Southaven, Mississippi – Day 10

The motorhome is still parked at VFW Post #10567 in Southaven, Mississippi. The location is about 1/4 mile south of the Tennessee Border and about 10 miles south of the City of Memphis. We are now expecting to depart from here tomorrow.

Yesterday I drove the Bronco the about 10 miles to downtown Memphis where we visited the Mud Island River Park. You can read all about this place by clicking this Wikipedia link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud_Island,_Memphis

Here’s their official website link…
http://www.mudisland.com/

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

Although you can drive on to Mud Island by car, we elected to take the about 1/2 mile trip by a tram-car…

All throughout our day on Mud Island we saw lots of neat old photos and paintings…

Looking down upon a small portion of the River Walk. It’s 2,000 feet long and you can read all about it by clicking this link…
http://www.mudisland.com/c-14-riverwalk.aspx

Down on the ground along the River Walk…

At the southern end of the River Walk is this nice fountain…

The Interstate Highway 40 Bridge crossing the Mississippi River as seen from Mud Island…

Then we went into the museum which is comprised of 18 galleries that showcase 10,000 years of history in the Lower Mississippi River Valley.  The exhibits detail early inhabitants in the valley to modern-day transportation and contain over 5,000 artifacts; including two full size boat replicas which you can board and explore…

And back to the Bronco after another nice day…

Enjoying interesting places and museums is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location near Memphis in the State of Tennessee. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Natchez, Mississippi – Day 13

Note: Mary flew from Baton Rouge Airport, Louisiana on March 12 to her home in California. I’m hoping to get her back with me by mid-April. My current plans are to drift SLOWLY north along the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee where I’ll then turn northeast heading for New England for the Summer. Can’t go north too fast because it’s still cold up there! The Mississippi River is rich in history…I expect it to be an interesting passage.

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The motorhome is still parked at the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge #1662 in Natchez, Mississippi. I’m planning to depart from Natchez tomorrow.

Natchez remained mostly undamaged from the Civil War. Hence this old city with its narrow and many one-way streets remains a beautiful city. To read about Natchez, click this link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez,_Mississippi

In the past two days I posted my photos of old black and white photos of old Natchez. If you missed those postings, here are the links…
http://wp.me/pDCku-7zh
http://wp.me/pDCku-7zN

Historic Natchez Foundation Executive Director Mimi Miller and her able assistant Patricia Catchings graciously allowed me access to their photographic archives. Today’s Blog entry is the final day of more old black and white photos of old Natchez…

Here are some of the photos that I took…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

I just love old black and white photos of days gone forever.

Enjoying historic places is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows my approximate location in the State of Mississippi. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Natchez, Mississippi – Day 6

Note: Mary flew from Baton Rouge Airport, Louisiana on March 12 to her home in California. I’m hoping to get her back with me by mid-April. My current plans are to drift SLOWLY north along the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee where I’ll then turn northeast heading for New England for the Summer. Can’t go north too fast because it’s still cold up there! The Mississippi River is rich in history…I expect it to be an interesting passage.
————————————————————————————————————–

The motorhome is still parked at the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge #1662 in Natchez, Mississippi.

Natchez remained mostly undamaged from the Civil War. Hence this old city with its narrow and many one-way streets remains a beautiful city. To read about Natchez, click this link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez,_Mississippi

In yesterday’s Blog post, I presented how I came to meet the younger sister of famed rock n roller Jerry Lee Lewis…Frankie Jean Lewis Terrell. If you happen to miss that entry, here’s the link…
http://wp.me/pDCku-7uq

Towards the end of that initial meeting, Frankie Jean got to telling of how, when she was a young child, the Lewis Family would go out to eat at Mammy’s Cupboard…a few miles south of Natchez, Mississippi. Also, that it had been many years since she had been there.

So, I said…”What are you doing tomorrow?”. A few moments later it was agreed that Frankie Jean, Jean the tour guide from the Delta Music Museum and I would go to Mammy’s Cupboard for lunch. They picked me up shortly before noon and a few minutes later we were there…

Here are some of the photos that I took…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

It’s only open for lunch from 11 to 2 and they were doing a booming business…

We had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated…

There was a sign on the wall that said…”Life is short – eat dessert first”…and that just what Frankie Jean did…

Not being a dessert eater, I had the Saturday special of rice and beans with a layered salad and Mexican Cornbread…

One of the nearby diners complained that the air conditioning was too cold, so the staff made her a paper hat to help keep her head warm…

On the way out I saw this sign…

and a small frame with photos showing the difference from now and 60 years ago when it was also a Shell Gas Station…

Here’s my attempt at enlarging the old photo…

and here’s how it looks today…

The meal was tasty indeed and a good time was had by all. Yesterday I told you that Frankie Jean is a Hoot…and so she was here. She just enjoyed chatting and laughing with everyone…never revealing who she is. She never publicly discloses that personal information.

You can read about Mammy’s Cupboard by reading this Wikipedia link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammy%27s_Cupboard

I found this short YouTube video about Mammy’s Cupboard on the Internet…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80WjQcbxt54

On the way back to Natchez we went by a place called Forks in the Road which was once the second largest slave-trading location in the South…

You can read about this place by clicking this link…
http://usslave.blogspot.com/2012/04/forks-of-road-slave-market-at-natchez.html

Another fun and interesting day!

Today is laundry day…not an exciting Blog topic for tomorrow. So I’m saving what I did last (Saturday) night for tomorrow’s Blog posting. See you then!

Enjoying historic places is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows my approximate location in the State of Mississippi. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Natchez, Mississippi – Day 4

Note: Mary flew from Baton Rouge Airport, Louisiana on March 12 to her home in California. I’m hoping to get her back with me by mid-April. My current plans are to drift SLOWLY north along the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee where I’ll then turn northeast heading for New England for the Summer. Can’t go north too fast because it’s still cold up there! The Mississippi River is rich in history…I expect it to be an interesting passage.
————————————————————————————————————–

The motorhome is still parked at the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge #1662 in Natchez, Mississippi.

Natchez remained mostly undamaged from the Civil War. Hence this old city with its narrow and many one-way streets remains a beautiful city. To read about Natchez, click this link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez,_Mississippi

Yesterday’s first stop of the day was at the First Presbyterian Church…

Here are some of the photos that I took…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

While the church was interesting…it was not the primary reason for my stop. Rather it was for the attached Stratton Hall where there is housed a permanent 600+ black and white photography gallery of old Natchez entitled Natchez in Historic Photographs. You can read about this exhibit by clicking this link…
http://www.visitnatchez.org/listings/index.cfm?action=display&listingID=312&menuID=0&hit=1

Since every photograph was framed and covered in glass, light reflections made for difficult photographic conditions. Nonetheless, I spent a good 1.5 hours enjoying the old beautiful images. The exhibit is on the second floor up this staircase where the walls are just covered with the many photos…

I did manage a few photos with little to no reflections…

If you ever find yourself in Natchez, I highly recommend you visit this great exhibit which is located at 405 State Street.

Next stop was just a couple of short blocks away is the Natchez Museum of African-American History and Culture which is located in the old Post Office building at 301 Main Street…

It also has many great old photographic images…

I had the good fortune to meet Darrell White, the Director of the Museum. He invited me to sit and chat with him. We had a most interesting one hour conversation. He proved to be a very intelligent and articulate man with a vast knowledge of the African-American History…especially in Natchez. You can read about the museum by clicking this link…
http://www.visitnatchez.org/listings/?action=display&listingID=220&menuID=134&hit=1

Did you recognize Mr. White from yesterday’s Blog entry? See the below photo as I caught him leaving the William Johnston House. He had just come from delivering a lecture and was dressed in a period costume where he presents himself in the first person as William Johnston. If you missed that Blog entry…here’s the link…
http://wp.me/pDCku-7sG

After leaving Mr. White it was time for a late lunch.

I’ll share with you now, one of my traveling secrets. I always ask the locals where they would go for the best lunch in town. I tell them that I’m especially seeking out a small Mom and Pop…hole in the wall kind of place where I’m likely to find home cooking. I’ve had many a great meal I would have missed. Employing this method once again, several locals told me of the Cotton Alley Cafe…just across the street and down one block from the museum. So, off I went to 208 Main Street…

While it does not qualify for a hole in the wall Mom and Pop kind of place…

I enjoyed a great meal and great Service. Guy Bass is the Owner and has been in the restaurant business for 30+ years…

You can read about the Cotton Alley Cafe by clicking this link…
http://www.visitnatchez.org/listings/?action=display&listingID=424&menuID=111&hit=1

I’ll explore more of Natchez today.

Enjoying historic places is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows my approximate location in the State of Mississippi. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

CORNED BEEF AND RUMMIKUB

I’ve learned a lot about corned beef since I prepared mine Jewish style on Sunday. I always thought corned beef was simply brined brisket, and I was  sort of right. The salt is crystals not brine. Anyway, I soaked mine overnight and drained away the water before boiling it with a large onion and four bay leaves. It was less salty and I think I’ll do that from now on.

I scraped away that huge covering of fat, studded it with cloves, added pepper, (not in the recipe, but it worked out fine.)

I slathered it with dijon  mustard, surrounded it with peaches and juice and baked it for about an hour and 40 minutes. It didn’t get as tender as the fresh brisket does. It retains a firmer texture, probably because of the salt.

I cooked the potatoes, carrots and cabbage in the broth.

I cut my cabbage so a part of the core holds them into a wedge shape and put them in during the last 10 to 12 minutes of cooking. Cabbage loses its flavor when overcooked. It tastes great just tender and slathered in mustard. I’d have to say, the peach and clove flavors gave it a unique taste, but it still tasted like corned beef. Everyone liked it and the Rummikub game we played until late was fun. We chose a white wine with it. I think maybe our little dinner gathering was fun but not nearly as exciting as the Undie Run the people of Seattle love along with their Nudestock.  Still gives me a chuckle to think of it.

I said I learned a lot about corned beef because the Irish in Ireland don’t eat it. They raised pork and couldn’t afford beef. The English sent cattle to be raised in Ireland. The Irish sold it back to them preserved in salt- no refrigeration in those days- to outfit ships from both England and France. The Irish had access to cheap crystal salt and  had a huge profitable business for many years. Then when England passed laws against land inheritance and broke up families and wealth, the Irish had only the potato as their mainstay with a bit of salt back bacon. There are still more Irish in other countries than Ireland.

In the U.S. the Irish borrowed the brisket, a tough, cheap cut of meat, from the Jews and again became masters of “corned” beef.  Cooked with the “Irish” potato and cabbage about the cheapest vegetables you could buy. Survivors.

(Next year I think I’ll  organize an undie run for the parade.)  We’re kind of boring.

 

Baker, Louisiana – Day 6

Note: Mary flew from Baton Rouge Airport, Louisiana on March 12 to her home in California. I’m hoping to get her back with me by mid-April. My current plans are to stay here for a few days and then start SLOWLY drifting north along the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee where I’ll then turn northeast heading for New England. Can’t go north too fast because it’s still cold up there! I now expect to leave on Monday.
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The motorhome is currently parked at VFW Post #4224 in Baker, a few miles north of Baton Rouge.

Yesterday was another interesting day. I drove the Bronco the about 10 miles to the African-American Museum in Baton Rouge. They are located at 528 South Boulevard and have no website that I could find. Located adjacent to the New St. Luke’s Baptist Church and partially under the overhead of Interstate Highway 10, Founder-Curator Sadie Roberts-Joseph provided a most interesting visit. She has been dedicated to this labor of love for 12 years.

The official name of the museum is the Odell S. Williams Now & Then Museum of African-American History. Odell S. Williams taught African-American History to elementary school children in Baton Rouge. She passed away in 2009.

Here are some of the photos that I took…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

69-year-old Sadie Roberts-Joseph is an intelligent, knowledgeable and well-spoken individual. She exhumes compassion, love, consideration and giving to all human beings. After my one hour there, I felt that my life had been enriched by my visit with her…

On the way back to the motorhome I had another nice experience. I stopped by American Legion Post #502. The American Legion is currently celebrating its 94th birthday and this post has been in existence for 85 years. Other than the bar tender, the only person there was Mr. Bell, an 88-year-old World War II Veteran. He told me the post has less than one-half dozen World War II Veterans left. We spoke for about 45 minutes and he related some of his war stories with me. Another enriching experience!

Enjoying interesting local museums and meeting World War II Veterans are more joys in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Louisiana. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Louisiana State Museum, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Note: Mary flew from Baton Rouge Airport, Louisiana on March 12 to her home in California. I’m hoping to get her back with me by mid-April. My current plans are to stay here for a few days and then start SLOWLY drifting north along the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee where I’ll then turn northeast heading for New England. Can’t go north too fast because it’s still cold up there!
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The motorhome is currently parked at VFW Post #4224 in Baker, a few miles north of Baton Rouge.

Yesterday I drove the Bronco the about 10 miles to Baton Rouge and the Louisiana State Museum which you can read about by clicking their official website link…
http://www.crt.state.la.us/museum/properties/LSMbr.aspx

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

It’s only a block away from the state capital building which at 450 feet and 34 stories makes it the tallest capital building in the United States…

It is a huge museum situated on two floors which I hurriedly covered in four hours when eight would have been more appropriate…and it’s free admission! It does a great job of detailing the history and cultures of this remarkable state…

This final photo tells what current Louisiana is all about…

And the good times do roll here! Nowhere in the United States will you find friendlier people than Louisiana. I’m going to hate leaving this wonderful place!!!

To see the other 86 photos that I took, you just have to click this link…
https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/LouisianaStateMuseumBatonRougeLouisiana

In 1952, Hank Williams, Sr. wrote and sang Jambalaya (on the bayou) on the Louisiana Hayride program broadcast from Shreveport, Louisiana. By clicking the following link you’ll get to see Hank Williams, Jr. with an up and coming 4-year-old following in old Hank’s footsteps and keeping alive Louisiana’s traditions…
4 Year Old

Enjoying interesting state museums is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Louisiana. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS

We had one day to visit Brownsville. The old town portion is just like a border town on the Mexico side. Cheap goods and people hawking as you leave their shops, or not. Small Mexican restaurants with hand written signs. The store keepers struggle with English because most of their customers speak Spanish. That is a slap-dash impression, obviously,  since we didn’t visit a great many places. But, it is colorful, and lively and fun.

Texas became a state in 1854. Our lasting impression of Texas is embodied in cowboys, gunfights, cattle drives, branding and bandits.  The Lower Rio Grande flew seven different flags, Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederacy, Republic of the Rio Grande, and United States. It’s true  history is  of revolution and war; multiple skirmishes with Mexico over  borders and control.  Visitors can visit unimpressive battlefields like Palmito Ranch and  Palo Alto, and more visually impressive Fort Brown, located on the University of Texas at Brownsville. But the whole story is told in the Brownsville Historical Association complex of a museum and the furnished house of Charles Stillwell, Brownsville’s founder.

It seems there has always been a military presence around Brownsville.

And Guerrillas too. If armies and guerrillas weren’t fighting, the police, Texas Rangers and the Sheriffs were warring over politics and favorable positions in government.

Almost all politics and city decisions were made at Crixell’s Bar. No women allowed, of course. And, founder, Stillwell was not unlike our modern-day CEO’s. He grabbed land, bought interests in every thriving enterprise and became wealthy beyond reason, but always wanted more, more,more while the common people grumbled, went to work and kept them going. Of course, the elites made the laws that forever kept the common people working and prevented them from making the land grabs Stillwell and the other mega-ranch owners got while opportunity was ripe.

 

People worked in the silver mines, they farmed, and did all building and manual labor.

A local photographer made his living photographing the people of Brownsville. Here are some samples

In his best clothes, he reported to the studio.

The huge skirts and decoration mean she was a woman of means.

This barefoot boy of color with what looks like a pipe in his hand and mouth? The photographer was known for photographing people of the streets.

The Museum had a huge section on Mexican governors and Presidents.

Boy soldiers were not unusual in Mexican armies. Mexican women also followed their men into battles to feed and cook for them, and sew and mend and give comfort to them.

Faces of the revolution. The strong lighting and glass makes picture-taking difficult in museums.

This one of a kind, German built MAN automobile was built like a tank for a soon to be president who didn’t make it. After his lost bid, it was sealed behind a brick wall, never to be seen for many, many years. After that it has had two owners before the museum acquired it.

The death photo of Zapata.

This drawing depicts something in which I  have a small connection. A woman from my neighboring Tuolumne County claimed, “I am here because of a single white bean.”  She went on to tell her story of her grandfather being among Santa Anna”s prisoners when he ordered every tenth Texan killed. According to her, he couldn’t afford to feed all of his prisoners. The prisoners dipped into a pot of beans. If they drew a white bean, they were saved, a black bean they were shot. People doubted the story was true, even from our historical society. I never doubted for a minute. And, here,  Proof, it really happened.

It is a well done museum and very worth visiting.

The Stillwell House next to the Museum is very richly furnished with an eye to authentic detail.

The family history is enmeshed  with the political and economic map of the area,very well done and interesting. Do visit, there are many surprises here.

Not far away, is a costume and childrens museum. They are near the zoo and close to Highway 77 /83 if you go. The Costume Museum is only one room, jammed full of Mexican folk clothing. They make the point, something I’ve learned from visting other countries, that various villages had a traditional dress and everyone dressed that way, everyday. The colorful clothing, the beautiful handwork, embroidery and designs were dazzling. All new stuff, beautifully done. I would loved to have seen it in a bigger room with bigger areas of separation. It only cost $2 each for us to look. The children’s museum is in the same building and she invited us to view it too.

About each village is a small history.

I could have spent more time here, but it is enjoyable even at 20 minutes.

This antique piece, a wedding, a festival costume,  and day of the dead display were depicted as well.

We reported back to the Motor Home at the VFW, and enjoyed the company of “friends” for a couple of hours. Another good weather day.,

PORT ISABEL, SAN PADRE ISLAND

At last, the weather cleared and we headed for Port Isabel and San Padre Island, which is shortened to South Padre Island in this area. Port Isabel on the mainland was an important port for the fledgling American settlers, Mexico, and a polyglot of interested parties, Spain, France and local Natives.

At the Port Isabel Historical Museum, a real bargain if you decide to visit. A $5 ticket gets you into the museum and a Treasure Museum and the Port Isabel  Light House. Zachary Taylor was a very successful General  in the Mexican American war under President James Polk. Ousting the Spaniards and every interest of long standing and taking that part of Tejas for the U.S. They called him Old Rough And Ready and he was a pretty rough looking dude. He could barely write but became a very good President.

It was here that the Spaniards first brought cattle into the “states” and Texas had some of the biggest Spanish land grants. The photo shows a water delivery boy. Fresh water barrels were dragged by burrow or horse, and delivered to houses from fresh water wells.

Located on the gulf the area was notable for its fish, like this record 800 pound jew fish and tuna that also grew to giant size.  What is even more interesting is the locals didn’t use the plentiful shrimp from the area for many years.  They didn’t know what to do with it. They dumped them into the ground for fertilizer until a foreigner  showed them how to eat them. From the 1950′s through the 1970′s, Port Isabel was the shrimp capital of the world.

I had never heard of nor seen a mantis shrimp until this week. I saw them in the local market and thought they were lobster tails for sale. Now, I know better, but I will have an opportunity to try them as we travel up the coast.

Early Texans, were rough fellows who adopted their dress code and habits partly from the Spanish, Mexicans and soldiering they did for the Confederacy or Union. The Museum is located in the Charles Champion building. Champion  was practically a country unto himself. They called his stop the Key to the Gulf.  He had the only store, Post Office,Railroad Station, telegraph and phone, when they came out. Also the Customs House in the area.  He minted and printed his own money that the locals used until one day U.S. Treasury Agents discovered the practice and as they descended on his place he dumped the coins in his well.

This is a local folk American practice called Curanderismo. It is still practiced here in the lower Rio Grande Valley. Back walking, meditation, herbal teas, healing touch, is drawn from all the mixed cultural influences of Judeo-Christian, Arabic, Greek, Spanish, African and Native American cultures.

At the Treasure Museum, there is very little treasure. It happened that for many years treasure hunters would go to San Padre Island to search for coins that notably washed up on shore, old Spanish coins mostly, from three known wrecks. In the 1960′s an expedition decided to find them using high tech means, diving equipment and “sounders”. They found two of them and unloaded a wealth of gold and silver. The State of Texas passed a law after that to prevent underwater archeology raids.  Now those sites are historic treasures, overseen by government,  to be shared by everyone.

The Museum is a great hands on place for kids, with much pirate lore and has interesting displays of marine equipment, ship models, paintings, shells, and stuff you find coming in with the tide. Not all of it good.

The Port Isabel Light House is like any number of “cookie cutter” light houses that remain along U.S. shores, but I wanted to see from the tower the whole landscape of South Padre and to challenge myself on the steps. It was only a month ago and I could hardly walk up a two inch step. I’m now doing llotibial Band Syndrome rehabilitation exercises and walking with minimal pain.

I’m pleased to say, I managed the 75 steps–slooowly.

But, you cannot see the distinctive shape of San Padre Island from the light house windows.

To see the unique narrow shape of the Island, one needs an airplane. I took a picture of a picture at the Birding Center.

We had a great,  lunch at Joes. Its a market and you have to find your way back to the restaurant part. Exactly what we like, a hole in the wall kind of place with good food and cheap eats.

We drove over the Queen Isabela causeway onto the island and pulled in at the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center. It was National Bird Day yesterday and what could be more fitting?

This photo has not been doctored and we got such beautiful photos we were bragging about what great photographers we are. But, once we quit oohing and ahhing, we realized that the center provides you with 4000 square feet of board walk over this wetlands which allows you to get pretty close to birds. They are used to people and ignore us. The day was overcast with no sun to wash out detail. And, we have good cameras. Soooo, it isn’t the photographer as much as the circumstances. But, in any case, we got great bird photos on National Birding Day.

This is some type of heron.

There was also an alligator with an eerily perfect  cat pattern on his head?

I wonder what they eat, hopefully not birds.

I had to really lighten this photo to get the red color to show. Late in the day, his head looked black.

The water,the weeds, everything was picturesque.

It is hard to believe the bright orange color of her beak.

Looking for some sun.

A white egret.

A type of heron.

Again, it was hard to believe the clarity of the photo, every feather delineated. After our birding walk, we drove through town and past all the skyline buildings for the open beaches that Jim nostalgically remembered from his visit in 1997. Miles and miles of uninhabited beach where he pulled his motor home onto the beach and spent the night. You can still do that, we found out.

Several blue jelly fish had washed up on the beach.

And a cute little tern. It was getting late and we really didn’t take enough beach photos. This area may be all settled with condos by the time we come back.

On the way back through town, we stopped at the Padre Island Brewing Company for a cold brew and because we got there at happy hour, brews were only $2.75 a pint and fresh oysters on the half shell, 50 cents.

Yum!  Perfect end to a perfect day. (Oops!  I missed the sign on the causeway that said Watch For Low Flying Pelicans.)

REVELATIONS AND SUPERSTITIONS.

Relaxing is hard for me. I tend to be on the go as much as I can. (Jim made me promise I won’t be up on the roof for at least a week.) We both laughed.

I started a book at the hospital, Tracy Chevelier’s The Virgin Blue, which I finished yesterday. It wasn’t as good as her first book, Girl With A Pearl Earring.  But, anytime I can learn about the superstitions of the 14th through 17th Centuries, primitive Swiss houses without chimney and hearth, the religious war between the Catholics and Huguenots, the hardscrabble life from field to mouth…it makes clear how fortunate we are. We or ancestors to thank for bringing us to this point of survival.  I look around my modern house and revel in my good fortune.

Despite my plant purge this summer, I still have a healthy jungle to please the eye.

I know I would miss them if they were all gone.

They take away the starkness of the brick.

I kept one Christmas cactus and it bloomed early, while I was in the hospital.

A cheerful greeter.