Last post from Port Aransas - heading for Illinois

We've started to clean up and pack up our home in preparation for the trip northward. Hope winter is gone by the time we get there! We'll miss the Texas Gulf Coast - but we'll be back.

These are American White Pelicans. They spend the winter here just like we do, and then head north for the summer, just like we do.

Pat with Molly and Annie at the Malaquite Pavilion at National Seashore on Padre Island.

On the beach at National Seashore.

The sign says it all.

Pat and our neighbor, Carol Casner, shopping at the Oysterfest.

Some of the crowd of 35,000 people at the Oysterfest.

Everyone's favorite part of the Oysterfest.

1,000+ year-old oak tree at Goose Island State Park near Rockport, Texas.

A pair of Whooping Cranes. These birds are HUGE!

Egret at Port Aransas recreation area.

Resident Heron along the ship canal at Port Aransas.

Long-billed Curlews hanging out at the beach.

There is an explosion of spring here in Texas after the cooler months of winter. It never really stops being green and/or growing, but there is a renewal of life each spring. We won't be here for the hot months of summer, and that's OK. We'll be seeing a lot of you soon.

One especially for our little girl blog followers

At the Texas Botanical Gardens

Armadillo at the Aransas Wildlife Refuge

A miscellaneous entry.

Pat, Betty & Ted doing some sight-seeing on Corpus Christi Bay.

Betty and Ted doing some birdwatching in Port Aransas, Texas.

Pat and Betty doing some "shopping" at the Peddler's Mart in Robstown, Texas.

Dave working on a relief wood carving. New hobby.

Dave's latest carving project. Things will get better. Hey! I've only had 24 hours of classroom instruction.

Kites on the Port Aransas beach.

Buzzards roosting on cell phone tower near Ted & Betty's condo in Port Aransas.

Belt sander race track at the Gaff in Port Aransas. Yes, you are reading that right and, no, you can't make up stuff like this. It really happens here. Not enough to do, you say? Could be.

Pat going wild in the wild at Aransas Wildlife Refuge.

Stay on the path and out of the water!

A very strange bird is the pelican...you know the rest.

Laughing Gull.

Javalina (wild hog), at Aransas Refuge.

Carol Casner, our neighbor, and Pat by the big oak at the refuge.

Common Moorhen.

Northern Mockingbird.

Always seem to be playing catch-up on our blog. We stay busy, do stuff, see people, and enjoy life. The winter season in Port Aransas will soon be over - just as the weather is starting to get real nice.

Texas Botanical Gardens, Corpus Christi

Winter, even on the Texas Gulf coast, is not the very best time to visit a botanical garden. But, when you have time on your hands and the yen to get out of the house and do SOMETHING then you just do it anyway. We're running out of time for my Brother Ted and his wife, Betty, to be here in Port Aransas so we're trying to fit in everything we can do - as long as it isn't too strenuous.

Ted and Betty in the Orchid House at Texas Botanical Gardens.

Dave getting a close-up of an orchid.

In the Butterfly House at Texas Botanical Gardens.

This rope door helps brush butterflies off visitors as they exit the butterfly house.

Ceramic tile mosaic is perfect for an outdoor divan. Here's Betty "relaxing" on the rock-hard divan.

Found this little guy hiding in one of the plants in the orchid house.

More Fun in the Sun

We've had a few days of sunshine in February here in Texas. Problem is, they have been scattered between lots of gray days, some with rain. All in all, as we view the weather reports from up north we're glad to be in Texas.

The high point of this month was the arrival of my Brother, Ted, and his wife, Betty in Port Aransas. They will be staying in a near-by condo for the whole month. It's good to have them here. Ted bought a fishing license, so you can see where his interests are. Last evening, Tuesday, was steak night at the Castaway Restaurant in Port Aransas and that's where we all were for steak dinner. Our rare, so to speak, red meat treat for the month. Back to chicken an fish for the duration of the month.

Monday, Feb 8, a 40' (approx) baleen whale washed up on the Port Aransas beach. It was already dead and by the time I saw it the university people were taking measurements and a vet was summoned to determine the cause of death. Pretty awesome sight, something you don't see every day, or even once in a lifetime. I was pretty impressed.

And our friendly, little Mexican Dove was back for another visit this week. Of all the multitude of doves flocking around our RV Resort this is the only one that seeks out people for socialization. Kind of neat to have a wild bird jump on your shoulder and coo in your ear.

We're down to just a little more than a month left in Texas. Hope spring comes REAL SOON to the upper midwest as that's where we are headed the end of March.

St. Jo Island, beach and other stuff

It's an inside kind of day - not quite 60 degrees, drizzly, north wind. Not the kind of weather that normally contributes to the 71 degree average annual temperture for Port Aransas. So it's a good chance to catch up on emails and new blogs.

Here's Annie, wishing she could be with Bailey and Isabel.

Who knew two, mature ladies could get SO messy just looking for sea shells?

One of our beach 'finds' - a first for us.

One of the many ships going through the ship canal between Corpus Christi and Mustang Island.

Part of the lonely beach on uninhabited St. Jo Island.

Well, maybe not completely uninhabited. There are lots of little land crabs hanging about.

And who knew? Mushrooms on a sandy, salty, sun-burned beach!

Above the tide line you might find just about anything.

Old metal buoy that washed in and rusted away.

Winter greetings from St. Jo Island from Dave and Pat.

About a month and a half left in Texas before we have to head back for the end of the midwest winter. Would rather be staying here until the end of April rather than leaving before the first. Oh well, we've missed the worst part of winter. See ya!