March 28 2012 8 pm cdt  81 degrees

beep beep (roadrunner)

We went to the Brownsville flea market the other day.

there was a wide variety of wares

 but Howie got most of the kid's attention.

I just love this little girls cowboy boots to match her outfit.

I kept hearing a little voice say  "Cat"

I'd say dog but this little guy kept saying "Cat" So when I looked around and saw him, I just let him call Howie a cat and then he put his hands on his hips and said "Dog".   Then he pointed at the camera and I guessed he wanted his picture taken so here he is, The Boy Who Says Cat.

There were some interesting eats at the flea market.

  This is an ear of corn with mayonaise, lime, chili and cumin

This is called a tornado potato...spiral potato deep fried on a stick

We have also seen some cool wildlife lately.

  This is a bobcat that had been getting water at a leaky faucet at an empty campsite  at Cameron County Park.

Also these dolphins feed in the channel here  in the mornings sometimes and then head to the ocean.

I was lucky with the fast camera with those two pic but the next one  was easier to get.  This is a Texan Tortoise who was crossing the road  so we stopped and gave him the right of way.  

 Of course he withdrew into his shell but it gave us a good opportunity to see up close  how he fits inside the shell.    Probably it is to  protect his vital parts, but  I prefer to think he covers his eyes like a little kid who doesn't want to see the bad stuff.

Night fishing at the Cameron County park

Sea Lice ?  !

March 17, 201,  2 9:30 pm cdst    77 degrees

It's spring vacation week

A few days ago someone told me that South Padre Island caters to the Winter Texans all winter but come March, it is all about the college kids on spring break so I wanted to go there to see how it was different. 

  With apologies to our college grandkids, we went on spring break 50 years after graduation.

So, ok, there were the expected bathing beauties.  

   some beginning surfers getting lessons,

 a few odd characters like this one.....but mostly it was the usual blend of people. (Although the gulls seem a little aggressive.)

 

However, just in case da law was  very visible to keep the rowdy and obnoxious under control.  The only person he had to speak to while we were there was me for not having a leash on Howie who was cowering under my chair.

So, what did we learn?

 You can make a lot of friends fast  if you go in a truck because most breakers flew in and have to walk from the hotels to the beaches.  They appreciate a ride.

Also suggest starting out early.  This was the traffic jam early in the day,  by mid afternoon, it was about 5 miles long.

No road rage, honking of horns, or impatient jockeying for position tho.   When the traffic wasn't moving, the kids got out and danced.   

Another suggestion for the more practical spring break man is to consider taking a lady of size with you.  She may wear plaid shorts in lieu of  bikini, but she provides shade from that murderous hot Texas sun.

Remember when the babies had droopy drawers at the beach and the adults looked good?

The only thing I objected to was this banner that a plane dragged back and forth  all day long. 

 C'mon,  are there no restraints on advertising any more?  Would anyone like to see ads flying over the beach  for the Winter Texans for prostate health?  Breast self exams?  Colonoscopy?  Viagra?

All and all, things at the beach were pretty much normal... ...but then we didn't stay for the evening hours.

Friday March 9 2012  11pm and a chilly 49 degree

Great Egret

 Neil and I think this man in the plaid shirt who sings and plays on entertainment nights, looks a lot like Neil's brother Terry . Lest you think these three men are all the entertainment we have on Saturday nights, ( which they are most of the time),  last week we had a visit from Elvis

  He smoozed the ladies

 and his wife smoozed the men.  She didn't do impersonations but she sang real good.

Just like Vegas down here.

Here is something you might only see in Texas

One whole lane of the  busy downtown Harlingen traffic is closed off so these Trail Riders can travel from Harlingen to Mercedes for the Rio Grande Livestock Show.

They were all real friendly and waved and smiled for the camera.  Today was the first of the three day trip and it was rainy but  it looks like they were in good spirits

No one here complains about the rain we have been having because it was so dry last year.  Hay that normally sold for $3.50 a bale sold for $9 this year.  We saw many places with a horse grazing along the side of the road or a cow tethered in the front yard.  Wherever grass would grow, you were likely to see an animal grazing there.  Sometimes it was sad to see like this horse who we saw tethered every day at a vacant lot covered in trash, broken bottles and lots of plastic

But this year - lots of rain ...

Yucca blossoms

 I have never  before seen these seed pods that develop after the yucca blossoms

The prickly pear cactus grows new little  "ears" and the purple things you can see are edible fruit.  The spanish word for them is Tunas.

A table at the Weslaco flea market 

I r .