I'm back from Texas - though only for a couple of days before I blast off again.  (While I was gone Jan called and invited me to go off in the RV Friday for a 3-day weekend. Busy, busy, busy!)  So let me try to catch you up on all the fun before I 'desert my followers' again.

Mom and I rendezvous-ed at the San Antonio airport on Friday, Marilyn was waiting for us, and we headed to Kerrville for a long weekend of fun.  Of course we celebrated Mom's 87th birthday properly: with cake and gifts!

Mom got lots of goodies, and seemed to like them all.  

This set of giraffe knives from Marilyn made us all smile.

 

I had found butterfly earrings at a craft show in Sedona a few weeks ago; the woman selling them runs a non-profit to save the Monarch butterflies.  http://www.thebutterflylady.org/find-me.html

The earrings I chose were yellow (because that's Mom's favorite color) and came from a Brenda butterfly.

Mom had been wanting a new purse to carry around Riderwood with her keys, etc. and chose these fabrics from my stash when she was out in October.  I managed to put a pocket inside without too much difficulty, but attaching the strap took Patti and me a little 'figuring out'.  

When I showed the purse at Busy Bees last week and mentioned I was off to Texas for the celebration, Mel gifted Mom this colorful necklace, which I tucked inside the purse as as added bonus. 

"How did you know I like giraffes?" <g>    

The placemats are truly rectangular -

although you'd never know it from the angle this pic was shot.

Mom really needed new ones because the original ones I made 

(for her and Dad) are falling apart.  

(These placemats have better corners, Dad, than the original ones!)

And speaking of placemats - the ones I made for Marilyn were in use (sort of <g>) during my visit.  But she likes them so much she worries they'll get dirty during use (isn't that what happens to placemats?) so I'm going to make some others that I hope she'll worry about less.

Here I am with the birthday girl.

We did a little foo-foo shopping in Fredericksburg Saturday, which is always fun.  One of my favorite stores there is Remember Me; this is the sign on their door.

"We are open all the time - except when we are closed."

This sign (perfect for many Mom & Pop stores) was in their window.

We had lunch at the Buffalo Nickel bar and grill, and on the way home I had my picture taken with Mr. Buffalo.

One morning I walked around the ranch with Marilyn.  We saw a herd of rams (no time for a picture before they ran off) and a herd of deer with yearlings. The others (a bit more camera shy?) were off to the right in the trees. 

And of course there was no shortage of pretty scenery!  The mealy sage is in bloom, and very dramatic everywhere.

These cactus were just starting to bloom.

It was delightful to sit out on the new patio and listen to the quiet and watch the birds soaring.  Up on top there we had an incredible view.  One afternoon an osprey went by, and it was quite something to see from above.  The turkey vultures are quite graceful and also fun to watch.  A pair of barn swallows have built a nest on the patio (and were actually pulling out feathers and 'feathering their nest' while we were there, thought I didn't get a picture of that.)  I enjoyed watching them dart around, catching insects on the fly.

We also took advantage of the fire pit (after Don had grilled yummy chicken) 

to toast marshmallows and make s'mores!

There is quite an abundance of wildlife around their place; herds of turkeys hang out there.  They have a feeder outside the fence

but the turkeys seem to prefer hanging out right by the house.  Love their colors in the sunlight - although they were less than thrilled with my presence and made picture taking somewhat difficult!

So these next couple of pix were actually shot through the window from inside the house which may be why the colors are less vibrant.

Here the guys are trying to impress the ladies.

Doesn't seem to be working...

And look who managed to sneak into another picture I took of the turkeys.

There was also an abundance of nighttime visitors.  While we were there (just on the nights they set up the trap) they caught 2 racoons and a possom, which were relocated elsewhere ('possibly' a futile attempt to keep them away from the house?)  None of those critters seemed too pleased with their new accommodations...

The nightly success of the trap generated a lively discussion of what to do 'if' (when!) they captured a skunk.

We also went foo-foo shopping at The Loop in Ingram Monday (where I found the ill-fated bowl), had a delicious birthday lunch at Francisco's (with 'birthday' peach cobbler, complete with a candle and another rendition of Happy Birthday) and hit the quilt store in Kerrville (where I 'managed' to find something to purchase.)

Also snapped a few pix around town.  Billy Gene's is known for entertaining folks with their signs.

And I had to share this moose that I spotted at a local shopping center.

Would love to share a pic of a Texas shaped pool you can (sort of) see from the highway....

but you'll just have to be content with this pic of their potatoes!

But since I found a picture of the pool on the 'net, you don't have to go without after all! <g>

And now you've been to Texas!

I guess I'm still on Texas time (woke up a little before 4:00, which is a little before 6:00 there) so it looks like I'll make it to quilting today after all!