Life's speed bumps keep a coming....But the next Best thing to perfect is...Close Enough

What a nice way to start the day....three favorite ways to be woken up by; a Rooster, a train passing by, or a cow mooing..... then the fourth which also happened...a mockingbird started singing right outside my window.... is it a concert if you have a cow and a mockingbird singing....in harmony???...didn't even make my morning coffee...put on my shorts and walked 6.5 miles around the campground....felt good as I haven't done that in a week...though chasing blue bonnets photo ops must have some redeeming exercise qualities ...and combine that with lifting a wine glass now and then....well now...I may have the making of a new exercise CD... went to see some of the sights close by...first stop Round Top about 10 miles south of the campsite...First let me state for those antique and flea market lovers, route 237 from La Grange to Carmine to Burton is suppose to be the best of the best in this region...I'm told that its one tent after another along the road and in the towns......I was told that they just had their first big weekend in conjunction with some of the towns "Blue Bonnet Days"


Back to Round Top...Don't blink...you'll will miss it....rustic  with numerous old buildings....As of the 2000 census the population was 77...founded in 1831 with the acquisition of 4428 acres by James Winn....mainly settled by German immigrants between 1845-1847.....Round Top is the home of three visitor drawing programs:


The Original Round Top Antiques Fair, features country, Americana, and European country and formal furniture, accessories, unique and eclectic items from New England, Texas, all over the United States, and Europe. The huge Spring and Fall Antique Fairs have been held every Spring and Fall for the past 43 years in Round Top, Texas. These Fairs boast five major venues: The Marburger Farm Antiques Show, The Big Red Barn, The Big Red Barn Tent, The Continental Tent, and Carmine Dance Hall. Added a few years ago are the Summer Antique Show in June and the Winter Antique Show in January, held in the Big Red Barn, which display the same quality of antiques as in the Spring and Fall Fairs .


The Round Top Festival Institute is a musical institute established in 1971 by pianist James Dick in Round Top, Texas. It provides musical education programs throughout summer and hosts several concerts every year. 

The Shakespeare at Winedale program, created in 1970 by James B. "Doc" Ayres, is a program affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin,[1] dedicated to Shakespearean criticism through performance of the plays. The main performance space at Winedale, located in Round Top, Texas, is a barn donated to the University of Texas by Ima Hogg.

It's a great, friendly town....a walk around for a couple of hours was a good way to enjoy its history and local flavor....

Round Top...Horst Kelly Photographer

Next on my agenda was a drive north to Burton, Texas...population around 359......Here is a history in a pecan shell.....the town was named after John M. Burton..had 2 things going for it...a train station and cotton, every year they have  a Cotton Gin Festival......numerous historical buildings in about a 6 block section...spent a couple hours touring.....

Burton...Horst Kelly Photographer

Off to Chappell Hill, Texas...population about 600...it was founded by Mary Haller...by the mid 19th century the town gained prominence in the region, boasting saw mills, a railroad line, Masonic Lodge, churches , the Chappell Hill Female College...

Today Chappell Hill is another small Texas town with a colorful history, that  draws people to step back in time and enjoy a historic walk thru old cemeteries; museum; it has the oldest continually operating bank in America; two festivals....its a neat place to visit...

Chappell Hill...Horst Kelly Photographer

Last stop for for the day was  to Washington-on-the-Brazos....State Historic Site...it's the home of the "Birthplace of Texas"....Texas declared independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836, and it served as the capital of the Republic of Texas...59 delegates gathered to draft and sign the Declaration of Texas Independence...the area is rich in numerous historical sites..the big problem of the day for me is the gnats are bigger and meaner, more aggressive then I have ever seen and were having the feast of a life time on my arms and legs.....needless to say I made a swift exit.......and that was it for the day....looking forward for tomorrow and more historic towns and sites........ate dinner at JW's Steakhouse in Carmine...went to do the blog to no avail..internet was down....'till tomorrow... 

Washinton on-the-Brazos...Horst Kelly Photographer

Washington on-the-Brazos structure...signing took place

You haven't seen a blog for a couple days......its now Friday the 13th...though my Friday 13th started a week ago,  and hopefully is starting to settle down today.....

here is the 'Cliff's Notes' version...Tuesday evening I went to bed around 9pm...and  at 10 or so I woke up with a terrible pain in my stomach area, cramping , etc...about a half hour later Montezuma's Revenge hit with a force that could rival the booster rockets ignition on a shuttle take off....the whole process lasted, with brief periods of calm, until about 0600......the decision was made to hitch up and head home......at least I knew the medical facilities and doctors at my home base...last thing I wanted is the ER here to tell me I need to check in their hospital leaving the camper , toad, and all my stuff stranded at a campground for an unknown period of time..... I called my bride, tell her my situation and head home arriving a little after high noon on Wednesday....I go straight to bed being nursed by the "sane one"...and don't get out of bed...except by necessity until last evening(Thursday).......at last the the curse of this trip has been lifted.....not so fast "buckaroo".... another crisis is in the making...ok hit me with your best shot....as I turn on the bathroom cold water...it comes out looking orange....I go to the toilet to see what happen....its worse ..... this morning I call the water company...and they tell me they have had numerous calls........ok...what's the problem...answer... we don't know.....its noon and still no call back.......

 Lets recap the speed bumps since the third...lets not.....it could have been worse....life is like that....it gives us "reality checks", keeps us grounded...and makes for great conversation...sometime in the future...and as my Father use to say..."Builds Character"....thanks Dad.....as the header states....The next best thing to perfect is...close enough...and this trip was!

I had a GREAT trip and am looking forward to another adventure in the near future...until then...thanks for joining me and Happy Trails...Horst sends