Only in TEXAS

This is something that you won't see anywhere else but TEXAS. This happy bride and groom leaving their wedding reception on TEXAS LONGHORNS! (Sisterdale ,Texas)

In the Shadows of Downtown

Not sure you would notice but in the lower right corner is a large white screen. This is one of the three movie screens of a new drive in movie being built in the shadows of downtown Ft. Worth . The Coyote Drive-In will boast three screens showing first run movies....

and parking capacity for 4,000 cars...all tuned in via their car radios. Also on the property is a 10,00 square foot covered open air pavilion, with concession, play area, a stage and a 1-acre landscaped beer garden.

Of course, I found them in the building stage. The friendly General Manager lead me on a tour in his golf cart. He was very enthusiastic and I wish him luck. Dive in movies were very popular back in the 1950's and 60's in the U.S. Did you ever go to one?

Recycled

 

My sister Polly and I had fun day yesterday. One of the places we stopped was the Old Home Supply.

It's a place where you can find recycled household fixtures from days gone by.

like a claw foot bathtub

A chandelier

 or just a crystal if you happen to be missing one...

Another Home

 

You know if I see a large old house I am going to stop. This one happens to be close enough to walk to from where our new home will be built.

This chateauesque type dwelling was built in 1893 by Wm. J. Bryce. Bryce immigrated to Ft. Worth from Scotland in 1883. He started a successful brick contracting business and was  mayor here from 1927 to 1933. The description of the house says it has Richardsonian Arches and a gabled dormers.

Visitation

 Feels a little weird, that everything we own is behind these doors

No matter how much planning you do, there is always something that you packed away...that you now need...So, we were digging in the storage unit yesterday trying to find it! Yes, we finally located the box, but couldn't quite get to it..I wasn't much help with my temporarily crippled foot. We will go back another day when Tom has a better helper...Will be nice to be one day settled again...

Ride a Bike

Ft Worth seems to be a bike friendly town. I would prefer the jogging trails along the Trinity River, where bikes are also welcome, instead of on the city streets....where a lot of the locals seem to drive large pickup trucks!

Several U.S. City are putting in bike rental stations. Ft. Worth had 30 stations now.(thourghout downtown, the culture district and near the university) The first 30 min are free...They lease for $8 for 24 hrs. $20 for 7days $30 for a month or you can buy a yearly membership for $80. I am not sure if they have caught on. I noticed when I was in Paris, France that a similar system had really caught on.... and the locals were riding them to work. Would be nice if it caught on here.

The Silk Stocking Neighborhood

 Okay, I will admit it. I love old mansions. This one graced Quality Hill in Ft. Worth  and was built in 1902 for Electra Waggoner daughter of a wealthy cattle Barron.

Electra had met and married a prominent Philadelphian, Albert Buckman, while touring the Himalayas

A committee fought fearlessly in the 1970's to save this old mansion from the wrecking ball, which had become the fate of so many others in the name of progress.
It is another place (like the McFarland Home) that you can lease for events. Next week, they are even opening a food truck park on the property. More about that later.

Memorial Library

This tiny library sits on a side street in an older section of the city of Ft. Worth. It is actually a memorial to Amrita Shlacher (1949-2011) an Indian born storyteller who worked tirelessly to widen children's cultural horizons through multicultural programs at local schools and museums. You are encouraged to take a book...or leave a book.

* I am back! ...not sure anyone is still with me. Still wearing my funny shoe and am supposed to stay off of my feet as much a possible....but I hope to be out and about taking pictures when I can.

We also received the preliminary drawings for our new home today....we are underway!

Ouch

I hope that I am not offending anyone. I know in some cultures...you shouldn't show your foot...

Guess it is the best way to say "Blogger Down"

I have had to have foot surgery, for some crazy diagnosis of under-lapping fifth toe. The correction involves taking a section of bone out of your little toe....
I should have lined up blogs that I could post...but we have been slightly busy around here. Two weddings, a driving  trip  to North Carolina...and then Houston...not to mention trying to find a place to live. Oh dear I sound like I am whining...I will be back! Please come again...Janey

Book Club

I was a guest at my sister Polly's book club recently. I was excited because the book review was to be in a old restored home on stately Elizabeth Ave. (Ft. Worth).

 

The home was built exactly 100 yrs ago in 1913 for the widow of the developers attorney.

Lisa (current home owner) has lovingly restored a majority of the home and furnished it with American antiques. She said re-doing the kitchen is next on her list. I thought it was pretty nice as is!

The cheerful breakfast room was high on my list of favorite rooms.

So many of the original  architectural elements have been saved, including the stained glass windows.

There are several fireplaces in the home including one in the master bedroom.

I appreciated Lisa letting me take so many pictures of her lovely home.

The Will Rogers

The statue of Will  Rogers (American Humorist) sits in front of the 85 acre Memorial Center which bears his name: The Will Rogers Memorial Center in Ft. Worth, Texas

Built in the art deco style in 1936 it was design by Architect Wyatt Hedrick
 

The multi use complex houses a Coliseum, an Auditorium, an Equestrian Center, Exhibit Halls and several Arenas.

The Wedding

My niece Sara is getting married today. She and James are perfect for each other. They are  bright young successful professionals, who both grew up in Ft. Worth, and we are so happy that they have found each other.

We attended their rehearsal dinner last night at the beautiful Ft. Worth Club.

The room was lovely, with views from it's high rise location..... and this side board, as well as the individual  tables, were decorated with tall vases of hydrangeas and tulips

I was a little confused that everyone had  four wine glasses. Seems there was a different wine pairing with each course, and a champagne glass for the toast. A beautiful evening.....We are looking forward to the big event this afternoon.

* engagement picture by Natalia Zamarripa Photography

Gardens cont.

I have seen a lot of these lacy red trees in the Ft. Worth area....not sure what they are?

In addition to all of the plantings in the Botanic Gardens, there are numerous ponds and sculptures

and  Spring flowers popping out everywhere.

A Garden

One of my favorite places in Ft. Worth is the 109 acre Botanic Gardens ( open since 1934), where over 2500 species of native and exotic plants are planted .

Garden clock at one of the entrances

The rose garden. There is a charge to view the conservatory and the Japanese Tea garden, but the majority of this beautiful garden is free. I always enjoy people watching here, as many brides comes here to be photographed in their wedding dresses.

Texas is in Bloom

If you ever come to Texas, the first two weeks of April is when our wild flowers bloom along our fields and highways. This is our state flower...the Bluebonnet.

 

My husband Tom is usually agreeable and will pull off of the road when I see something blog worthy!

Looks like an idyllic field, actually is was the strip of land between the highway and the Walmart Distribution center....but I think it looks a whole lot better in April! Thank goodness for the cropping tool on my photo site!

* News Flash! Remember me whining about the lot we lost...Well, the deal fell through and it is now OURS! So excited. We will now be able to build the free standing, zero property line, master down, large kitchen, formal dining room that we want.It is in a close in, desired neighborhood (no pawn shops) near the Culture District and one block off of a wonderful street full of coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants we can walk to. I hope this doesn't sound like bragging. I am just so happy!

The Gifts

We are back in Ft. Worth and Tom is slowly recovering from his three dental implants...

We are also continuing the house hunt. I know my friends have beautiful homes and backyards in Houston (see previous blog) but it is pretty too, here in Ft. Worth, and we were determined to be close to some of our family in retirement.
We need to find a place soon. Tom is becoming too comfortable in the house we are leasing...and even though it is in a stately old neighborhood....it is too small ... is on the fringes of the neighborhood.....between two train tracks, near a noisy street and overlooking a pawn shop! I had to laugh at him today. He was counting all of the pluses of living where we live.(all things important to him)...There is nearby: a post office, an ice cream store, an inexpensive dry cleaners, a five dollar car wash and a place he can get a ten dollar haircut. Mind you no one in the barbershop speaks English.

We found a small three bedroom one story home that Tom really really liked yesterday, but it did nothing for me. I hope I am not being too particular...but I have to feel like I could live in a place as soon as I walk in the door. We have an appointment with a builder tomorrow. I know building is a hassle (we have done it before). But, I really am thinking about the big picture...and want to be happy there for years to come.

Oh! About the "gifts"! This week there is another wedding in our family. My niece Sara is getting married. We stopped by her mother's house (who is my sister Polly) and she had just wrapped the gifts for the bridesmaids. I thought they looked so pretty.

*on another note. Another sister called this morning to see if I wanted to ride to the Dollar Store with her. After all of these years of living so far away...it is so nice to be able to just run and errand with a sister :)

The Other Yard

The last night we stayed in Houston, we moved over to stay with Sandra and Ron. Sandra is the one who hosted the belated going away party for me that I posted on Tuesday. They have what we call in Texas an upside down house. Their living area, kitchen, dining room and master bedroom are on the second floor of the home...usually built that way to take in a view.

The pretty New Orleans style porch

The path leading to the dock

The peaceful little lake

and their own little paddle boat...