My Mother's Day Trip--pictures from the Desert Southwest

[Basquo]

I left Friday morning for Grandmama’s home in Rankin, Texas.  Grandmama is my last living grandparent. I won’t bore you with all the details of the trip, but it was sad; Grandmama is suffering from Alzheimer’s, but she still lives alone and even drives a bit. That will stop soon; she’s starting to get rid of things. In fact, she insisted we spend 3 hours last night going through pictures to dole out to her children and grandchildren.  This morning she took ill and I was troubled to see her so, but I left because I knew she was in my mum’s capable hands. I just spoke with my mother and they went to the tiny hospital in Rankin to make sure she was okay.  She’s back home now, and Mom is staying with her as my favorite aunt, who lives closer, left for Bejing today (funny how these small town ladies travel all over the world because they do a bang-up job selling Avon!)

So here’s part 1 of my trip:

I drove out of my way to see fabulous wildflowers, and often the roadside and surrounding savannah was covered in yellow, orange and red flowers, and there were even large patches of bluebonnets, which are past their prime in my area. I climbed through the foothills of the Davis Mountains, towards one of my favorite places on the planet: a small hilltop picnic area where you can look for miles around and see the buttes and mountains than inspired the comic strip “Alley Oop” from the 1930’s.

The Brown Pearl got me there safe and sound. The skies are fantastic in West Texas.


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[Basquo]

Part 2:

Just on my grandmother’s three acres, there were so many tiny flowers to see. The largest of them were the prickly pear cactus, all in full orange and yellow bloom.  The purple buds are the actual fruit that they produce, so named “prickly pear” because not only are the cactus leaves shaped like pears, but the fruits taste like pears, too.  But you can’t just pick them and eat them, you have to singe off the needle-like hairs, then mash and stain them to get the “pear juice,” otherwise, you’ll get strychnine poisoning.

A storm was coming in from the North, so I went back inside.  Mom’s precious Yorkie, Libby, kept me safe


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[Basquo]

Part 3:

Afterwards, I went back outside to take some more pictures.  Rankin is a town of less than 500. There’s talk of closing the school as there’s not much left since the oil boom went bust. I enacted the macro feature of my digital camera (thanks to Jan for telling me about that) and started getting closer to some of the flowers.  Grandmama’s honeysuckle was overwhelming day and night.  Such a sweet scent.

I even got face-to-face with some of the young prickly pear leaves.


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[Basquo]

Part 4:

These blossoms were about a half-inch in diameter.  They showed in lavender, purple, white, yellow, coral and orange.

On the drive home today, I took a different route, and drove by Twin Butte Park, which my cousins from the region affectionately refer to as “Squaw Tit Mountain.”  Apparently it’s known for keg parties, though I would know little of that much less squaw tits.


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[anniebc]

Hi there

I love the photo's, I wonder if Prickly Pear would grow here in NZ.

I knew all about your trip before I looked at your post, I just had a phone call not 5 minutes ago from my handsome visitor from Texas...

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

Hugs
Jan

[AlanBama]

Great pics honey, glad you got to visit your grandma.....

[Jean-Yves]

Absolutely Beautiful!!!  I miss Texas in the spring so much. I lived in Austin for 8 years in the '80s. Thank you for sharing.
Jean-Yves

[Robert]

Creighton.

What beautiful pictures.  The wide open skies, the spring blossoms. the honeysuckles, the prickley pears.  You truly live in a beautiful part of the country.  What a wonderful Mother's DAy you had~~

robert

[david25luvit]

Thanks for sharing all the great pics....and I hope your granny will be ok.
I too only have one grandparent left and she's ninety two but in relatively good health.
It must have been difficult to see your grandmother that way....even more distressful
knowing it isn't going to get any better.  Going to visit her was a GOOD thing....
Hang in there, Basque!

[allopathicholistic]

Libby is a cute doggy. next time teach her how to take a picture of you
{{{hug}}}

[bear60]

Thank you for the post and the pictures. Very nice. 

[Andy Velez]

Thanks for the pictures and your journal of the trip. Always have envied those who have living grandparents. I grew up without any. They can add such richness into one's life. One of these days I may get to have that experience by being one.

There's poetry in your soul, Basquo.

Cheers,

[jack]

texas.

[BT65]

Wonderful post!  Loved the pictures!  I know when I go to Arizona, there is similar beauty.  I'm glad you got to see you grandmother.  I'll keep her in my thoughts and prayers.  Thanks for sharing those!