First Day of Fall

According to the Internet, Fall began two minutes ago (from time of posting). As I'm sure I've mentioned over and over in my blog, Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year. So yesterday I thought I'd go for a walk. I'd never been to Yetti Polk Park, in Belton, which is one of three parks that sit along the bank of Nolan Creek. I took my camera in hopes of finding some fall colors.

Nope.

Fall may arrive today on the calendars, but it was still summer yesterday, in the park. The temperature was 94 degrees, and people were enjoying the cooling waters of the creek.

But there were lots of giant shade trees, which helped with the heat. 

The Bell County Courthouse is clearly visible from Yetti Polk Park.

I enjoyed walking the trail, but by the time I finished my one-mile walk, I was pretty hot and sweaty - maybe even turning a bit red from the sun. Took this SELFIE (below) just before I got back to the parking lot. :-)

Temple Symphony Concert

It was the first concert of the season for Temple Symphony. We really enjoy taking in these wonderful programs. We always seem to strike up interesting conversations with the people on either side of us, before the concert begins and during intermission. Tonight we visited with the people on both sides of us. The couple on my side - a doctor and a retired music teacher - suggested we take each other's pictures after the concert. So here we are all smiles after a terrific concert.

Summer Update

GRANDKIDS
We haven't seen them in a while! But they have both started the new school year - Clara in 5th grade, and Robert in 1st. I'm going to swipe a couple of Kelsey's first-day-of-school pictures from her blog. We're proud of both of them.

D.A.R. APPLICATION RESEARCH
I have three ancestor patriots, from the Revolutionary War, on my family tree. One of them looks hard to prove. The other two LOOKED easy. But on each of those branches I have ONE person giving me fits when it comes to proving their parentage. The one that seems most workable is patriot Jeremiah Vose, my 5th great grandfather. But I've just about run up against the proverbial brick wall when it comes to a D.A.R.-acceptable proof for the parentage of his grandson, Isaac Vose. All indications are he is the son of Reuben and Anna Bartlett Vose, but I can't find primary documentation for that. The local D.A.R. registrar has been working with me, and she continues to invite me to the meetings as a "prospective member," but we haven't quite sealed the deal yet.

MINATARE, NEBRASKA, BOOK
I offered to help my new Nebraska friend, Wanda, and her book committee with typing up and formatting their book of the history of the early founders of Minatare, Nebraska, including my Clark ancestors. It's turning into a rather time-consuming project, but I'm happy to help them along in any way I can.

OFF TO THE RACES
Toward the end of August Dan drove to Oklahoma to work as a tech in a classic car race. Chris works these races all the time, and found a slot for Dan to work, checking out the cars for safety before they hit the track for the races. He loved it, and even took some pictures (at my urging).  On the last weekend of this month, he's scheduled to work another one, this time in Austin.

OUT OF TOWN COMPANY
Dan and Charlyn were friends of ours in college, and they got married the same summer we did. We drove down to Mission, TX, to attend their wedding back in 1969. I haven't seen them since that year. We really haven't kept in contact, although we all kept in contact with the same mutual friends. But now we are back in touch. Dan stayed with us while Charlyn had some surgery at Scott & White last week. And then, Tuesday evening, they were back in town for a post-surgery check-up, and we had dinner together. Nice to renew old acquaintances.

ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW
Last weekend I went to the Fall Arts & Crafts Show at the Bell County Expo Center. It was fun, and I bought a few little doodads - nothing major. It did inspire me to get started on my Christmas shopping.

ART CLASS ON HOLD
Our art class never meets in August. It is our instructor's time to take a vacation. This year she went to Alaska. I put together a "Don't miss it" list for her. She was really lucky, because she had good weather for the entire trip. That's not something you can really count on when sailing the Inside Passage, as she did. Sadly, though, after she got home she had an accident. She was on a ladder, pruning a tree with a chain saw, and she fell out of the tree. She pulled muscles/tendons in her side, got a concussion, and put a gash in her scalp, which required stitches. So we have had no classes yet in September, while she continues to recover from that bad fall.

COMING UP
Besides the Austin race, for Dan, we also intend to go to the first concert of the season for the Temple Symphony, this coming Saturday.