Ménage à Trois

It was a beautiful January day along the Texas Gulf Coast.  I was in the midst of a photo shoot with my model Rosie, a lovely Roseate Spoonbill.Roseate SpoonbillShe was quite the model.  Beautiful, talented, and very accommodating.birding along the Texas Gulf CoastShe tilted her head this wayTexas Gulf Coast birding trailAnd then that way.  One leg up.photographing birdsNow it was time for a break.  “Take five, Rosie”.  She heads off to the water for some refreshment.birding Port Aransas

Spoonbills
This is Bill the spoonbill enjoying a morning snack

In the meantime, Mr. Spoonbill was minding his own business enjoying a mid morning snack when he just happened to glance up….. and there she was, in all her pink glory….. Rosie tilts her head in a coy demur manner all the while batting her eyes. wildlife photography“Like what you see, Big Boy?”  Bill’s mouth opens wide….”hubba, hubba”….. he drools. wildlife photographyThe vision of loveliness is irresistible.  He starts in her direction.photographing wildlifeHe quickens the pace. While approaching Rosie, he yells, “Hey babe, whatz happenin?”wildlife photography

Rosie is not impressed by his crude behavior and mutters, “I’m outta here” and quickly flies off.roseate spoonbillBill can’t figure out why she flew off and screams, “STEL…LAAAA”!birding in Port Aransasand goes for the chasePort Aransas TexasBut Bill, having a rather short attention span, was quickly distracted by the beautiful blue coloring of a Tri-colored Heron. wildlife photographyAs he lands near Hailey Heron, the tri-colored heron, Rosie is soon forgotten and a new quest ensues.birding in Port Aransas Texas“Hey, there Babe.  Is it true what they say….. once you go blue you never go back?”tri-colored heron“Say, What!”, says Hailey Heron in a frazzled tone.  Just then Bill has the best idea ever….. why pick between pink or blue? ….. Ménage à Trois!threesome

Here’s wishing you a very Happy Valentines Day with a happy ending Rockport Texas
Love You & Love You More Pillowcases: V-day Gift
Set of 20 Red LED Mini Valentine’s Day Heart Christmas Lights – White Wire

The art of compromise

Living a mobile lifestyle with a partner in 250 square feet, requires the ability to communicate and compromise.  Compromise becomes even more important when the individuals don’t always share common interests.Lamar Texas

Compromise has never been a problem for hubby and me.  I tell him where we’re going, what we’re doing, and he says, “Yes, Dear”.  And that my friends is how to survive 30 plus years of marriage …. 😆

northern shoveler duckBut in all seriousness, Al and I have always supported and encouraged each others interests and passions.  We enjoy doing things together as well as separately.  It works for us and has for over thirty years.

Al and I are fortunate in that we’ve both had the opportunity to travel extensively over the years internationally and domestically, but that travel was predominantly to metropolitan areas.  Thus, we now enjoy focusing our travels on small towns, back country roads, and all things nature which makes this RV lifestyle a perfect fit.  Neither one of us has a so called bucket list, but we do have a mental list of “wouldn’t mind visiting there”.  It’s sort of a …… if it works fine, if it doesn’t work that’s fine too kind of list.

duck hunting in TexasAl’s pretty laid back and easy going about our travels and for the most part leaves the planning up to me.

After I brief him on tentative plans, we’ll bounce ideas back and forth. He’ll occasionally add his two cents or express any concerns, and then the trip planning commences followed by a few necessary reservations.  For the most part, he rolls with my whims.

On that note, last summer during our winter planning phase, Al mentioned how he really wanted to do a repeat of the previous January and meet up with his buddy again in Rockport, Texas, to engage in sportsman stuff.  Initially, I wanted to stay in the desert southwest, but since this was something he really wanted to do, I felt it was my turn to roll with his whim and compromise.

Plus, I didn’t think returning to the area  would be so bad.  It would allow me the opportunity to commune with whooping cranes and all my other feathered friends while hubby was occupied elsewhere.roseate spoonbill

And then I got to thinking since we were coming to Texas anyway, this would be the perfect opportunity to explore some other areas along the Texas Gulf Coast, which is how we ended up spending time in Galveston and Port Aransas.

Texas Gulf CoastAlthough I have had a relatively nice time along the Texas Gulf Coast, all things considered, the lure of an Arizona sunset is hard to resist.  The abundant sunshine and dry heat of the desert beckons.

As our scheduled stay in Texas was nearing an end, Al started dropping hints about extending our stay.  He said something along the lines of, “We have no commitments in February.  Why don’t we just stay here a little longer”?

He asks this question as the winds are howling, the rain is pouring, and I’m bundled up in layers of clothing trying to keep warm.

I ponder…..  Keep that thought in mind while I digress for a moment….
From the moment we purchased the RV, Al made every effort to train me on all her workings and we split the driving so I’m comfortable towing her.  When I became so ill last winter, it made an indelible impression upon us just how important it is that he and I are both able to handle all aspects of this lifestyle.  With the exception of backing her up, I’m quite capable in the handling of all duties.

As for Al’s cross training, he has improved in doing laundry, vacuuming, and cooking (well, his culinary skills are still lacking, but edible. That’s a work in progress – hehe).  Both of us can handle the demands of this lifestyle together and independently.

QuartzsiteSo back to me contemplating Al’s thoughts on extending our Texas stay.  Remember the weather is nasty as we have this discussion.  I wait for the loud furnace to shut off so I’m sure he can hear my response.

“You’d like to stay in Texas longer?”  I confirm. He nods.  “No problem honey, but please check with Denny to make sure his couch is a sleeper, because come Monday the jacks are coming up and the wheels will be rolling.  Whether you’ll be sitting next to me is your choice.  I’m flexible”.

Adirondack chairAl burst out into laughter and said, “Ah, you are a wise one. Perhaps it was foolish of me to see to it that you can handle all aspects of this RV because I have no doubt to your capabilities.  I assure you, when you have this puppy ready to roll, I’ll be sitting next to you”.

It was the best of times; exploring fun new places and getting together with fellow bloggers.  It was the worst of times; nasty weather and illness.  It was the age of wisdom; as we age, we hopefully become wiser.  Al is second guessing the wisdom of his actions in making sure I can handle the RV by myself.  It was the age of foolish; We’re never too old to act a little foolishly.  It’s all about the laughter.  In the end, I am no fool and would never dream of leaving my partner in crime beyond.

Arizona here WE come!whooping crane

CLELO Decorative 18*18 Inch Linen Cloth Pillow Cover Cushion Case, Love You To…
Webkinz Love Frog Limited Edition Release

Galveston, Oh Galveston

Have you ever had a place or the name of a city in your head that you just had to visit?  Perhaps you’ve read a magazine article or seen photos of a location and decided right there and then, “I have got to visit that place”.  Or how about the lyrics of a song causing a sense of intrigue?Galveston Texas

Galveston oh GalvestonI was but a wee little lass back in 1969 when Glen Campbell sang one of his most famous songs;

Galveston, Oh Galveston ….. I still hear your sea waves crashing ……. Before I watch your sea birds flying in the sun….. 

At Galveston, at Galveston

Although I was very young, I was old enough to have the catchy tune stick in my head.  I remember asking my mom, “What’s Galveston?”Galveston State park

So this past summer while basking in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains, hubby and I were formulating our winter excursion.  Since our friends from Colorado wanted us to join them once again in Rockport, Texas during the month of January, we knew we’d be returning to the Texas Gulf Coast.seagull

IbisThat said, this was the perfect opportunity for us to visit a place I’ve been curious about for a super long time.

And Galveston has not disappointed.  As a matter of fact, I’ve been pleasantly surprised and enjoying our stay very much…. well, the weather hasn’t always been cooperative, but those storms are soon forgotten once the sun returns.

Speaking of storms, Galveston has survived it’s fair share.  On September 8, 1900, Galveston island was struck by the United States’ deadliest natural disaster; a devastating Category 4 Hurricane with 145 mile per hour winds.

On September 13, 2008 a Category 2 hurricane struck with 110 mile per hour winds. In addition to excessive winds, Hurricane Ike caused extensive damage with a 22 foot storm surge and widespread coastal flooding.

Ashton Villa
there’s a plaque on the wall indicating the water level caused by Hurricane Ike

Ashton Villa

The above photos were taken at the visitor center located in downtown Galveston, Texas.  Throughout the city are little reminders of Ike’s devastation.The StrandMuch of the island has been rebuilt since 2008, but there are still some buildings that remain in a state of disrepair and serve as a constant reminder of the devastation Hurricane Ike caused.Galveston Island TexasNext up girls go wild, or rather bird crazy ….  in the mean time, I’ll keep humming Glen Campbell

Galveston, Oh Galveston…. I still
hear your sea waves crashing…..
At Galveston, at Galveston….
Pleasure Pier