Another Texas grotto hike

Crockett Garden Falls. It is wild but called a garden because of the diverse amount of plants it supports.  We took a 5+ mile hike this morning which was rated "moderate". It had lake views, ruins, and a grotto.

Don't veer off the path. The water is a ways down.

The guys in the boats are practicing cruelty and deception on aquatic life.

Between the lake and grotto was an old homestead.

These ruins may be 150 years old. Before that it would have been tough to come in here because of the Comanches. 

The grotto had water falling all along this cliff plus a small waterfall on each side.

You can click on any picture to enlarge it. Note the huge elephant ears at the top. They love artesian water. The trees above supported mustang grapes.

Partial skull of one of the alien bodies from the 1955 UFO crash here.

Last family home built on George Ranch

The front of the house. Huge screened in porches on two stories.

Looking east on the lower porch.

Looking north on the lower porch.

The garages were added after the family obtained automobiles.

The cistern. Drinking water was in short supply on the Gulf  Coast. However, there was plenty of rain to collect in cisterns.

The side view of the house.

Gene Autry would come to the Houston Livestock and Rodeo once a year. He did not stay in Houston hotel but he stayed with the family at this house. 

 A feinting couch. Women at one time wore corsets and five layers of close. Of course they would feint  wearing all those garments.

One of the first homes on the ranch modern enough to have running water and electricity.

Click on any picture to enlarge. The three pictures in the daughters room show her as a teen, as a drum major at University of Texas and with her fiancé. She was killed in a car wreck while pregnant. She was the last heir as her brother had passed while an infant. With no heirs left, the parents left the 23, 000 are ranch, teeming with oil wells, to a trust.

Twin Fridgedaires. 

Thats a homey looking kitchen

A horse of many other colors.

The ranch grew sugar cane and  cotton. Many German POWs were used across the country during WWII for voluntary work.

Louisiana- Hodges Garden State Park

Hodges Garden south of Many, Louisiana in the northwestern part of LA.

It was a cloudy and rather cool early spring day

trees were blooming and flowers were a sure sign spring was on the way

there are a ton of walking trails to explore around the lake and gardens

the typical Louisiana scene.

the perfect getaway cabin---cabin #2; they have quite a few others that sit on the lake as well.

yep, relaxing here with a fire and a fishing pole would be okay; the park also rents canoes. 

Tyler, Texas - Rose Garden - Springtime Bliss

Tyler Texas Rose Garden is stunning this time of year. 

We spent about two hours strolling through the grounds

The main attraction is the roses, but they have a wide variety of other flowers as well.