We are going to take a look at some of the things people have decided they no longer need. Yes, it is another look at the trash. We are catered by Bird Bird Biscuit. Our entertainment is Queen.
Menu
So let’s go.
Our first view is a kiddie assortment. Maybe outgrown, but the Salvation Army doesn’t pick up.
Last call.
No more lounging at home. Gotta go back to the office.
More kiddie toys and a questionable piece of art.
Coffee table or hide behind. You decide.
After three nights of wine drinking, the Simpsons decided to recover. Getting rid of the evidence was the first item on the agenda.
All I need is this trash can, this chair, and my remote.
The BBQ side of beef was heavier than anticipated.
Today we are going to go to the neighborhood and look at two different things. We are being catered by Con Todo of Austin. Our entertainment is Patsy Cline.
Menu (click to enlarge if needed)
We are ready
This is a mailbox in the neighborhood. This photo was pulled from Google by The Producer. It is what is considered a ‘before’ photo.
Here is the after. Looks like someone got too friendly with VooDoo Rangers.
Here is the interim view. Need to continue to get mail.
Now for the cement block first phase of construction.
The next phase of stucco work is complete.
Finished product.
Here is a culvert with brickwork.
Here is a culvert with brickwork of another kind. (Go figure, right?)
I hope you enjoyed the different things. Relax and enjoy the food and music. I hope you have a terrific week.
For those who follow this blog, you know it has been hot here in Texas. In fact, I’ve talked too much about it. One item I haven’t mentioned is the deer. As you can imagine, the deer need water sources with all the heat. Today, we are taking a tour to see what folks are doing to supply deer water. We are catered by Cypress Cajun.
Grill of Austin. Our entertainment is Brad Paisley.
Menu
BRUNCH SPECIALTIES
Creole Eggs Benedict – English muffin, poached eggs, Cajun tasso ham, Creole hollandaise, served with one side (also available with classic hollandaise sauce)
Eggs Napoleon – English muffin, poached eggs topped with crawfish etouffee and cheddar-jack cheese, served with choice of one side.
Loaded Biscuit – Buttermilk biscuit open-faced, topped with Cajun tasso ham, andouille sausage gravy, and two eggs your way
Shrimp & Grits -Gulf shrimp, andouille sausage, and red peppers in a traditional low country gravy atop our creamy garlic cheese grits with crumbled bacon
Spanky Special -Sandwich with fried egg, American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion and mayo on toasted whole wheat
BREAKFAST STANDARDS
Cajun Hash -Andouille sausage, tasso ham, and boudin sausage sautéed with home fries, tomato, onion, and jalapeno, topped off with two eggs any way you like them.
French Toast -French bread, grilled golden brown, and topped with powdered sugar, served with one side.
The Bayou Breakfast – Two eggs any way you like them, plus any three sides
Buttermilk Pancakes – Three homemade pancakes with a choice of one side. Add Blueberries, Chocolate Chips, and Candied Pecans
Build Your Own Omelet – Three egg omelet with three of the following ingredients: andouille sausage, Tasso ham, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, Gulf shrimp, lump crab, crawfish etouffée, Creole hollandaise topping, parmesan, cheddar jack, or provolone Served with choice of one side.
Let’s go
An excellent stainless steel pan makes a good watering place.
A horse bucket does the trick.
Here is a doe leaving a Home Depot bucket.
Another Home Depot bucket. It’s not the best choice since Bucks can get their antlers stuck if the water level is low.
Speaking of Bucks. Here is a thirsty one in the sun’s glare.
Ah yes. A long, cool drink.
Another type of bucket.
A little blue one.
A tub and a hose.
That ends our tour. Time for food and music. I hope you have a great week.
Linda Leinen, a remarkable historian of all things Texas, wrote to me last week with some information about The Merci Train. Here is a little about the train taken from the Merci Train Website, which is HERE.
The Merci Train was a train of 49 French railroad box cars filled with tens of thousands of gifts of gratitude from at least that many individual French citizens. They were showing their appreciation for the more than 700 American box cars of relief goods sent to them by (primarily) individual Americans in 1948. The Merci Train arrived in New York harbor on February 3rd, 1949, and each of the 48 American states at that time received one of the gift-laden box cars. The 49th box car was shared by Washington D.C. and the Territory of Hawaii. Parades and welcome ceremonies were conducted in the state capitals and major cities of almost all the states.
The train’s boxcars are maintained in honor of all those who helped liberate France during World War II. The work being done by Veterans and volunteers. Linda further stated that the boxcar sent to Texas is at Camp Mabry in Austin. I couldn’t help myself, so off we went to see for ourselves. I hope you enjoy the tour. We are catered by Luties of Austin, and our entertainment is Edith Piaf.
Brunch Menu
Pastries
Croissant Pain Au Chocolat Kouign Amann Cheese Danish
Frozen Yogurt, Melon, Cucumber
Matcha Overnight Oats, Strawberry, Raspberry
Lemon Soft Serve, Granola, Apricot
Petit Aioli
Estate Bread, Saffron Honey, Butter Terrine
Turkish Eggs, Yogurt. Chili, Flatbread
Bagels with Almost Everything
Hangtown Fry, Oysters, Bacon, Tomato
Oyster Mushroom Hash Brown, Fried Egg, Radish, Habanero Yacoro Rojo Crêpes, Soft Scrambled Egg, Mornay, Black Trumpets Gulf Shrimp Omelette, Smoked Trout Roe, Hollandaise Barbecued Gulf Shrimp, and Grits
Croque Madame, Smoked Ham, Sunny Side Egg, Gruyere Waffle, Roasted Banana, Pumpkin Seed
Sourdough French Toast, Tumeric, Golden Raisins
We are ready.
Here we are at Camp Mabry, an active military base.
The seal of gratitude and French flag from the people of France to the people of the United States.
A Forty and Eight boxcar from The Train of Gratitude (also called the Merci Train) shows the seals of all the French providences and the train seal itself.
The Forty and Eight explained. The car can carry forty men or eight horses without straining your eyes. The cars were used in the two World Wars to transport men and material to the front.
The display below the car shows items from left: The Life magazine article of February 28th, 1949, about the gift of the train, A World War I souvenir letter opener from 1918 to 1920, A Moroccan Koummya Dagger 1880 to 1940, and a German bayonet from World War I fashioned into a Simitar 1880 to 1918. The knives were gifts contained in the car.
The view of the other side of the car with a mannequin present showing the scale.
The French people gathered gifts and donated them to the effort. Some gifts, such as toys, dolls, and service medals, are very personal. All were from individuals. Here is a small sample.
The gift of a sword was included.
Morter and pestle
Handkerchiefs.
Horse drawings.
The front of a carving with the following story.
The back of the carving.
There were countless gifts in the car, and none of them are on public display. They are preserved at the Briscoe Center for American History on the University of Texas campus. You can see more photos of them by clicking the Texas link above.
Well, that is the tour. Now it is time to relax and enjoy the music. If you want to know more and find the car for your state, just click on the links above, then go to the banner and click on your state. There will be a location of the car for that state. I hope you all have a great week. Thanks to Linda for the heads up.
Today we are going to cruise the neighborhood. I want to show you two things. The first is to give you an idea of the topography and house placement in Lakewat. The second is to show how some folks use abundant rocks. We are catered by Quantos Tacos Foodtruck of Austin. (Mexico City Street food). Our entertainment is Alabama.
Today we are going on a trip to the unusual. Today’s collection is varied and not related to a theme. We are catered by Ezov of Austin. Our entertainment is The Eurythmics.
Since this is pre-Fourth of July, The Producer and I thought we might like some Fourth of July decoration photos. Unfortunately, the folks in the neighborhood did not agree since none of the decorations are up. So we had to switch gears and bring you the next best thing. (wait for it) Porch swings and rocking chairs. (I have O2 on the bus for anyone whose breath has been taken away.) At least it is a nice summer day for an outing. We are being catered by Kome of Austin. Our entertainment is Kid Rock.
Menu
sushi a-go-go classic rolls
Austin – krab salad, avocado, tuna, eel sauce, sesame seeds
It is time to start looking at the early summer blooms and check on the deer. We are being catered by Interstellar Bar B Que of Austin. Our entertainment is Miley Cyris.
Menu
BEEF KIELBASA – All beef traditional Polish style sausage in a pork casing
JALAPEÑO POPPER SAUSAGE – Beef and pork blend in a pork casing, jalapenos, and chunks of gooey cheddar
CHOPPED BRISKET – Chopped ends sauced with Johnny’s Texas Red Sauce
PEACH TEA GLAZED PORK BELLY – Slowly smoked until tender, then glazed with our homemade peach tea glaze
TURKEY – Turkey breast brined in citrus, herbs, and Live Oak Hefeweizen, seasoned with salt and pepper
PORK SPARE RIBS – Duroc pork spare rib; a little sweet, a little spicy
PULLED LAMB SHOULDER – Juicy pulled lamb shoulder seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and a splash of rice vinegar
BRISKET-USDA prime all-natural brisket seasoned with salt, pepper & garlic
Sides
TOMATO ZUCCHINI SALAD – Thinly sliced zucchini, fresh diced tomato, and red onion marinated in a citrus vinaigrette
MAC & GOUDA- Fresh-made pasta shells and our creamy smoked gouda cheese sauce, topped with toasted panko breadcrumbs.
SMOKED SCALLOP POTATOES – Thinly sliced potatoes layered with cream, parmesan, and garlic smoked to a golden brown
JALAPEÑO SLAW – Shredded green, red cabbage and carrot tossed in our homemade jalapeno dressing
NEW POTATO SALAD – Tender, red-skinned potatoes in a creamy dressing with a little mustard and a little mayo, chopped celery, and red onion
COMPLIMENTARY BBQ BEANS – Red beans cooked down with chopped ends and spices.
Let’s go.
Golden Thryallis looks great.
The Three Tenors.
A cute reminder that there are fawns in the neighborhood.
This week we will look at the winners of the recently completed Lakeway photo festival. The rules were all photos were to be taken in Lakeway by Lakeway residents. The Lakeway Arts Committee put on another fantastic contest this year, receiving 164 submissions from 54 talented local photographers. This year’s categories included Artistic, Community, Nature/Greenery, Nature/Sky, Pets, Wildlife/Birds, and Wildlife/Critters. We are going to the award ceremony and check out the winners. We are catered by Epicere of Austin. Our entertainment is Ringo Starr.
We are off to Bee Cave Texas a town three miles up the road. They are holding an art show on the common ground of the Galleria of Shops. We will be catered by Bufalina of Austin. Our entertainment is Robert Palmer
Menu
Salad
bibb salad – mustard vinaigrette, soft herbs, honey crisp apple
caesar salad – parmigiano reggiano, anchovy, croutons
stracciatella – cured olive, roasted tomato, thyme, black pepper, foccacia
crudo á la swan – bluefin tuna, caper, red onion, serrano
