We were up early this morning, getting Leslie's pickup loaded and helping her get ready for her final trip to their new home. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of the loaded truck.
Don and I said goodbye to Leslie and the kids and went to meet Mom and Pops Winklemann for breakfast out at China Springs. It's always a sweet time with them. The owner of Griff's where we ate, just returned from a trip to several countries taking pictures of missionaries and the work they're doing. It was so interesting talking to Willie Gomez and listening to his heart. I wish I had taken notes. Don told him we need him on the board of CRM International. Professionally, Willie is a photographer.
So we took off on our back roads trip back to Oklahoma. Many of the Texas towns still utilize their original courthouses and their downtown area is built around that courthouse on a square. This is Meridian, Texas courthouse. 
Glenrose, Texas.
It's green and beautiful in Texas, too.
Granbury Lake at Granbury, Texas.
Grandbury Courthouse. Almost all of the old courthouses have a four clocks on each side at the top.
Don spotted these buildings from a few hundred feet down the road and we stopped. Actually, this is what he saw: a GIANT rocking chair! 
Shades of Silver Dollar City... in Texas. Only this "city" is privately owned. Texas Hill Country Furniture and Mercantile is located on Highway 281 just south of Lipan, Texas. 96% of the furniture sold here is made here and it is beautiful. Don and I decided this is where we would furnish our next home, should we ever purchase real estate again. They even had a "hoof footed" bathtub made of wood... beautiful. No picture taking was allowed inside, but check out their website by clicking on the name above.
We were told this is the newest addition. A horse made to scale out of horseshoes.
Porch swings, lawn swings and ...
rocking chairs galore and they are solid.
Shades of yesterday. I love that these antiques are being preserved for future generations to see.
The replicated old buildings were great.
Here's a side view of the Natty Flat Smokehouse.
Need a wagon wheel?
A nice little bridge over the "draw."
As you can see, this giant chair is almost as tall as the utility pole behind it. It is the world's largest cedar rocker measuring 29'-9 1/2" tall and it is appropriately named The Star of Texas Rocker.
All along the front fence are old farming relics such as this buckboard... 
and this cottonseed planter...
and this piece of equipment that I need to ask my mother about.
The prickly bear cactus are beautiful in this part of Texas.
On the famous porch of the furniture store and mercantile.
A windmill and water cistern to store the pumped water in. The red barn in the back is where a lot of the furniture is built from logs.
Natty Flat Smokehouse where we purchased yummy homemade fried pies: apricot and cherry cream cheese.
We spent at least an hour at Natty Flat, Texas and enjoyed every minute of it.
A "going down the road" scene to my right.
In Mineral Wells, Texas, this is the famous Baker Hotel, now closed to business but open for tours. The history of Mineral Wells and The Baker Hotel and Spa is quite interesting and many well known celebrities have registered here. The City of Minerals Wells is trying to save this building. Check out the office Baker Hotel website: http://www.bakerhotel.us/
Back out in the country.
Snookie.... just for you.
In Jacksboro, Texas I saw this S & H Green Stamp sign down the street... got so excited and then got this great picture of a telephone pole!! Arrrgh.
When we stopped for gas, this little fellow was very friendly, waving and smiling at me. Nice cap, huh?
The entrance to a paint horse ranch. I missed getting a picture of all the paint horses, but this one stood very still for us going past at 65 miles per hour. 
The Red River under Highway 81.
Back in Oklahoma.
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