Texas 2026

Blondie’s Big Adventure

Our granddaughter, who is an amazing baker, made us some delicious snacks to take on our trip to South Dakota and Michigan the summer of 2025. Dale and I thought it would be fun to save one of her Blondies and photograph her in many of the places we visited. For Christmas I made a book using the photos with these captions. I also included a story that used a well-known book by Dr. Seuss, with my own personal edits. It was a very fun project for a young lady we love very much.

Blondie was impressed, the grass was actually greener in Kansas and Nebraska! But deep in her sugary heart she knew ... "Farming life ain't for me!

"I must see what's below, so to Jewel Cave National Monument I go!" But the darkness and dust was more than she could bear, and the weird noises, "They gave me a scare!"

Mount Rushmore was impressive for sure, but Blondie thought, "All that wind and rain, I'll melt as soon as it pours!". So she got back on the road, there was so much more to explore.

"Where is my herd? I feel all alone! I should never have come so far from home." But the Lord was with her, and urged her on. So Blondie left Custer State Park, and continued to roam.

"Oh my! It's starting to rain!" So Blondie set up the tent and declared, "I don't think I'll come to Michigan again!"

Some of the best things in life take time. In the end, it's the wait that makes them shine. In Little Rock she was encouraged by "the nine" who were finally allowed to attend Central High, even though they were brown like Blondie. "I'm brave too and my adventure is not over yet." There was more to see and her mind was set.

"Now this is better! The sky is so blue, Lake Superior is bigger than I ever knew!" Lake life is a good for a visit, so she stayed a while, but there is more to this big ol' world, she thought with a smile. So she gathered her stuff just as the lake was starting to get rough.

"Woo hoo! This is more like it! I'm feeling brave! I may be sweet, but I've got a big boom!" Blondie aimed for the farthest parts of Mackinac Island, and told the crowd, "You better make room!"

"What am I thinking? I'm not alone! The Lord is with me wherever I roam!" Porcupine Wilderness Campground is good for getting some rest, but it's a bit damp. "Sorry I can't stay! I'll not be back. I've got so much to see, I'm breaking camp."

"This isn't really so bad! It's a beautiful place!" And the sun did feel good on her face. She considered staying at Angel Falls for a while. "It's perfect for a blondie with style!" But she had to go, more than a mile, so "O-o-o-onward!" echoed through the canyon, and off she went, with a smile.

"I could settle here! That Frank Lloyd Wright really knows his stuff!" But Blondie knew Grand Rapids could get cold, especially when the wind blew, and she didn't like living where the weather could be so rough.

"Now this is more like it!" The sand is warm, but Lake Michigan is cold. "Should I stay here? No, I think the damp winds might make me mold." So Blondie slowly made her way off the beach, it's very hard for a blondie to walk in sand (or so I'm told).

"What happened? Am I on the moon? Did I turn too soon?" Blondie had never seen anything like the Badlands of South Dakota. "Forget this! I've already been fully baked. I'm heading back to Texas, no matter what it takes!"

January Hike at Inks Lake

We took advantage of MLK holiday and went to Inks Lake to enjoy the beautiful weather. We hiked the Pecan Flats Trail, which was a first for us. It was 3.5 miles of rugged Central Texas terrain. We concluded with lunch at a campsite by the lake.

Starting out on the Pecan Flats Trail.

Rugged hill country terrain.

The highest point in the park was on this trail. I think the elevation was 1,000 ft.

Dale's photographic skills.

Though it was chilly when we started it didn't take long to shed most of our layers.

We enjoyed our lunch at a campsite by the lake.

There were turtles, ducks, egrets, squirrels, all kinds of wildlife near our lunch site.

A huge oak in one of the campsites. This would be a great campsite to stay in.

January 2026

A year new has begun and I'm hopeful. I'm thanking the Lord for our many blessings and looking forward to what he will do. I'm still watching baby every day while Dale works from home. Enjoy these highlights of the month!