November 6, 2011

Drought and Johnson City

Yesterday we left Houston, headed west, and started to get a feel for the extent of the drought in Texas.  We drove by fields that once had crops but now are large plots of dirt.  Pastures with cattle in them trying to eat burnt grass that has already been eaten to less than a quarter inch.  Many dried up ponds, some quite large.  Along the way we stopped to visit the old homestead of some friends of ours in Auburn.  As we walked the property the grass crunched under our feet and we had to watch for deep cracks in the ground.  We ended our days travel at a RV park/resort in a large lake.  The lake is down over nine feet.  The manager (who had ties to Auburn area) said there are lakes that are down over 50 feet.  An interesting feature of this park is that the deer population is at least as great as the people population.  Possibly due to proximity to water and availability of grass (in landscaping) to eat.  Do not know that I have ever seen does and bucks together but they are here, Don’t know if it is the breed of deer but these are all quite thin.  Can see a hint of ribs on most of them.

Today we took a side trip to Johnson City, lifetime home of Lyndon B. Johnson (when he wasn’t in Washington D.C.).  In town is a visitor center and a walking tour of Johnson’s boyhood home and his grandparents homestead.  Fourteen miles west is the combined state and national parks that encompass the Johnson Ranch.

At the visitor center we watched a very good movie on Lady Bird (there is one on LBJ also) and then took the walk. 

LBJ boyhood home.

 

Neat to see the original buildings, many built in the now recognizable to us ‘dog trot’ style.

 

At the ranch in the state park portion, we first watched a movie on LBJ and the Texas Hill Country.  We then visited a real gem.  The state park contains an actual farm.  All original buildings on original sites and restored to condition of most activity (1900-1940).  And it is operating.  Every day of the year there are docents doing all the functions of a farm.  Not just on special days.  This is an on going operation so you can experience the flow of farm life.  This might not sound too impressive unless you know that electricity did not come to the Hill Country ‘till the mid ‘40s.  Everything was done by hand and all heat was by wood.  The docents demonstrate many gadgets and techniques used to process and prepare foods getting maximum use of everything they touch.  Fun experience.   We spent over an hour just there.

The state park is the entrance portal for the national park administered Johnson Ranch.  they give you a map and loan you a tour CD. No cost.  The tour is an interesting showcase of LBJ life outside of D.C.

 

House where LBJ was born

 

Johnson Family Cemetery.  Very simple.  Nothing ornate or massive.

“Lady Bird’ and Lyndon Johnson.  Most ‘real people’ presidential grave we have seen.

Johnson referred to this plane as ‘Air Force 1/2’.  Small jet used to take president from large airport in Austin to landing strip on the ranch.

‘Texas White House. ‘  Johnson Ranch family home.  It really was a ‘White House’ (seat of national government).  The wing on the left behind the 400 year old oak was the equivalent of the Oval Office.  Johnson spent 25% of his presidency on this ranch.

This is the Pedernales River that runs by the front of the ranch house.  Normally it is full and flowing and has been known to flood to a level behind where this picture was taken.  This year it is sand only.