Rerun Houston TX (Part 2)

Time to venture out... no Doctor appointments today

Dec 14, 2019

Always time to stop and admire the flowers under
the fabulous black oaks...

This huge sundial was calibrated
correctly just on the other side of the waterfall shown
in the above video.

Our adventure for today was the Houston Museum
of Natural Science.  What a Gem.  We spent about 4 hours
here and could have spent at least 2 more.

The Planetarium Theatre was showing a movie
"Passport to the Universe" narrated by Tom Hanks"
so we couldn't not see that.

We just sat back with heads resting so we could
enjoy the cosmos fly by all around us.  WOW!!!

As we entered the Mineral & Gemstone Gallery
we couldn't believe the size and shape and colors from
around the world.

This obviously took us back to our stomping
grounds in CA

and, this piece from the Cos Mine near
Nevada City was definitely a beauty... as were
the following 3 items.

Read this before you look at the stunning Peacock
in the next picture.  Worth a double click to enlarge....

Then there were rooms full of unbelievable gemstones.

It would take me days to sort thru
all the photos I took of the stones & jewelry.

Time to head outside and look for a geocache.

While Don searched around, I took a closer look

at Samuel Houston, a very colorful character as he

was described on the marker.  

He was born in VA 3/2/1793 and died 7/26/1863 in
Huntsville TX.  He was an American soldier and politician.
In 1835 he was a major general in the Texas Army and in 1836
was made commander-in-chief of that force, the same year
that he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence.
He served as the 1st and 3rd president of the
Republic of Texas and was one of the first 2 individuals to
represent Texas in the the U.S. Senate.

While strolling along the beautiful reflecting pool
we came upon the Pioneer Monument which
was dedicated on 8/30/1936, the 100th
anniversary of the founding of Houston.

I thought this Ciarna Moschata -
 domestic Muscovy duck was pretty interesting
too.  What do you think?  Every feather 
perfectly outlined.

AHHHHH.   And finally I was able to get a good
photo of the 2 flags flying outside our living room
window.  I only took 57 pics, but I finally got it right!!!!

I know, it wounds like I'm becoming a Texas kind of 

gal....well, there's a reason for that.  My paternal grandfather 

Eugene Worrell Cureton (and his twin sister Eugenia) were

 born in Frio County TX in 1877...

which is only 233 miles SW from Houston...

OMG, I almost forgot about Faberge

Needs no words...

The "Eggs".  Only  69 were created (between 1887 and
1979).   Diamond Trellis created in 1892
for Alexander the III of Russia for his wife...

Dec 16th, we took a stroll to check out
the Texas Children's Hospital in search of a
unique geocache.   

Don had to answer some
questions, so we carefully checked it out.