A Merry Christmas to you

No, it's not a Renoir

it's people just sitting along the Riverwalk in San Antonio.

And the lights hanging down form the trees…..
doesn't it make it look like it's some sort of magical rain?

Well, it's quite enjoyable riding in a boat as carolers serenade you 
form bridges overhead

or singing on the passing boats!

May you have a Merry Christmas, from down in San Antonio,

where you can still find a Christmas celebration!

South Texas' Autumn

From our Thanksgiving blog, the stories of the big cold front coming our way, and the fact that we are approaching the Winter Solstice,
you might think we too are in winter.

While this is what you'll see if you look for it,

you will notice that

there is a lot of green still here.

And when the temperature reached 84 yesterday,

even our snowman was wearing her tennis hat!

A frozen Thanksgiving at Georgetown Lake.

You might not believe it, but it sure did freeze in Texas….for 3 consecutive nights 
during our Thanksgiving camp-out!!

Yes, that is frost on the Texas flag during Thanksgiving! 

Don't believe it? Check this out:

While things looked pretty dreary,

someone decided to go up in his hot air balloon, in the cool of the early morning.

Then the morning slowly changed from this: 

to this:

And, after 3 days of cold,

the dogs finally got to basque in the 60 degree sun.

Now, that's Thanksgiving!

The Rio Medina!

There are spots in which water has pooled, despite the lack of rain.
Here is the Rio Medina as it crosses Highway 16, between Medina and Bandera.

With it's cypress leaves changing color, 

you'd think its too lake to go tubing.
But when the temps hit 80, it might still be a good day for such activities after all!

(P.S . As you have noticed, we really like to see and play in the water. 
But, since not everyone is so interested in that….we'll try to avoid that subject in the next few blogs.)

Autumn along the Guadalupe River

The Guadalupe River is such a local icon, that (despite our drought) 
they will do whatever it takes to keep it accessible to floaters.

Knowing this, and eager to get our new kayak in the water,
we headed about an hour west to Kerrville, in the Texas Hill Country.

Sure enough, there was good water…..'cause they damned it up for us.

But we were so surprised to see that autumn had fully arrived here, 
since it's beginning at last week end's (as we showed you on our Lost Maples blog).

So, why not just enjoy a picnic, take up your fishing pole, and sit at the water's edge?

Or take a look around,

as you put the kayak in the water,

and go for a slow and leisurely float down the famous Guadalupe

out by Kerrville, Texas.

After seeing Medina Lake, we are really concerned about our drought.

San Antonio gets its drinking water form the Edward's Aquifer. 
The aquifer is something you hear about, but you don't ever physically see.

So, when we hear how low the water level has reached, we just can't grasp it's significance.

That is, until we took our new kayak to Lake Medina, just outside the city limits.

Three years ago, when we went there, the water level was too low to put in a motor boat form the county park's boat ramp. 
But, you could still picnic with some water at the shore…..
and even put in your kayak if you wanted.

But, this is what we saw this weekend:

All the white you see should covered by water!
Now…..It is blocks away form the road's edge!
Wow.

And here's the lake closer to the damn:

The water should reach to the top of the exposed white rock!
Even at the deepest part, the grasses from the lake's floor are higher than the current water level.

Seeing THAT really makes us concerned about this drought in the Southwest!

November's changing colors, at Lost Maples State Park

We heard last week that the colors where about to change,.
So, in the van we went for a overnight trip, 69 miles west of San Antonio, to Lost Maples State Park.

And, sure enough, the change has indeed begun!

Some from orange onto shades of red.

And, while the temps started in the 40s, by mid afternoon it was in the 60's, 
something we indeed enjoy in this part of the country.

It was the 4.6 mile East Loop Trail we took.
A little steep, as we climbed up to 2,500 feet.

And the porous rocks were a title rough on our dog's feet.

No, that's not volcanic rock you see. It's limestone, with many eroded holes, 
back form the days when all of Texas and even New Mexico, was covered by an ancient sea.

But, as you can see, at the end of it all, 
these 4 happy hikers did survive, with just a few scrapes and falls.

Good Caribbean Food in San Antonio

You know, there are a lot of Puerto Ricans in San Antonio.
Many came here for basic training when they joined the Army.
And like us, they decided this was a good place to return and settle down.

That has an added benefit for some of us:

There is no need to fly to Miami for a  paella with a side of roast pork!

Or how about black beans and rice, with tasty roast chicken and fried mature plantain?

All that at local restaurants.

Sabrosisimo!

PS Maybe we'll talk more about other ethnic groups on future blogs.

Government Canyon in San Antonio

We are back in San Antonio. 
So for the next 2 months, most of the posts will be about life in this area. 
Hope you enjoy seeing life in South Texas.
We'll try to leave out the stuff you see in advertisement brouchures.

After just a few days here, we decided to go to Government Canyon State Natural Area, 
for a little walk with the dogs. 

It's an 8,600 acres park, with 40 miles of trails, and is close by, 
just outside of the San Antonio city limits.
It shows what the central Texas Hill Country is like.

Some might call what we did "hikes", but only about 1/4th. of the park is open to pets, so these are simple, easy walks, we think.

If you are more adventurous, you are welcome to hike the "back trails". 
And, at this time of the year, with early morning temperatures in the 40s and up to the 60-70's in the afternoon, we think they would be a delight to explore.

They say you can go on the Gov't. Canyon Wall trail, and see the wall which rises 80 feet above the canyon. 
(To Texans, from a relatively flat place, that it quite high.)

Or take the Chula Vista Trail. From there they say you can see the Tower of the Americas, our "needle" form the 1968's World's Fair or HemisFair, all the way in downtown San Antonio!

But, if like us, you have your dogs with you, and are confined to the "easy" trails,
you will still be able to see what Texas was really like for early Spanish and Mexican explorers, when they first crossed this state: 
lots more brush and obstacle than the general publics thinks of, when they think of Texas.

You won't find mch grasslands here, but you'll still expereince  thorny mesquite.

And lots of low brush and cedar, which must have been really thick when those explorers first passed by here.
Today the cedar does cause discomfort for those allergic to it, specially when the northern's blow it's products into town

If that was not enough of an obstacle,
take a look at this:

Did you notice the prickly pear cactus, down by the shrubs?
And how about that Spanish Dagger? Some just call them Yucca. 
But their leave's needle-sharp points will take your eye out if you don't watch out.
Or, if you get off the trail, the short ones might poke you in the leg!

And then there was this at lots of spots along the trail:

Was it from deer digging the dirt? 
Or was it from javelina boars doing some rooting?
Just kidding. It's probably deer...javelinas are more common closer to the Gulf of Mexico than this far west.

Our conclusion:
This country must have been pretty rough on those early explorers, we think.

Check out their website at:         http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/government-canyon

Being prepared for the snows

Snow can be a lot of fun

But when you are way away form much of civilization...
you'd better stock up on a few supplies

like the neighbor who lives there year-round!

It's nice to know....

.......that the winds did not blow down the grandkid's tepee.

Just enjoying the views

After the snow, it sure is nice to just sit and look down the valley, 
with a cup of chocolate in your hand.

Or just appreciate the beauty close by:

Early November snows

Early November brought about 5 inches of snow overnight to the cabin at nearly 9,700 feet.

Yes, that delayed our departure.

So we decided to make the most of it.

The dogs sure did like it.

There's nothing as fun as running in the snow!