The granite Mine

When we were on our way to Sweet Berry Farm, we past a site known as granite mountain, it use to be 860' high of granite and has been mined since 1887, when the mining company was formed. The granite, pink in colour, has been used to build the State Capitol building in Austin and part of Austin - Bergstrom airport, as well many other places, but those two you will see when you all visit. For some reason i can not load the photo's so will add them when my personal computer geek comes home tonight.

Pumpkins

When we were eating lunch at 'R Bar and grill', which was delicious by the way, another couple offered to take our photo, included in previous posting, assuming were on holiday( our accents are a huge giveaway!!!) they mentioned we should go out to Sweet Berry Farm and see the Pumpkin Patch. Now I have never seen a pumpkin patch like this, although I am going as a helper on Ben's school trip in two weeks, we decided to go. it was fantastic, they had a field full of activities for everyone, children's maze, adults maze, fall flower maze, horse rides, tractor rides, face painting, pumpkin painting( now doing that at Ben's party next week!!) and PUMPKINS. you are going to be amazed, although not as much as Allan when I decided to purchase a serious amount of them and bring them home for our fall display in the garden.

Marble Falls

On Monday it was Columbus day and the children were off school, so Allan and I took them out to Marble Falls for the day( well not Jack who wished to chill at home- we think with an x-box or u-tube). The reason we picked Marble Falls is on our journey to the Texas, we had a particularly awful change over at Chicago, which resulted in us nearly missing our plane. They were calling for us and about to close the gates, we were all tired and on our body clocks it was midnight. Alex and Ben were hungry and when we got on to the plane, none of us were sitting next to each other. Ben was particularly distressed which did not help me- so why marble Falls, because the lady Ben was sat next too runs a book shop there. Dortha was so nice to him, he settled down and slept on her. As a mum you could not have asked for anything better. Dortha was on the plane with her three daughters, they had all had a holiday in Europe away from the husbands and kids and by chance we were seated next to them independantly, so once in the air, shuffling happened so that Alex could go next to cara and we sttled down for the remainder of our journey. all we knew was that Dortha had a book shop in marble Falls, so we went exploring. We found Dortha and her book shop and had a lovely time in a quaint town in the hill country.

sorry been busy- here's the weather for you all

The weather has been more interesting recently, not just sunny and hot. we have had higher humidity and yesterday and today we have rain- real rain. the temperature outside is still in the 70's and rain is warm, the sun still shines but at least it is a variation for you.

Yet more weather

The weather is getting colder, although I am sorry to say Alex and Ben have worn hoodies on top of there shorts and T-shirts to go to school these last two mornings, then when they come out of school, mum is there with her trusted basket to carry backpacks and hoodies home!! I still have my uses!

Monday 6th October's weather and extra details!

I have included today extra information on the lake levels, they keep our lakes filled up from the lakes higher up the Colorado River, their is a dam system in place to control the flow. A map of the States and the weather expected for today, the weather information on the back of the Austin Statesman is really interesting and they give us so much more information than I was use to seeing in UK, it could be of course because the range of weather is much more varied, but to a Brit like me it is fasinating.

The weekend weather

It has been another dry weekend, although they are forecasting rain for today, with glee I might add, we are low on water in the lakes and everyone gets excited when rain is forecast and disappointed when it does not arrive.