More from the Texas Hill Country

In the past two weeks, we have put lots of miles on our car and lots of miles on Debbie's "big ole truck". Deb and Richard left today for Austin and then home; we miss them already! These are some of the things we saw and some of the places we visited (in addition to those already written about) while hanging out with them.

Fredericksburg, Texas is an old German town that reminds me of New Ulm, Minnesota. We spent a few hours there on a couple of different days. One of the highlights is certainly St. Mary's church.

The inside is one of the most impressive churches we have even been in; I am sure the pictures will not do it justice.

Just off to the side of the Crucifix is the stained glass window showing Mary with Baby Jesus. This picture cannot possibly express the emotion when the symbolism is first spotted.

The figurines (about 2 feet tall) on top of the baptismal fount cover depicts John baptising Jesus.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus stands at least 7 feet tall and is beautifully scultped and painted.

Here is Miss Debbie posing in front of the altar. This stained glass window is over the door through which you leave the church.

"The Pieta" adorns the back of the church.

Attention is paid to all details in the church building; while we were there, men were making some minor repairs.

When we left the church, we visited the "Marketplatz" where the last of the sumer's roses was still in bloom ... and where there is a sculpture commemorating the only U.S. treaty not broken with the Native Americans.

e revisited The Guadalupe River where it was flowing much more rapidly.

Then we showed off "Stonehenge" and the Easter Island type sculptures that adorn the area AND found the biggest red ants I have ever seen - Texan Red Ants, of course - everything is bigger in Texas.

We saw long stretching fences everywhere we drove.

And sometimes behind them were beautiful horses grazing. And sometimes, there were goats or sheep or elk behind those fences. (I think this first picture is some weird kind of sheep - take a look at that long beard.)

And all over the Hill Country, we have seen deer. Sometimes, it even seem like they are posing for us.

Driving back home one day from some place or another, we saw a sign that said "Cross Mountain" so of course we had to see what that was all about. Some fellow owned a hill and decided to build a cross and put lights on it. Because of the clouds, views of the cross were dramatic.

Yesterday, we drove up to "Lost Maples State Park". This area has an unusual number of maple trees and usually they are in full color at this time of the year, but because of the drought and severe heat and then the rains, the color was not the best. But, there were still great surprises.

On the way there, we drove down an interesting gravel road and found the old town of Huff - at least that is what it said on the general store/post office.

It was a chilly day (around 60), but we had a picnic in the park anyway. Richard froze!

Deb, and Mike and I went for a mile walk and found some spotty color.

It was a very nice park and we may return for a longer walk (and perhaps better color) in a few days. Thanks Richard and Debbie for coming west to visit us; we had a great time with you.

More from the Hill Country at a later date.