Cookies...just for me :)

When we arrived at Bell Motel's beautiful home, we found a lighted pathway, a gorgeous Christmas tree, and cookies shaped liked butterflies, YES! and they were decorated with Blue icing! So very nice Bell Motel. The tea was delicious too! You warmed my heart through this kind jester....Thank-you!

Boxing in the State Capital

We plan it every year. Our annual Christmas boxing adventure. the destination this year was Austin. With clues in hand, and an invitation to spend the night at Bell Motel, we made our way to the beautiful city of Austin. what a great time we had! Whiz Gee and Bell Motel we gracious host and made us both welcome and comfortable. After a cup of delicious tea, Lucy Locket and I settled in for a nights rest.
We were up early Sat. morning much to the chagrin of Bell Motel, and started our journey for the day. Boxing at Zilker Park was a delight. The birds of prey exhibit was very interesting. The View from the top was amazing! While making our way back down the trail, we met CanCan, AnnaBee and Cw Sunseeker. What a treat! It was so nice to see CanCan again, and meet an out of state boxer and Annabee.
Next, we climbed Mt. Bonnell, had lunch and took some nice photos.

After eating lunch on top of MT. Bonnell, we were off to Emma Long park where we stamped into a series by AnnaBee, "Let's have a picnic" What a fun way to "make a lunch".
It was getting late in the day, and the sunlight was alluding us,so we decided it was time to hop back in the car and head to the Hula Hut where we were to meet up with the rest of the gang.

Sunday morning LL and I had decided to get out early to grab the boxes at the state capital building. No Muggles on a cold, early Sunday morning. We also stopped by and stamped in "Head of St. Michael" What a carving this one was!
We enjoyed all the boxes and the time spent with all the Austin Boxers. Can't wait to get back and find some more of those treasures!

A Fun (and Rainy) Day in Nac.

SoccerChik made it to SFA and Lucy Locket and I wanted to welcome her to “The Oldest City in Texas”. I had printed out a few clues that Lucy Locket wanted to look for plus a new one by Sandibox. I packed the cooler, got all my letterboxing stuff, (and a few items to keep us dry just in case), and began the journey to Nacogdoches. As pulled into Pioneer Park, we saw that others had already began stamping in and exchanging. JB Kokopelli was the host for the event and had carved a really nice stamp for the occasion. Thanks JBK for putting this all together!

Grizzled Gryphon, Sandibox and JBK swapped “ghost” stories and other tales while the rest of us listen with wide eyes in silence. Quite a few adventures that they lived to tell about. SoccerChik has a PT where you must tell her a scary story, so if you see her, be sure to spin a tale for her.

All the while it was still raining, we were quite content to sit and compare stories about our adventures in boxing. This is my favorite part of a gathering, sitting around listening to others tell about their adventures on the trail. Frost Maiden shared some of the adventures (and misadventures) that she and GG have been a part of. I find it almost amazing that GG hasn’t been taken off to jail yet, with his night boxing, (or shot!) Thanks Frost Maiden for sharing with us! Those stories were priceless!

Just before the rain slowed down, we got word for BarefootLucy that Janet, Blooming Flowers had passed away. It was a very sad day for all of us to hear this news. There was a moment of silence as we let the news soak in. I tried to keep my emotions in check as we sat there. Someone wisely suggested we go find a box. JBK came over to me and said “you look like you could use a hug” thanks JBK!!! It was just what I needed. After reminiscing, and shedding a few tears over Janet, we ventured out in the park to find “PT Phone Home” and “The Chief’s Sons”.

After bidding all adieu, Lucy Locket and headed towards San Augustine to find a box by Lon Star Quilter, “Texas Roots” . I had already got this stamp back in March, and recommended to LL that she get it on this trip. We easily found the cemetery where the box was located and got back on the road to Nac. After a stop at Clear Springs Café, we headed back home.
Those in attendance:
SoccerChik
Sandibox
Alton
GG
Frost Maiden
JBK and JR
Lucy Locket
Blue Butterfly

The Early Boxer gets the First Image

Yesterday as I was answering emails on AQ, I saw a new box posted in the Tyler area. How exciting to see a new box by Boots Tex! I quickly sent him a message and asked if Lone Star Quilter had also planted one. He was about to post the clue, so I waited for the clue to be posted, and printed out the clues. About that time, PSGuru walked in the room, and I told him I was going somewhere after work tomorrow. He knew immmediatly I was going after a box. I told him about the boxes and made my plans. These boxes were going to be special and I wanted to be the First Finder. The only boxer I could think of in Tyler that could beat me was Mother's Love. I work really early on Friday and usually leave about 10:00. I rolled out of bed about 1 A.M ( my usual time) and headed to work armed with all my letterboxing gear and clothes to change after work. I hustled getting everything done and was off by 9:30. As I got in the van, I asked myself two questions: "What is the fastest route to the Rose Garden and Why take time to change clothes" One boxer came to mind : Puddle Splasher Ureka! I knew she would never take time to change clohtes after all, someone might beat me there if I did that, so off I went in my uniform thinking that my mentor would be proud of my decision.
I easily found LSQ's box and was very happy to see that I WAS the First Finder! WOOHOO!!!! Nicely carved stamp and I LOVE the location. After replacing the box, I headed over to Oakwood Cemetery to stamp in the box placed by Boots Tex. Another awesome stamp and again....First Finder!!! What a great way to start the week-end. Thanks to both of these kind boxers for placing these boxes.

Gatherings

I love getting together with other boxers and taking about our adventures (and missadventures). This week-end there is a small gathering in Tyler that I am really looking forward to attending. There is also one plannned for November in Houston that I am so excited about. Both events are on a smaller scale which I really enjoy. Can't wait to see everyone!

August Heat

I am not a big fan of August/September because of the heat. If I letterbox during these months, it has to be early in the day and/or very special boxes. There were some boxes planted by an out of state boxer, that Lucy Locket and I couldn't wait to get to. There are two series planted by Safari Man. "Famous Texans Series #1" and "Famous Texans Series #2" The rain traveled throught the DFW area, and we headed to stamp in these seires. We were not disappointed as we found each box while trying to stay hydrated. Thankfully, there were some clouds as we started the second series which did help quite a bit. Nice location and really nice stamps. Thanks Safari Man for leaving us these treasures!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Each year during the Tomato Fest in Jacksonville, BarefootLucy has an event. This year was the best one yet!!! She was very mysterious about the clues, even when and where we would receive them. Lucy Locket and I anxiously awaited the clues to be posted so that we could begin the task of ciphering out where the boxes were going to be. The evening before the event, Lucy began to send out clues to each one of us with a grid of the venders that would be set-up at the Fest. I printed out all the clues plus had a map that I thought might help us on the journey we were about to be a part of.
With Lucy Locket’s help, we had just about everything in place to begin the adventure. We met Puddle Splasher, Nac Trail Cat at the WalMart parking place and layed out a plan. Nac Trail Cat had lived in Jacksonville for several years and knew just where to go. We just beat another car for the parking place that was fairly close to where we were to start. Our first stop was a booth for the local softball team where they were selling raffle tickets to further their journey to state championships. We thought there might be a clue at this booth but, that was not the case. We walked along the midway, and spotted Bee Mom. We were to give her the Bible verse for letter boxer’s. Do know what it is? Think about “asking” ;) With that clue in hand we called BFL, and she gave us a clue to the first box we needed to find. I still don’t know what an “Asian Jasmine” looks like, because Gryzzled Gryphon and Frost Maiden already had the box and were stamping in. We were able to find the clues to four more boxes and made our way around the Fest running into several other boxer’s as we went. Those in attendance were:

Barefoot Lucy, Puddle Splasher, GG, Frost Maiden, LL, Adams Trails, JBK, Maydell Quenn Bee, PrincessA, Nac Trail Cat, PurpleNIc, Lady Bug Tree, Beach Bum Tx. And Pink Cookie. We met at Legend’s and had a great time exchanging and catching up with each other’s adventure’s.

It was so nice to ride around Jacksonville, with Nac Trail Cat, LL and Puddle Splasher. Purple Nic and Lady Bug Tree rode with us out to beautiful Lake Jacksonville.

Oh yea, Jacksonville tomatoes are the best!!! I stopped back by the fest on the way home and got some nicely ripe ones AND my favorite, green tomatoes to fry! Yummy!!!

An Amazing Adventure

Since I was on vacation, I decided to spend a couple of days with Lucy Locket, attend a couple of concerts she was a part of and letterbox. I was planning a trip to the Dallas Arboretum to check on my box there, but it was raining Thursday morning when I rolled out of bed, so that trip was canceled. Instead, I decided to wait until Friday morning on my way home so I could stop by Purtis Creek SP and find the boxes that have been there for a couple of years. I was at the event that was held there, but did not get to find the boxes.
Friday was a really nice day weather wise, so with clues in hand, I made my way to the SP. I stopped a the swimming area to map out my route. With a plan in place, I made my way over to the trails. The boxes I looked for, have been hit hard. Two were missing, and one had been badly burned on top. I could not even open the box,so I decided to bring it home with me and get it to it's owner, with hope that the stamp can be saved.



Leaving the park, I headed over to find a box titled "Big Rock Shelter". Monarchtrailer took me to a Pre-historic setting which was amazing. It has been around since about a.d. 600 with Petroglyph and hieroglyphics carved by Caddo Indians.If you read her clue to this box, you will learn the whole story. It is now closed to the public,so you can only see the Rock Shelter from the road. Just as I was scouting out the place where the box is located, and taking pictures,(the box is outside the gate) a car came down to the gate. The driver called me over, with me thinking I have been caught! She asked me if I would like to go on the property and take pictures!!!! WOW! A rare opportunity to get pictures of the historical treasure. She gave me her name and said if anyone asked, tell them she gave me permission. I could not believe I was getting an opportunity to capture this amazing piece of history. To bad PSGuru wasn't with me!I took several pictures and left with a stamp for my logbook,pictures of a lifetime and letteboxing memory I will never forget.

Airing Quilts and Along the Boardwalk

Last May as Lucy Locket was traveling through Huntsville, she notice a festival taking place that neither she nor I had heard of: "The Airing of the Quilts". I love quilts and admire anyone who can take cloth, needle and thread, and make something so beautiful. I put the dates on my calendar, and LL made arrangements to meet me in Huntsville Saturday morning, May 2nd. Of course there are some really nice boxes in the area, so we met at at the State Park. I arrived first and had a really nice, quite time to map out our order of boxes on the trails. We wanted to make sure we got back to downtown before the quilts were put way for another year.





We found several boxes, and decided to check in the hotel, cool off and then go look at the quilts. After relaxing for a bit, We made our way down to the square. I have to say, it's almost like a child in a candy store, which quilt do I look at first? It's an amazing site to look up at the courthouse and see all these quilts hanging there and blowing in the breeze. LL and I both had a list of our favorites, there were too many to pick just one.
After a day of quilts and boxing, we decided we would get some rest and finish our boxing the next day. We woke up Sunday morning to rain and storms. We had breakfast and made our way back to the park hoping it would stop raining long enough to get the rest of the boxes. We were able to get only one, because the trails had flooded and there are alligators in this park. I wasn't willing to take a chance on waking up an alligator. The rest of the boxes will have to wait for another day, which is just fine with me. Really nice Sate Park.
Leaving Huntsville, LL followed me to Crocket to stamp in a couple of boxes located there. We stamped in, and went our separate ways after having a wonderful week-end!

It's Finally Here!

We arose early on Sat. morning with great expectation for the event. I made pancakes which were enjoyed by Mother's Love, Lucy Locket, and I. We cleaned-up and got the chili in the crock pot to start warming while we got ready to head over to the pavilion to meet everyone. Arriving at the pavilion, we were greeted by others that had already arrived. Other boxers starting arriving and the exchange frenzy began! It was so much fun seeing the boxers that we have met over the last four years, and meeting a lot of new boxers was a treat.

Highlights:
Mother's Love spending the week-end with us.
Planting my box for which I actually carved the stamp. (my second one)
The park is one of the best Texas has and the new trails combined with their history made a great week-end.
Having a copy machine to print our handwritten clues..Thanks BT and LSQ!
Sitting around at the Group Camp late talking (mostly listening) at the end of the day.
Looking out in the woods from the group camp seeing flashlights along the trails.
Out of state boxers: Lionsmane, Astro D, Goofy Girl, Wanda and Pete.
Silver Eagle and Baby Bear getting their Lifetime Achievement Award.
Boxing with Lucy Locket and Mother's Love Sunday morning.

We missed a lot of the long time boxers that weren't able to make it. Your laughter, smiles and stories of letterboxing are a part of the event I always look forward to.
i know the plans for next year are already in the works, and I looking forward to it.
See you next year!

T.A. L.E. 6 Camp

We had said "Hello" to Boots Tex and Lone Star Quilter earlier, so we decide to pay a visit to there camp site and have a chat. It was so nice visiting with this couple and learning some more interesting Texas history. They have the Texas Circus Box, I am wondering what they will do to make it available here at the event? I KNOW they have something up their sleeves. I cooked our dinner, we had peas, fried cornbread, stir-fried veggies…yummy! I used Olive oil, which made it even better. Mother’s Love decided to “camp out” with us, sleeping in her SUV. The night was cool, just right for sleeping. Can’t wait to see everyone Sat.

T.A.l.E. 6 3.07.09

I was able to take Friday off, so I could head down to Mission Tejas SP early and get ready fro the event. Of course, I wanted to Letterbox my way to Weches. I decided Friday morning to go through Nacogdoches and stamp in some boxes there that I didn’t have. It was such a beautiful! One of those days when you think” This is one of those “perfect” spring days. I was so glad to be off and get to enjoy the sights and sounds of Spring. My first stop was downtown Nac at the Visitor’s Center, where I was able to stamp in the first box of a series called “ASL Alphabet series : A” Nice location, with benches and flowers, but high traffic area. I hope this box will last a long time.





There are a lot of historical figures buried at the Oak Grove Cemetery.





Next it was over to Oak Grove Cemetery which has lots of history and I was able to quickly find “Oak Grove Cemetery” and look around at the graves of some of the “famous” people who reside there. It was so quite except for the birds that were singing, a far different scenario than I am usually around.










Leaving the Cemetery, I ventured over to the campus of SFA to snag another stamp in the ASL Series. It’s location is a children's garden which has been updated and has several teaching stations about the environment. Really nice! I easily found this box climbed back in the van to make my way to Mission Tejas.
Lucy Locket was also making her way to Weches, so I let her know where I was and my plans to meet her once she arrived. We made it to our camp site and set-up the tent LL had just purchased. With the camp set-up, we decided to plant our boxes we had brought. We found and stamped each others boxes and headed back to camp.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!

Each year in March, the Texas Letterboxer's gather at one of the State Parks or other outdoor venue to tell tales and make friends and memories. Our first T.A.L.E. (Texas Annual Letterboxing Event) hosted by Silver Eagle and Baby Bear, was March 2006, at Rusk State Park, Rusk, TX. Stinky Monkey and Roarin' Lion was with us that very first year. I am so excited about the event this year and looking forward to seeing all my "old" friends and meeting new ones. to me, this is the "most wonderful time of the year" I set-up a timer at the bottom of my blog to count down the days to the event. See you there!

Lost Maples Sp

We left Bandara and headed for Lost Maples SP. We were hoping for some fall foliage for which this park is famous for, but we were about 7-10 days too early for all the leaves to be at their peak. It is a beautiful park and I was able to stamp in Lost Maple, a box by Silver Eagle that has been there since July 2003. I love stamping in boxes that have been around a long time. What a history this box has too!
The weather was just perfect for the four days we spent down in Uvalde County. I did leave a little treasure at Garner SP for others to find and stamp in, A Cowboy's Delight. Have fun finding the box, and be careful, you just might see a skunk or two while you are there!

Cowboy Capital of the World

We made a side trip to Bandera, which is billed as the "Cowboy Capital of the World" there are several nice boxes there, and we had a great time exploring the city, and stamping in three boxes. Thanks CanCan for a nice location! The Old Jail is a very interesting site, and the muriels are awesome!

Uvalde Letterboxing

I attempted to find a couple of boxes that were listed at Garner SP. We made our way up the steep trail to look for Crystal Cave , to no avail. PsGuru enjoyed exploring and getting pictures of the cave. We decided to continue on that trail, to the top and back down the other side of the mountain. the views were AMAZING!!! Psguru took great delight in documenting our hike with his camera.



We made it to the top which on our trail map said the elavation was 1800 ft. which was quite an accomplishment for both of us!

Skunks!

After getting the tent and camp all set-up and organized, we sat down for a relaxing evening under the stars. About 7:30, PsGuru heard something. UhOh! The flashlight revealed a skunk in our camp! We of course did not know that Garner SP is well known for abundance of skunks that abide there. We immediately ran for the tent just in case one decided to get closer. We watched from the safety of the tent as the little black and white creature took his time foraging around our camp. We of course had everything in containers, and no garbage of any kind was around for him to take advantage of. Every night, about 7:30 one or two would venture into the camp in search of something to eat. One night we sat outside to watch them and one got close enough to sniff my foot!! Thankfully, I did not panic or scare him and he just wandered away when the flashlight gave away his position. The next time we camp at Garner, we will probably camp in the "new" camp area where there aren't any visitors at night.

Drought!

At least once a year, Psguru and I take a week off to spend together and find some interesting places for letterboxing and photography. October 2008 found us traveling to Uvalde County, Texas. We were looking forward to our adventure which would have us camping at Garner SP for the first time. Our activities were to include: letterboxing, photography, hiking and fishing. After driving around San Antonio, we made our way west looking at the scenery before us with great delight. PsGuru was really looking forward to casting his line in the Frio River which runs through Garner SP. The closer we got to Uvalde County, we begin to notice signs that named various creeks that were along the highway, but the creek beds were DRY!!! The Ranger at the park said they were in a drought and it had been months since the last rain. We were very surprised to find the Frio River very shallow in places, even to the point of walking across without a problem.
We were instructed by the Rangers, that we could walk down the river from where we were camping and possibly find a deeper part of the river where we could catch some fish. We did manage to find a spot, and caught and released about 10 bass in about an hour. We could actually see the fish swimming for the bait. We did keep about three of them for lunch. Psguru prepared the fish and I fried them for a delicious lunch!