Dear Jane & more...

Doreen, the lady in the middle, stopped by the job site this morning to show us the "Dear Jane" quilt she made. She made the entire quilt by hand, not machine, (close to 5,000 pieces), all the fabrics are different (most are reproduction fabrics from the Civil War period), it took her 19 months and the work is absolutely beautiful (and, believe it or not, she is not bonkers!). Another lady in their quilt group made one in 9 months and two other ladies are nearing completion of their tops. So if you wondered what women do in Mason besides make monkeys....

Just down the road (within a mile) of Mason is Koochsville. (Loved the name.) It doesn't look like Kooch's old store is being used but it is a beautiful building although I'm not sure why he needed two front doors within a couple feet of each other. Thought I might find a clothesline but only free range chickens were "hanging out".

And, playing a bit of catchup, Monday is cattle auction day in Mason and the auction yard in only 3 or 4 blocks from where we're building the house. When someone stopped by to make sure we went down for a few minutes if we'd never been there, I thought I'd better go. Obviously, if you don't drive a pickup with a deer-catcher attached to the front, you're just not with it. This was a real auction where you couldn't understand a thing the auctioneer was saying. (What's happening with auction attire? Some of the guys were wearing baseball caps instead of cowboy hats! Honestly, what is Texas coming to?)

One of those white pickups with a deer catcher drove by our campsite this evening and the teenagers in the back yelled out the window, "We love your hippie van!" Tillie sat up a little straighter.

Monkey time...

Yes, we do work. But after a long work day, Monday night is gals night out. How can folks with the same size socks come up with so many variations on a monkey?

Finally!

A clothesline! even if it is attached to the back a camper. But I promise, if there's a clothesline to be found in the area, I'll get you a photo. Tomorrow is Monday, traditional laundry day, so maybe that will be the day.

No other keen photos to include. We went to Fredricksburg for a little R&R (as in rock & roll) at the Rockbox Theater. Great songs from the 50's, 60's & 70's played/performed by some very talented folks. A must do if you're ever in that neck of the woods. Our team fully expects to be rockin' it up tomorrow... John's favorite song of the day - "Down in the River to Pray". (I know it's not r&r but they did do a few other types from the era.)

A Day Away...

Mother & Becky picked us up bright & early at the campsite for a day of sightseeing in Junction, a tourist hotspot (or so the Chamber of Commerce rep. would like us to believe).

Photo 1 - As Becky said, this photo op had "blog" written all over it. Please note the "tree" was created by the Kimble (Junction is in Kimble County) Business & Professional Women's Club. It didn't say if it's members shot all those deer "represented" or if they acquired those horns by other means. (The processing plant in the background is for wild game.)
Photo 2 - Head hanging in a Junction restaurant. Looks sort of like our old dog, Hans, doesn't it? (Really gives you an appetite doesn't it?)
Photo 3 - 700 Springs Ranch (the real reason we went to Junction). It opens its gates once a year to the public. Heard a nice talk by the county historian who said, among other things, that this is the true original location of San Clemente (the Texas one, not California; San Angelo now claims that honor) and they have the historical proof. Bonnie & Clyde also spent a night here 3 weeks before their demise. The owner of the ranch at that time reported them as "suspicious" to the sheriff in Junction but it was out of his jurisdiction and Bonnie & Clyde had moved on before they were confronted. And, according to 700 Springs Ranch web site, this is the most beautiful place in Texas. As someone told John, the springs/falls which come out about 20-30 feet above the river on the other side, may not look like much to us, but for Texans, this much water is a BIG deal. The "waterfall" shown in the web link above is the same one you're looking at across the river...
Photo 4 - A trip to Junction from Mason would be almost impossible without going through London. This is (what can only assume to be) the old high school, converted to a pub. The city park shares the parking lot. Looks like a fun spot to us.

PS - In response to someone's inquiry about photos of clotheslines, I'm still looking. Here it is, warm, sunny, a perfect day for drying clothes and our clothes seem to be the only ones drying in the fresh air. Folks in Texas don't seem to believe in drying clothes outside but I'll keep looking.

Bluebonnets...

At last! Bluebonnets in bloom! There are plants just about everywhere so in a couple of weeks the hillsides are going to be blue with blossoms. It's 50/50 whether they will be blooming in mass before we leave for NY.

The women (Mary & Janet up in the air - you couldn't get me on one of those scaffolds for all the topaz in Mason County) are working at installing the windows. An excellent job, of course! I think I have forgotten to mention this is going to be the first certified "Green Energy Star" home with LEED certification in Mason County. Two thumbs up for Habitat!

And the last photo, John working on Tillie. Let's see, wine glass in the cup holder, snacks within reach, comfortable seat & sunshine. Doesn't it look like John's trying to figure out what he's missing?

Texas winds...

There is absolutely nothing like a strong Texas wind. It is unrelenting. By the end of the workday we all felt like we'd been beaten. John may look like he's relaxing but he's just waiting for the final piece of sheathing to install on the walls. And if it looks like someone forgot a part of the roof to the left, that's supposed to be that way awaiting the porch rafters.

The other photo is of a yard we pass every day and pretty much has everything you'd want. The home water tower; a windmill that presumably pumped water for the tower; a birdhouse; a flag held nicely out by the wind; a cast iron bean pot hanging on some sort of rack which I suppose held it over a camp fire (it is filled with faded artifical flowers for a bit of cheer); and to the left of the flag pole is some sort of sculpture that I do hope you can enlarge - it's composed of assorted deer? horns and rusty iron stars. The gray thing? Maybe a gas tank? There's no telling what's behind the house.

The Pampered Bladder...

Let me assure you that pampered describes your bladder, not ours. While Tillie (and us) have joined the group at the campground (look for the yellow), Tillie's "facilities" in no way equal those of our neighbors. John was the first to enjoy a "in the middle of the night stroll" to the public restroom. A couple of hours later I remembered that "exercising" in the middle of the night sure beat laying in bed dreaming of bathrooms. You, on the other hand, probably missed out last night on that "extra" bit of exercise (a plus for any weight loss program), the invigorating smell of fresh air (I'm sure that wards off all sorts of diseases) and the unanticipated excitement of wondering what that animal was running along on the edge of the campground lights... It's still too cold for the snakes to be wandering around at night, thank heavens!

This being Jimie's day off, she joined us at the work site with her daughter (who's on spring break). Among their new skills, use of a caulking gun and a cordless drill (Texans are always quick on the draw...) put right to use in the installation of the first window. Jimie has been posting pictures to the web site where she works, Gems of the Hill Country, if you'd like to see more photos than are on this blog. You might also want to visit that site if you're interested in topaz. To see her photos... on the left of their main menu choose Pictures; from that menu choose Habitat...

Tillie at the worksite...

John knew you wouldn't believe Tillie actually made it, so here is photo proof positive. From left to right, me, India & Jimie (the new homeowners), and Tillie. That's their new home in the background. Many of the rafters went up today as did the shrink wrap. Have you ever tried to hang onto to an umbrella in a rainstorm? That's sort of what putting shrink wrap on a house is like in Texas winds. It's supposed to be even windier tomorrow, so everyone hustled just before quitting time to get the rest of it up and secured. We don't want to hold up progress. India is already "arranging the furniture" in her bedroom so we've got to keep making progress.

And then it was off to the campground and getting organized. Trying to remember where the socks go as opposed to silverware is proving to be a bit taxing after the end of the work day (not to mention happy hour...) If we can just find the sheets before we go drifting off to sleep...

Sometimes photos are worth a thousand words...

The first photo is especially for Garry & George. It's the 1960 Jaguar Curtis is working on for the doctor. (From the amount of dust that's gathered "over time", I certainly am grateful that Curtis was able to work Tillie into a more prompt repair schedule...)

From the outside, Curtis' repair shop has 5 large garage doors in good condition that look like they open into your "regular" repair garage. From the inside... Well, there was no way I could begin to describe it, hence the photos. The last one is Curtis giving us thumbs up as Tillie is finally running again. She starts without being hot-wired and the use of a screw driver; the turn signals work (both directions at that!); the horn honks!; and just as important, the steering wheel is back in place (steering is just a little difficult when the wheel is sitting on the passenger seat.)

John drove her back to Mother's with no hiccups this time so we deemed it safe to add Texas to Tillie's "I've been there" map. (I suppose I should look for some gold or platinum stars to indicate repair shops where she's also been.)

No, Susan, no tent camping (yet). We've been staying at my mother's. Perhaps that's why Mother is smiling... she will no longer have to jockey with us for the bathroom in the mornings. Tomorrow night we plan to be parking Tillie next to the other Habitat folk in the campground (that is if Tillie hasn't gotten persnickety overnight!).

Ready for spring...

Is this a peach tree? Whatever it is, it sure puts you in the mood for spring doesn't it?

The owner certainly thinks it spring too. That backwards red Texas next to the tree on the left is a hummingbird feeder. I haven't seen any hummingbirds yet but will now be on the lookout.

Today was a "landmark" day in terms of eating. It's the first day we've been in Texas that we haven't had pinto beans. When the USDA recommended eating more legumes I don't think they were talking about Texans. You don't suppose pinto bean consumption has anything to do with how windy it is in Texas, do you?

Where oh where is Tillie?

Off to Brownwood today to get a better (or any) "handle" on what was happening with Tillie. Figured we'd just show up around ten since Curtis says he comes to work at 9 even though we've never yet been able to raise him by phone at 9... We were there at 10. Curtis wasn't. Is that Tillie we spot through the junk cars next to the building? Nope. That one's in worse shape than Tillie. Peeking in the garage windows Tillie was spotted inside next to a beautiful old Jaguar leaving us ponder if perhaps we weren't going to be financing its restoration.

Enough worse case scenarios! Better to do some shopping and leave the junkyard in charge of the dog. I tried calling every half hour or so to no avail. At noon John said let's just swing by one more time and, sure enough, Curtis is "in"!!!

Curtis was right. He is "sickly" (has the flu). And I was right. He is "older than dirt". However, he also really seems to know what he's doing (when he's well I suspect he moves faster...). The problem with Tillie was in the ignition which was so bad he said it was a miracle we'd made it all the way from NY. Some of the wires had melted and others had been badly spliced. He has made progress as he was out driving Tillie around last night and she started right up for John. However, during the "test drive" Curtis discovered the turn signals were also messed up (John had noted that on the way down, too) and something else wasn't working right so he had the steering wheel off again redoing those wires. To my way of thinking, working on the bus is probably a good project for someone who's sickly. He can take a nap in the back whenever he needs to which, noting the boots on the floor next to Tillie, may not be too far from the truth.

At any rate, John feels Tillie is in good hands and we're hoping Curtis feels better soon. I really didn't want the hassle of having her towed to the shop on the way into town that advertised "Horse breaking" and "engine tuning".

PS - The Jaguar belongs to a doctor in town who may have been waiting longer than we have...

And then it was Friday...

A framed house (part of our week's effort) and another group shot, this time not for the obit page even though the empty seat does make it look like we're missing one of our own. A bit of trivia particularly for John & Judy. The guy (his name is Law, upper left in the floppy white hat) used to wear a similar hat similar that said "HEAD". Pre-retirement he was an engineer who helped design the machines used in the manufacture of Head tennis rackets. Joe (standing to the left of John) is also an engineer. Why oh why didn't we just have Tillie towed to the campground and let these two guys get her running for us? On the Tillie update front - John talked to Curtis again this morning. He's still feeling "sickly" (obviously Tillie is too since he hasn't fixed her yet...) We're going there tomorrow to determine (among other things) if this guy is alive enough to fix her so stay tuned...

Back at the building site, part of our sheathing crew are still having a good time and dressed to the nines, of course. It was only this afternoon that someone brought to our attention that it was "dress-down" Friday. As one of the ladies said, "If I'd remembered I wouldn't have shaved my legs."

And the last photo is "happy" hour to which we are all dedicated as you can see. Temps in the 50's and that cold Texas wind blowing but neither stops this hardy crew. I think Jan, the second from the right, depicts it all. Hat, heavy coat with layers underneath, yellow gloves and a glass of wine in each hand. Her blood's gotten a little thick (or is it thin?) since she left Buffalo...

Birthdays & the Press...

Today was my sister Becky's birthday so of course I made her smile for that dreaded "Oh no, it's for the blog..." photo. Becky and friends have started a new fad - birthday "breakfast out" celebrations instead of some sort of evening "do". (The big advantages, of course, are no birthday candles to blow out or million calorie cakes to consume no matter how good they may seem at the time.) My sister & I gave up exchanging birthday gifts long ago but since we were in town and since we were being invited to breakfast it seemed only appropriate to take something. So last night before we left Mason we went shopping and found a book (previously read by someone) and a block with her initial. We had hoped to spell out her name but the antique/junk store was all out of vowels so we settled on just "B". John whipped out a ten for our purchase (obviously we were sparing no expense...) but Sam didn't have change so he told us just to take them and settle up the next time we were in town. By the way, Sam is the same guy who leaves the front door of the store wide open in case you want to look around and a note saying he'll be back shortly. Mason is an old-fashioned type of town.

And then there's the weekly newspaper, the Mason County News. Their "reporter" was at our lunch on Monday to take our photo and "get the scoop" and assure us of a good place in the paper. Sure enough. In this week's paper, there we are on page 3 right under the Obituaries (it's the most read part of the paper after all). We must have looked hungry because under the photo it says if "you would like to help feed these hard-working folks" to call Carlene.

In answer to your questions...

Some of you wanted more info on the new block product I mentioned in an earlier blog. Always at your service, I knocked on Kent's door this morning (he's the owner) to find out more. The blocks are made from recycled paper they get from Houston combined with cement and a "secret additive". The finished product is much lighter in weight than a standard block (I can lift one with one hand and I'm a wimp!) and has an R value of 3.2 per inch which means an R factor of 32 for the 10" wall it makes. Photo top right is their "sample" building. They've been making the test block by hand but now that the 6 year testing period is over, they have an automatic block maker being manufactured for them in Canada. When it's up and running it will produce 15,000 blocks per day. And for those of you who still want more info, the web site is www.masongreenstar.com . (Do I get extra Brownie points or what?)

Photo 3 is also a recycling effort known as "dumpster diving". I'm here to report the paint crew managed to recycle a whole bag of "good" things including the bottoms of a whole bunch of jean legs. We could all think of uses for those.

Photo 4 is of another water tank, this one built with a concrete base. The older shorter one on the right was probably a holding tank for water for the livestock. It's built of native stone as was the one in the photo from yesterday. If your computer lets you enlarge the photo you'll also see a bucket with a pink ribbon on it hanging from the tree limb. That's where the key to the house is should you want to go in and look around (it's for sale).

And lest you think we're all just play, bottom left shows the paint crew working on the exterior trim (we're not counting the miles we've painted so far). And the last one was the house site at the end of the day. It's a fairly "unusual" method of construction since the interior walls are going up first (notice the shower in place?) and then the exterior walls are being added. If I understood it correctly this was because the interior walls got done first etc. etc. So far it seems to be working although they did run into a couple of glitches (correctable) with the interior wall dimensions. The architect blamed it on the local wine he was enjoying the night he drew up the plans.

And for the Tillie update... John talked to Curtis who said not to worry, "I'll git it goin'." (we're just not sure when...) It's something to do with fluctuating power going to the fuel pump from the ignition. He also said it was "newer" (Tillie is a '76) than what he usually worked on (I told you this guy was old!).

Breakfast, building & bulls...

Today was another day of good eats! (If they don't quit feeding us we won't be able to move by the time this build is over..) Jimie brought us "tacos" for breakfast using her mother's handmade tortillas, a friend's farm eggs, and her father's homemade venison sausage. They were wonderful! Not to be outdone, Edna (photo upper right) invited us all to her historic home for a "sit down" lunch. Beans & homemade cornbread, pickled beets & tossed salad, German sausage & chicken and just in case we were still hungry, pound cake & Texas ice cream. Did I mention Edna is in her 90's? Texas & home cooking has agreed with her. And my mother, of course, was afraid we weren't getting enough to eat so made us a big meal filled with great vegetables. (Can't believe I'm still awake to write this!)

Now that I've made you all hungry, we really did do a little bit of work today. The walls that were finished were delivered to the job site along with the shower. (Apparently last year they forgot the shower until after the walls were up and they had to drop it in from above before the roof went on, a method of installation none of them wanted to repeat.) And the paint crew finished the last of the interior woodwork that could be painted before installation.

Fourth photo is happy hour. It was just barely warm enough to sit out, 53 (frost on the ground again this a.m.) but we managed.

The 5th photo is the back of Edna's house. The "tower" is the base of what used to be the water tank for the house. Now she's on city water. These old water towers are all over town and are beautiful & quaint.

The last photo is Gus, the steer, who showed up today across from where Tillie is supposed to be camping. Curtis (I finally got a name for the current VW guru) called to say Tillie's wiring is a mess patched together in a tangle. Among other things, he thinks the ignition is faulty but thought he had another somewhere out in the yard (whatever that meant). Curtis sounded older than dirt to me. If he's been working on VW's for 40 years, he must have been 50 when he started! At any rate, tomorrow is yet another day so we'll see what happens...

Mason at last!

Then there were 20, Care-A-Vanners that is, here in Mason to help build a home for Jimie (pronounced Jimmy) and her daughter India (first photo). They are both very friendly and excited, of course, about what's happening. We all are.

Because it was cold (40's), windy, and looking like rain today everyone worked inside this huge empty soon to be factory to cut the wood and frame the walls to be taken to the home site in the next day or two. (The factory will soon be making a new type of building block from recycled paper and cement. I'll try to take a photo of their new product to post later in the week.)

Besides the wall crew a few of us wiser women went to the Habitat warehouse in town to paint trim and doors. We "wise women" did have several advantages... it wasn't as noisy; we had a flush toilet (the port-a-john didn't arrive at the other building until afternoon and although the men used the great outdoors, the women about knocked each other over in a race for the restroom at lunchtime!); it is next door to the Thrift Shop (you would LOVE it, Susan!) where we, of course, had to go to buy rags (and browse a bit...); and we were only a half block from the church that hosted us for lunch. Upper right are the buttermilk pies and the pecan pies they served for dessert. They do treat us well and between their cooking and my mother's cooking we'll be waddling off that plane when we return the end of the month.

How is Tillie doing? Wish we knew. John talked to the VW guru this morning (John didn't ask his name so we have no idea who he is except that he has Tillie), he wasn't sure when he would be able to look at her as he was "feelin' a little sickly today"....

About cats and rattlesnakes... last night at our welcome to Mason dinner, one of the Habitat board members was telling me about her 7 cats (and I thought George & Vicki had a lot of cats!). She credits her cats with keeping the rattlesnakes away from the house. Then she went on to say her husband never goes to fields without his pistol and shotgun. The rattlers she described as being 3 inches in diameter and stretching across the road (if that doesn't give you shivers I don't know what will). So I'm thinking, wow!, these must be some cats. But her theory is the pickings are slim for the snakes around the house because the cats keep the field mice population down. If it was me I think I'd adopt another dozen cats as added insurance...

Need I say more?

"It looks like a salvage yard" was my mother's comment about the garage where we had Tillie taken.

When Tillie finally makes it to Bridge in Seattle, her true owner, we'll obviously need something to take her place. Should we look for an older version... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56XL0TysIn0

or the newer version... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJXTBZLRfR4

A bit of trivia to add to today's reading... McCullough County Texas (where we're at) has more than three times as many goats as it has people and Brady is the home of the World Champion Barbeque Goat Cook-off that takes place Labor Day weekend. San Angelo (the closest big-deal town) just had their Stock Show & Rodeo. The Grand Champion Wether Goat sold for $22,500; the Steer for $18,900; the Lamb for $14,550; and the Barrow (pig) for $7,500. Be honest. When you think of Texas livestock, what would you think of first? Perhaps you should think again...

Gardens, garages & gastronomes...

Although these photos were taken yesterday, the activities are pretty much the same today except it is a tad warmer (do I dare tell you it is 70?!) and the sun has been shining all day. That equals spring planting here in Texas. My mother is hard at work in her vegetable garden planting Swiss chard to replace the turnips she just pulled. (And, of course, I have more laundry on the line...) It's amazing. From that little garden she occasionally has enough produce to give some away. Her words of wisdom for you to remember = "Cow manure is better than chicken manure".

I suspect you thought all our problems with Tillie had finally been resolved. Well........... only in our dreams. Tillie drove around town the first day we were in Brady but the minute John parked her under the carport she decided she liked it and has refused to budge. In a snit about taking her out in the middle of winter, I guess, and she is taking no chances that we might take her back. Her "buddies" this time are my brother-in-law on the left who brought over, Mike, the guy on his knees and is the best mechanic in the area. Mike actually got her running yesterday but when John went out to start Tillie up shortly after Mike had left, she refused to start again. Mike is on his way over again today but if that doesn't work it may mean a trip on a flatbed (whether she likes it or not) to another VW guru about 40 miles away. He has parts although I'm not sure what's left to be replaced...

And under the category of "not to be believed".... about a dozen blocks from my mother's is Brady Donuts which has the best donuts in Brady according to my family. Although there are no signs to tell you, they also serve wonderful Cambodian food at lunchtime (we can now testify to that). If you've never been to Brady, it is in the middle/heart of Texas a "million miles" from anything non-Texan and where BBQ brisket & Mexican food rule. However, no food shortcuts for the owners. They use the real ingredients driving 2 hours one way to the Austin Asian market for things like lemongrass & spicy basils that aren't available locally. The next time you pass a donut shop you might give it a second glance and wonder what else they might be cooking up in their back room...

A morning in Brady...

Brady, the county seat of McCullough County, has a beautifully restored old courthouse. If your computer can enlarge the photo you might note that while they left the jury seats original (they swivel but are unpadded to keep the jurors awake I imagine) the general seating is nicely padded and comfortable. My sister goes for training at the courthouse this afternoon as the Democratic representative to help count and scan the absentee and paper ballots received for Tuesday's primary. When asked to bring a couple of her Democratic friends she allowed she didn't have/know any other than her husband & mother. (I know you are smiling out there, Joe...)

Next stop, Damuth Taxidermy. Never in my wildest dreams would it have occurred to me to stop there but it was fascinating and their work is impeccable. Museum quality to be sure. George & Joe - if you need a little stuffing done, send it here. On the other hand if you just need a set of antlers to "show off", the guy in the bottom left makes fake ones that look just like the originals. He says hunters sometimes have several sets made of a favorite rack to give to friends as souvenirs. The turkey "wing" was particularly spectacular and my mother & sister want everyone to note the table legs just in case you were wondering what to do with any spare legs you might have around the house. It's an amazing business employing 15 people full time and "memorializing" (my term, not theirs) everything from life-size giraffes for $27,500 (they just did one as a matter of fact) down to fresh water fish for $14 per inch. (Think about it KK...)

Back to the living, we passed a "Nut Hustler". I thought it was for picking up pecans & John thought it was for shelling pecans but it turns out it is used for spraying the trees to keep the bugs out of the nuts.

And finally, a trip to the supermarket to show you times are changing even here. Used to be stores here did not have olive oil or, if they did, it was in very small bottles. Now you can buy it in quarts. Of course lard is still king taking up 2 shelves and available in 25 pound buckets...

Of family & spring...

This is my mother posing with a batch of her homemade hand-rolled hand-cut egg noodles made with farm eggs we brought from New York. She does make the BEST chicken and noodles which, if I remember the story correctly, my father insisted she learn to make the "right way" from his mother. She earned an "A".

And in case you're wondering, she a naturally happy person which is why she is smiling and not because the bottle of wine has been partly consumed...









Today was the day "set aside" for my sister and I to help Mother prep her next quilt for the frame. Years ago she ran out of quilt projects so I suggested she make one for her own bed for every season. This is the one for fall but has been stashed away for a bit while she quilted quilts for others. In the meantime she mislaid the name of the pattern so if any of you quilters out there know what it is, please let us know. She's already got it on the quilt frame. She listens to Diane Rehm while she quilts and tells me she's fallen behind in her listening.



One last photo for you folks in the northeast. Since Texas seems to have sent you their snow (in feet we understand), perhaps that means you will soon be receiving spring flowers as well.