OK, everyone who knows me knows that I’m a huge sci-fi and Star Wars fan. So here’s my thoughts on seeing “Rogue One” this afternoon: It was damn depressing that everyone dies. Made more depressing by seeing Leia at the end of the movie knowing that Carrie Fisher is now gone. X-Wings and TIE Fighters … More Rogue One: A Very Short Review

The Japanese Tea Garden park in San Antonio TX used to be an abandoned limestone quarry from a local cement company (the smokestack is still here). Back in 1919, it was converted into a city park with a Japanese theme (using convict labor). Here are some photos from an afternoon in the park. It is … More Japanese Tea Garden

I’ve had mixed feelings about Sea World for a while now. In Florida, I visited Sea World Orlando many times, and also had a yearly pass to Busch Gardens (they were both owned by Annheuser-Busch). Back then, Annheuser-Busch considered the parks to be promotional expenses, and they were not intended or expected to turn a … More Sea World

The Buckhorn Museum, just a few blocks away from the Alamo in San Antonio TX, is quintessentially “Texan”. Guns, hunting, cowboys, lawmen, outlaws,more guns….about the only thing it doesn’t have is an oil well. According to legend, the “museum” began when the Buckhorn Saloon, way back in frontier days, started accepting deer antlers and cow … More The Buckhorn Museum

Alas, it is once again polar cold here in Texas—supposed to get below freezing for the next couple nights. The good news is that at least the sun is out, so I’ll finally be able to start charging up my “house” battery again, though that will likely take a couple days. Ya know, I came … More Brrrr Again……

Photos from an afternoon at the Aquarium. The Aquarium The Stingray touch tank A Bat Ray Anemones This Sculpin was watching me Moon Jellies Giant Pacific Octopus I found Dory The Aquarium doesn’t just have fish—there is an outdoors walkthrough aviary. This is a Bar-Headed Goose. A Demoiselle Crane And an indoors animal collection. These … More The San Antonio Aquarium

The Witte Museum is in San Antonio TX, right next to Brackenridge Park. Much of it is oriented towards little kids (there were a couple of school groups there during my visit), but there is also a nice collection of artifacts from Texas history. Here are some photos from an afternoon at the museum. The … More The Witte Museum

Now that it’s not raining AND is no longer polar cold, I can once again start visiting places again. So here are some photos from an afternoon at the San Antonio Zoo. This is a nice zoo–there were a LOT of species here that I had not seen before or had seen only rarely. The … More San Antonio Zoo

Now that it’s finally stopped raining, I can start visiting places again….. 🙂 Here are some photos from the Botanical Gardens in San Antonio. “Cultivate yourself”.  🙂 One of the greenhouses A view of downtown San Antonio One of the formal gardens Banana trees Japanese Garden Tai Chi practice Rice Paper Plant Hojo Santa Pineapple … More San Antonio Botanical Garden

It’s been raining steadily here for four days now, so I have just been holed up in the local mall food court. My solar panel can’t charge my battery so I have no electricity in the van, and I’m getting pretty tired of being wet all the damn time. (sigh) Forecast says the rain is … More Still Raining…….