Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site

On a cool and cloudy day, we drove to Stonewall--about half way between Fredericksburg and Johnson City--to visit the state park which bears President Johnson's name http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/lyndon-b-johnson.  Directly across the Pedernales River from the state park is the  LBJ National Historic Park which includes the LBJ ranch http://www.nps.gov/lyjo/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm .

Entrance to the state park and an auto tour through the ranch are free.  At the ranger station, we received a free cd for the auto tour (cd needed to be returned at the conclusion of the tour).  The cd contained historic information and described the buildings, etc.  The park included the Sauer-Beckmann Living Farm.  Guides here were in period dress and presented farm and household living as it was in  for the German immigrants to the area in1918.  

The state park also had a very interesting video telling the history of LBJ's wife, Lady Bird.  She was a powerful force and financial whiz in her own right.

Our route took us past the school LBJ attended--a one room school house which held 7 grades:

And then we followed the road through the ranch and past lazing Herefords.  The ranch is a working open range ranch.  We finally ended at his house, known as the  "Western White House."  LBJ spent about a quarter of his presidency staying here. 

Many heads of state visited here as well as Vietnam war era military operations were planned here. 

We paid $3.00 each to tour the house.  The house was furnished in the late 60s early 70s style reflecting his presidency.  We saw the famous bank of three televisions in both the living room and bedroom which he had on during the day.  The volume was kept off until he saw something interesting (usually war protests and the like).  The three television reflected the three available networks:  ABC, CBS and NBC.  Photography was not allowed in the house.

And, of course, we saw his version of Air Force One parked in back of the house:

The runway is still intact and the taxi way lies adjacent to the back of the house. 

Adjacent buildings house some of his autos and other historical  items.

The blue vehicle in the back is a car/boat and was used to drive in the river which lies at the front of the house.

And, of course, from where all the wisdom of his presidency was verbalized:

At the time, he was not one of my most favorite people because of the war.  However, he  certainly had a very strong and positive domestic record ranging from the Civil Rights Act to Head Start.

On our way out of the park, Donna said her goodbyes.

Not too many bluebonnets were found here either!

Bluebonnets Part 2

We noticed in a San Antonio newspaper that there would be a "bluebonnet walk" just to the west of the city.  Since we were still on the hunt for the Texas state flower and since at least one of us needed a little exercise, we decided to check it out. 

The event was to be held at the Shooting Star Museum just south of Castroville.  The town lies about a 45 minute drive southwest of Boerne.  Founded in 1844, it is known as the "Little Alsace of Texas."  Alsace is a region of France on its northeastern border with Germany and Switzerland.  Apparently its heritage is traced back to that region. 

According to its website (http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/shootingstar/) the museum: "is dedicated to the preservation, perpetuation and exhibition of vintage aircraft, historical aviation items, antique automobiles and early 20th century farming equipment and gasoline engines."  Whew!  Most people would call it junk in a shed.

So we drove our newly washed truck down two gravel roads and onto the property.  Driving into the property we knew we were in trouble.  The parking lot had one other car belonging to the caretakers.  We visited here about 7 years ago and did enjoy the landscape.  But this year for the advertised  bluebonnet walk, there was dirt, dust and gravel.   It was a much too dry a year for these wildflowers.  We did find a few that had gone to seed.  You would think that an establishment that advertises a "bluebonnet walk" would not force you to walk 100 miles somewhere to find them.  Ah, the disappointment.

But we did tour the museum.  It was free after all.

 

 

The museum was a large shed used by tinkerers to tinker on their old vehicles, planes and what not.  A little bit of everything from the 20th century can be found here.

 

 

 

 

Gasoline engines, anyone?  Many of these are from old washing machines.  They claim that each engine runs.  We did not test that assertion.

 

 

 

All types of farm supplies were also evident including John Deere seed containers.



 

 

And how a shipping container for lutefisk arrived here from Norway was a well kept secret.  Perhaps some Norwegian took a wrong turn in Stoughton.

 

 

Instead of bluebonnets outside, we found an old passenger transport from a long lost railway station. 

 









 

 

 



The "museum" was a working shop with various members in and out to do their thing.  It even included a quilt shop and a military uniform display.  But not even a vase of bluebonnets!  Oh well.  Maybe next year.

On The Hunt for Bluebonnets

Spring in Texas is noted for the beautiful displays of the wildflower, bluebonnets.  A member of the same family as are lupines,  they are as prevalent in the spring Texan landscape as dandelions in a highly manicured lawn in June. 

So early one morning sitting in the local Denny's eating breakfast, we looked out over the beautiful Interstate 10 scene, and noticed a mass of these blue flowers in the median between traffic lanes.  We had heard the best place to view these flowers was in a wilderness area near Fredericksburg.  So we finished our breakfast and headed north to find the rumored blue bonnet heaven.

As we did not know exactly where we were headed exactly, we stopped in downtown Fredericksburg hoping to ask one of the locals for directions.  Well, unknown to us, the town does not open until 11 AM.  So pickings were small.  But we did find these rather stiff fellows hanging around a local hotspot:

After a rather long and twisted conversation, we were finally told that our destination was the Willow City Loop about 20 minutes northeast of town.  So we thanked these "local color" and turned the truck towards the promise land.

The Willow City Loop  is billed as THE iconic Texas hill country experience.  This scenic area is a 13 mile private ranch road traversing Coal Creek through canyons and low lying areas used as open range for cattle.   Signs posted on the road remind the visitor that this is private property and it is illegal to stop along the roadway. This photo (not mine) shows the area in which we travelled:

The road through the ranch is a rustic, narrow, two-way mostly paved road.  The open range is controlled by cattle guards which look like this:

Fencing would be tied off at both the right and left and the roadway is over the grate.  Texas cattle are afraid to cross the open grate because it resembles a large barbeque grill.  Therefore they stay put and do not escape.  As an aside, these guards are not found in dairy country as cows there view the grate as a fancy foot massage.

We were hoping for scenes like these taken on the loop in 2012  (not my photos):

 

 

Our flower hunting trip was disappointing.  We were led astray.  I am sure those fellows in Fredericksburg were having a good laugh at our expense.   We saw more bluebonnets along the interstate at Denny's in Boerne.  The winter has been much to dry for these showy displays.an in this tourist destination.  The road was interesting and the non-flowered views were worth the drive. 

 

On the way back home we stopped at a large seed company and found these in their parking lot:

 

 

At least we found some!  We were made April fools.