Friday June 19, 2009

Here we go! We leave Dallas around 7:30 am. We head south on 35E. There's a little place in West [the kolache capitol of Texas] that has a really terrific breakfast, called The Stockyards Cafe. No kolaches - I'm not a fan. On Thursday evening, there was a cattle auction and the air was heavy with the scent of cow poo. However, the cafe held only the smells of amazing bacon, coffee and pancakes light and airy. The clientele are locals and it's great fun to be a part of it all. EVERYone was so very friendly and cordial - and it's just 90 minutes south of Dallas!!!

This hungry specimen wasn't sold. I don't know why - very friendly er uh bovine.

This is the place - west side of 35E, Exit 351!!! Try it - you'll like it.

Thankfully, there was a heavy cloud cover all the way down. We stoped at the LBJ Ranch and decided to take a tour. I'd been there with my sister Vicki several years ago but Jay hadn't been there. We decided to take the 'self' tour rather than the two hour bus tour. We were provided a map and a CD to guide us.

This is the Pedernales River which we crossed to get into the Ranch.

Here is the announcing signage.

Looking back across a field near the cemetary, is the Trinity Lutheran Church. Since the Johnsons weren't Lutherans, they only attended sporadically.

Here is the resting place of LBJ. Lady Bird doesn't have a headstone as yet, but her plot is noted with the appropriate flowers to his right.

Just some more signage.

Signage announcing the reconstructed birthplace of LBJ. Years back, we toured the home in Johnson City with my Mom, Steve and Kathy, my youngest sister. It was August and HOT HOT HOT, but not so today. Lovely cloud cover and a brisk breeze.

Here's LBJ's reconstructed birthplace surrounded by old pecan trees. A very nice setting.

"Hello, Lyndon. Washington's calling."

On the ranch, this bovine group was having their TGIF happy hour.

It's the same all over. Girls just want to have fun.

These old guys just didn't give a hoot.

We tried to stop in Fredericksburg but there were no rooms at the inns. So we headed on to Kerrville. We did a little touring around the area - hills and dales - and then had dinner at The Branding Iron which is part of the YO Ranch Resort. We had lovely libations and Texas fare for dinner. The bear was glad to see us leave!

Tomorrow, we're going to go back to Fredericksburg to tour the town and then - well, who knows. Hopefully, tomorrow the hotel will have proper bandwidth!