We’ve got more feathered and furred animals for y’all from our latest Texas Hill Country road trip. Enjoy!
Trees full of buzzards. We have no idea what they were doing. Probably just waiting for their next public service project. Did a U-turn on a skinny little backroad to photograph them. Don’t tell anybody, but we’re kind of intrigued by buzzards.We’re not real sure what longhorns do these days except lay around and wait for somebody to take their picture… At least they posed even if they didn’t smile. (We know the correct word is “lie”, but we don’t really care about proper grammar when we’re talking about lazy cows.)Mrs. Cardinal! We were excited to get a picture of her because we don’t see that many girl cardinals. When we do see one, they are too busy to sit still long enough for us to get the shot. Isn’t she a little darlin’?Not exactly what you’d expect to see on a Texas ranch, but there it is in black and white…These little birds are so cute – until some interloper tries to eat from the same feeder, then all heck breaks loose, and the little beasts turn into dive bombing, raging, fighting machines! Is its tongue out? Are their beaks like straws? Do they ever stop flying long enough to sleep? Hello…any hummingbird experts out there?Now this is what you’d expect to see on a Texas ranch – the LBJ Ranch specifically. If you look closely, you’ll see that it has a number on its horns. We want to know how they get them to sit still long enough to be numbered. Wait…do cows sit? If you have ever seen a sitting cow, raise your hand.Neither feathered nor furred, it is a ‘dilla butt! Armadillos might have some fur somewhere, though. Have any of y’all ever picked one up and looked?This is a fish. It does not have feathers or fur either, but it does have fins.These sheep…We think you’re a real handsome guy, but we’re not lady turkeys… sorry 🙁You don’t see too many bison around central Texas, but here’s one at LBJ State Park in Stonewall. Still think they would stink. Not getting close enough to find out…Just a plain ol’ mallard, but we thought he was pretty. And he let us take his picture. And he hangs out on the San Antonio River Walk… so, yeah…Some of y’all might think this is a weird picture – we do. But how often do you get a cell phone shot of a White-lined Sphinx Hummingbird Moth at a grocery store? Uh-huh, that’s what we thought…
Thank you so much for stopping by! We hope you will come back again for more road trips, Quick Stops and other good stuff. Subscribe to become a follower so you never miss a post – just hit that button on the right side of the page. Likes, shares, and comments are very much appreciated.
Happy hump day, everyone!
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
We seem to have a thing for rivers, well, for all water really. Maybe that comes from living in a dry part of the world where our rivers, which are few, usually only have a trickle of water in them. Or, maybe it’s just because when we’re near a flowing river we’re enchanted by the beauty of our surroundings. Regardless of our reasons, we hope you enjoy this wet and wonderful look at rivers.
Colorado River, ArizonaLittle Missouri River, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North DakotaThe Virgin River flows through Zion Canyon, Zion National Park, UtahThe Yellowstone River flowing through the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.View of the Rio Grande from the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, New Mexico.Gunnison River, Morrow Point, ColoradoRio Pueblo de Taos. Bet you can guess where this one is. Did you know it’s a tributary of the Rio Grande?The Colorado River meanders through Canyonlands National ParkThe Rio Grande flows through Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park, Texas, and is the dividing line between the U.S. and Mexico.Steam rises from the Madison River on a cold morning in Yellowstone National Park.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Please come back again for more fun places, road trips, tips and tricks, Quick Stops, and Wish We Were There Wednesdays. Become a follower so you never miss a post! We can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Happy hump day, everybody!
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Today we’re taking a random places road trip, and we are so happy to have you along for the ride. Enjoy!
Pike Place Market, Seattle. Established in 1907, it is the oldest running farmer’s market in the U.S. The original Starbucks opened here in 1971.
The Green Monster left field wall at Fenway Park, Boston. The reason the wall is there? To keep people from watching the game for free. In 2003, 269 barstool seats and 100 standing room only spaces were added to the deck on the wall, however tickets for those seats are hard to come by. By the way, the scoreboard on the Green Monster is still updated by hand. Fenway Park has been the home of the Boston Red Sox since 1912.
Smokey Bear’s gravesite, Capitan, New Mexico. The idea of a fire prevention mascot was conceived in 1944 when the National Forest Service came up with a character called Smokey Bear. In 1950, a black bear cub was found badly burned after a forest fire in the Capitan Mountains of the Lincoln National Forest. The firefighters who found him named him Smokey. A popular living symbol of fire prevention, Smokey made his home at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. until he died in 1976. He was returned to Capitan where he was buried in what is now Smokey Bear Historical Park.
Ernest Tubb Record Shop, Nashville. Home of the Midnite Jamboree, which started right after the Grand Ole Opry show was over on Saturday nights. Ernest helped many artists get their start right there in that store until 1974 when the show was moved to another venue. The Midnite Jamboree was moved back to the store in 2021. Tubb was born in Texas, 35 miles south of Dallas. He performed and wrote songs up until his health required him to quit in 1982. He died in 1984. In March 2022, it was announced that the store is being sold and the Midnite Jamboree would be ending.
Geographic Center of the U.S. The actual survey marker is 22 miles north of town, but Belle Fourche, South Dakota does a great job of letting people know it’s close by.
UFO Museum and Research Center, Roswell, New Mexico. Occupying a 1930s era movie theater, the museum was opened in 1991. In addition to the exhibits, mostly about the so-called Roswell incident, they also have a gift shop that carries things like bumper stickers that say, “I Like Aliens, They Taste Just Like Chicken”, and other gotta-take-one-of-these-home souvenirs.
Granary Burying Ground, Boston. Established in 1660, Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock are all buried here, along with some of Ben Franklin’s family members and victims of the Boston Massacre, among others. It is estimated that more than 5,000 people are buried in this small cemetery, though there are just over 2,300 markers.
Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, Nebraska. Site of Buffalo Bill Cody’s Scout’s Rest Ranch, which was his home from 1886 to 1913. This beautiful barn was built in 1887 to house his purebred stallions and other livestock that lived on the 4,000-acre ranch. His mansion is shown below.
Buffalo Bill Cody’s home at Scout’s Rest Ranch
Reflections on the Colorado River, Moab, Utah. Did you know that the Colorado River Basin is part of eleven national parks? The Colorado River also flows through seven states, two Mexican states, and it forms a partial border between Arizona and Mexico.
Provincetown, Massachusetts. Fleeing religious persecution in England, the Pilgrims on the Mayflower landed first at Provincetown in 1620 where the men on the ship signed the Mayflower Compact. The compact was a document whereby they agreed to self-rule the colony they were set to establish in the New World. After finding no fresh water in the area, they sailed across the bay to Plymouth, and the rest, they say, is history.
The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado. Freelan O. Stanley, inventor of the Stanley Steamer automobile, opened the hotel in 1909. In the 1970s Stephen King visited the hotel and was inspired to write his novel The Shining. Today, the Stanley Hotel claims to be one of the most haunted hotels in the country with none other than Freelan and his wife, Flora (among other spirits) roaming the hallways. We toured this stunning hotel, and even went in the basement, but we didn’t see any paranormal activity – or Jack Nicholson!
That’s going to do it for today. Thanks so much for joining us on our random places road trip. We hope you will return to our site again for more sights, scenery, trips, tricks, and tips. Be sure to sign up to be an e-mail follower so you never miss a post, and follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Tell your friends! We want to be friends with them, too.
Happy hump day, everybody!
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Intricate details on the historic Trinity Church, Boston.
If you have followed our posts, you’ve probably noticed that we love churches – especially historic ones. Today we’re sharing a few of our favorites, and we hope you love them too. Enjoy!
Another detail of the Trinity Church in Boston – love the gargoyles!
Trinity Church, Boston. Built 1872 – 1877.
Mission Church, Pecos National Historical Park, New Mexico. Built in 1717.
Old North Church, Boston. Built 1723.
Quechee Church, Quechee, Vermont. Built in 1873.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona, Arizona. Built 1954 – 1956.
Ruins of the San Jeronimo Mission Church at Taos Pueblo. Dates to approximately 1706.
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Built 1907.
The Cathedral of Saint Helena, Helena, Montana. Built 1908.
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Built 1869 – 1887.
The First Church of Christ, Scientist (also known as The Mother Church), Boston. Built 1894 – 1906 with later additions.
Chapel at Mount Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Maryland. Cemetery established around 1808.
San Jose de Gracia in Las Trampas, New Mexico, built in 1760.
Grace Methodist Church, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Built 1873 – 1878.
Thank you for visiting our site! We hope you will come back again for more great road trip destinations, Quick Stops, WWWTWs, and some tips and tricks. Become a follower so you never miss a post – just hit that SUBSCRIBE button on the right-side of the page. We will not share your information with anyone!
Happy hump day, everyone!
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Who doesn’t love the breathtaking beauty of a pretty sunrise or sunset. We sure love them – that’s why our signature photo on this site is a sunset. We’ve shot most of ours in Texas, mainly from our own yard or neighborhood, but we’ve been lucky enough to shoot some in a few other places, too. It’s just about being in the right place at the right time and making ourselves get up early enough to catch the sunrise. All of these are aim and shoot shots, no filters or enhancements were used, and some were taken with our phones. We hope these brighten your day!
Bar Harbor, Maine sunrise
Winter sunset from our front yard.
Sunrise shot from our street
We’ve posted this Sedona, Arizona sunset before, but it’s so beautiful we wanted to include it again.
West Texas sunrise. Had to sign this one because it’s so pretty.
Sunset shot near Amarillo, Texas
Taken from the window of a plane, we captured this between-the-clouds sunrise somewhere over Mississippi.
Sunset before a storm – our front yard.
Fall sunrise taken about a mile from our house
Another beautiful Texas sunset shot from Decatur, Texas
Sunrise near Saguache, Colorado
Thank you for viewing our post! We hope you will return again for more WWWTWs, Quick Stops, road trip destinations or a few tips and tricks. Join our family of followers here so you never miss a post! We can also be found on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Happy hump day, everyone!
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Today we’re sharing some interesting vehicles that we have come across during our travels. We hope you enjoy seeing them!
USS Cairo gunboat. One of the first ironclad warships built during the civil war, she was sunk by a torpedo (or mine) in the Yazoo River while helping other ships sweep for mines in 1862. Luckily there were no casualties. Having been raised in the 1960s after lying in the silty bottom of the river for over 100 years, she now resides at Vicksburg National Military Park.
Tour bus in Yellowstone National Park. Beginning in the 1920s, these “National Park Buses” carried visitors on various excursions through the park, with some of the buses still running in the 1960s. Eventually all of these classics were all sold. Several of them have now been relocated and refurbished so that today’s visitors to the park can experience what it was like back in the early days – with modern amenities and roads, of course.
USS Constitution. Nicknamed Old Ironsides, she was initially launched in 1797. She is the world’s oldest ship that is still afloat, and she is the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy, which means she is still served by U. S. Navy officers and crew. Her home is the Charlestown Navy Yard in Charlestown, Massachusetts.
This truck is called a Peacekeeper. They were once used by security officers who patrolled near minuteman missile silos. These armored Dodge trucks were usually outfitted with a machine gun turret on the roof. This one is at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in South Dakota.
This is a rail truck at the World Museum of Mining in Butte, Montana. The unusual vehicle was an important part of the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railway (BAP) which was the first railroad to convert from steam to electricity. Built in the early 1900s, this truck was used to maintain the overhead wires of the railroad.
These huge ships are docked in Baltimore and are Military Sealift Command (MSC) ships used to preposition or move supplies, vehicles, and other cargo needed by the military. Interestingly, MSC ships are served by civil service workers who are employed by the Navy and are not active military personnel. We captured this shot in the rain thus the monochromatic image.
Old snow blower train in Skagway, Alaska with a rotary snowplow on the front.
This is President Lyndon Johnson’s Jetstar, nicknamed Air Force 1/2. The runway at his Texas ranch couldn’t accommodate Air Force One, so this smaller plane would carry him from a larger airport (usually in San Antonio or Austin) to the ranch. The plane is on display at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park (LBJ Ranch) at Stonewall, Texas.
Here is a shot of the Goodyear blimp which we captured on a gorgeous fall afternoon in our own city. Did you know that up until 2005 (with a couple of deviations) Goodyear named its blimps after the American winners of the America’s Cup yacht race? Now the public gets to submit suggestions for naming the blimps.
We’re going to close the post with a shot inside a hot air balloon while it’s deflating – just because we think it’s a cool pic.
We hope you enjoyed our post and will come back again for more exciting road trip destinations, a Quick Stop, some tips and tricks, or another Wish We Were There Wednesday. Better yet, come back for all of our posts, and join our family of followers so you never miss one! We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Happy hump day, everyone!
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Today we’re running away to the mountains! Since our goal is to visit as many national parks as we can, most of our shots are of beautiful park mountains. There are a few that are not in parks because they were too pretty to leave out. Enjoy!
Casa Grande in the rain – Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park
Big Sky Country
Bryce Canyon National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Agathla Peak, Arizona
Zion National Park
Idaho Beauty
Yellowstone National Park
Death Valley National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Today’s featured image at the top of the page was taken at Yellowstone National Park.
Thanks so much for joining us on our mountain getaway. We hope you will return to our site again for more sights, scenery, trips, tricks, and tips. Be sure to sign up to be an e-mail follower so you never miss a post, and follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Tell your friends! We want to be friends with them, too.
Happy hump day, everybody!
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Part of the reason we travel to parks is to see wildlife. We even keep lists of the animals we see on trips because we can’t always get a picture of them – like the badger that ran in front of us on a road in South Dakota. Hey, it was exciting! (Here in West Texas you don’t see too many badgers, although a couple of coyotes ran across the road in front of us near our Walmart one time!) Anyway, all wildlife sightings are a thrill to us. Today we’re sharing some of our faves.
Cute prairie dog at Badlands National Park. Okay, these animals make their homes in nearly every vacant lot where we live – they’re literally everywhere – but we don’t go around taking pictures of them. Besides, this is a South Dakota prairie dog.
We have no idea what kind of bird this is, but it was a beggar. We were at the end of our hike in Rocky Mountain National Park, and as soon as we sat down to have a snack, this guy showed up, like, “Y’all gonna share?”
This is a javelina that we saw in a dry creek bed near Big Bend National Park. We’re sure they serve some purpose, but we don’t know what. Wouldn’t want to snuggle with one.
Petrified Forest raven – not the species, we just took the picture there. Another shameless beggar. He sat right down next to us, and every time we would move over, he would move over too. Pretty sure he was checking out our jewelry. Never trust a raven, they are super sneaky. Trivia: ravens can imitate human voices better than a parrot, and if they like you, they might bring you a gift – probably something they stole out of someone’s purse, but it’s the thought that counts.
We have squirrels in our yard, but these little (Colorado chipmunk) dudes are way cuter… and they don’t eat our fence.
We captured (not literally) this mad mother cactus wren at Big Bend National Park. We’d be mad if we had to live in a cactus, too.
Rocky Mountain National Park bull elk. No lie, this macho man had at least 20 wives and a bunch of kids that he was watching over, but he was so pretty we wanted a shot of him alone.
We didn’t have to go far to find this little hummingbird because he was in our own back yard. Thrilling for us because we only see them if we’re lucky enough to catch them during migration. Trivia: a group of hummingbirds is called a charm.
Here’s a little North Dakota gal that we would like to snuggle.
Boston harbor gull. Undoubtedly, he is waiting for an unsuspecting tourist to walk by with food. These guys aren’t beggars, they’re thieves. Trivia: gulls can smell food up to three miles away, and they can see for up to two miles. A group of gulls is called a colony. PSA: never go near a harbor with a Big Mac.
We’re going to close this post with a bison we saw at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We wouldn’t want to get too close to him, not only because he weighs a ton and could probably kill us with a little head butt, but because we think he would smell terrible – like really terrible. We will keep our distance, thank you.
We hope you enjoyed our post and will come back again for more exciting road trip destinations, a Quick Stop, some tips and tricks, or another Wish We Were There Wednesday. Better yet, come back for all of our posts, and join our family of followers so you never miss one! We can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Happy hump day, everyone!
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
