A Bonny Good Village, Church and Festival

Over the summer, Dan and I made the difficult decision to change church congregations. After visiting different ones throughout the summer, we finally decided, this fall, to make the Salado Church of Christ our new “home.” This congregation is in the village of Salado, Texas, just a few miles south of Temple, where we live. 

We’ve already grown to know and love many of the members there. We’ve been welcomed so warmly, and invited out to lunch, into homes, and to church and community events. We've also been impressed with the preaching and teaching.

So, we are really finding it a blessing to be worshipping with the Salado church, but we are also finding it a joy to become more acquainted with and connected to the little town of Salado. What a special community it is! There are not many towns left, for instance, that still have a community-wide Thanksgiving service, with a dessert fellowship following! And THIS weekend Salado hosted, as they have done for 55 years, the Scottish Gathering of the Clans and Highland Games. 

I’ve gone to this festival before, but this weekend was Dan's first time. Two of my great-grandparents were Scots (a McIlwrath and a Patterson), but Dan doesn’t think he has any Scottish blood in him. Still, he agreed to go this year, and I think enjoyed himself. He mentioned to someone there that he wasn’t Scottish, and they asked, “Well, do you like the bagpipes?” He said he did, and the other person assured him, “Then you're Scottish!” 

The festival runs all weekend, including today. Our friends, Andy and Kay, both have Scottish roots and always take part in all three days of the festivities. We saw them yesterday, after the parade, and I took their picture. 

This morning, at church, there were a number of people wearing their tartan plaids. Some of the men were even in their kilts, including Andy, again, but this time he wore his fancy Prince Charlie jacket. He is our Sunday morning Bible teacher. I doubt that there were many, if any, other churches in America today, with a kilted Bible class teacher. He looked good!

Marching in the parade, in this photo, are more friends from church, Kelly and Trish. Kelly (second from right) is blind, but that never stops him from going and doing. He is being assisted, here, by his granddaughter. Over on the left, waving, is Trish.

I saw quite a few dogs wearing kilts, as well, such as this one. 

There were lots of bagpipes. This was one of the larger clans in attendance.

The gentleman to the left was the grand marshal of the parade.

Hay pitching. There were lots of other Highland Games in the afternoon, but we didn't stay for them.

Parade, Scottish food, Highland Games, bagpipe contests, Scottish dance contests, clan booths and vendor booths. It was a lot of fun. By next year I hope to have my own clans identified, so I can get a sash or scarf in my tartan. It will take some research. It's not as easy as just looking up your family name in a book, Ive learned. My initial research tells me I might be in either the MacDonald or Frasier clan (on my great-grandfather's side), and the Farquhar clan (on my great-grandmother's side). More research is needed.

Remember the Alamo!

or: The 2nd Annual Grandma/Granddaughter Weekend Road Trip

Last year Clara and I explored some of the interesting attractions in Waco on our weekend road trip. We had such fun that we both agreed we wanted to make it an "annual" event. This year we went to San Antonio.

A little before noon, on Friday, we headed west on I-10, stopping along the way for lunch. We checked into our San Antonio hotel around 2:00 p.m., and took off, on foot, to the River Center Mall, just a few blocks away. The mall is the the gateway to the beautiful river walk and the river boat tours. We spent a fantastic afternoon and early evening taking it all in, including a boat tour, which was really enjoyable.

Clara stands none of the bridges that span the river.

The River Center Mall looks out onto the river and river walk.

A Mexican feast, on the river walk.

We slept well that night, and were up and eager to get going the next morning. Some of our plans were de-railed, but most of them worked out well. We had intended to watch the IMAX movie about the Battle of the Alamo, before visiting the Alamo, itself. But the timing just didn't work out, so we skipped the movie and went directly to the Alamo. Clara had already learned about the Alamo, in school, so the movie would have been a review, anyway.

We happened to visit the Alamo on a special day: The Alamo Militia Muster is a free interactive living history event, with lots of demonstrations, including the (incredibly loud) firing of muskets.  

Clara learning how to make a corn husk doll.

Hers turned out great.

We spent quite a bit of time outside, enjoying the demonstrations and taking in the beautiful Alamo grounds.

When we were finally ready to go inside, we found ourselves at the tail end of a long line of people, waiting to enter. The line moved rather quickly, though, and walking through the historic mission was definitely worth the wait. No pictures allowed inside, though, so you'll have to take my word for it, or better yet, visit it yourself. There is no cost for visiting the Alamo.

It was a long line, but the weather was pleasant, and the line moved nicely.

Clara's and my toes on "the line" drawn on the ground by Colonel Travis (see plaque below).

Later that afternoon we found a museum that Clara really wanted to visit, because we had heard that Santa Ana's sword was inside, and Clara, quite "up" on her Texas history, could hardly wait to see it. But it turned out to be what we both considered an over-priced and disappointing museum. And . . . we never found Santa Ana's sword. You win some and you lose some, I guess. 

The day was getting late, and it was time to get back in the car and move on to our next stop, the welcoming home and ranch of my long-time friend, Terri, and her husband, Gene, in Kingsbury. We feasted on a dinner of barbecued brisket, ribs and sausage, with all the trimmings. Terri took us with her as she fed their beautiful little pony, Shadow; and miniature donkey, Daisy. She also drove us around to see the pond, the cattle, and one of the two horses that are stabled on their property. We also joined her as she fed the chickens. 

Sunday we went to church in New Braunfels, with Terri and Gene, back home for some brisket sandwiches, and then drove to Clara's house in Houston, our tummies full of brisket, our heads full of wonderful experiences, and our hearts full of love. 

Where to next year?

Proud Grandma/Award-Winning Clara

I drove to Houston Friday morning, and showed up at Clara's school for an awards ceremony, in which Clara was to receive the POD Award for her class. Her parents knew that she would be a recipient, but Clara didn't know. POD is an acronym for "Practicing Outstanding Determination." The recipients'  parents (and one grandma) were seated on the stage, behind the curtain, when the children filed in. When the curtain was opened, the children who saw their parents became aware that they were winners.

The parents' (and my) view of the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, assembled for the awards.

Here's Clara, after receiving her award, with the school principal and (I think) vice principal.

Once the award ceremony concluded, Clara got to leave school, before lunch, on this early-dismissal day. That was the start of our 2nd Annual Grandma/Granddaughter weekend road trip, which you can read about in my next post (coming soon).

A Little Abstract Fun

My art has all been in the "realism" style until this. One of our fellow art students challenged us each to do an abstract watercolor piece, and this was my stab at it. Although you can't see it in the photo, it has lots of texture -- spackling paste here and there, under the paint, and torn pieces of rice paper over top. I don't plan to switch to this style of art, but now and then it's fun to do something different, relaxing, free and fun. Someone in art class said it felt like "kindergarten for grown-ups," and I have to agree.