Texas RV Travel blog

Texas State Flower : Bluebonnet

When my son Mac was five or six, we were driving back from Austin to San Marcos. He asked me where all the wildflowers came from. I told him that God put all this beauty on the Earth for us to enjoy. Then I added that he had a little help from a woman named Lady Bird.

I told him the story of Lady Bird Johnson and how she began a beautification project that transformed the national highways into scenic byways. He was very quiet on the drive home. That evening, he came to me and said, “Mom, can you help me write a letter to Lady Bird to thank her for the flowers?” We did. He received a personal card from Lady Bird in the mail within a week. That is the kind of woman she is.

Lady Bird Johnson with Bluebonnets

Do you know who Lady Bird Johnson is? She is the wife of Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ), the 36th President of the United States. As a US Senator, LBJ worked for the electrification of rural Texas. As President of the US, he worked to complete the Civil Rights legacy of President John F. Kennedy and to advance the Great Society of the United States.

Mrs. Johnson advanced the causes of women and minorities; fought for Project Head Start; and redesigned the role of the First Lady to suit our modern, media-driven age. Mostly, though, Mrs. Johnson fought for America’s imperiled environment.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Texas

Lady Bird Johnson was attuned to nature and the importance of conserving the environment. Thanks to Lady Bird, the roadsides of Texas bloom with native Texas wildflowers in the spring. Lady Bird Johnson founded the National Wildflower Research Center in 1982, and it was renamed in her honor in 1998. The mission of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, part of the University of Texas at Austin, is to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants, and landscapes.

Map to Wildflower Center

If you ever journey to Austin, seek out the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. If not, you may view the handiwork of God and Lady Bird along the highways and byways of Texas. God bless you, Lady Bird!

Tags: Lady Bird Johnson, Wildflower Center, Texas wildflowers, bluebonnets

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AT&T will be providing 2007 Masters Live Coverage, starting Monday, April 2, on all three screens. Just click here and bookmark the AT&T Blue Room and do not miss a shot!

Tags: golf, masters, updates to your cell

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I just started another blog at LocalTownBlogs, which is a a collection of local blogs from cities across the United States. I selected to start a blog about San Marcos, Texas, where I live. I am thinking of starting one for Austin and San Antonio, Texas, too, but that may just be too many blogs!

Please visit my new blog at - localtownblogs.com/blog/Texas/SanMarcos

Would you like to blog about your city or town? This is a new blogging community and new blogs are being added daily. Local Town Blogs is actively looking for people to write a blog about life in their town. The application is brief may be found on the website.

Local Town Blogs sells advertising to pay for blog hosting services and shares the advertising revenues with you, the blogger. You may also win gifts as well! You may set the privacy level of your profile and contact information, so that your address, phone number and email address are public or not public. As a writer you can link to your own website which will give you more exposure as well as credibility in your chosen field.

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At 6pm on Thursday, March 29, the 34th Windfest festival begins with Carnival Night and admission is free! Friday the celebration begins at 6pm and includes arts and crafts, food booths, activities for children, art show, fireworks and live music.

Saturday morning begins at 10 am with a parade. Over 30 floats, dancers, jugglers and marching bands will thrill spectators as they make their way down Wildcat Drive. The festival grounds open after the parade. This day will be jam packed with live music, arts and craft vendors, food booths and an art show. The fun goes on until Midnight with clown shows, Wild West shoot out performances and magic shows for the kids and cook-off and horseshoe and washers tournament for the adults.

The children will truly enjoy the kid fair all day with special appearances by their favorite cartoon characters and a variety of hands-on activities. A petting zoo, face painting and a carnival full of adventure will also provide entertainment for all ages throughout the weekend.

Sunday, April 1, festivities will begin at 12 noon and Dachshund owners will gather from around the region to register their pet in the annual Windfest Dachshund Dash for cash and prizes. Families will seek excitement by watching the United Style Stunt Group perform throughout the evening with their bikes as they thrill the crowd with jumps, loops and high-ramp tricks.

While in Portland, you may want to stay at SeaBreeze RV Park, a nice Good Sam and TACO RV park on the water. Portland is just across the bay from Corpus Christi. For more information on the RV park and the surrounding area, please see this series of posts.

Tags: portland, windfest, family fun

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Sand Sculpture from 2006 SandFest
(click to enlarge picture)

With 27 Master Sculptors competing this year, SandFest has become the largest Master Sand Sculpting Competition in the USA.

This year, journey to Port A and see the contest in person. March 30–April 1 is the actual contest and celebration, but if you want to go on down to the coast now, you can see 25+ Master Sculptors put the finishing touches on the SandFest sculpture, which contains 250+ tons of sand!
You will want to go to Mustang Island, between Ave G and Access Rd 1A, near Beach Markers 9 and 10. If you are staying in a hotel, ask about the B bus. You may park at Sharkey’s at 2600 Hwy 361 and take the free shuttle to the SandFest courtesy of The Texas Treasure.

Check out all the activities here. There will be a pet parade, youth activities and music all weekend. So bring the kids and bring the dogs! Do not forget the camera and the suntan lotion!

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