A Trip Down FM 4

Well, I'm back!  It's been at least a year and a half since I last posted a blog, but I am back thanks to Michael Nobbs and his Sustainably Creative.  I have followed Michael over the years, but this year, as I was having eye problems and also problems with my creativity, I decided to join the group, and I surely am glad I did.  Michael has assisted me in reflection and in taking "Tiny Steps" toward my goals for 2013.  Thanks, Michael!  And, by the way, his new book, Drawing Your Life, will be coming out soon.  You can watch a promo video on his website!

My "tiny steps" in February have taken the form of clearing out my studio/office, but Raf and I decided that we would also begin our photography/drawing expeditions once again, and we did that yesterday by taking Texas Farm Road 4 from Palo Pinto to Cleburne. 

This is one of the most beautiful roads in Texas, but our government has decided, in its infinite wisdom, to flood a portion of this most glorious area in order to have more water for our community.  They could have done this in another way by dredging our current water supply when it was so low two years ago, but they would rather take a spectacular, famous bicycle trail and cover it with water!  Oh, well.

 First we drove to Palo Pinto and ate breakfast at the County Seat Grill, also called Red's because Allie and Red Segars opened it in the 1960's.

 I had scrambled eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, and toast.  Raf had two fried eggs with sausage.

Of course, no meal in Texas is complete without the state drink, Dr. Pepper.

 We turned south on the west side of Palo Pinto School, and there was FM 4.

 

Along the way we stopped to take photos and for me to draw.  This fine herd of cattle greeted us just this side of a beautiful oak tree, bare for the winter.

 East of Lipan, Texas, named, of course, for the Lipan Apaches, we saw Comanche Peak.  Yes, I know a peak is supposed to be pointed, but this one isn't.  It's flat and can be seen, or seen from in the case of the Indians who rode this way, for about 25 miles.  From Comanche Peak, the Indians could see approaching Calvary from any direction.

 The Hood County Courthouse is in Grabury, Texas.

Granbury is a great place to shop in historic buildings.

This is the Johnson County Courthouse in Cleburne, Texas,

the next town we came to, after Acton where Davy Crockett's wife, Elizabeth Patton Crockett, along with her son, Robert, and Robert's wife Matilda, are buried at the Acton State Historical Site.

 While taking a photo of the courthouse we saw this sign.  Can anyone read it?  We can't.

 We encountered sprinkles and cloudy sky on our trip, and the temperature stayed in the 50˚F range.

Coming home on Texas State Highway 171, we drove for miles right next to a rail track.  I do love trains!

I will say that our "tiny step" left us both tired, but we are still glad of the journey, and we hope to take a similar trip next week.

See ya!