Renaissance Southpaw

Well here we are on a little anniversary getaway trying to get our bearings on where to go first in the old Texas town of Salado. I’m still pretty new to all that Texas has to offer and it is fun just driving to these new places. The scenery is so varied.

Last year at this time (during our anniversary) we were selling our home.  There was no time for a break.  This year…there really is NO time for this type of mini vacation because of all that is on our plate with the fixing up of our Dirty Diamond.  So many unending projects.  However, both Jonathan and I pretty much forced ourselves to take a rest, drop kids off at Granna and Papa’s house and enjoy the fall weather, reminiscence about why we got married …and rejoice in the fact that we would marry each other all over again.

That is what weekend getaways are supposed to accomplish.

Not knowing what to expect in Salado, I was pleased to see multiple art galleries, antique shops, a beautiful creek that ran through the middle of the town, an old fashioned candy store that had just about every candy you could imagine and the LARGEST gumball machine I’ve ever seen in my life!

And deer that ran through the streets like squirrels.  I’m sure to the locals the deer are more of a nuisance, but we were like little children pointing all of them out to each other. I think I even said “Hi Bambi!” to a little fawn that just stared at me as it munched its grass.

There was a time in our life where we used to really enjoy the thrill of buying some sort of “treasure” at an antique store. I have found that I really don’t want any more STUFF. Sure there are some things that I would absolutely LOVE to have but I find myself more wrapped up in learning about the place we’re visiting. Antique stores do give you a peek into  how early Americans lived but I’m now the annoying woman who wants to stop at all the History Markers that are in need of a good weed whacking positioned on the side of the road. I want to read about the people that lived and died making this town/state/country great! As morbid as it may sound, point me in the direction of your town’s oldest cemetery. So much history written on many of these tombstones.  I think this is where I really enjoy homeschooling my children.  I LOVE to learn! I don’t remember specifically one thing I learned in school but I do remember LOVE, LOVE, LOVING my 7th grade New Mexico history class with Mrs. McDonald.  She always wore this GORGEOUS Indian necklace called a Squash Blossom necklace.  We went on field trips to Indian ruins and I just knew that one day I wanted to be an archaeologist.  I hope I can pass on this type of excitement to my children about learning about the past because when you’re a kid, unless you have someone who really LOVES it too, you won’t really care to learn about it.

We went to the ruins of Salado College.  It once was considered the Athens (Greece) of Texas.  Mysteriously, it burned down three times once in the 1800’s and twice in the the early 1900’s.  The town decided to not rebuild and believed it to be cursed.  Now here is where it gets more juicy and eerie, we were told that the college was built on top of an Indian graveyard….Do I really need to say any more?? ;>)

We made plans for the evening to go on a Ghost Walk throughout Salado and learn more about what this town is all about. But FIRST we must eat! And it must be NICE since it is  our 13th anniversary after all. We located an old house converted into a Bed and Breakfast and fine dining restaurant known as  Inn on the Creek-“Alexanders Distillery Restaurant.” It sat on the Salado Creek. Sometimes you just NEVER know what you are going to get and hope the higher price won’t disappoint. The only thing that I found disappointing was that I had to take my last bite of my Hanger Steak (never had a Hanger Steak–had to Google it). It was so delicious!

After our lovely dinner, when the sun began to set in the west we headed over to the place where we were to meet our tour group for the Salado Ghost Walk.  To my October delight we came around the corner to discover a black truck where a man with a well weathered, leather hat was lighting multiple kerosene lamps.
I was thinking we would be given little tinny lanterns with the battery powered flickering flames just for our amusement, so this was an added bonus to be treated like a GROWNUP.

Think what you like about ghost.  I ride the fence on whether or not I believe in such things.   I’ve had a couple of unexplained ghostly encounters and people I highly respect tell me strange stories that have happened to them.  Whatever your view point, I do love a GREAT Ghost story, always have.  This evening in Salado wasn’t really about being Ghost Busters but once again learning about the history of the town and community.  What kind of stories did these old houses tell?  Who stayed in this hotel? What mysteries were hidden under the long stretch of now, paved street?  Best part of the evening was meeting new, LIVING people and spending time with my HONEY-in the dark :>)

The rest of the time that remained while we were in Salado we just explored the town, walked into shops, bought coffee, held hands, took artistic pictures with the hope we could turn it into Texas art for our home, and walked through a sculpture garden of very, VERY modern artists.  I know art is in the eye of the beholder and sometimes I just have to question, “What makes this art or just junk?”  Anyway, we posed with some of our favorites that at least had some form of shape we could recognize and appreciate the work and thought put into it.