Friday's Fences with Texas Wildflowers

         Texas roadside beauty...... Cedar posts, Barbed wire fencing and Black-eyed Susan.

This was taken last week end while attending the Texas Draft Horse and Mule Association Harvest and Plow Day.

Meggie Mac

Joining with Jan 'n Jer's Friday Fences.

RS Germany Porcelain for Thursday Show and Tell

What I love about Thursday's Show and Tell, is the opportunity for me to share some of the items I have collected over the years.

 I don't recall ever paying very much for my finds. After all, for me, that is part of the fun.....something so beautiful for a bargain.

Click on Photo

I really wish you could see this pierced plate in person.  My appreciation of the soft colors and fine finish on the porcelain was renewed today, as I was photographing it.

In this photo you see a green leaf with a "shadow" of a leaf painted just below it.

This porcelain was first produced by Reinhold Schlegelmilch. The factory became more successful from the work of his son. Some of the history I read was a little confusing. I have also collected some other items marked with "RS Tillowitz" and "RS Prussia".

Zooming in, you can see the careful detail in each flower.

 

I'm thinking this close-up would be lovely framed, and hanging on a bedroom wall.

 

Last March, I wrote a post (click HERE) showing this plate from RS Germany.

It is equally as beautiful.....

Meggie Mac

Texas Draft Horses Plowing Through History

Do you not agree....they are beautiful. This past Saturday, after reading an article in the local newspaper, I decided to attend the event. After all, it was listed as "free" with hamburgers and drinks being served.

I love horses. Naturally the news article, with headlines of "Plow Through History" caught my eye. The event, held each year, is call Texas Draft Horse and Mule Association Harvest and Plow Day.

How is that for directions? It was on a road I had not traveled before. And even though it was in the same county that I live, the event was almost 45 miles away. When I turned off the main road, I almost gave up and turned back.

Finally, I saw the sign.....

and the entrance gate to the farm!

I can't express how excited I became. There were about 10 to 12 teams of draft horses pulling vintage farm implements for plowing, discing and mowing.

How often do you get the opportunity to see past history in action? Take a close look at those boots.

Would you believe they belong to a woman? Yes, she drove a team of four beautiful Belgian Draft Horses, riding this vintage disc. Her team of horses are featured in the first photo.

In talking with her mother, I found out they are training them for another owner. Her mother said the horses are about 5 years old and still growing.

To give you some idea how tall the horses are, this young woman is about 5' 6".

There was one team of beautiful mules. I thought this photo deserved a title....something must have gotten their attention for both to be looking in the same direction....maybe it was time for lunch!

One minor accident occurred, which only proves how dangerous it might have been for a farmer to be in the fields by himself. This was a time before cell phones!

It was a very hot day with strong winds blowing. But the video was still worth sharing with you. I ended up taking about 100 photos....too many for one post.

My only regret was not doing my homework before attending the event. It was only after, that I started some research on draft horses. I was able to identify two breeds as Percheron and Belgians. Please click HERE to read more about the Belgian Draft Horse.

Are they not magnificent animals?

Meggie Mac

Cactus on Monday's Country Back Roads

"Wow" is what I said, when I first saw a pasture covered with these blooming cacti.

Over the week end I traveled some country back roads just to the north of my home. My plans for Saturday were to attend the Texas Draft Horse and Mule Association Harvest and Plow Day. I will be posting about this event later in the week.

Directly below this delicate flower lies the prickly spines of the cactus.

It was a rather warm day with temperatures reaching in the 90's. The bees were buzzing....

It has been a day of shock and sadness as I have watched the news of the devastating tornadoes in Texas' neighboring state of Oklahoma.

Please remember the Oklahomans in your prayers.....

Meggie Mac

Friday's Fences

 

At first glance, the gate may not seem so special. But the more I look at the photo, I realize the effort someone put into designing, cutting and assembling the gate.

 

 

The three diamond shapes are cut from a single piece of wood.

 

 

On the very same road, I see what appears to be an apartment, in a vintage stone building.

 

 

These are not perfectly cut stones.

 

 

 

I wonder what the story is behind these metal shutters.

 

 

They definitely look like they were made for protection. Maybe it was simply to keep out the hot sun.

 

After all, today it was 93 degrees on the prairie.

 

Meggie Mac

 

I'm joining with Jan 'n Jers Friday Fences

 

 

Observing a Mural Artist at Work

I read in the newspaper that a neighboring town, population 1,383, had commissioned a muralist to paint a side wall of a historic building. The purpose of the mural is to honor the town's railroad history and veterans.

The article stated Jason Patterson, the Texas muralist, would be completing the project by next week. I felt like it was a chance for me to see the mural while he was still working on it.

Just as I had hoped, he was painting on Saturday afternoon, along with another artist. He was more than willing to answer my questions, as he continued to paint.

The details are amazing...

You can see, from his artwork, the power that ran this train.

Here is the Pullman or dining car.....giving all the comforts travelling could afford, in this time in history.

On one end of the mural, you can see how it was sketched in before the painting was started.

At times, it was necessary for the artist to work on his knees.

I tried to photograph the actual spot that is depicted in the mural.

You can see the switch tower is still in good condition, taking it's place in the town's history.

Coincidentally, while I was photographing....a freight train passed by on the very tracks as in the mural.

As you can see in the photo, it is almost life-size.

If I were the town officials, I believe I would re-locate the tree that is blocking the view.

I do believe I will go back this week end and take a final photograph for another post. Wouldn't you like to see what is painted in the right corner of the mural?

Meggie Mac

A Century...on Monday's Country Back Roads

This story began 3 months ago. That is how long I have been photographing the Century Plant ( Agave Americana). It is growing at the entrance gate of a farm on the Blackland Prairie, near where I live.

Have you ever seen a century plant bloom? From what I have read, it flowers once near the end of its life. The plant dies after flowering...but, the suckers from the base continue to grow.

When I first noticed the bloom stalk growing, it was already about 10 feet tall. It reminds me of asparagus growing.   

Notice there were no leaves on the trees when I first started photographing in late February.

If you cut the flower stem now, a sweet liquid called aguamiel will gather in the heart of the plant. The liquid can be fermented for a drink called pulque. If you click HERE, you can read of the many uses of the agave.

Each week, as I drove by on my trip to town, I stopped to photograph the changes. As you can see, the tree growing beside it, has now put on foliage. The bloom stalk has grown to about 25 feet tall.

It now has the beginnings of flower buds.

In the shadows of early morning, you can see how they are forming.

Several more weeks passed by, as I continued to watch the blooms.

Wasn't it worth the wait to see these beautiful blooms....

Meggie Mac