In Them old Cotton Fields Back Home........

We have lived in these them parts for almost five years now and NEVER have I noticed them cotton fields!!
And they are right there, we drive by them every gosh darn day!

Since I was getting curious about this crop that was growing everywhere, with the white stuff, I decided to take Boo-boo on a walk along the "river" We never made to the actual river, it would have been too long of a walk for her.
The weather was great though. Cool, a little overcast, about 63 degrees. Perfect for a little stroll.
We could have walked from home, but it's about a mile so that was too much for Oma. So we took the car instead of the stroller and parked it right next to the soccer fields.

The Hispanic community plays a bunch of games here on the weekends.
It was a great atmosphere, families all about, kids running around, parents on the sidelines while the daddies played soccer.

We checked out the field and low and behold, it IS cotton! most of it blooming. Amazing!
Boo was thrilled, even though she has no clue why I was so excited. Haha.
But she loved the soft tufts of cotton I had her touch, tried to explain that this stuff is used to make her T shirts and her pants.
Hmm.
It's amazing that this pure cotton actually SMELLS like cotton. Clean and fresh. The pods they pop out of are hard and pointy, and I had a tough time trying to pick a few twigs without pulling the entire plant out.

We walked for about 1/4 of a mile. Saw a bunny rabbit munch on some grass. She got to about ten feet of it before it scampered away.

There is a trail that runs along the river (left of those trees) and it wanders around for about 3 miles and comes back to the soccer fields.


After we visited them cotton fields, we watched the soccer match for a while, Boo wanted to "play" but I convinced her this was for the big guys, so we drove to the park. On the field inside the track the Catholic Church of St. Francis was having an open air mass. Our Catholic Church here, the only one for miles and miles, consists of about 95% Hispanic parishioners. There was quite a crowd. A Mariachi band, and lots of singing. On the playground some of the dads were letting the younger crowd play on the slides and jungle gym (Jim?)

It felt great there, the atmosphere was friendly, warm, people saying hello and good morning, everyone smiling. The men open and friendly, the women shy, tending to their flocks of kids. A different culture, for sure, but it felt good to be around.

After Mass was over the bleachers were put back outside the track, everyone helped clean up, and in about 15 minutes the field was empty. Everyone trucked over to the picnic grounds where the music started up again and the lunch was being served. Boo and I decided to walk around the track. We made it. 1/4 mile. She is the energy bunny.
After getting our toes tickled in the sand box, I had to drag her back to the car.

At home she ate her lunch, and took a decent nap.

It was a pretty nice day. If only I had the energy to take her out like that all the time. Lately though I am feeling it. My back, my hands. You want to be like you were when you were 30, or even 40, but it's just not possible, at least not for me. It's hard taking care of a little child.

Before we went out this morning she wanted to play the drums. I put my Tupperware bowls with lids on the coffee table and handed her a set of wooden spoons. She went nuts!

To think her uncle practiced on those same Tupperware bowls 25 years ago.

Her daddy played the drums too, as well as the guitar, he was actually pretty good. So we're hoping she's got some talent there as well.

She certainly knows her instruments. Even surprised me during a song on a CD I was playing in the car: there's that clarinet again!!!! (she was right!)

Amazing.

SGMKJ!