When Karma and Ruthi went out this morning for Karma’s duties, they were greeted by a small multi-colored butterfly. It was flitting so fast and being hounded by Karma that Ruthi didn’t get a close enough look to be able to search Wikipedia for the exact name. Lucky for it, Karma was unable to catch it.
Usually, Karma’s evening walk happens while there is still some light after sunset. Tonight we were late getting her dinner ready and Ruthi needed to carry a flashlight to ensure all poop was collected. On the way back to the rig Karma got excited and started leaping into a grassy area between RV paved slots. Ruthi didn’t see anything and brought Karma back to the pathway. All of a sudden, Karma dove for the underside of a storage trailer in the next RV’s space. Ruthi stopped and bent down to shine the flash light under the trailer. And, there was a large frog/toad ready to get away from Karma. As it hopped out Ruthi noticed that it had a kinda flat turtle-like back that was green and black. It was as large as the palm of her hand.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Big Tree - Lamar, TX
We drove up to the Goose Island State Park in Lamar, TX. Lamar is just north of the Rockport/Fulton area. We have seen many, many Southern Live Oak trees here in Texas. According to Wikipedia, the southern live oak, is a normally evergreen oak tree native to the southeastern United States. That would explain why so many of the RV Parks have the word “Oak” in the name (i.e., Southern Oaks, Ancient Oaks, Enchanted Oaks, Coastal Oaks, Hidden Oaks, Taylor Oaks, to name a few). There are huge yards filled with these oak trees. The oak is tall and has broad open canopies that intertwine with each other to create a beautiful open park beneath.
Within Goose Island State Park there is a “Big Tree”. Really, that’s what the signs say to direct us to the fenced area of the “Big Tree”. It happens to be Southern Live Oak that is supposedly over 1,000 years old. Unlike the redwoods of the west coast, this tree does not have one main trunk towering up into the sky getting wider and wider as the tree ages. The “Big Tree” has a very large base but branches out within a few feet from the ground and continues to spread itself out and up into the sky – what looked like 50 or more feet. To sustain this tree, a number of human additions have been included. A couple of lower branches have supports keeping them in position and some upper branches are wired together to maintain the canopy. This is the perfect type of tree for tree houses – lower enough to prevent high falls and with branches spreading out parallel to the ground, it would provide a good foundation for the structure.
As we were returning to the truck, we heard some very loud “whoops” and another tourist confirmed that there were whooping cranes down the road in a farmers pond. We followed his directions and came upon many other tourists and about 15 whooping cranes. According to local paper, whooping cranes are coming through on their migration north. So we might be able to see many more before we leave for San Antonio.
Within Goose Island State Park there is a “Big Tree”. Really, that’s what the signs say to direct us to the fenced area of the “Big Tree”. It happens to be Southern Live Oak that is supposedly over 1,000 years old. Unlike the redwoods of the west coast, this tree does not have one main trunk towering up into the sky getting wider and wider as the tree ages. The “Big Tree” has a very large base but branches out within a few feet from the ground and continues to spread itself out and up into the sky – what looked like 50 or more feet. To sustain this tree, a number of human additions have been included. A couple of lower branches have supports keeping them in position and some upper branches are wired together to maintain the canopy. This is the perfect type of tree for tree houses – lower enough to prevent high falls and with branches spreading out parallel to the ground, it would provide a good foundation for the structure.
As we were returning to the truck, we heard some very loud “whoops” and another tourist confirmed that there were whooping cranes down the road in a farmers pond. We followed his directions and came upon many other tourists and about 15 whooping cranes. According to local paper, whooping cranes are coming through on their migration north. So we might be able to see many more before we leave for San Antonio.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Human Dignity - Aransas Pass, TX
Ruthi needed to go to the local Emergency Room yesterday. It turned out to be nothing at all serious but we wanted to be sure and check it out. Anyway, the purpose of this post is to discuss the lack of dignity we had to face. First off, we were a bit nervous / scared because on the way to the ER we didn’t know the verdict would be “no problem”. But we needed to discuss and determine how we would present ourselves so that if it did turn out SERIOUS, Boots would be able to visit and be included in any health discussions / decisions. Sure we have the appropriate paperwork (in our safe) that gives each of us medical power of attorney for the other. But this is NOW, RIGHT NOW in TEXAS of all places.
Should we be truthful and say we are partners or lie and say we are sisters??? This isn’t about marriage because neither Boots nor Ruthi are interested in that institution for themselves but it is about human dignity. It is less than prideful to have to lie to ensure access for your partner of over 27 years. You know back in Oregon when Boots had to go to the ER and eventually be hospitalized the question of relationship never entered our minds. We were truthful and treated with dignity. But in Texas we couldn’t be sure. So, Ruthi lied and said that Sandra H OBrien (Boots’ legal name) was her sister. Never mind that they don’t look alike or even more don’t talk alike – Ruthi is a Yankee and Boots is a Southern Belle.
Most of the time Ruthi and Boots play with the people they run into that wonder about their “husband”. Like when Ruthi was emptying the black water (read sewerage here for non-RVers), a couple (man and woman) came by and told her that was her husband’s job. Ruthi’s laughing reply was she didn’t have a “husband” but a “wife”. That couple didn’t come by again. Or, if they did, they never talked to us.
Then the time we needed to get the truck towed out of the RV park to Ford. Since the truck was park nose in, it was necessary to push it out into the lane so that the tow operator could get the truck onto his rig. He asked Boots if her “husband” could come out and help push. Again, the reply was she didn’t have a “husband” but a “wife”. The tow operator said ok, can she help push, too?
Remember, not everyone can let us have simple human dignity because we live differently than them. Marriage is a whole other civil right discussion, we just want to be able to tell the truth with dignity.
Should we be truthful and say we are partners or lie and say we are sisters??? This isn’t about marriage because neither Boots nor Ruthi are interested in that institution for themselves but it is about human dignity. It is less than prideful to have to lie to ensure access for your partner of over 27 years. You know back in Oregon when Boots had to go to the ER and eventually be hospitalized the question of relationship never entered our minds. We were truthful and treated with dignity. But in Texas we couldn’t be sure. So, Ruthi lied and said that Sandra H OBrien (Boots’ legal name) was her sister. Never mind that they don’t look alike or even more don’t talk alike – Ruthi is a Yankee and Boots is a Southern Belle.
Most of the time Ruthi and Boots play with the people they run into that wonder about their “husband”. Like when Ruthi was emptying the black water (read sewerage here for non-RVers), a couple (man and woman) came by and told her that was her husband’s job. Ruthi’s laughing reply was she didn’t have a “husband” but a “wife”. That couple didn’t come by again. Or, if they did, they never talked to us.
Then the time we needed to get the truck towed out of the RV park to Ford. Since the truck was park nose in, it was necessary to push it out into the lane so that the tow operator could get the truck onto his rig. He asked Boots if her “husband” could come out and help push. Again, the reply was she didn’t have a “husband” but a “wife”. The tow operator said ok, can she help push, too?
Remember, not everyone can let us have simple human dignity because we live differently than them. Marriage is a whole other civil right discussion, we just want to be able to tell the truth with dignity.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Heavy Equipment Feats – Aransas Pass, TX
A while back Ruthi received an email (and forwarded it on) with an attached video that demonstrated how a piece of heavy equipment can exit a dump truck without a ramp. Well, last night (just past sunset) as she was walking Karma, Ruthi saw the same feat accomplished by a larger piece of similar equipment (backhoe loader) getting down off a RAILROAD CAR - not a flat bed but a full-sized RR car. The top edge of the RR car was at least 12 feet above the tracks. It took the equipment operator less than 10 minutes to safely get the backhoe loader down off the RR car and parked. AMAZING to watch!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Steps to Beach - Corpus Christi, TX
Boots and Ruthi had driven past the beach in downtown Corpus Christi but hadn’t stopped to let Karma explore before Bill and Blanche came south. Having driven by, they had wondered where the beach access paths were. There are back-to-back benches that face the street and beach but access steps were nowhere to be seen.
In search of more shells, we parked on the side of the street and went in search of a pathway to the beach. Guess what? The benches facing the sea were at the top of a wall with stairs the full length of the beach, going down to the sand.
In search of more shells, we parked on the side of the street and went in search of a pathway to the beach. Guess what? The benches facing the sea were at the top of a wall with stairs the full length of the beach, going down to the sand.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Bill / Blanche Visit - Aransas Pass, TX
Ruthi’s brother and sister-in-law (Bill and Blanche) came to South Texas looking for a RV Park to move their trailer for winter digs. Their hopes are to summer in Northern Illinois and winter in a much warmer climate. We had had fairly warm sunny weather up until their arrival. Then it got cold and rainy. As soon as they left, we’d like to say it got better but it didn’t it’s still rainy and cool.
The four of us toured a number of local sites and ate at the best area restaurants. On the ferry across to Port Aransas we saw a pair of dolphins in the bay. And, with a few cold windy walks on the beach we found a lot of seashells with which Blanche can do crafts. Unlike in Hawaii, the shells were not broken into parts. The colors, sizes, and shapes were very varied.
The four of us toured a number of local sites and ate at the best area restaurants. On the ferry across to Port Aransas we saw a pair of dolphins in the bay. And, with a few cold windy walks on the beach we found a lot of seashells with which Blanche can do crafts. Unlike in Hawaii, the shells were not broken into parts. The colors, sizes, and shapes were very varied.
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