Twin Lakes Snowshoe - December 2017

There were 24 of us on this on and off trail snowshoe hike and it was probably the coldest hike I have ever been on (not counting my snow camping experiences). At 23 degrees F, it was tough to stay warm even while moving. Stop for a few minutes and wow, it was painful. As usual though, I was surrounded by awesome beauty and great people! I really enjoyed my day! This was my last hike of 2017. What a great year!

 

West Texas Family Reunion – Happy 85th Birthday Dad and Uncle Jim

On November 30, 2017, my father and his twin brother (aka my Uncle Jim) turned 85 years old! Whooo-hoooo! The Miller clan decided to get together and celebrate in West Texas.  Teresa and Scott (my cousin and her husband) live in Alpine, Texas which isn't too far outside of the Big Bend National Park... an area we all hold dear to our hearts. Both families spent many, many moons in the dry desert at "the 40 acres". "The Twins" bought the property long ago for their parents who loved spending time in the Big Bend, enjoying the solitude and peace it offered so freely. We grew up spending two weeks every November at the 40 acres and learned to love it just as much as our grandparents did. West Texas was the perfect place to gather, celebrate and travel down Memory Lane!

The Miller Clan
First Row: Carolin, John, Emme, Jim, Brittany
Second Row: Yvonne, Cynthia, Jacqueline, Maxine, Teresa
Third Row: Steve, Craig, Russ, Scott
(My son Matthew and Yvonne's son Tristen were unable to attend)

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

at Teresa and Scott's house in Apine, TX

(They have such a beautiful place!)

"Jimmie" and "Jonnie" grew up dressed exactly alike for YEARS... 

 

It was a great surprise and lots of fun to see them in the same clothes once again! Good job, guys! I will forever remember my 8 year old niece's surprise and confusion looking back and forth between the two men - never having seen them together before - trying to figure out who her grandfather was.  She sat on my Uncle's lap and asked, "Are you my granddaddy or are you the other one?"  I remember when we were young we would sometimes confuse the two and call the wrong one "daddy" so I completely understood my niece's confusion! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

John and Jim

John and Jim

TERLINGUA GHOST TOWN

When we were kids, Terlingua really was a "ghost town". It was deserted and out in the middle of absolutely nowhere. There were old stone houses and buildings half crumbled to the ground, an old jail, an old church, wide open cinnabar/mercury mines (we used to drop stones into them and listen to them bouncing off of the sides going down for what seemed like forever) and there were very, very few people for miles around. We could go days without seeing another single soul.

Unfortunately (in my opinion), people have moved into the area and it now looks more like a "junk town" than a historic ghost town. There are broken down trailers and dilapidated homes built among the old (historic) crumbled houses and buildings. There is a public bathroom attached to the old jail. Why wasn't a new building created for the bathroom instead of attaching it to an old historic building?? Honestly... it was really sad to see and the appeal of the "ghost town" has been completely destroyed for me. 

On the porch of the gift shop in town

Hula Hoops were there for the tourist - nothing else to do!

I STILL can't hula hoop but Teresa and Maxine sure could!
You go girls! I'm so jealous!  ;)

Fossils found in the area minus the little green rubber dinosaur... 

Standing on the grate covering an old mine.
The picture really doesn't show you the hole.

Old mine cart. I can't imagine standing in one of these
while being lowered down into such a dark, deep, narrow hole!

TERLINGUA CEMETERY

This cemetary was just how I remembered it... OLD.  However, they do still bury people there from time to time!

A new grave as of May 2017.
The story goes that this man sat around drunk on a porch and gave people advice.

LAJITAS GOLF RESORT AND SPA

OVERLOOKING THE RIO GRANDE RIVER

Mexico on the left side of the River - USA on the right

"Behind the Scenes"

"THE 40 ACRES"

  

Hen Egg Mountain in the distance

These "black hills" (dried lava mud hills) were favorites to play on when we were children. They are almost soft compared to everything else out there. We spent hours as kids climbing on them and sliding down on our rear-ends. The greatest thing about these "black hills"... there were no cacti on them or immediately around them so we could run and play without worrying about being stuck with the cacti needles - unlike the rest of the surrounding land! (Grandmother spent hours every year removing cacti needles from our hands, fingers, arms, legs and backsides...)

I headed directly over to the black hills immediately after we arrived at the 40 acres. It was very special for me and my brother to share these same hills - the fun and the memories - with our own daughters! And yes, they slid down them too!

Dog Cholla - we called them "jumping cactus"! 
Movement past them make them "jump" and they
usually stick right into the back of your calf! 

Hen Egg Mountain - Elevation: 5,005 feet
I have to go back and climb it!
Apparently the backside is much more climber-friendly than the side we always looked at.

SANTA ELENA CANYON

Big Bend National Park

Mule Ears

Christmas Mountain

BACK AT THE 40 ACRES

In November, 1980, my brother, dad and I met my grandparents at the 40 acres for what would be the last time I was there as a child. Our family was moving to Washington State and the Big Bend would no longer be our yearly destination. On the day we were leaving, I put my initials "JSM" on the ground in rock along with the year "80".  These initials are each about 3 feet from top to bottom. Over the years (37 to be exact), these rocks have remained in place. My grandparents and cousin avoided them for years and sent me pictures from time to time showing me they were still there. Thankfully I didn't put them in the middle of the campsite!

I decided to "check myself in" again at the 40 acres and put the year "2017" in stone too. (Sorry to hog up more space, Teresa!)  We actually added a little "19" in front of the "80" as well. I'm sure these rocks are going to be there for many, many years to come. 😊 

My daughter experienced the "jumping cactus!"
Luckily it only got her in the shoe.

THE CHISOS MOUNTAINS

Lost Mine Trail

  
I was very fortunate to get to go on a hike while I was in West Texas! (You know I took my boots and backpack in hopes of such an event!) My cousin, Teresa, took me on one of her favorite hikes in the area. The Chisos Mountains are at a higher elevation than most of the desert so it's cooler and wetter there. There are TREES on the mountains, not just cacti! The trees were not part of my childhood memories so it was a beautiful surprise! (They were there... I just didn't remember them.)

Looking out over the Terlingua Valley

The Big Bend holds all kinds of hidden treasures!

LUNA'S JACAL

"Gilberto Luna built his Jacal some time around 1900 and lived and 

raised a large family there until his death at 109 years of age in 1947."

The birthday party and reunion were a total success! I'm so happy we all made it (getting to Alpine, Texas is not a quick and easy trip for any of us). I missed having my son along but someday after he is out of school hopefully he can take a trip with me to an area totally foreign to him... an area that looks and feels like you're on a completely different planet compared to the lush, green, mountainous Pacific Northwest that we currently live in... an area that will forever pull at my heartstrings.

Teresa and Scott -- you are absolutely wonderful hosts! Your hospitality, planning and efforts made this trip everything that it was. You kept the crowd moving, organized, entertained and fed - even providing us with a meal from our beloved Underwood's - 340 miles away! I can't ever thank you enough for all you two did for us. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. xoxox

Lifetime memories were once again created and I can't wait to go back and make some more!

Thank you, Brittany, for coming along and sharing all of my excitement! Love you!