Vern Was Here!

Today has been a lot of fun. Our good friend Vern, from League City, who was in Kerrville, staying at  the Trail's End Guest House, came out to take us to lunch. "Y'all pick any restaurant and I'll drive you there," Vern told us, as we climbed into his Toyota. Tony rode shotgun, so I sat in the backseat.

"Let's go to Medina," I suggested, because I was getting a little worried about some dark clouds that were rolling in and also because I didn't know if Vern was a secret, wannabe-race-car driver, ready to test his driving skills, in the Texas Hill Country.

"Let's eat at the Highway 16 Cafe," Tony suggested. "You'll like it, Vern. It's one of our favorite places to eat in Medina."

"Let's go!" Vern said, enthusiastically, as I quickly buckled up my seat belt, while silently praying that Vern wasn't related to any Nascar drivers. And my prayers were soon answered, because Vern drove great, exactly the way I drive—slow!

Our lunch was a lot of fun. We all ended up ordering the exact same thing—Today's Special, which was chicken fried chicken breast, real homemade mashed potatoes, homemade creamed corn, homemade biscuits and homemade upside down pineapple cake for dessert.

As we ate, we laughed and talked non-stop about our chickens and the chickens he used to have and how much better tasting and healthier for you real farm eggs taste, compared to store bought eggs, his dogs and our dogs, about chickens and fish eating each other, the devastation of Hurricane Ike on Galveston, fishing on the Texas Coast, Kinky, our favorite Kinky books, his delicious Louisiana BBQ sauce recipe, that he inherited, which can only be made up in 5 gallon batches, because he has tried to break it down several times to make less of it, but it tastes different, our fun trip with Sandy and Jon Wolfmueller out to Terlingua, his trip to Terlingua, he and I both being deaf in our left ears and him telling me his method on how to cook fish in foil, our love for the Texas Hill country, etc. So, to say the least, "We were having a blast with Vern."

When Vern went to pay for our delicious lunch, Tone and I went outside to wait for him on the porch and that's when I spotted the cutest, baby pink Honda scooter across the street. "I love that pink scooter," I remarked. "It's like the kind, that Cindy had and let me borrow and used to ride, back in 1969. I wonder if it is for sale?"

"I'll go find out," Tony said, as he started walking across the street.

When Vern came outside he immediately looked around for Tony. "Tony's across the street. He went to find out about that scooter," I said. Then we saw T. leave the building and walk back across the street to us. "Is it for sale?" I asked.

"Yes, they want $600.00 for it and..." Then we walked back to Vern's car and he returned us safely back to the rescue ranch.

Because, Tony and I were having so much fun visiting with Vern and didn't want him to leave, I invited him to come inside The Cabin, so I could show it off to him and also brag about Tony's beautiful cedar furniture that he used to make.

After giving Vern a tour of The Cabin, which I am pretty sure impressed him, we went outside to The Okay Corral, because Tony and I wanted to show him Tone's chuck box, our chickens, T.'s tomato and pepper plants, our bird feeders and our bird bath, with its solar water wiggler.

As we gave Vern a tour, we talked about birds, birdwatching, outdoor cooking, etc. before he told us that it was time for him to leave. So, before he left to go back to Kerrville, we gave Vern some of our chicken's eggs, Tony's peppers and tomatoes, to take back with him to League City. "Vern, it was great seeing you again and thank you so much for a great lunch and for sponsoring a pen to help our rescue ranch," I said. "Please come back any time, because our gate will always be open for you." Then we hugged each other, before he drove away.

As we returned back to the trailer aka The Cabin, Tony and I both agreed that we loved seeing him and that we were so glad that Vern was here today. "Thank you for coming to see us, Vern! Have a safe trip home."

Y'all have a great evening!"

On The Cover Of Texas Animal Imprints!

Today has been great. This afternoon while we were in Kerrville, we stopped by Wolfmueller's Books to say hi to Sandy and Jon and to get them to sign Lynda's soup cookbook that she won in my contest, and to show off Tony's pictures on the cover and his beautiful pictures inside the Texas Animal Imprints January / February magazine!

When we arrived at the bookstore Jon greeted us from behind the checkout counter. "Where's Sandy?" Tony asked. "I bet she's out buying more books."

No, she's not out buying books today," Jon said. "She had to go home to pick up a book." Then we started laughing. "She should be here any minute..."

"Jon, I brought Lynda's cookbook to get y'all to sign it. And if you don't mind, keeping it here until Mari can swing by and sign it, before I mail it to Lynda."

"Sure, that's fine. We don't mind..."

"Well, Tony is becoming a famous photographer, Jon. Take a look at his beautiful picture on the cover of  Texas Animal Imprints January / February magazine!" I said, as I handed the magazine to Jon, so he could look at it.

"And Joni, the publisher, also used one of Tone's pictures for Connie Strong's great story about my friend Cindy, when she interviewed her about her documentary "MANITOU-API: WHERE THE SUN RISES" and Tony also took these pictures of Pilgrim and Pumpkin for my column that I wrote! Isn't this great!" I bragged, as Jon quickly thumbed through the magazine to look at all of T.'s pictures.

"You're good, Tony. These are beautiful photos," Jon said, as Sandy walked in the back door and waved to us, before coming up to join us. "Sandy look at Tony's pictures..."

"I love these, Tony!" Sandy said. "Congratulations." Then Kathleen Keen walked in the front door. After greetings, Sandy handed the Texas Animal Imprints magazine to Kathleen and said, "Tony took these pictures..."

"Tony! I love your pictures, especially the one of the sunset."

"He took that one from our front porch," I said. "I love all of his pictures! And you can go online to read Texas Animal Imprints January / February magazine right now. Y'all will love Connie Strong's article about Cindy, too. And Kinky's column."

A few minutes later Kathleen had to take off and then some customers walked into the bookstore, so I looked at books while Sandy and Jon helped their customers. Before leaving their bookstore, I bought these two books about my hero, Mark Twain! And, I a can't wait to start reading them.

Around four o'clock today, I went over to the Lodge to show Kinky my new books, Grant and Twain: The Story Of A Friendship That Changed America by Mark Perry and Who Is Mark Twain by Mark Twain himself, that have never been published before! "I've got and already read Who Is Mark Twain, and it was good, but I would like to read this one."

"I'll loan it to you as soon as I finish reading it," I said, before we went to visit with The Friedmans in the big room.

Tonight, as soon as I finish writing this blog, I plan to start reading the Grant and Twain book. I am so happy for Tony about his photos being on the cover and in Joni's beautiful magazine, Texas Animal Imprints and I hope that you will subscribe to Joni Daniel's great magazine and check out the January / February issue online. And please read my column about...

To Be Continued...

Have a great evening and May The Force Be With All Of Us!