The Journey to the Rock

After a short visit and a great lunch at Silver K in Johnson City, we continued our journey to Fredericksburg. We stopped along the way and found a perfect Christmas present for our Son and Daughter-in-law. It was a beautiful day as we came upon the outskirts of Fredericksburg. We checked into our hotel as it was getting late, and settled in for the night. I was anxious to get started the next morning. Silver Eagle has a box at the top of Enchanted Rock, and I was so excited to finally get the opportunity to find it.
Early the next day, we headed out to find this enchanted park. On the way, we stopped and took pictures of a wind mill and watering “hole”. The hill country is BEAUTIFUL!!!! It was my first trip and I am looking forward to going again. We saw lots of deer and the view was amazing! As we entered Enchanted Rock SP, I was amazed by the scenery. I love going to places where you can see for miles (that is one reason I love going to Love’s Lookout in Jacksonville). God’s beauty is all around us if we will only take a moment and look at what He has created. Sometimes our lives become so busy, we forget to “stop and smell the roses”. This is a great thing about letterboxing, it takes you to places you may never had even heard of, if not for the time someone took to place a box in a special place. Even my husband is more into it now than he was at the beginning because he too, likes exploring the parks and other areas where the boxes are. I think I have almost won him over! Anyway, I think I better get back to Enchanted Rock J
We got a map and headed with clues in hand to Enchanted rock to make the climb to the top. As we walked closer up the path, it seemed to get larger with every step. I have heard so much about this park and was determined to make it to the top. There were several groups of people going up and coming down. Which gave me the courage to forge ahead. About halfway up it levels off a bit and this is where we decided to rest a bit and take pictures. How can I describe what a feeling it was to see such an amazing sight? After catching our breathes, we continued on our mission. We made it to the top!!!! All I could think of was I had accomplished something I did not think I was capable of doing! I am SO glad I made this trek! I thought of what Mother of Five said one of her little ones described it as “sparkly” It truly was! After taking lots of pictures, we ventured done the other side a bit to stamp in the box………it was missing! I was disappointed but, not devastated. Making it to the top of Enchanted Rock will always be in my heart as an awesome experience for me.
Enchanted Rock SP and Pedernales SP are now at the top of my list for favorites. I was able to get 5 boxes while I was on this trip and have an experience of a lifetime.

The Journey: Part 2 Pedernales State Park

After spending a little time with Lucy Locket Thurday morning, we left Corsicana. This time I was thinking "When are we going to get to Johnson City and Pedernales State Park." I had not ever been to this park, but I will have to say it is now one of my favorites!!! It is very nice and thePedernales River, makes it such a nice place to go and relax, take some pictures and explore. Of course, with the drought we have in Texas, the river was almost a creek! The waterfalls were dry, but what a neat way to see the rocks and bear bottom of the river. There are overlooks of the river that are safe and a great place to take the kids and let them look at all the beauty. I just can't say enough about the park and how much I enjoyed it there. It was there I found a shrek, a 'ppossum and a little man carrying gifts!!! These boxes are such fun to find! I will have to say, I think Ziggy's Gifts came close to being a mystery box!! It was such victory when I finally came upon the right spot! After stamping in the boxes, we drove around to see what the rest of the park looked like. This time we were in an area where you could actually swim in the river. They have a nice stairway down to the river where we walked around on the rocks and admired God's beauty.

There were deer everywhere! One nice thing about going this time of year is, we were almost the only ones in the park. The weather was perfect for roaming around the park and we took full advantage of it. I hated to leave there, but we needed to get going so we could make it to Fredericksburg.

We had worked up an appetite, so we dedided to stop in Johnson city and get a bite to eat. Here we found the Silver K Cafe which we highly recommend!!! Good food reasonably price and quaint atmosphere. Across the steet from the cafe is a Baptist church with a Historical Marker. Some of LBJ's family were members of this church at one time. I love Texas History!

It was getting late by now and our hotel awaited us so, we drove on to our next destination!

Starting The Journey

I have wanted to go to the Texas Hill Country for quite a while, even before I started this fantastic hobby of letterboxing! We weren't ever able to get it all worked out so we could go. This time, nothing was stopping us!!! We made the plans and got the reservations we needed and waited for the day to arrive so we could start our adventure!

Our itenerary was as follows:
Wednesday, Dec. 6th..got everything packed in the van and head to Dallas so we could go by the Arboretum and replace my box there. I was succesful in re-planting the box, but it is in the same place as it is very difficult to find a better place. I am thinking if the box goes missing again, I will most likely retire it. They were planting the Tulip and Daffodil bulbs while we were there and it makes me anxious to see them in bloom!! We hit the electronics store and our favorite book store Half-Priced Books. We (especially my LSS) could spend all day in there. They have a little coffee shop and tables that make a great place to sit have a cup of joe and read a book. (which I usually do while waiting on LSS) Does that make ME a LSS? :)

At the end of the day, with treasures in hand, we trekked down to Corsicana to celebrate Lucy Locket's Birthday. We treated her to dinner and spent the night at her house.

You will notice, I did not do ANY other boxing that day. Lucy had to work the next day, so we went to bed to get a good nights rest for the next leg of the journey.

Gotta get that box!

Monday I got home around 3:00 and was relaxing from a hard day. I finally made my way to the internet and low and behold! A new box just a few miles from my house!!! I could NOT believe it!! Jb Kokopelli had planted one close to New London. The tribute he did is really neat. Anyway, I was thinking it's raining.....it's only a few miles from here...it's 4:30 and will be dark by 5 or so AND the box is in a cemetery..... I do have plenty of gas in my van! I thought "If PS can brave the interstate at 3:30 A.M. I can do this! LOL! I would hate it if I did not get to be FF of this one. I talked to my LSS and he said "go get the box!" that was all it took! I had the clue printed out already, so I grabbed my stuff and set out. I know people were driving by thinking what in the world is that lady doing out there in this weather! I was determined to get that stamp and get back home. It was fun and I want to go back in better weather to look at more of the graves and get a better picture. Thanks JB!

Thanksgiving Boxing

What better to way to spend Thanksgiving Day than to get out on the trails and box!! It was a beautiful day and I had enjoyed a turkey with all the trimmings. What else would make this day complete? Getting on the trails and finding some new stamps to add to my collection. Lucy Locket was here and how could I pass up the opportunity to box with her? We decided to head to Rusk/New Summerfield area to find some new boxes there. We were not disappointed! The Seven Dwarfs were lurking in places I had never seen before. After leaving Doc well hidden we headed to find Sleepy. Much to our surprise, there was someone else at the cemetery where we needed to find the box. As we walked toward the gate, the man in the car asked us if we were LB'er's!!! YES! We had finally met someone on the trail! This is the first time this had happened to me and I was so excited. He begin to tell me a little about himself, and the light came on! Purpleintexkim!!! I was so glad to meet her and her family. They are new boxers and excited about it! We were the first LB'er's they had ever met besides the Atoy Adventurer's who introduced them to boxing. What a treat to find a new friend and be FF's on a couple of boxes. They were after the same series we were. They beat us to 5 of them. (there of course are 7 total) We chatted for a while and exchanged stamps and went away with a new stamp, new exchange and best of all a new friend!! I love Letterboxing!

Meese sightings!!!

What a beautiful day it was to meet and box at Lake Grapevine!! Lucy Locket, Roarin' Lion and I had a great time boxing on the lake. I have decided this will have to be on our list when we box the week-end before Christmas. Last year, Lucy Locket and I decided to make that an annual event and we are already planning our trip this year. It is so much fun to do a marathon boxing trip. We linger in some places, and hurry through others. Always remembering to re-hide well. We intended to get several boxes on our list Saturday, but the sun decided to make room for the moon before we could make it to the Moose Series. I will be looking forward to stamping in those boxes and Viewfinder's Music boxes in a few weeks.
The Metro Boxers did a great job of putting this all together, especially in such a short period of time. Thanks to all who had a hand in it!! Roarin' Lion and I think all of the other young boxers, had a great time playing on the rocks and the sand. (He had wet socks when we got home so, I think he got pretty close to the water also :) ) At the end of the day, we were in a different area of the Lake and saw an awesome sun set. There aren't any paintings that could have matched that one!!! Another great gathering, and fond memories were made. Looking forward to the next one!

Scare on the Square

I headed to Nacodoghes Saturday to stamp in a few boxes and check on some for Lucy Locket. I also was to meet up with Ashby to collect a couple of boxes that were in need of re-planting. Stinky Monkey and Roarin' Lion were along for the ride. First, we ventured out to Carl Monk Scenic Overlook, to check on Vivaldi's Spring Box, which is unfortunatly missing. We searched everywhere trying to at least find the evidence that it was there, but to no avail. This a favorite spot of mine in Nac. It is beautiful up there and the boys and I spent a while there just playing and taking in the view. It was such a nice day, I hated to leave. Stinky Monkey and Roarin' Lion were having fun finding pecans and cracking them to see if they could eat them. (They were rotten, but it was fun trying)
We left there and headed back to Nac to check on another box for LL in Pioneer Park. The box, Viva! Mozart was no where to be found, but SM and RL had a blast on the swings and the tank that is there. I was able to get some good pictures of them while they climbed all over the tank. What fun!
By this time fo the day, it was time to head to the square to meet Ashby and collect a little candy. meeting Ashby, Random and Enaj was a treat. I was glad to finally meet them and exchange stamps. I am looking forward to seeing them again. I really appreciate Ashby bring my Great Texas Balloon Race Box to me. There has been some clearing of trees where I had planted it, so I will be finding another place for it soon.
We had a great time on the square and with bags full of candy and goodies, we started back home. We had a wonderful day, even though we did not get to stamp in any boxes. We had to save those for later.

The Great Book Adventure

Finally! it was Friday and I was headed home after doing a few errands to get the van loaded so I could head to Kerens to meet up with Lucy Locket and watch the band march at half-time! I was so ready for this trip! I was looking forward to seeing everyone again and meeting some new boxers. I was not disappointed!! I met the Celtic Lions whose box Shawnee Trail was and is still a favorite of mine. The are a super nice family. I had all the answers to their travelers, but failed this time to get them. So may boxes, so little time! I was so busy, with exchanges and boxes I missed a couple of event stamps. What a nice problem to have!
I took James Herriot’s book, All Creatures Great and Small, to exchange at the Book Swap. I decided to wait just a little before choosing one to take and was glad to see The Quilter’s Apprentice laying on the table. What a treat! I can’t wait to get started reading it. Reading has been one of my favorite things to do since I was a little girl (you know that has been a LONG time!) This gathering was so awesome, but I really enjoyed watching the kids and parents find the boxes along the Storybook Stroll! Captain Underpants was a favorite of everyone’s.
As I was sitting at a table by myself, Lightening came over and began to talk and visit with me. He is a neat kid, who I enjoyed very much! He, Barefoot Lucy and I took a stroll down the book trail and had a great time. Thanks Lightening for making my day!
The Snap, Crackle, Clues breakfast was fun. Great coffee, fun boxes and friends to share it all with. I had stamped in Llookout Llawnmower Box, but Lucy Locket had not been there and I was thrilled to go back there and take a look across Buffalo Bayou again. I highly recommend you take a stroll down that path and see what is on the other side. “Oh the things you will see! “
After finding all the breakfast boxes, LL and I decided to try and find a couple of mystery boxes that she had deciphered. She asked me if I was too tired (yes, BUT how can you pass up two great boxes?) I would like to say, I did have a little had in finding the right trails, but LL had did all the hard work on the clues. Thanks LL!! After stamping in these boxes, it was time to head home. I hated to leave, knew I had at least a 4 hour drive ahead of me. I was tired, dirty and had ink all over my hands, but was very happy that I had the opportunity to attend the event. I am looking forward to more gatherings and glad to meet the new boxers and their families.

Tall Buildings and Boxes

The first week of August, my LSS and I decided to take a trip to Houston to get away and celebrate our 28th anniversary. We had reservations at the Doubletree Hotel which was very nice. The warm chocolate chip cookies were awesome! In spite of the heat, I was able to find 5 boxes while I was there. I was able to go back to the Houston Arboretum which is really nice. My favorite part is the meadow with a pond beside it. It was quiet and we were able to get some good pictures.
Leaving the Arboretum, we ventured over to Memorial Park. Very nice park and great boxes. I was the first finder for Trainspotting: Canadian National. I now have a stamp from a carver in Canada which I think, is pretty cool.
Our next stop was to be the Museum of Printing History. They have a replica of a Gutenburg Press (which is made of wood) . The curator was kind enough to demonstrate it for us and gave us a printed copy from it. It's amazing what they had to do in those days, compared to what we have now. There are lots of info and examples of printed page that are very intriguing. It is well worth the stop.
We walked around downtown Houston as the sun was going down and got some great pictures of the beautiful buildings there. This picture is one of my favorites.
It was nice to get away and just relax.

Boxing in The Woodlands

Starting out early so we could finish our quest, we had breakfast at Starbucks. After searching diligently for a particular box, I decided to try again later. We headed off to get Runs for Chocolate’s Runner’s High Series. These are all close by in the sane park and easy to get...well sort of! #1, #2. And #3 are easy. #4 is easy IF you read ALL the directions!! It is a very long walk on a very HOT day but we did enjoy it.......except the fire ants that attacked Lucy Locket! After getting them all off of her and me, we stamped in and headed back to find two more that are fairly new. Again we searched diligently for these two but were unable to find them. We will not be conquered!! We will be back for these two also. We have contacted the owners for a little help for next time.
Lake Sam Houston was our next destination. Really nice here and wish I had more time to explore but time was against me as Lucy and I had other obligations the next day. I added one by Baby Bear and one by Birds of a Feather. We then headed back to The Woodlands where Lucy went northeast and I headed west. I finished with 22 boxes and 2 HH’s. It was a great weekend!

Quilt Blocks

I gassed-up my van and set my alarm for 3:30...........I really did do this!!! It wasn’t to retrieve a temporary box but, to beat the heat of the day. I had 31 clues in my hand, two of which I planned to find on the way home after a week at Joni and Friends Camp. I met Lucy Locket in Nacogdoches and headed for Southeast Texas. We were excited as we were headed for Coldspring where we were finally going to be able to get the Lone Star Quilter and Boots Texas boxes. We have been tempted many times just to skip work and drive down to get these, but alas, we decided we better wait until we could go with a clear conscience :)
We were at Double Lake and the Lone Star Trail by 7:30. Lucy had stamped-in several of the boxes I planned to find so, she patiently waited while I added my Blue Butterfly to the log books. Princess Aurora has a lovely little butterfly tucked away at Double Lake that I was very happy to add to my collection. Double Lake is a great place to take your family and the boxing there is awesome! It was quiet and peaceful when we were there. There was a Grandpa and Grandson fishing, and they were kind enough to let me take some pictures of them. While talking to them, the little boy caught a fish and proudly displayed it for me! Hopefully, I will get back there with Stinky Monkey and Roarin’ Lion. They would love it!!
Leaving Double Lake, we headed back the Lone Star Trail and Coldspring. In Coldspring, we had lunch and headed for the Old Jail. Be sure to take a tour of the jail while you are there. The curator is very friendly and eager to share her knowledge with you. Lucy Locket found the two boxes while I was a decoy by taking pictures. The Courthouse Steps is a neat stamp also. We headed back to the Lone Star Trail collect some more stamps. Lone Star Quilter and Boots Tex have quiet a family of carvers. By the end of the day we were at the End of the Trail exhausted and awed by the stamp in this box. It was getting late in the evening by this time and I had stamped in 14 boxes. Ready for a cool shower and a bed, we left the trail and headed for The Woodlands where we would begin boxing the next day.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

I have been busy trying to get some boxes ready to plant. I had a great idea for one that I knew Stinky Monkey would love! A star! He has always loved that little song and I have sang it with him a hundred times or more! He loves to look at the stars at night also. I found a clip art that was just right and PSGuru carved it for me. I was ready to get the box ready but, where was I going to plant it? Of course I thought of the playground in Tatum where Stinky Monkey and Roarin' Lion love to go play. I also had another box for the balloon race that takes place in Longview, Tx. I talked my boxing partner into going with me and we headed to plant it and one she has called Peggy Hill. First to the East Texas Airport in Greg County to place The Great American balloon Race. Found a great spot for it and headed to Tatum to the playground. There we left Catch a Fallin' Star and Peggy Hill. After writing the clues, we headed back home anxious to get them posted. Can't wait to hear from those who find them!

Long Overdue Update!

It has been so long since I have sit down to update, I have almost forgotten where I left off!! In March, after leaving Houston, we headed to Galveston. Boxing in Galveston was AMAZING!! We found a lot of boxes and discovered places we never knew were on the island! It was three days of fun and excitment! While we were there, Lucy Locket planted a box in the SP on the west end of the island. It was really cool that day, but LL manged to find a good spot to hide the box. We head home satisfied that we had accomplished a lot!

Boxing in Houston

Lucy Locket and I decided to spend Spring break boxing. Is there anything else to do that is
SO much fun? We headed out to Houston Sunday afternoon with our back packs filled with clues and plenty of boxing logs and ink. We made a quick stop in Lufkin to locate Adazing Treasure. This was one of the coolest boxes to date! I hope it last along time:)
Heading on south, we stopped in Splendora, so I could stamp in the Katrina Prayer box. Thanks Frye Team for a reminder of the tragedy that swept through our neighboring states.
We wanted to get an early start on Monday morning, so we drove to West Houston where we would start our trail. There were bad storms that night but, of course this did not deter the Texas Music Boxers! With excitement we went down to check out of the hotel and eat breakfast. The lady at the desk suggested we stay at the hotel a while longer because there was another bad storm passing through. The rain, thunder and lightening came down, so we waited for it to pass. As soon as it was clear, we drove north to Bane Park where we found a Texas Snowman that was still solid in spite of the warm weather. Back in October of 2005 we found Mother of Five’s Mr. Bones and wanted desperately to find her snowman. We were not disappointed! I love the way MO5 did these two boxes. While there we also found Wile E. Coyote, and Gleeful Grinch. This is a nice park and we had a great time finding them and stamping in while holding our umbrellas. The rain tried it’s best to stop us in our tracks, we were determined!
Leaving Bane Park, we headed south to The Houston Arboretum and Nature Trail. I LOVE places like this!! It is unique and a great place to take the kids and enjoy nature. While there, we saw two Wood Ducks, a snake, butterflies and lots of spider webs! The meadow was one of my favorites. It’s interesting how God has designed nature to replenish itself after being destroyed! It does take a lot of time.
The rain was beginning to move on and so did we. We headed to Taylor Park which is a very interesting (and primitive) park. This is where we found Birds of a Feather’s circus Series. Lucy and I were looking forward to getting this set. We were not disappointed! The only problem, was there were two animals that decided to escape their boxes and run away. Hopefully they will be found. Also, in the park was Runs for Chocolate’s Seven. A tribute to Lance Armstrong. We did replaced the bag on in this one as it was wet, but the log book and stamp were fine.
Tired and ready to get to Galveston where there were some more great boxes. We left Houston with a smile on our faces and great stamps in our log books!

Saturday I was cleaning house all morning with the determination to stay home all day as I have been gone a lot lately. LSS was hiking and camping so, I got very busy doing almost a "Spring Cleaning". After a couple of hours, I decided I deserved a break and sat down to watch Walk the Line. (I recommend this one. ) After the movie, back to work. Finishing up I could not pass up such a beautiful day to box. I called Lucy Locket and told her I was heading to Nacogdoches to find a couple of new boxes there. I am really looking forward to getting LL"s Mozart Box.
We headed out to the azalea Gardens at SFA where I got Monkey Business. We then headed to Pioneer Park to find Mozart. Due to a motorcycle rider and several other people who were too close to the box, I was forced to wait on this one. Leaving the park, we went back to retrieve Number 4, which had eluded me before. There were lots of people there enjoying the sunshine and great weather, so having tried twice that day, I gave in to the fact that this one also would have to wait. I did get one stamp, spent time with LL and had a great day!
Can't wait until the gathering on Sat. To meet other boxers and get some great stamps!

Crash at Crush!!

With the Texas Boxcar Gathering just around the corner I was anxious to get my railroad box planted. PS Guru did a great job with this stamp so, I was ready to get it out there for other boxers to see. PSGuru and I took a trip to Rusk State Park to take pictures and plant the box. We were very lucky to find a celebration going on for the start of the seasonal run of the Rusk State Railroad! there were lots of people there and even cake and punch! We took some great pictures and got the box planted. I wanted to stamp in a couple of boxes but, I am waiting until my Team Texas Music Boxers are with me. :)

Go Spurs!

We arrived in San Antonio in plenty of time to check into the hotel and Lucy Locket registered for her meeting. We had a wonderful dinner and got a good nights rest. Thursday was a beautiful day so, LL re-arranged her schedule so we could plant the two boxes we had. We decided to plant them in Brackenridge Park,which is only about 2.5 miles from downtown San Antonio. We checked the bus schedule and decided that was the way to go. We arrived at the park and began to look around for some good places to hide the boxes. The Park was undergoing a huge renovation and is very nice. We found a place for Go Spurs Go! and Swingle Singers. We were able to catch the bus back just in time to get a bite to eat and watch Survivor.
After talking to folks back home, we discovered the weather was suppose to be VERY cold the next day. Boy were they right!!! Friday and Sat. were so different than the beginning of the week. Like they say, "If you don't like the weather, stick around, it'll change!" We needed coats and gloves to keep warm.
Sunday morning, we had plans to get some boxes in McAllister Park, just north of SA. There was ice on some of the roads and some were even closed. We waited until the sun had time to at least melt some of it off and took off. It was the coldest day I have ever boxed!! It was well worth it!! My favorite that day was the Texas Memories Series. These were placed by a Texan who now lives in Indiana. They are great boxes!!
Leaving SA, we headed back north to get the last two boxes in the Texas Passport Series. We headed to Florence and Holland to stamp in and complete the series. This was a fun series and I would have to say, my favorite one was Paris.
Tired and clueless by now, we headed home. It was a great adventure!!! I can't wait to do it again!

Caramel Delights! Yummy!

After checking out Berry Springs Park, we were tired and ready to find a hotel. After driving around, we decided on a Comfort Inn that was new and in a nice area. Tired as we were, LL grabbed a map of Georgetown and we quickly mapped out our trip for the next day. We set the alarm and got dressed and ate a great breakfast. Ready for the adventure, we left to find some cookies. The weather was perfect for Letterboxing!! Off to Blue Hole Park! Here we found Shortbread, Lemon Pastry, caramel Delight and Silver Eagle's Pocket Wocket. There was one more code to crack and LL was writing down the clues from each cookie box. This was nice park and we enjoyed the walk. Next, we headed out to Bonner Trail where we found Peanut Butter sandwich. There is a bridge in this park where the Brownies cross over to Girl Scouts. Very nice. Where do the Girl Scouts meet in Georgetown? At the GS house of course! Here we found Peanut Butter Patties. Kudos to the G-town girls Scouts, the house and grounds are very nice.
We were on a roll and excited to be getting all the stamps and clues. San Gabriel Park was next we quickly found Goodwater trail and made our way to find Thin Mints. Close to Thin Mints, was Cartwheels. The sunken garden was neat. After finding Cartwheels, it was time to finally head to Berry Springs Park. At this point, LL and I realized we did not get the final clue we needed from the SShortbread Box in Austin. AAGGGHHH!!! We were hoping that the clue in the last box was the one we needed to contact Batty B. We anxiously drove over to the park. It took a little longer than we anticipated, but we found the final box and YES! The final numbers were in this box. LL and I decided to ALWAYS read what is in a box before heading out again. WHEW! We did not find the H.H. that was a part of the series. (We could have placed it in another box) We stamp in and I might also say, this park is very, very nice. It is new and you can camp there. With our fingers crossed LL puts a call into Batty B. for instructions to meet her. There is one final bonus box IF you have all the other stamps. LL leaves a message. We completed the series in record time. It was only 11:15 A.M. LL leaves a message and we decide to find King of the North. We head back to the Sunken Gardens, where the box was planted. We were so focused on the Cookie Series, that we did not realize this box was so close to Thanks a Lot . This is a box by the North Stars who do fantastic stamps! Still waiting for a call from Batty B., we decided to eat lunch.
We were getting nervous because LL had to be in San Antonio that afternoon. We drove over to the library to send Batty B. An email in hopes she would contact us. While there, the phone call finally reaches us. WOOHOO! With directions in our hands and smiles on our faces, we sat down with Batty B. And and were rewarded with a bonus stamp, the H.H. , exchange with Batty B. plus her personal traveler! ( the cookies were great too!)
Feeling the victory of getting all the boxes and the clues we needed for the Cookie Caper was exhilarating!!! turning South, we headed back to Austin to find Baby Bear's Bevo which had eluded me in Jan. We stopped first to get Gingercat's Oakwood Cemetery. I already had Oakwood Cemetery, so LL was on her own to get this one. Finding Bevo was fairly easy, as there weren't a lot of people there that day. We stamped in and started to leave the park, only to find out we had a flat!! We got the van up on the jack, got the spare out, but could not get the hub cap off!! thanks to a really nice couple, we were on our way quicker than we thought possible. The next stop of course was to get the tire fixed and back on the van. Sam's was close by, so we drove there got the tire fixed for free and got a lesson in asking for info! An employee told us San Antonio was bout 200 mile from where we were!! (Really it was bout 70) LOL!! I am really glad he was wrong about that one!!!
It was a great day and I was so thrilled to have the Cookie Caper Series completed! We arrived safely in San Antonio, with grateful hearts and two boxes to plant the next day.

San Antonio via Austin and Georgetown

With a trip planned for San Antonio, Lucy Locket and I were excited to begin a Letterboxing map. We were so excited, we couldn't sleep! We decided to do the Cookie Caper Series that we both had been working on for several weeks. These included puzzles in the for the clues which were both exciting and frustrating!! LL was able to decipher them and our plan looked feasible. We left on Tuesday night so we could get a early start on Wed. A.M. We decided to head to Austin that night to get the box at the Girl Scout Headquarters. It was late when we arrived, but decided to go ahead and try for the box. We pulled up and were anxious to see exactly where the clues were going to take us. There were people in the building so, we knew we had to use caution. We made our way around to the back of the building, and found the box without anyone being suspicious. We took the box back to the van and stamped in. (note: always read the inside of the box just in case there is another clue or puzzle clue in the box) We slowly made our way back to the hiding place hoping no one would notice us. We were successful and made it back to the van without a problem. Whew!!This was our first night box and would love to try it again.
We headed back toward Georgetown where we were going to spend the night and get up early to hunt for the rest of the series. Berry Springs Park is a new and very nice park. We drove over to scout out the location, and hopefully find a map of the park. LL had finished the puzzle for the box there, but wanted to double check to make sure she had it all correct. It was very late by the time we pulled up to the gate of the park. It just happened, the caretakers of the park were working on the gate and were happy to get us a brochure. Leaving the park, we were ready to find a place to spend the night. LL and I were tired and found a really nice Comfort Inn to stay and map out our journey for the next day.

Letterboxing is a wonderful way to see parts of your state, that would not be a destination without a box to find. Lucy Locket, Roarin' Lion and I decided to take a trip Sat. To Greenville, and then drive on up to Paris. What a wonderful adventure it was! We got 4 boxes in Greenville that are really nice. We enjoyed the Audie Murphy Museum where they have a lot of history about Audie and King cotton. The
memorial of Audie out front is truly a sight to behold. I highly recommend you visit there. My favorite box in Greenville was at the sports complex. The playground there is a great place for the kids to have a blast! RL had a fun time playing! After we ate lunch at a little deli and specialty shop called " Mary of Puddin'Hill" (Great lunch and many desserts to choose from) We headed to Paris. I had heard about the "Eiffel Tower" there and was very anxious to see what it looked like. I read that it had been "Texanized" but, wasn't quite sure what to expect. We were not disappointed!!! As you can see from the picture, it has just the touch it needed to be in Texas. This is one of my favorite stamps. Catzpawz did a great job and we loved the location. After stamping in and taking lots of pictures, we headed back home. We were VERY glad we made the trip.

Austin letterboxing

My LSS and I took a trip to the state capital, Austin last week-end for a convention. With my suitcase and clues in hand, I was so excited to get to see some boxes in Austin. My first stop was in Round Rock, where I was disappointed when I was unable to find the box. I did see the Round Rock in the stream where the city got it's name. Very interesting!!
Leaving Round Rock, we made our way to Oakwood cemetery where there was a Civil War enactment going on and a funeral. We were very respectful of both. Luckily, the box was in a different part of the cemetery. This was a neat stamp and good location. It was the first time I got a stamp that was carved by Gingercat.
With maps and clues in hand we traveled over to stamp in the Bevo Box. I was unable to find it and was very disappointed, as this was one I really wanted. Also, the Texas Size Box was near here but, it is missing.
I was only able to find one of the four boxes on Saturday, and the rain kept me inside on Sunday. That only means there will have to be another trip to Austin for the boxes by The Brown Knight and Team Texas. I am looking forward to the time I will be able to go back. I had a wonderful week-end and it was fun looking for all the boxes.

New Boxes!

I was finally able to get three new boxes planted. I had the stamps for quite some time and decided I better get them out so others could have the pleasure of stamping in them. The first one, Tres Cruces, Is at an old church in Nacogdoches that began under a tree in 1836. Recently, hurricane Rita destroyed the tree. They still have services there and it is really a neat place to visit and take pictures. It took quite a bit to get the clues written and only with the help of Lucy Locket was I able to finally finish them. I can't wait for emails saying it has been found.
My daughter-in-law had asked me to do a box near a golf course that was once owned by her grandparents. So we headed off to Frankston, where we found Pine Dunes Golf and Resort. We road around the entire golf course and she was able to tell me stories of her adventures. Stinky Monkey and Roarin' Lion were along for the ride. They were all very helpful finding a place to plant the box.
Next, we were on our way to a small community called Elmwood. Here you will find Elmwood Gardens, a wonderful garden where weddings and other events are held. There is a Butterfly Festival held each year. I can't wait to see the flowers in the spring. It was a wonderful day, and I was glad to get these boxes where they belong.
I hope they will be there for a long time and enjoyed by many LB'ers.

Christmas Eve Letterboxing

What a great way to spend Christmas Eve.! Lucy Locket and I were wondering around Texas looking for those little boxes hidden everywhere!! We made our first stop in Dallas on Friday picking up some lost keys and checking on one of my boxes. The next day, We headed out to find the Jazz Quartet series and several other boxes. One at the top of our list was the Tx. Tour bus! What a great find!! We ended up stamping in about 14 boxes as we took a trip to Italy and Athens (Texas Of course!) I can't wait to get Holland and Paris. These are really neat stamps in a series. What a tribute to some famous Cities in Texas! It was a great day! The weather was perfect and the traffic wasn't too bad. We got to Athens about 30 min. Or so before the gardens closed, so we had to hurry. It was also getting dark. I think this was the quickest either of us have ever logged in a box! We got home in time to settle down a bit and think about Christmas the next day. I think we may make this an annual event! This picture is the Arboretum in Athens. A neat little garden with lots of hiking trails with a suspension bridge. A great place to visit and stamp in a box!