A Sigh of Contentment

It's raining, it's pouring, the Old Man is snoring.  He bumped his head when he went to bed and he couldn't get up in the morning.  Rain, rain, go away!

Winter Texans want to play!

We are well settled into our new house.  The entire house has been washed, everything from appliances to walls.  Our belongings have been sorted and put away.  The winter season is revving up.  Most days the weather is too nice to stay inside, not to mention all the activities going on.  It seems the seasons are kind of backwards here.  Winter is for being outside and playing; summer is for hibernating against the formidable heat.  Because of this, consort and I have decided to put off any big projects until next summer.  Who wants to work inside when you can go to the beach?

These two pictures are of the guest bedroom.  The antique furniture was gifted me by my mother.  The bed is so tall one needs a footstool to climb in.  All of the doilies stitched together into a curtain were made by my great grandmother.  I have a hard time not pausing for a quick nap each time I pass this room!

This is the Texas room.  It looks out over the Resaca del Rancho Viejo.  A resaca is actually an ancient, abandoned outflowing branch of the Rio Grande river essentially frozen in time.  No new resacas can form because the Rio Grande River Water Authority now manages flood issues with dams and levees.  There are five primary resacas here in South Texas.  They vary in size and shape -- from oxbow lakes to long, narrow channels -- and cover about 250 river miles.  There is a multitude of wildlife attracted to the open water: raccoons, opossums, and feral cats; but it's the birds that continually catch my eye.  Orioles, green jays, parrots, doves, chachalacas, Mexican blackbirds, and Kiskadees.  It is truly a  feast for the eyes.

The living room.  Each morning I start the day with a cup of coffee while looking out at the resaca from the Texas room or from the deck, depending on the weather.  Consort and I both finish the day the same way, just sitting and looking out at the resaca.  We still can't get our heads around the fact we live in a place with palm trees and seagulls in the backyard.  That's just not something you see in Oklahoma.

Rainbow over the resaca and 
view of the resaca at night.

Both consort and I are quite pleased with our new digs.  I have the same wonderful feeling I had after we were married and moved into our first place together.  Cute little house nestled in amongst our friends just big enough for the two of us -- and, of course, the mangy mongrel and deranged moggy -- with endless possibilities for the future.

The crocodile has returned and

is swimming in my backyard!

This cormorant is to be found every morning

perched on a post that is in the resaca.  On this

particular morning, it looked as though he was

holding forth for anyone who would listen.

We had an event this year that was even bigger than giving up our nomadic lifestyle, if you can believe that.  

Our daughter gifted us with our fourth grandson.  He is a beautiful, happy, and healthy baby boy.  We couldn't be happier (I mean, you know, without the whole family physically moving to South Texas to be nearby).

We have joined the Brownsville Historical Association.  Our first outing was a Murder, Mystery, Mayhem tour of the Old City Cemetery in downtown Brownsville.  The walk-thru started after dark and was very well done.  We had about a half dozen encounters with miscellaneous rascals, rogues, and scamps who were buried in the cemetery and portrayed by talented actors.  There are some chilling stories that come from setting up a town on the Mexican border!

Here's a couple of mugshots for you.  On the left, consort and I are dressed to attend a Kentucky Derby party.  On the right, we recycled the clothes for Halloween and dressed as zombie Ken and Barbie.

The weather here has really cooled off over the last couple of days.  Yes, it's definitely time to break out the winter coats as the temperatures drop into the 60s. (I know, I know.)  I decided it was time to bake.  On the left, a strawberry-rhubarb pie (thanks to DJ for the fresh rhubarb!).  In the middle, caramel corn (not a good idea to try to make caramel on a wet, rainy day.  Oh, the humidity!).  On the right, chicken pot pie (fairly unattractive, but consort says it was better than Marie Callendar's).  I seem to be in a baking contest with my neighbor four doors down.  I think he's winning, though.  He bakes bread and Cinnabons and BAGELS!! for goodness sake!  The man is a culinary genius!

And that's about it.  We're settled.  We're happy.  We're pleased with the house.  We're as busy as we want to be.  And for the most part, the sun is shining down on us.  Life is good.

On the stereo:  Mungo Jerry ~ Summertime

Reading:  A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury

On the TV:  Friday Night Lights