Carol took us to the Tyler Junior College production of Peter and the Starcatcher this afternoon to celebrate Ken's upcoming birthday, but it was her actual birthday today, so afterward we took her out for a birthday dinner.

The play was really fabulous, very high energy, entertaining, and extremely funny.  I haven't laughed so much or had such a good time in a long time, and Carol and Ken both really liked it too. The singing, the acting, the staging, the choreography, and the physical comedy were outstanding.

After the play we picked up Dick and went to Oliveto's for Carol's birthday dinner.

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Full Day: Zoo, Flag Football, Pizza

We went to the Fort Worth Zoo this morning with Ed and Donna and Cate and Sam and Jesse.  We got to watch the zoo's newest lowland gorilla at play. He's about 15 months old and acted much like a human toddler.

This afternoon we went to Sam's flag football game. Ed is the assistant coach. Sam gave it his all as he always does. Molly joined us at the game.

Afterward we went to Palio's Pizza Cafe for dinner. Molly and Donna declared their pizza with a gluten free crust and vegan cheese (and lots of other toppings) was very good. The rest of us enjoyed our salads and pizza too. Ken and I ordered the Nutty Chicken, featuring roasted cashews, roasted chicken, fresh mushrooms, spinach, mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan. It was surprisingly good. Read more!

Midsummer Night's Dream

We went to see Cate perform in  Midsummer Night's Dream this evening. She played Mustardseed. After the performance Ken got a shot of these three lovely fairies. Cate didn't have many lines, but she was part of the fairy dance around Titania.

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Molly's New House

Molly moved into a new place this week. It's half of a duplex in Fort Worth, and she's just started furnishing it and arranging things.

Living room with wood burning fireplace

New rug from an estate sale we went to today.

Kelley and Molly in the dining nook

Bright and airy bedroom

Dinner prep in Molly's vegan kitchen. We made tofu broccoli stirfry.

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It's an Easter Birthday Celebration for New Teenager Cate

Cate turned 13 on April 15, and we celebrated with a party on Sunday.

Cate and Molly--present time

Cate the bookworm!

Eastery birthday cake by master baker, Kelley

13 candles

Cate, Kelley, Will, and Molly

Jesse watching the proceedings in a new football helmet

Sam, Donna, and Ed relax in the living room

Toby checking out the packages.

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On the Road Again.....

We are headed north again, like many Winter Texans--only now we really aren't Winter Texans any more. We are homeowners. So here are a few of the promised pictures of our new digs. We haven't made many changes yet. We figure there will be plenty of time for that when we return in November.

Meanwhile we are in Pleasanton, TX, for the night, just south of San Antonio. Tomorrow we will move on to McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, with a stop along the way at the San Marcos Tanger Outlet Mall. I want to check out Kitchen Collection and the Corningware store.

It was a bit difficult for us to say goodbye to the house after six weeks. We have gotten spoiled by the comforts of home--but of course we are always "home" in our house on wheels, and we are looking forward to visiting friends and family, square dancing, biking, and having other adventures this summer.

We have replaced the shelves under the TV with a fireplace media console. It does a much better job of hiding the wires.

For our decor critics (you know who you are), notice we have taken down the frou-frou valances in the dining room.

The guest room will be open for visitors when we return in the fall, so we invite you to make plans to come to the RGV to stay with us. Read more!

Dinner at "the Little House"

"The little house" is what Judy calls their old home in Green Gate Grove. It's been for sale since they purchased a home in Southern Oasis in Mission last summer. Finally Judy's son Kelly and his wife Shonas have decided to purchase it. Hardy and Judy are delighted that they will be seeing more of their family--and that they will no longer own two homes.

Shonas flew in from the land of snow and ice and subzero temperatures to make the purchase. Tonight she had her first dinner party, featuring authentic Scottish cuisine as well as an authentically Scottish hostess!

As usual we had a great time, with good friends and good food. The centerpiece of the meal was shepherd's pie--but with the mashed potatoes served on the side--and a mash of turnips and carrots.

A special treat was that Steve was able to make it, his first outing since he came home from a month (a solid month!) in the hospital. We are so glad to have him home.

Bob, Steve, and Hardy relax

Judy, Shonas, Lee, Jan, and Pat in the kitchen

Dinner is served!

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