Stained Glass Windows

First United Methodist Church, Harleton, Tx.

We were hoping for a nice warm spring week-end, but it was not to be. The weather report was for rain…COLD rain! We decided to get up early and venture up to Harleton and Lake O the Pines. We easily found the sight of the first box, Harleton First United Methodist Church. The cleaning lady allowed us to go inside the sanctuary and take a look. Beautiful stained glass windows, with old pews and pulpit. She was very gracious, and told us their pastor had just retired at the age of 90, after serving 24 years at this church. He is still very active, and enjoying life.
We moved on the Community Center and Centinal park, where we searched for a box that alluded us. We noticed we were being watched by someone at the community center, so we moved on the the next box.

Next, we headed up to Brushy Creek Area of Lake O the Pines, which was closed. We were able to get a few pictures of the lake before it started to get really chilly. It was almost lunch time, so we drove to Jefferson to eat at The Hamburger Store located at 101 Market Street. Great little place for a hamburger, chicken sandwiches and great pies too!



By the time we left the cafe, it was raining hard and getting colder. Time to head back home to our warm, cozy abode.

One Brave Lady!

Bell Motel has a box up at Potter's Point. Tx. on the banks of Caddo Lake, titled: “Bravest Woman in Texas”. There is a historical marker dedicated to this very brave lady, Harriet Potter Ames. Her husband, Robert Potter, was one of the signers for the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico. This box was placed on Jan. 10, 2009, and no one had ventured up that way to stamp in. I decided that since I was on vacation, I would venture up to Caddo Lake and stamp in this box. I knew it would be more than worht the drive, the locationa dnd the stamp would be great! It was a beautiful day and PsGuru and I made our way to Caddo Lake, and eassily found the box. Can't wait to read the book!Thanks Bell Motel for leaving a treasure for us to find!



We made our way over to Caddo Lake SP to find a box by JBK, “HOTM Bigfoot” I easily found the box and stamped in. Nice stamp! I have a couple of boxes at this SP, so I found them and I am glad to say they are still in good shape.
We left the park and made our way back to Jefferson to look for Jbk’s HOTM: Mule Ride. Easily found this box, and looked for HOTM: Ghost Walk, could not find this one. Decided to head over to Oakwood Cemetery and found a box by Mitch and Tami, Angels of Oakwood. Nice walk through the cemetery to find the box and very interesting history lesson about the people buried there.
Had a great day! So glad spring has arrived!

Scary!

Group Picture....TALE 7


Everyone made their way to the food area where there was delicious food awaiting. LL and I had a bowl of my Veg. chili and some of Bell Motel’s “Fruit Salad”. We quickly finished lunch so we could be a part of the group photo and get on the trail to find some boxes. LL had planted “Mug Shot” on Friday, so I was looking forward to seeing the image she had carved. After the photo session, we grabbed our backpacks and headed down the trail. We quickly came to “Mug Shot” and across the trail was Bell Motel’s Box. I went to retrieve Bell Motel’s box and heard LL saw “ouch” . I thought she had got a sticker or thorn in her finger. I went over to see what had happened, looked in the stump to see a Copperhead Snake making his was out of the stump. I told LL that she had been snake bit! She screamed and we started back down the trail toward the pavilion for help. At the trailhead, I dropped my backpack, and ran ahead of LL, spotting BarefootLucy, I told her I needed help! LL had been bitten by a snake. She asked me what kind, I told her the description, and she went into action, giving me info that helped calm me just a little. She called for Fearless Fox and told him what happened. I grabbed my purse from the van, and we headed to the Ranger Station, where the Park Supt. Talked to us and confirmed that the snake was a Copperhead. Fearless Fox talked to us on our way to the hospital, explaining some treatments for the bite. Once inside the ER, the nurse and doctor set to work deciding what treatment was best. After blood was drawn, it was decided that she needed to be transported to Austin, UMC Brackenridge. She was whisked away in the ambulance, with Anti-venom being administered through the IV. Upon arrival, all the nurses, students and doctors came in to look at the bite. After assessing where she needed to be, she was taken to the sixth floor Intermediate Care Unit. I was so thankful I was able to stay with her. She was monitored by several machines, and the nurse kept a watchful eye on day her progress through the night. Thankfully, the swelling had gone down quite a bit on Sunday morning. She was still not out of the woods though, the first 48 hours are critical. By late Sunday night, things were much better and she was able to move to a regular room on the ninth floor. I got much needed rest. Monday morning we were told that she would be able to go home. The doctor gave her an excuse to be off on Tuesday, and we headed home. I know she was more than glad to be back home and I was very happy that she was going to be OK.

All Aboard!!!

The Clue For the Circus Train

I had only had the Circus Train for about 48 hours, but I wanted to pass it along while we were at TALE 7. Lucy Locket had a great idea about how to make the clue available to everyone. She brought a sheet cake with her and I brought writing icing and a couple of giraffes to stick in the cake to let people know the train had stopped and when it had left. so could see the logbook and stamp the images that had been added to the box. We met Silver Eagle and Baby Bear at Boots Tex and Lone Star Quilter’s campsite We ran our idea by them and they thought it was good idea. On one giraffe, LL wrote “the train has stopped……” LL placed it on the cake and I wrote “Station 17 (our campsite) Elevated platform” We had put the box inside one of our bigger containers and placed it on top of our picnic table. Off we went to the pavilion to place the cake where others would see it. Silver Eagle and Baby Bear gave their approval, so after pictures were taken, we began exchanging and stamping in the event logbook. As time progressed, we both kept an eye on the cake to make sure no one cut the cake and made the clue unattainable. I hinted to one boxer that she needed to look on the dessert table for a special clue, but she did not quite get what I was talking about. After about 45 min. or so I decided it was time to give a hint or two to someone who would get the train into the D/FW area. I was pretty sure that Beach Bum Tx. Had not had the box, so I whispered to her and asked if she had ever had the Circus Train, she said no, so I told her to go look on the dessert table there was a clue she might want to see. She immediate ran back and asked me if station 17 was my campsite, and I told her yes! She grabbed Pink Cookie, and off they went. She made it back to the pavilion with bright eyes and a smile that could light up Dallas!! She said she got the box, but it took her three trips around the camping area to find the #17. I let Silver Eagle and Baby Bear that the train had been retrieved, and Lucy Locket put the giraffe on the cake that read ”train has left the station!“ WooHoo!!! The Circus Train has made it’s way to the D/FW metroplex! Can’t wait to see where it goes next.

On My Way!

I left home and was so excited to finally be on my way to the event location. I called Lucy Locket to see how far she had made it. She was in Waco, looking (of course) for a box. Along the way, we kept in touch letting each other know how close we were to the park. Around 3:30, LL called and said she was almost there. LL was able to get a nice campsite, plant a box and visit with other LB’er’s while waiting for me to arrive.
I made it to the camping area around 5:45 and immediately saw Puddle Splasher, Viewfinder and Sandibox! Stopped to say “hello” and saw LL across the road at our campsite. What a treat to see them, especially being the first LB’er’s of the event! We visited for a little bit, then I had to unload the van and set-up the tent before dark.
LL did a great job getting all the poles in the right place and we settled down to stamp in the Circus Train. We hid in our tent so no one would see that we had the train, and enjoyed placing all the images in our logbooks.

Excited!!

The week before the TALE, I was so excited to attend this annual event. I could not hardly wait for vacation and the trip to Palmetto SP. I had been hoping for some time that the Circus Train would be on the move and I would be able to get the stamps that were hitching a ride. Andplus2 contacted me on Thursday to let me know, her husband would be bringing the train to me! YEA! I would not even have to have clues to see what was in the box! I contacted Mother’s Love to let her know that I was going to get the box and would she like to stamp in while I had possession. She was thrilled! After I got off of work, Mother’s Love met me at McDonald’s to get the images. As we were inking the stamps, we were amazed at the carvings. Each one brought new amazement at how good they were. As we were inking the stamps, one of the employees came by and looked at what we were doing, we explained that they were carved stamps that a “friend” had carved and we were putting them in a book. She looked at several images and agreed they were good!She went on about cleaning the tables.
Mother’s Love had all the images, so I left to go home and finish loading the van to make my way to Ottine.