Day 4 - YO, Safari, and Survival

It is our final day and after breakfast we watched a bit of "Fireproof", especially the hot sauce drinking race scene.  Then it was our turn to race off to the YO Ranch for our safari.

We arrived a few minutes late, but were told to go down to the chuckwagon and have some lunch.  It was Bar-B-Que with beans and scalloped potatoes, coleslaw, etc.

Then we went back to "YOHQ" (Y O Ranch Headquarters) and met our safari guide, Verna.  Because there was a gentle rain, we sat inside the vehicle and not on top, much to Luke's disappointment!  However this allowed us to hear Verna talk about the history of the ranch and the various animals we saw.

We saw several kinds of deer, elk, a few rheas, wildebeest, and a couple of giraffes.  One of the giraffes, we hand fed oatmeal cookies!   Not sure how it didn't get a tummy ache, as it ate almost the entire package of the cookies.  By the way, Luke had noticed the cookies when we first climbed aboard, and REALLY wanted to know who the were for!

Luke helped open and close the gates, and on the very last one, he took it upon himself to climb up and sit on the "roof seats".  We let him sit up there, but had Verna drive very slowly back to HQ.

On the way out of the ranch we saw some more animals, including Long-horkin cattle, deer, elk ( those Mexican things), as Luke called them), turkey and zebra!

Luke worked on a surprise for his mother on the way back to Cedar Park, where we returned him to his mom, dad and sister.

We are all exhausted but thankful for the great time we had over the last few days.  And grateful we all survived it!

We noticed immediately on the way home how quiet the car has, and left the radio off....

Day 3 - Exercise!

Blueberry pancakes for breakfast.  Then off to search for geocaches.  Started off badly as we couldn't even find the first cache of a multiple stage, mystery cache.   On the other hand Luke did find one we weren't even looking for!

After the disappointment of not finding our first cache, I decided to take Luke to a cache that is one if my favorites, out by Enchanted Rock.  The cache is a bird feeder at a historic one room school house, and has fake bird food glued to the glass, making it appear the feeder is full.  Unfortunately as we neared the cache there is a low river crossing, but with the storms from last night, the water was over the road and moving very quickly.  We followed public safety advice and "turned around and didn't drowned".

Time for cache number 3 for the day, it was located a short ways away from a old road side rest area.  We had to walk a short distance before arriving at ground zero.  This time the issue was tall grass and I decided the odds of find a snake were greater than finding the cache, so we abandoned our search and returned to the car.

It was just a short drive to Cross Mountain were we had our next targeted plastic container.  Up the "mountain" we hiked.  We made it to ground zero and began our search for the container on a pretty steep side of the hill.  With out much hope of finding it Luke asked me to read the hint.  It said "Texas Match Box".  I am holding on to a snag as I read this, and am thinking "matchbox, no way will we ever find it" when Luke calmly says "There it is".  He is pointing to the base of the snag I am holding onto.  It is a large orange plastic tube (most caches are camo or disguised), with a broken lid. I tell him no, it is trash, but he insists, so I look closer.  Well needless to say, we got to claim that one as found after we signed the log.

We hiked the rest of the way up to the Cross,  took some pictures and headed back to the car. 

Lecture on soil types

At the Cross

When were almost down I had one of my wildlife misidentification episodes.  I pointed out the scissor-tailed fly catcher sitting on6 the telephone wire to Luke.  He informs me, that it is wire.  I study disputed id with my field glasses again and then again argue,  ummmm discuss the id
Even discussing that the bird is facing away from us with its long tail feathers in plain sight.  He unreasonably sticks with his opinion even though I am the one with the binoculars AND the experience.  So I tell him come on, we will walk closer until we flush the bird and he can see it in flight.  I will be darned that the tied off piece of cable never did fly off....

It was lunch time by now so we headed to the airport and the Hanger, but it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so we had Mexican food.

Came home rested for a bit then went swimming.  The water was great and Luke showed me all the strokes except his back-stroke.

He rescued a small tree frog from the pool, but wanted to bring it home, or even take it to his home.  I did get him to release it befor ewe got back to the house, much to Leta's relief.

After the long day it was to Mr. Gaddes for some pizza and video games.

Even the cats got their exercise. 

Day 2 - Leta's birthday and Movies

Got up and had scrambled eggs,  baccon , oj, and a banana for breakfast.

Watched the Disney Movie "Zombies." 

Then to celebrate Leta's birthday we went to the Y.O. Branding Iron Restaurant for their Sunday Brunch.

Then we went to see the movie "Detective Picachu" (I probably shouldn't confess this, but I recognized a lot of the pokemon!).

After the movie Luke and I found 1 geocache along the river trail.  Then we raced the storms home.  Luke played with the cats any time we were home so the cats both loved him and were exhausted ( as are Leta and myself).

Finally, we watched the birding classic "The Big Year".

 A Wooden Native-American selling cigars.

Checking out the arrowheads

9

Apple Pie, with with his whip cream!

Luke's visit 2019

LUKE(IE) - DAY 1

We got up around 4:30 AM! and drove into Austin for Luke's swim meet.  We actually made it in time for the swim meet, bit there were LOTS of people already  there.  We found Mark and hung out with Mark, Stefanie and Luke's friend Addie and her family.  Luke swam in 5 events, 3 individual  and 2 relays.  

Between that and it being the hottest day of the year so far, we were all exhausted.  So after the meet we headed to the burger joint "Moonies".  Then to Luke's home for a nap. Well at least Leta and I took one.

On the way back to Fredericksburg we discovered that Luke talkes about 100 words per miles, with occasional burst even faster! We stopped at the rest area between Johnson City and Fredericksburg  to give Leta's ears rest and for Luke and I to find the first two of three

Luke finishing in far lane.

geocaches for the day.  (The third was in the parking lot of H-E-B.)

Then home for a late dinner as time had really  gotten away from us.  Then we gave Luke the choice of the guest bedroom or the the couch and he chose the couch.  Then off to sleep we all went.

Luke's idea of geocaching!