BEEN READIN' SOME

 Since we left home a year ago this month, we have read a few books.  Yesterday, Ann and I were discussing some of the books we have read lately.  We began digging through our book cases in the trailer to find the ones we have read and found these below.  We were amazed that many of the books we read in Canada and Alaska are no longer with us as we left them in Medford when we were there in October.  These pictured below, some were read by Ann, some by Wayne and some by both of us.  A few, like the maps and scriptures are an ongoing process, but all the books, we have finished.

 This book we want you to make into a movie, Jed.

That's all folks!!

HEADED TOWARDS LAKE WHITNEY, TX 3/3/11

 We left our little birdie and headed south towards our next stop.  We like to take the back roads and following Wayne's "instinct" we ended up down a dirt road and then back in the hinterland, having to turn around on a ranchers back field.  But, we saw a lot of beautiful country and eventually ended up in Wills Point.

Chaircow of Wills Point welcoming committee!!

The town was well worth exploring as its few streets were paved with brick.

 It had 2 stop signs and one stop light!!  We walked the streets and completely enjoyed the small townishness!

 Then we headed out of town on another small road, Hwy 34.  WE enjoyed the leisurely drive through green fields and small farms.

 Several small communities had thoughts of grandeur at one time, as reflected in the names they decided to hang on their wide spot in the road.

 Finally we arrived in the county seat of Hill county, Hillsborro.  As with most of these small, old county seats here in Texas, the court house sticks out majestically above all the other old shops in town.

 This one caught our eye and then as we walked around and looked at it, some of the finer details hit us.  This monument is dedicated to their Confederate soldiers!

 Here is what was written on it.  We have to realize, we are in the south and Texas is a very independent state!

 Another thing that grabbed us is display of the constitution.....

....placing "In God We Trust" in several prominent places......

 ...and even using scripture from the bible!!!!

 As we have toured Texas, we are struck with the friendliness of all the people and their fierce independence.  It actually is the only state in the union that is allowed to fly its state flag at the same height as the Stars and Stripes!  That is because it came into the Union as an independent country.  Before it was Texas the state, it was Texas, the country!

We were also surprised that this little town had the oldest pharmacy in Texas too!  It is amazing all the things you learn as you just wander the town!

 So, we pulled into the town of Whitney and drove 5 miles out of town to Lake Whitney Thousand Trails Preserve and set up for a few days.  We were here to pay bills, prepare taxes, just relax and go to church.  Speaking of church.  While at church today as we introduced ourselves and said we were from Oregon, some guy spoke up and said, "Hey, isn't Oregon up in the upper panhandle of Texas?"  Another guy said, "No, I think its one of those territories we annexed in to Texas a while back."  Another said, "Nah, that's that country up north where they have all those hippies and other liberals."  Then there was some serious banter about people from Oregon.  I got the final word in with, "Well, when any of you goat ropers wanna see what real beautiful country looks like, come on up north and we will show you a good time."   We will leave here tomorrow, Monday to head further south.

A DAY IN DALLAS 3/1/11

 On Tuesday, 3/1, we rose early, left our trailer in its parking spot and drove 90 minutes to Dallas, stopping at McDonalds for breakfast on the way.
We are amazed at how different this section of Texas is with beautiful green fields, rivers, lakes and such!

 Here we are crossing a 2 mile long bridge across Lake Tawakoni.

 We arrived at the temple in Dallas and attended a session there, leaving at about 1:00 PM.

 We then drove through Dallas and headed out to Richardson, to attempt to locate a house that Ann's Grandfather Rice lived in from 1960-62.  We failed at that attempt, but located the neighborhood.  This photo is of Dallas, not Richardson!

 We then drove back into Dallas and went to the location at Dealey Plaza where President Kenedy was assassinated in Nov. 1963.

 It is hard to describe the emotions, feelings and thoughts that accompanied being in this place.

 All of us that were alive during this event were so inundated with images and emotions during this event that being here is unimaginable, awe inspiring, frightening, depressing, shocking and historically significant..... all at the same time.  This place we visited today was ..... can't describe it.  This event that took place in our lives was more devastating, more shocking than any event before or after, including 9/11.  It was amazing being here. 

 It was like we had been here before.  All of the images we saw were part of us.  It was like going back to a place you had been many times and were very familiar with.

 Ann points to the window from which Lee Harvey Oswald pointed a rifle and shot the president twice, killing him.  This building, that window is an image I saw over and over again in those days of the assasination.  Forever, permanently etched in my mind!

It, though we are smiling here, was a sobering experience, being here today.

 We also explored the areas nearby.  This was the original county court house.

 The contrast of old and new.  The building on the left is where the county records are kept.  We went inside to see if we could do a reverse search with Ann's grandpa's name and see if we could find old deeds and records that would lead us to what the address was of the house he lived in after leaving Ada, OK and before moving to SoCal.

 When we walked into the rear lobby we were amazed to find the flag that flew over the Alamo when it was defeated by Santa Anna many years ago.

 Another disturbing image that assaulted our emotions was this sign hanging over the drinking fountain!  To our amazement, as we read the description below, it was only there to remind us of where we had once been as a civilization not very long ago.  We took this picture as we left the building.  In Ann's hands is the evidence that our search of court records was successful.  The deeds of sale, contracts of purchase containing the address and we wanted.  It also had Freethias Rice's signature.

 Another manhole Wayne could not pass up.

 So, we drove back out to Richardson and found the house that Freethias and Nova Anna had lived in for 2 years.

 Then after dinner at Chili's and a frustrating attempt to follow our GPS's directions, we found our way back across the water and home, having been gone 13 hours.

Bed at midnight for Ann and 2 AM for Wayne (Finished the book, Roots.)  We were awakened Wednesday morning to someone trying to break into our trailer window!  This little guy started in at the break of dawn seeing his refection in the window and thinking it was a rival out after his mate.  He has spent the whole day pecking at our window.  He started off by repeatedly dive bombing the window, flying full bore straight into the window.  Then Wayne went out and put up a flap for him to sit on.  Now he just sits there and talks and pecks all day long!!!

 

Tomorrow, 3/3, we cause the sun to set on our stay here at Lake Tawakoni Thousand Trails.  It has been refreshing to relax, do taxes and read as well as visit Dallas.  This picture was taken from our front door a few evenings ago.