LBJ

Saturday, we took two of our grandkids to Stonewall, Texas and the LBJ Ranch National Monument.  We first stopped in Johnson City to see the visitor center and LBJ's childhood home.

We then headed west the 14 miles to the ranch. It was so impressive. The first thing you see is the hangar where LBJ would fly in.  Since they had to fly in a small jet, LBJ nicknamed it Air Force 1/2.  The visitor center had several films on LBJ and Lady Bird. I was reminded of what this man accomplished.  In his five years in office, he signed over 1,000 pieces of legislation.  I think he took a bad rap for Vietnam and choose to remember the great things he did.

Signed the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 outlawing most forms of racial segregation and providing equal housing opportunities regardless of race, creed, or national origin, and passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawing discrimination in voting

Appointed Thurgood Marshall as the first African American justice on the Supreme Court

Signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Higher Education Act to improve funding to schools, especially those in poor districts

Established the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts to support humanists and artists

Created programs to tackle poverty such as Head Start, food stamps, Work Study, Medicare, and Medicaid

With the inauguration coming this Friday, you have to wonder.  LBJ was crass, rude and tough but he truly believed that his role was to help lift people from poverty. What is the motivation of this new administration with the cabinet of billionaires?

I tried not to make this political but visiting the Texas White House sure brought it to the forefront.

I also remember Lady Bird's Highway Beautification Act and believe it has led to litter free highways.  She lived a long and productive life and she is honored at the ranch as well.

If you are near Austin, it is worth the trip.

Abilene to Waco

Last week I headed up to Abilene to do an inspection. It was about a three hour ride through parts of Texas I have never seen before.  Abilene is about 150 miles east of Fort Worth. I drove through the town of Brownwood and as I was crossing Lake Brownwood, I noticed this home on a hill on the right. I was so amazed that I stopped in the middle of the bridge and took a photo. 

Just a bit out of character for a very small town in Central Texas.  

Saturday Joanne and I took two of our grand kids, Haley and Brett to the Waco Mammoth National Monument. The site was made into a national monument by President Obama in 2015. Amazingly enough, this is an active dig site where 23 Columbian mammoth skeletons have been discovered. The dig is surrounded by a wonderful building with displays and murals that are actual size. The dig includes one level from 51,000 years ago and one from 65,000 years ago.  This part of Texas was actually a warm locale during the Ice Age and a wide range of animals lived here. Along with mammoths, there is evidence of ancestors of our wild cats, and even a camel.  The park is only 4.5 miles outside of Waco and is well worth the time to visit. Rangers provide detailed guided tours and information.

Lunch at Jake's Texas Tea House in Waco. Not like any tea house we have ever seen.

 Lots of fun.

 
 

Austin for the Holidays

We are still here in Round Rock for the holidays.  We have enjoyed every minute with our kids and grand kids.  We will be staying in the area until the 23rd.  We have been re-introduced to one of the fastest growing areas in the country.   We are staying in Leander, a small town north of Austin that was literally the "country" a few years ago.  Now,  we are surrounded by those stacked signs with development names everywhere.  I imagine in a few years, open space will be gone along with the longhorns.  Shopping centers and convenience stores at every corner and the same restaurants 100' from the next.  I guess I have become a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to cookie cutter developments both residential and commercial.  The more we travel, the more we discover the beauty of the countryside, the small towns and the open spaces.

New years eve was a quiet one at Brad and Janet's home for Chinese food and TV. We watched "Sully" and I have to tell you that after four million miles in the air, there were some tense moments. I experienced aborted landings that were too close for comfort and a returned flight with a fire on board, but never "The Miracle on the Hudson". It was a really good movie and it's amazing that we have seen Tom Hanks grow from the boy in Bosom Buddies to Sully. 

This week we hope to head out to the Lyndon B. Johnson National Park.  Hopefully, the weather will hold so we can see the ranch.  We've seen Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park and the Ft. Davis National Monuments here in Texas.  We hope to take a ride up to Waco as well to see the Waco Mammoth Site.  Let you know how it is.

Best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy New Year!