Farmer's Market and Stuff

I was up at 7:30 a.m. today. It was 44F (7C), bright and sunny. I headed over to the forested area again. Gordon had decided yesterday that he was going over this morning to find the deer. I met him where I had seen the deer yesterday but no deer. I don't think they like his new lens. I didn't see any either. We walked together for a bit, stopped where the bird feeders are but there were no birds there yet as it was still in the shade. I think the birds are like me, they like the sun!

There were four ibis and a great egret in the frog pond this morning. Here are two of the ibis with their reflection.

It was cold enough to have frost on the boardwalk.

This turkey vulture reminded me of Count Dracula!

After breakfast, we went in to Fulton to the Farmer's Market. There was only one person selling veggies so it wasn't much of a farmer's market. I didn't find anything I wanted to buy so just walked around the harbour, looked at the boats and walked a short ways on the pier.

Farmer's Market


The pier

Lots of white pelicans here


From there we drove down the beach road, then over to Walmart where I picked up items I need to make dessert to take to Ellie and Jim's tomorrow. I had found a laundromat in the little newspaper they have here so we drove over to it. Lots of machines out of order, I wasn't impressed but at least there were no bums sleeping on the tables. It's also at the far end of town so not sure where I will be doing laundry. Maybe I'll have to wait till we get to Mustang Island. There's a nice laundromat not far from there.

We also saw flocks and flocks of great blue heron leaving the area where they roost in the live oak trees. Don't know why they were doing this around noon today. Maybe they slept late? LOL

Some of the herons, there were lots more than are in this photo

The live oaks where they roost


While we were in town clouds came in. Bummer! I thought today was supposed to be nice all day so our high only got to 66F (19C). I had planned to sit outside and read this afternoon but since it was cloudy. I made the dessert for tomorrow, then read inside. I also got some vacumming done.

Mid afternoon it started to sprinkle a bit and then rain. They really need rain here, everything's pretty dry.

A Pictoral of Goose Island State Park & Area

I left the RV this morning at 7:45 a.m. and was gone an hour! I feel like I'm back on my desert walks last winter. It was 37F (3C) with a bit of a wind from the north so I dressed accordingly. At least the sun was bright. I hadn't walked far when I heard a Northern Cardinal and there he was up at the top of a tree by the washroom. I took a few photos, continued on and there was another one. I saw my share of cardinals on this walk.


I continued on my way toward the forested area and walked almost the whole way around Lantana Loop. The loop has RV sites around it's perimeter as well as some cross streets. If you can get on the perimeter it's more private.

Along Lantana Loop

One of the larger sites - no idea why they put this little van there

One of the cross streets with RV sites

Turks Cap Trail

Sites along the loop - these are more private than those on the cross streets

The other end of Turks Cap Trail

One of the sites along the loop

Big tree within the park itself

Walking along the loop

Sites on another cross street



There were lots of little birds around this morning and some of them even let me take photos. When I got near the picnic area (photo posted yesterday), I looked off to my left and there were three deer. They were farther away than yesterday's were but still a beautiful site.

More deer





Walking back toward Aransas Bay


Dump station


Rec Hall


Picnic area along the water


Frog pond

Housing area adjacent to the park with inland waterway


Here you go right to go to the sites along Aransas Bay where we were two years ago and go straight and then left to where we are now

Walking along Stinky Beach and boy was it stinky when the wind changed this afternoon


Behind the RVs


I sat outside for a while first with a jacket and blanket but when the sun got hot it did so in a hurry. When you're out of the wind, the sun can be really hot!

After lunch, Gordon decided we should go for a ride around the area so we went to St. Charles Bay which is just around the corner from the park. There were tons of birds there but mostly ducks and coots with an egret, a spoonbill, and a heron thrown in for good measure. There were also lots of little shore birds. We also dropped into the RV park, Hidden Oaks which was new two years ago when we were here and now he's pretty much full.

We first drove down to where we parked two years ago


Some birds in St. Charles Bay

Kestrel on the wire


These old live oaks trees have huge branches

This is the big tree advertised as being part of Goose Island State Park but it's actually outside the park proper

Sandhill cranes across from St. Charles Bay

Roseate spoonbill in St. Charles Bay - we've never seen a roseate in the bay before

Little blue heron (I think) catches his lunch in St. Charles Bay

Copse of live oaks

Back in Goose Island SP at the bird feeders we saw lots of male cardinals and this female having her lunch

Pelican on the light standard probably watching for fishing boats to come in




When we came back to the state park, we drove around the forested area and stopped at the little bird area they have set up with feeders and a birdbath. There were a lot of cardinals and other miscellaneous little birds around as well as a lot of squirrels.

That done, we came home and I went up to the campground showers then sat outside to dry my hair and read for a while.

Back in my lawnchair

Today was a gorgeous sunny day with a high of around 65F (18C).

A Birthday and A Day at Goose Island

Happy Birthday Ellie! It's my understanding that this young lady is turning 60 today. I can't believe it!

I've had a couple of questions in my comments lately:

Question 1 - Did you have to reserve it (site at Goose Island) or was it just available at the time of check in?
Answer - We reserved when we took our road trip to Rockport a couple of weeks ago. They had no sites available for people who just dropped in. There were some dry camping in the parking lot but they had to turn others away.

Question 2 - What is your site number? Nice views!
We're in site 4 but all of the sites on the water have a view of Aransas Bay.

Re: Nortel

Something I found out from my friend, Nancy who worked at Nortel for years. Nortel is self-funded in the benefits that are offered. They pay the bulk of the cost and pay an insurance company to administer the plans. So it's not a matter of 'if' my benefits will be discontinued, it's more a matter of 'when'. Guess I'd better start shopping for insurance myself!

My Day

I was up before 8 a.m. and had a great walk this morning. It was 44F (7C) with dappled cloud. I walked over to the treed area. Goose Island State Park has two camping areas, the ones we're on that back onto the Bay and the treed area where the sites are amongst the beautiful old live oaks. It's a nice area too but those big old trees don't leave much room for a satellite signal so I just walk over there.

Sun dappled skies



On my way over I encountered these beautiful deer. They're curious creatures.

A little head peeking out at me

A curious one

The picnic area in the park



Instead of walking back on the road, I cut across the mowed area. I don't think it's really considered a trail but I used it anyway. It wasn't easy walking though so probably won't do it again even though it's something of a shortcut.

My shortcut


I took my camera with me this morning even though it's a pain to carry it when you're running but I expected to see things I'd want to photograph and I was right! I was out for about 45 minutes and could have been out longer but my back was starting to tell me it was time to get home.

Looking toward the pier this morning



After breakfast I went into Rockport to get some groceries. I first went to HEB and then to Walmart. Neither of the stores here can hold a candle to the one in Port Lavaca. I asked at HEB about gluten free products and they had no clue.

When I got back, I put the groceries away and lay down for a nap. Don't know why I was so tired.

Gordon called Mustang Island State Park today and we're booked in for two weeks there beginning February 11th.

Our high reached 62F and we had both cloud and sun. There was also a big fire happening north of us when we got back. I don't know if it was another prescribed burn at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge or not but it made for an interesting sky.

A smokey sky


And another gorgeous sunset