More Texas Vacation Pix

[Joyce]

Finally downloaded more pix, these were taken on the day we spent with Sonny (Jim) driving around Houston. 
These were all taken at the Ima Hogg Estate...I'll let Jim explain that name and the story along with it.

Suspension Footbridge to the Estate...

The river under the footbridge...looks like we're in the Congo....

The front of Ima Hogg's House...










Jamie on a path through the estate gardens...


Jamie at a Garden Center called The Garden Gate, next to a Giant Bird of Paradise...it was REALLY hot!


Thanks again for a great day Jim! 

[Bullfrog]

Welcome to Texas, the best darn state in the nation. We have everything here from the silence of the mountains to the crashing of the sea. Deserts and swamps, both filled with life. Hill country filled with vast carpets of bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes just growing wild. I was raised in the swamps and I loove the primeval beauty, in places you can tell that time has not changed what you are looking at for thousands of years. a myriad chorus of croaking frogs and singing crickets.

[Joyce]

Thanks bulklfrog, and I agree. But NY has the same, 'from the silence of the mountains to the crashing of the sea. Deserts and swamps, both filled with life.'
It's something that most out of towners don't realize. NY is not one big city. I live 100 miles from NYC. #1 reason for car bodywork is deer strikes.

BUT, that being said...I still LOVE texas and it's kickass attitude towards criminals. And it has tropical areas. 
It's on my liost of places we may go to when we retire. 

[Sonny]

Beautiful pictures Joyce!  It was a wonderful day.     That foot bridge is a little nerve racking though.   

Ima Hogg came from a famous Texan family; her father was a governor of Texas back in the 1800s.  She went on to become a big advocate for education and the arts and donated a lot of money to the University of Texas and founded the Houston Symphony Orchestra.  Her home is called 'Bayou Bend' and is now part of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts.  It houses a wonderful collection of art and furniture.  I understand she was named after some civil war heroine who I'm certain was worthy of respect.  But I bet her last name was not Hogg.  Her parents would have been kind to pick a different heroine to name her after. 

[jw]

Speaking of places to retire..........are there area's in Texas that are nice and warm but not too hot and don't tend to make you sweat a lot? I like the sound of the Tropical area's so I can grow all the palm trees I want to my little hearts content but I hate sweating  I get enough of the hot flashes and night sweats now and I am not in a hot part of the country. 

[Kat]

Looks like a very interesting place & I bet Jamie loved being on the trip.