Trip to Texas-(6) Dallas- Thanks-Giving Square

This little square is located right at the middle of downtown Dallas.  It offers many beautiful backgrounds perfect for your Instagram! The chapel of Thanksgiving is a unique little building inside and out.  Here are few photos taken at the Square.

Chapel of Thanks-Giving 

inside the Chapel

Trip to Texas-(5) Dallas-Giant Eye Ball

It sounds strange but here is a giant eyeball sitting right in the middle of downtown Dallas! With red vines and all. It's a little creepy but it is a unique sculpture.

The website below gives a store behind the sculpture and the waiters at the nearby restaurant have also told us similar stories.  The eye with the red vines means it is sored, so go figure. 

Why Is There A Giant Eyeball In Downtown Dallas? We Take a Look. | Art&Seek | Arts, Music, Culture for North Texas (artandseek.org)

Trip to Texas-(4) Texas Longhorn

The Texas Longhorn is a distinctive breed of cattle renowned for its impressively long horns, which can extend to over 100 inches from tip to tip for both cows and bulls. These cattle were originally introduced to Texas by Spanish colonists.

My first encounter with these unique bovines was in Dallas, where I initially observed sculptures of them. However, my excitement grew when I spotted real and living Texas Longhorns in the countryside while driving from Dallas to Fredericksburg. Their strikingly long horns and robust appearance exuded a strong and masculine aura, making them exceptionally beautiful creatures. Although these cattle once played a pivotal role in Texas's history, today they are primarily showcased for special events and exhibitions.

Trip to Texas-(3) life in a Ranch- Horses

As I mentioned earlier, the cowboys at this ranch do not ride actual horses; they ride "Japanese quarter horses." While there are some real horses present on the ranch, they are primarily intended for performances and displays.

with a real horse

Riding a Japanese quarter horse

Trip to Texas-(2) life in a Ranch-raising sheeps

I've witnessed this picturesque scene numerous times, but always in the movies: sheep and lambs grazing in vast, open green fields. However, on this particular trip, I had the privilege of seeing them in real life for the very first time!

The orphans lambs who had lost their mothers were kept in a separate gated area. Two of them were especially lovely and warm.   I really really wanted to take them home😀

Trip to Texas-(1) life in a Ranch, raising goats

Prior to my visit to this family ranch in Texas, my perception of ranch life was shaped by Western movies, where cowboys rode horses, brandished ropes, and energetically herded large groups of cattle. However, upon arriving at this family ranch, I didn't witness the same scene. Instead, I had the opportunity to meet the goats that the family was raising, and I had a truly up-close and personal experience with them. The goats I encountered were exceptionally well cared for and were regarded as the owners' children. They appeared clean, adorned with beautiful markings, in good health, and each exuded a unique personality. I was informed that all of them were sired by a single goat, the largest one featured in my photos, known as Billy the Goat. As we approached the barn gate, all the goats rushed to it, expecting to be fed. Once inside the barn, I had the privilege of getting close and personal with both the parent goats and their offspring. Some of the goats were more friendly, approaching me, nibbling on my camera belt, and rubbing their heads on my sleeves, while others observed from a distance. Before we opened the gate to allow the goats to venture out to graze in the pasture, I was advised to have my camera ready to capture their exuberant sprint. I eagerly complied, documenting their lively run as they ventured out into the open. A few even curiously explored the interior of the Jeep before joining their peers in the pasture. This marked my first encounter with such a diverse array of goats, varying in size, shape, and markings. They were undeniably adorable and stunning in their own unique ways.

Trip to Midwest-(21) Falling Water, Pennsylvania

A house hidden in the mountain with water running through it. This house was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1939 for prominent Pittsburgh family Edgar Jonas Kaufmann. Today, this house is a museum. The tour inside of the house has been sold out for the next few years. So, the only thing we did was admire the house outside from afar. Like most of the people who came here, we stopped at a special designated spot to see the house and take photos with it. That's about it. Enclosed here are also a couple of photos from farms just outside the Wright house.

The Wright House

The farmhouses nearby

Trip to Midwest-(20) St. Louis Union Station Hotel and Union Station

Once upon a time, this hotel and this train station were both so very grand.  This hotel has old time decor inside and outside and a huge lobby which is very modern.   Unfortunately, with the pandemic going on, the lobby is almost deserted.

The train station no longer serves as a train station rather an amusement park.

St. Louis Union Station Hotel

St. Louis Union Station

Trip to Midwest-(19) A little piece of Heaven-Tower Grove Park

This is a local park in St. Louis with beautiful water ponds and flowers that feel like in a little piece of heaven. Enjoy!

Trip to Midwest-(18)-flowers in Missouri Botanical Gardens conservatory

 The conservatory is rather small.  There were not many flowers and some of them are artificial. Let's see if you know which one☺