The Adventure 2004 Part 4

February 14 to February 28, 2004

We have been here 3 weeks now.  Time is flying by.

WE GOT WEATHER!!

We got a little rain, we got warm days, we got sun, WE GOT WIND!  Wowie, it can sure blow down here.  There is usually a breeze, then about every 4th day it really kicks up and blows and blows and blows!  Today I could barely open the door on the 5er the wind was so strong.  Most days the temps are running about 75 degrees.  Some nights it gets downright cold, the other morning there was a wind chill of 37 degrees.  The Texas sun is hot, so if you get a sunny day with little wind, you can get a great sunburn (you have to ask how I know??  HA HA)

What have we been doing?? NOT MUCH!  We fill the days with meals, and caring for the dogs, visiting with the couples in the RV’s next to us, both very nice and helpful.  We go to pot luck dinners, pancake suppers, entertainment here in the park, the pool and hot tub, run errands, read some, Al has watched a couple of DVD movies, sit in the sun, take a walk, work on the trailer, clean the trailer, do laundry, sit some more, and start all over again.  There was a gathering for people from Michigan (this park only), we went to that yesterday afternoon.  Next Tuesday, we, along with the couple (from Manitoba) in the Montana next to us, are hosting a little get together for the Montana owners in this park.  Currently there are about 10 Montanas here.

We took a tour to South Padre Island that included a boat ride (dolphin watching).  We went to Progresso Mexico one day, walking over the bridge, shopping till we dropped, and then walking back over the bridge.  We will go back a couple more times.  (Charlee, lots of “S” little stuff we love to shop for!!)  We had a great lunch when we were there, and drank beer and Margueritas.

We did wash the trailer and truck, got the 2000 miles worth of dirt cleaned off, only to have Texas dust cover them both the next time the wind picked up. <G>

I have done some input and a little fact finding/internet surfing, on the Darden lineage.

Yesterday we went to a lovely little nature park in Weslaco.  It is 6 acres, non-profit, and very charming.  Lots of different plants to look at, lots of cactus, of course.  They have a little area set up for bird watching, about 6 or 8 lawn chairs set up in a row.  In front of this row of chairs is a log, on the ground, so you can put your feet up while you watch the birds.  They had a lot of different kinds of feeders, some with citrus fruit, and some hummingbird feeders.  We saw a hummingbird, it was a bit larger than ours in Michigan, but just as fast! <G> Also saw what I believe was a flicker, only this one had yellow over his eyes, then a patch of red on the top of his head, and then another patch of yellow on the back of his head (neck).  We forgot the bird books (DUH), must remember to pack them next time!

Oh, Larry Brittain, we really would like you to come down here with us sometime, this park offers free golf after 2 PM each day!  Do you think you could handle that??  HHMMMMM??

We have about 2 1/2 weeks left, unless we decide to stay a little longer.  The park is starting to empty out, we hear that some have moved on to Arizona, and others have already headed home.  We hear that in the next couple of days even more will be leaving!  It is interesting being parked for more than a couple of weeks at a time, we thought we might be bored by now, but, so far, we are not.
You can see why they have named the campground, Victoria Palms.
This is Victoria Palms Boulevard.
This is the Gulf of Mexico from the southern tip of
South Padre Island.
Yes, there is a dolphin there, bout mid photo.
In the background is Mexico, we are just off the south tip of South Padre Island, almost in the Gulf of Mexico, but not quite. 
The dolphins did jump, but were not particularly frisky this day. 
Still, they are such a joy to watch, such mystical gentle animals.
Above, on the left is an Apple Cactus, I have one of these growing in my office at home, it is about 6.5 feet tall.  This one growing at the Nature Center in Weslaco Texas is at least 3 times that tall. 

On the right are a couple of Century Plants, it is hard to see, but they are taller than the cyclone fence behind them, making them something close to 7.5 to 8 feet tall.
A variety of cacti, a century plant, several varieties of prickly pear, barrell cactus and more, it was a bright day,
the photos would have been better on a cloudy day.
Click here to go to Part 5 of the tour report.  Part 5 contains 3 linked pages.
Copyright 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 by Carol A. Bowen Stevens