Fortified with fresh fruit salad served in crystal stemware; toad in the holes with bacon and roasted seasoned potatoes served on antique china; dollar sized pancakes and fresh orange juice we plotted our course for the day. Did I mention that we loved The Brenham House?
I wandered around outside as Pat got beautiful (that doesn't take long).
Next door is a "Sears house", ordered from Sears through their catalog. I had heard of them but never seen one before. Susan said there were a lot of them scattered throughout Brenham.
The drought from the past couple of years has required homeowners to water their lawns and gardens instead of relying on the heavens to do it for them. Unfortunately, when you are considered a commercial user the water bill can become enormous. To cut down on water consumption but still have color in the back yard takes some ingenuity.
Established plants that do well with minimal watering are a good choice.
A little yard art brings a lot of interest too....
And when all else fails, resort to paint!!
Look what I found....a margarita tree!!!!
and finally, this one is for you Tegan - a Texas mushroom.
Off we went to Chappell Hill another bump in the road community that draws tourists year round for the history, the shopping, and photo ops - especially during the spring wildflower season.
Chappell Hill is teeming with Texas Revolution history. It sits in the area of the Old 300 and is right next to Washington-on-the-Brazos where the Declaration of Texas Independence was signed.
It was founded in 1847 by Mary Hargrove Haller, granddaughter of Robert Wooding Chappell who the town was named after. Mrs. Haller purchased the land site and divided it into blocks and began selling them in 1849.
We stopped at the visitors center, and as we were approaching it a sheriff's officer pulled in behind me (scared the fool out of me since it was gravel and made a loud noise). He was there to check out an alarm from the visitor's center...well there went that idea! It was closed, no intruders, all was well and we got directions from the officer to the Masonic Cemetery.
The Masonic Cemetery is one of three cemeteries in Chappell Hill and the most historic. There is a marker for Jacob Haller, the first interment and founder with his wife Mary, many of the Chappell (often misspelled as Chapel) family are buried here . William B. Travis's son and daughter as well as members of the Crockett family are spending eternity here.
I love cemetery art and inscriptions and there is plenty to ready and view under the oak trees. Maybe.....
No problem, I will follow the rules and respect the grounds like a good little girl.
Well, this does pose a problem - is it a drive through cemetery, wave and holler "Hi Grandpa" as you buzz through? Pat did mention that she didn't think we would be obstructing anyone if we did park in the road.
However, I drove a bit further and saw this sign...YAY....we could get out and roam around a bit without the wrath of God descending.
But the parking lot was covered in grass - and the sign said not to park on the grass - oh dear, what a predicament. I am glad to report that I did park on the grass (in the 4-spot parking lot) and no lightening bolts hit us or anything. A fire ant or two might have tried to take a bite out of me however, they were having a convention here!
Memorial erected in 2000. The base is four sided - on the first side is the personal information for Charles Edward Travis, son of Col. William B. Travis, defender of the Alamo.
CHARLES EDWARD
TRAVIS
AUGUST 9, 1829
DECEMBER 8, 1860
SON OF
COL.WILLIAM B. TRAVIS
On the opposite side is a dedication by the Masons
IN MEMORY OF OUR BROTHER
COL. WILLIAM B. TRAVIS
COMMANDER OF THE ALAMO
1809 - 1836
BY THE MASONS OF TEXAS
DEDICATED
THIS 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER
A.L. 6000
(that's 2000 in non-Masonic terms)
On each side are letters written by and to Col. Travis
JUST PRIOR TO THE FALL OF THE ALAMO
COLONEL WILLIAM BARRET TRAVIS,
COMMANDER, WROTE TO MR. DAVID AYERS
CONCERNING HIS SEVEN YEAR OLD SON:
IN RESPONSE TO THE PLEA OF OUR BROTHER
COLONEL WILLIAM BARRET TRAVIS,
FROM THE GRAND LODGE OF TEXAS
A.F. & A. M.
The Chappell Hill Bank was chartered in 1907 and has operated continuously in the same location in Washington County since its inception. The bank was originally chartered as Farmers State Bank in 1907. In 1989 the Articles of Association were officially amended to change the name from Farmers State Bank to Chappell Hill Bank.
The Chappell Hill Fire Department is a volunteer organization with 30 dedicated individuals. Those 30 take care of the largest fire district in Washington County, 100 square miles.
God bless them each and every one.
Just a gate I liked. We were drawn to the building by a man that hurried across the street to tell us he was having a plant sale. We didn't buy plants but we did see this beautiful gate.
LUNCH TIME!!
Yummy chicken salad stuffed avocados and raspberry tea.
Time to head back to Brenham taking Old Chappell Hill Road. Much prettier than the other choice, Hwy. 290!
There are three wineries around Brenham and we just had to hit at least one of them. After we left Chappell Hill we decided to try the closest one to the bed and breakfast.
Pleasant Hill Winery
Now I don't want to be pointing fingers or anything, but one of us was driving and one of us was supposed to be navigating. The navigator had the brochure that CLEARLY stated that Pleasant Hill Winery was not open on Friday. Poke!
I will now shut up since I will more than likely be the navigator the next trip....but then again, Pat doesn't blog so I should be safe.
Time to go open a bottle we had chilling at the B&B and meet our housemates that were just arriving (and that is a story that I would have to tell you face to face).
If you don't hear any whispers along the roads, listen for butterfly wings.
The Masonic Cemetery is one of three cemeteries in Chappell Hill and the most historic. There is a marker for Jacob Haller, the first interment and founder with his wife Mary, many of the Chappell (often misspelled as Chapel) family are buried here . William B. Travis's son and daughter as well as members of the Crockett family are spending eternity here.
I love cemetery art and inscriptions and there is plenty to ready and view under the oak trees. Maybe.....
No problem, I will follow the rules and respect the grounds like a good little girl.
Well, this does pose a problem - is it a drive through cemetery, wave and holler "Hi Grandpa" as you buzz through? Pat did mention that she didn't think we would be obstructing anyone if we did park in the road.
However, I drove a bit further and saw this sign...YAY....we could get out and roam around a bit without the wrath of God descending.
But the parking lot was covered in grass - and the sign said not to park on the grass - oh dear, what a predicament. I am glad to report that I did park on the grass (in the 4-spot parking lot) and no lightening bolts hit us or anything. A fire ant or two might have tried to take a bite out of me however, they were having a convention here!
Memorial erected in 2000. The base is four sided - on the first side is the personal information for Charles Edward Travis, son of Col. William B. Travis, defender of the Alamo.
TRAVIS
AUGUST 9, 1829
DECEMBER 8, 1860
SON OF
COL.WILLIAM B. TRAVIS
On the opposite side is a dedication by the Masons
IN MEMORY OF OUR BROTHER
COL. WILLIAM B. TRAVIS
COMMANDER OF THE ALAMO
1809 - 1836
BY THE MASONS OF TEXAS
DEDICATED
THIS 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER
A.L. 6000
(that's 2000 in non-Masonic terms)
On each side are letters written by and to Col. Travis
JUST PRIOR TO THE FALL OF THE ALAMO
COLONEL WILLIAM BARRET TRAVIS,
COMMANDER, WROTE TO MR. DAVID AYERS
CONCERNING HIS SEVEN YEAR OLD SON:
THE ALAMO
MARCH 5, 1836 (remember the Battle of the Alamo was March 6, 1836)
MR. AYERS,
TAKE CARE OF MY LITTLE BOY. IF THE COUNTRY SHOULD BE SAVED, I MAY MAKE
HIM A SPLENDID FORTUNE, BUT IF THE COUNTRY SHOULD BE LOST AND I SHOULD PERISH, HE WILL HAVE NOTHING BUT THE PROUD RECOLLECTION THAT HE IS THE SON OF A MAN WHO DIED FIGHTING FOR HIS COUNTRY.
COLONEL WILLIAM BARRET TRAVIS
IN RESPONSE TO THE PLEA OF OUR BROTHER
COLONEL WILLIAM BARRET TRAVIS,
FROM THE GRAND LODGE OF TEXAS
A.F. & A. M.
DECEMBER 15, 1998
COLONEL WILLIAM BARRET TRAVIS
THE ALAMO
HONORABLE SIR AND BROTHER,
WE, THE MASONS OF TEXAS, HONOR YOUR WISHES AND WE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR LITTLE BOY.
M.W. W.M. MIKE COWER
GRAND MASTER
After the death of his father, Charles Travis lived with his mother and stepfather in New Orleans. He moved to Brenham to live with his sister, Susan Grissett, and became a member of the bar. He served int he Texas Legislation 1853-1854 before joining the elite Texas Rangers. In 1855 he was commissioned as a captain in the U.S. Calvary. In 1856 he was court-martialed for cheating at cards and was relieved of duty. He was never able to clear his name and insisted his entire life that he was innocent of the charges. In 1859 he earned a law degree from Baylor University but that career was also cut short when he died of tuberculosis in 1860.
After wandering around some more we headed back to the center of town, looked around, boosted their economy a bit, went to the museum and had lunch.
Oh, if you could see what this building looked like before the Chappell hill Historical Society made the building their first project in 1964. Weathered boards, sagging porch. Of course it had been sitting there since 1929 when it was closed after 17 years in operation.
Most of the books in the library were still intact.
Never seen a duck anywhere close to this building in all the times I have been to/through Chappell Hill.
Methodist Church to the left.
The Museum and Gift Shop, below, are housed in the last public school building of the Chappell Hill I.S.D. The red brick structure is located on the site of the Chappell Hill Female College. Built in 1927 it served as only one of the schools in the area until 1965.
Oh, if you could see what this building looked like before the Chappell hill Historical Society made the building their first project in 1964. Weathered boards, sagging porch. Of course it had been sitting there since 1929 when it was closed after 17 years in operation.
Most of the books in the library were still intact.
Never seen a duck anywhere close to this building in all the times I have been to/through Chappell Hill.
Methodist Church to the left.
The Museum and Gift Shop, below, are housed in the last public school building of the Chappell Hill I.S.D. The red brick structure is located on the site of the Chappell Hill Female College. Built in 1927 it served as only one of the schools in the area until 1965.
The Chappell Hill Bank was chartered in 1907 and has operated continuously in the same location in Washington County since its inception. The bank was originally chartered as Farmers State Bank in 1907. In 1989 the Articles of Association were officially amended to change the name from Farmers State Bank to Chappell Hill Bank.
God bless them each and every one.
Just a gate I liked. We were drawn to the building by a man that hurried across the street to tell us he was having a plant sale. We didn't buy plants but we did see this beautiful gate.
LUNCH TIME!!
Yummy chicken salad stuffed avocados and raspberry tea.
Time to head back to Brenham taking Old Chappell Hill Road. Much prettier than the other choice, Hwy. 290!
Besides I found a treasure along the way....
There are three wineries around Brenham and we just had to hit at least one of them. After we left Chappell Hill we decided to try the closest one to the bed and breakfast.
Pleasant Hill Winery
I will now shut up since I will more than likely be the navigator the next trip....but then again, Pat doesn't blog so I should be safe.
Time to go open a bottle we had chilling at the B&B and meet our housemates that were just arriving (and that is a story that I would have to tell you face to face).
If you don't hear any whispers along the roads, listen for butterfly wings.
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