Trish captures another Texas sunset.

Trish traps a Texas tumbling tumbleweed. Try saying that really fast !!!

Another day at the Texas Cowboy Poet Gathering, what a time, Cowboy Celtic from Alberta was the headliner, we had never heard of them, they did play the Celtic Colours in Cape Breton a few years ago and look forward to going back soon! They have a harpist and her grandparents are from Mahone Bay. Their claim is that much of the cowboy music has a basis in Ireland and Scotland, and Britian , mainly, because many of the cowboys came from those areas.
The Texans loved them, because they kept stating they were from the Texas of Canada, Alberta! They are now going to do a fourteen day tour of Texas. Joanne, please pass this joke on to Danny Green, it was the best we heard all week end: Three kids were standing around bragging about their fathers, the first kid said, my dad scribbles a few words on paper, calls it a poem and a man comes along and gives him $50.00 for it, the second kid said, my dad scribbles a few words on paper and calls it a song, then a man comes and gives him $100.00 for it, the third kid said: my dad scribbles a few words on paper, calls it a sermon and it takes four men to collect all the money.

Today was such an amazing day ! We went to the Cowboy Poetry Gathering here in Alpine, Tx. To me it was so much more than I ever expected. The poetry, songs and story telling were such as I have never heard before. Yet the highlight of the day was when Paul got up to recite the Cowboy poem he had written and the audience responded so well. As the MC introduced Paul he mentioned Hank Snow and immediately Paul was relaxed, in fact so relaxed that he sang " My Nova Scotia Home " by Hank Snow. When Paul was back in his seat the MC said " I did not know I would discover a singer today ! The pride I felt in being Paul's Lady was overwhelming as he returned to his seat next to me. There was part of the Gathering that we passed on and that was the Chuck Wagon Breakfast that is served outdoors at 7:30 AM as it is too early for me to be up, but mainly because it is way too cold. There is something we forgot to mention on previous blogs, when we drove into Alpine, and that is ,there was a couple of inches of that DAM WHITE STUFF on the ground. Hence the name Alpine I guess. Wonder why we ever left Florida !

Zo long Zapata, we left the warmest temps in Texas, after a ten day stay! We went to the Spinach capitol of the world, Crystal City, home of Del Monte foods to visit Popeye and Olive Oyl. We hit Eagle Pass and Del Rio, then some of the wildest country yet, East and West of the Pecos River, visited Judge Roy Bean's town called Langtry. His original saloon still stands. Then through Marathon to Alpine Texas, staying here for another week, we are seeing Texas from A to Z ! Rugged, rugged country, similiar to travelling in Newfoundland, but no trees here! Cattle in the middle of nowhere, just armed guards in trailers at the ranch entrances, just a few sheep to keep them company!

Popeye The Sailor Man with another Ex-Sailor and his First Mate.

This is the Spinach capitol of the world, Crystal City, Tx., home of Del Monte Foods.

Laredo, the hottest place in all of Texas for three days running, Sunday it was 81 degrees.

Evening sky over Zapata, Tx, one of the many beautiful sites we see.

How am I doing with the pictures Patti ?

The weather is heating up, we think we found Hesus, we aren't eating any Halepenos, we did try wild Havelena.and we arn't coming home until Hune!

So relaxing staying in one place for at least a week. My cold seems a bit better today, Paul is doing everything to help me recover. He has done a lot of maintenance and repairs on the camper & truck, Red Green and McGiver have nothing on Paul he can fix or jury-rig anything with a few tools and a big roll of duct tape.

Were staying put, in Zapata, for another week, then we off to Alpine, Texas for the Cowboy Poetry Gathering, three days of listening to real cowboys talk about real ranching and the experience of riding the range in the past and the present!

I wrote a little rhyme for the occasion:



Saturday Morning Movies



All across North America,

We wanted to be Cowboys!



Cap-guns and Twin holsters,

they were our most desired toys!



I wanna be Roy, I wanna be Gene,

I wanna be Hop-a-long,



No one wanted to be the bad guys,

They lost, they were always wrong

We would crush condensed milk cans,onto our shoes,
then slap our hips to giddy-up!

Sometimes we would ride backwards,
with both guns a-blazing,
Only supper hour could interrupt!

Then you got your first rifle,
a Red Ryder BB gun,

Pinging cans and breaking bottles,
what could be more fun?

Then along came girls, your cowpoke
days, they came to an end!

We all wanted to ride the range, like in the movies,
I'm sure you will agree ,my friend!!

Sitting in the library in Zapata, first library where I couldn't get the internet from the parking lot! Trish has a bad cold, so I run in town for a few things, we have the camper off the truck and will probably stay here for another week. We visit the local legion, may go back to Mexico again, get some of that cheap Corona, even in the legion here ,it's only two dollars a bottle. You'd like that, Annette! Soaking up the Sun and some of the Tex/Mex culture! Thanks for the comments !!!

Zapata, Tx, Home of The Hawks !

Andy we had to travel to Texas to finally see an alligator.

The Rio Grande River, we did not see anyone swimming across this section !

After the Federales' told us we could not take pictures, Trish snuck this photo of the guy in an armoured car, then ran to the US border !

We are no longer Snowbirds, here we are referred to as Winter Texans. I took Trish to Mexico for Valentine's Day, we walked across the border in Roma, Texas, it was a weird experience, costs 50 cents to walk across a bridge, across the Rio Grande and when we reached for our passports, they said that was not necessary, just carry on! Federales' everywhere, sub-machine guns at the ready and armoured cars, they wouldn't let us take pictures of them! We walked the streets, Valentines stuff for sale everywhere, on the bridge itself while the cars are held up for inspection returning to the states, people roam between the cars selling everything, hats, food, novelties, CD's , cleaning windsheilds, and a guy in wheelchair shaking his can! We sat in the town square and just soaked up the sun and the culture, an Indian family danced in the streets, their costumes were so colourful! Then we had 5 cold Corona and tacos , all for ten bucks!, Unbelieveable! We are going back again, just for the cheap Corona! Coming back into the US, we had to show our passports,no money required! Trish makes better Tacos.

Settled in for at least a week in a place called Zapata, just south of Laredo, Texas, stayed in Laredo for one night, plan to walk across the border into Mexico this week. Weather is beautiful in the afternoons, but cold when the sun goes down and in the mornings, we took the camper off, giving the truck a rest , Bernie! We found a very nice inexpensive RV Park, remember we said we think hawks we see on our travels are an omen, well the sports and high school teams here are the Zapapta Hawks and we are staying near Lake Falcon, on the Rio Grande River.

Our ultimate destination is Victoria, British Columbia. because that is where Trish grew up! Two years ago I took her to Victoria, Newfoundland. when we ended up in the Carbonear Legion, they told us I had already taken her to Victoria, BC (Behind Carbonear). We are now camping in Victoria , Texas, so if we don't make it, she can't say I never took her to Victoria! Just like we changed our minds on Key West, we changed our minds on Brownsville, going to Laredo, Texas instead! The further south you go, the more expensive everything gets!

Left Louisiana last evening, crossed into Texas witnessing the most beautiful sunset ,yet! Just got off a ferry that brought us to Galveston, heading for Brownsville, the most southern part of the state ,still looking for warmer weather. Going to settle in for a week if we find the higher temps!

Wasn't that a Party?? Mighta' been the Coors Light at $1.00 a bottle, mighta' been the JagerBombs every half hour, my head is like a football! Two large pigs were consumed, and our team won. The New Orleans Saints did it!!! Who Dat music played all night, for two people that seldom take an interest in any sports except curling, it was very exciting, we were so glad for Andy and Lucy, we drove all the way back from Florida for the game and it was wonderful to see our team win!!!!!! We stopped off in New Orleans last Tuesday and that made the game even more meaningful to us, but to be with our American friends made it more special again!! Everyone is a little overhung this morning!!!

Bob Leblanc, can you believe it , Paul has become a sports fan, it's never too late! See Sylvia, he's not gay!

Our friend Lucy crying because ,if you haven't heard, her Naw'leans Saints won the Super Bowl.

Trish and I won these two beer glasses during the game! There are only four in existence, a lady in Leesville hand-painted them and baked them. We look forward to drinking from them in Chester Legion come June , we hope to make it for your birthday, Gary!!!

Here we are, back in Leesville, Louisiana for the SuperBowl Game ! Arrived Saturday, Trish stopped and got two cheeseburgers (hold the pickle on one) for Zeus & Zena, her favourite pit bulls, children of Andy and Lucy, our hosts. We were off to the Legion for a few and then ate our first sushi at a Japanese Steakhouse, always said we would never eat raw fish, but have to admit it was good, then when you think of it, we have been eating Solumun Gundy for years (raw pickled herring) !
Today is the big day, Go, Saints , Geaux! Two pigs are presently roasting at the Legion, their four TV's are warmed up, and the party starts around 2 pm. Coors Light is $1.00 per bottle, we are taking a Taxi! Who Dat!!! Not the Colts!

Camping in the bayous , the water is rising, we are going to higher ground, Leesville, the highest elevation in all of Louisiana is 545 feet, imagine, in Florida it is only 245 feet, Mt Uniacke at home is almost 1200 feet above sea level, and that is only a few miles from the sea at Bedford Basin. Talking to a biologist who believes New Orleans will be underwater 50 years from now! Then the Cajuns will move back to Nova Scotia!
Just over 48 hours to the big game, looking forward to the Superbowl party at Leesville Legion!
We love it here in the "Who Dat?" nation! Go, Saints, Geaux!

This is an exact replica of the Cross in Grand Pre' in Nova Scotia.

Longfellow's Oak in the Acadian Park in St. Martinville, LA

We spent a day at the Acadian museum in St. Martinville, Louisiana, 3000 of the 10,000 deported Acadians came here to live, Cajun Country, Longfellows Oak is next to the buildings, he wrote the poem Evangeline, the Nova Scotia connection is strong ,with Evangeline in Grand Pre'
They even have some miq maq baskets brought here by the settlers. An African-American museum is in the same building, emphazing the freeing of the slaves, the civil war and of course their relationship to the Cajuns.
We raved earlier about the special meat deals in Florida, today we saw 40 pounds of meat, chicken, pork, beef for $38.88. We need a larger freezer.

They don't discriminate in the Southern States any longer, the urinal on the left is for us normal guys and the right one is for those with longer 'tings!

This old guy was sitting in a bar looking at a young guy with his hair dyed green, pink ,yellow etc: the young fellow shouted, "What are you staring at?" The old guy said," I was a sailor all my life, I screwed a parrot one time, I thought maybe you were my son!"

To all our friends, family, and followers, the only thing missing from this picture is you !!


We would love to hear your comments, come on, guys and girls!!!

New Orleans at night!

We never made it to Margaritaville in Key West but we found it in New Orleans. We walked the Mississippi waterfront in wonderful sunshine, then ate on the deck overlooking a busy French Quarter street, Trish couldn't finish her 'Cheeseburger in Paradise', so she asked for a doggie bag, then we jumped on a horse and buggy for a tour after dark, we were walking along and a bag lady asked for money for food, Trish gave her the burger and onion rings! The Jazz really is on the streets , in one case the band was playing for the customers eating inside and we stood behind the band on the sidewalk and listened, all doors and windows were open! The street entertainment cost nothing and it goes on for 24 hours a day! Eight hours was all we could handle! The city is decorated for Mardi Gras and the big Superbowl Saints day come Sunday!
When the Saints win, the bartenders tell us they expect craziness like never before in the history of Naw'leans!

We are in a campground a few miles south of New Orleans, they tell us after Katrina this campground was 8 feet under water, hard to believe! By far, Louisiana State parks are the best we have stayed in yet, only $16.00 a day and they all have wi-fi and laundromats. We stayed in Florida, Alabama, & Miss. and none of them had all those facilities for that price, Louisiana parks are the only ones to offer free wi-fi! Tomorrow, we are going in to The Big Easy and walk the waterfront, then stay to visit the French Quarter in the evening. Joanne, what does Bob think of the fact that we have become sports fans? Will the Chester Legion have a SuperBowl party?

Just can't resist taking pics of Saints support, this was taken in front of the Hard Rock Cafe....imagine 46 screens Lucy !!!!!