August 1st in Austin Texas

We had a cool front today...Ha Ha.  It was only 72 when I got up, and I sat on the front porch with a cup of coffee.  Went out around 10:30 and it was only 82, was very nice.  Went to the stone yard with hubby, and to the garden center next door to look at plants.  Walked around for awhile.  I'm not saying it wasn't HOT...but it only got up to 91 today, the coolest August 1 since 1998.  Weather guy says we will be in the low 90's this week-end.  Likely the coolest temps we will have until October. 

I love this front porch at the stone yard..very Texas looking, it just needs an armadillo.

The garden center next door, which we drive by weekly, but have never stopped in before, has the kind of local plants you don't find at Lowe's or Home Depot.  We only bought a creeping rosemary for the side yard and one of those lovely chartreuse green sweet potato vines.  But found the Mexican Bird of Paradise, they just didn't have the ones with the yellow blooms that I want. The one with the yellow blooms is actually called Caesalpinia Mexicana and the blooms look like this. 

 We ordered these cute fountain grasses, called Little Bunny. They had already sold every one they had today.

 

They had these lovely wooden arches and a lot of statuary, but I only looked.  I cannot bring home anymore things for the yard, that will eventually have to be moved.  Hard to resist though.

Coming Home

 

After a month away from Texas, Hubby and I flew home on Thursday. I have become very weary of flying, and it tires me out more all the time.  I pass the time reading, sleeping, or observing the clouds out the window.  They are always so much more beautiful than a photo can capture, but I still make the attempt.

We spent our time first in Boise, at our someday retirement home.  We worked in the yard, well Hubby did that more than I did. I spent a lot of time sitting on the deck watching and listening to the waterfall and fountain. At several different times, I saw three hummingbirds hovering around the Honeysuckle vines that are right next to the pond. There were lots of dragonflies as well. I don't sit outside much in Texas in the summer, so I am really very aware of the opportunities to do it when we are in Idaho.
We spent time with relatives and kept very busy with attending the events at the assisted living facility where my Mom and Dad now live.  We flew to Chicago for a week on business and had a great time there, staying a couple of extra days in downtown Chicago and doing a bit of sight seeing.  Then back to Boise for another week, and then home on the 6th.  I celebrated my 70th birthday on the 31st of August, and my cousin had a nice big family dinner in my honor.  YIKES...it is difficult to say I am 70 as that sounds so old, and I don't feel that old.

All in all, we had a great time.  However, the heat we left Texas to escape to cool weather for, seemed to follow us.  Boise was having a heat wave, the temps for the entire month of August were only below 90 on 4 days! They were also experiencing the summer fires that have plagued the entire Western States for a number of years now.  It was so smoky when we first arrived that the foothills were not even visible.  It came and went, with fires throughout the region.  A lot of acreage lost and some homes as well.  It is sad to see the forests disappear and the threat to wild life and people as well.  When in Chicago it was a bit cooler, but still hotter than normal.  We did leave there just as they were beginning to creep up into the 90's. 

While leaving Boise on Thursday, we did get to witness something really special.  When we got to the airport, we saw a news crew downstairs and didn't think much of it.  But when we got checked in and arrived at our gate, there was a lot of excitement taking place.  A Southwest flight had just landed at the next gate, bringing home some WWII veterans that had been flown to Washington D.C. earlier in the week.  This is part of a program that has been going on for a few years across the country.  Honor Flight

Anyhow, as they came off the plane, they gathered in front of  our gate, waiting for everyone to deplane.   Most of these veterans were in wheelchairs, but some of them were walking. Everyone in the terminal stood and applauded.  I turned and was speaking to the lady next to me, she had tears in her eyes, as did I.  When I turned back to where my husband had been standing, I saw that he was not there.  He had walked over to them and was going down the line, shaking each of their hands.  Then a very young soldier in uniform was walking the line as well.  Everyone in the gate area was standing and applauding as the group left the area. This was such a touching event, and I am so glad we were there at just the right time to witness it.  When I finally got my wits about me, it was all over and I was able to only get a couple of photos of the way Southwest had decorated around Gate 15.