Monte and I have enjoyed joining his sister’s family zoom sessions. Her adult kids and young grandkids live in 3 different cities. They all join. We join when we can. It’s special.
Last week my great-niece, Adelle, showed everyone one her latest project, making bracelets out of colorful rubber bands. We all asked for one of our own, and little Adelle delivered! They arrived in the mail today. I picked Seahawks colors, and I absolutely love it!
Thank You Adelle!
I celebrated my friend, Ann, and her well-earned retirement today. She spent a rewarding career as a school-teacher; and a damn good one. I am happy for her to explore the next decades doing whatever her heart desires.
Cheers, my dear!!!!
A month ago, I posted about a paint-by-number that I decided to begin to help me waste time while sheltering-in-place. The pre-printed canvas is 16″x20″. This will take a LONG time. But, I’ve been slowly making progress, doing a little at a time. The guidance is to start with the darkest color and work your way, color by color, to the lightest.
I finally finished the darkest, background color. Minor victory. So I celebrate!
I ordered a paint-by-number kit a month ago to help me pass the time in self-imposed quarantine. It took a while but arrived today. Perhaps I should have picked something smaller… No matter, I will start tonight and take my time. Wish me luck! 🙂
During winter, the low, rising sun shoots a blinding ray of morning light through the east-facing windows on the house. An illuminating spotlight passes through the house quickly. I caught this moment as I was walking through the living room this morning. I could almost see the light move slowly across the wall as I stopped to take the picture.
I made a side trip while downtown. The Hope Outdoor Gallery has officially moved from their old location near 11th and Lamar. But some of the graffiti-covered walls remain. I took a few pics through the chain link fence that surrounds it.
I wonder what will be done with this space.
Noreen and I did some shopping yesterday, then headed to the University of Texas campus. We went up in the UT Tower on a tour. Monte and I have done this once before but it was a dark and rainy day, so I was looking forward to getting a better view.
As a part of the tour, you can go outside and walk around all 4 sides of the top of the tower.
My town, looking south from the UT Tower:
The UT Tower, viewed from the Turtle Pond just north of the Tower:
The UT Tower with the UT Tower Memorial in the foreground, a remembrance of the victims of the shooting that happened over 50 years ago:
After the tour, we grabbed lunch on the drag, and then mosied over to Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon to experience chicken shit bingo. We didn’t win 🙂 But it was fun to cross that off my bucket list.
Back home, we mournfully watched the Seahawks lose to the Rams. Keeto is very broken up about it.
Noreen is here for a visit. She brought me another beautiful stained glass panel that she made. I love it! She’s so talented at making them. Lucky me!
I joined Rachel and Becky on their second day in Austin.
Monte made crepes for breakfast. Then we headed out.
Spelunking at Inner Space Caverns:
Boot shopping at Allen’s Boots:
Zilker Botanical Garden:
Chillin’ at Barton Springs Pool:
Mural tour:
Boot scootin at the Broken Spoke:
Mr. Dale Watson:
Good night Austin!
I received a wine delivery today from our niece, Julie. She is no longer just down the street from us, and we miss seeing her. But she’s off exploring and enjoying life.
I’m a lucky auntie. Thank you Julie!
The news today of the fire and destruction of Notre Dame in Paris made my heart sink. What a terrible loss. Many, many millions of people feel a connection to the 8 centuries old gothic cathedral. As I post this, Notre Dame is still burning, its roof and spire have fallen. I can’t imagine much more of a charred shell will remain. I pray that noone was injured or killed.
I was 16 on my first visit. I was immediately awed by the beautiful arches, stained glass windows, towers, transept, arches, and side chapels. I have enjoyed more visits since then, every time I passed through Paris. These pictures were from my last visit, 4 years ago…
How does one connect with a place? It must be the intertwining of a place’s beauty, its history, and cultural significance with one’s own imprinted memories. I’ve only visited as a tourist; lit a candle, sat in the pews, listened to mass being said, walked all around it, toured the towers. I cannot imagine what Parisians who have lived with it every day of their lives must be feeling today.
One of my favorite novels, Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth, tells the fictional life story of Tom Builder, a man who built cathedrals in England & France in the 12th century, as Romanesque architecture evolved into Gothic. Notre Dame was a masterpiece. Its flying butressess allowing the ribs, pillars, arches and roof to be taller, and more open inside, leaving room for its legendary stained glass windows. I don’t know how or if it will be possible to restore or repair it. But, it will never be the same. Something has truly been lost for the ages.
I’m always looking for opportunities to visit our local museums. I heard about a new exhibit at the Harry Ransom Center on design and the Arts & Craft movement. So we took a trip to the University of Texas campus to see it today.
It’s a small museum but I enjoyed browsing the show.
We walked around campus a bit and grabbed lunch afterward.
I’ve been home for two weeks, catching up on the homefront. Noreen and David visited for a week, and we got out for a sail on Lake Travis with them. I’m enjoying watching the last few weeks of Winter happen in the Hill Country. This is the tail end of last night’s sunset, through the trees in my back yard.
Austinites have several nice museums to visit. The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is one, and it is loaded with a number of permanent and rotating exhibits about all things Texas. On the first Sunday of each month, admission is free, or to be more accurate, HEB picks up the tab (another reason HEB is the best grocery store, hands down, ever).
I like to visit a couple of times a year to see the new exhibits. In particular today we went to see the Becoming Texas exhibit, and to see the new permanent exhibit for the 17th century recovered French ship that wrecked off of the Gulf Coast of Texas in 1686, La Belle.
The 54′ La Belle, or at least the portions of the timbers that remain of it, on display at the museum. This ship crossed the Atlantic, brought munitions, provisions and trade goods to the New World, and then sank off the Texas Gulf Coast. If you live in or near Austin, you should check out the museum. Ideally on a free First Sunday.
Afterwards we visited Zilker Brewing; we’re slowly working our way across all the breweries in Austin. One must have goals.
