The park is nearly empty as another 'season' comes to a close. More are leaving the end of this week. We will be here for a couple of weeks yet before we meander north. The year rounders will be all that is left by that time. Till next time...

Vial of Life

Vial of Life Program

"People (older folks
in particular) find themselves in emergencies that make it difficult to think straight. At these times, all emergency personnel who
are trying to help you need to know many things about you."

How does Vial of Life work?

* "Fill out the Vial of Life form
* Answer all the questions you want.
* Don't answer any question you don't want.
* Print out the form - - none of your history will be retained anywhere.
* Print out two decals of the Vial of Life.
* Place one decal on the front of any baggie in your kitchen.
* Place the form you filled out in the baggie. And tape to the outside
door of your refrigerator.
* Place the second decal on your front door at eye level. This will let
emergency personnel know to immediately go to your refrigerator door for
complete medical information."

Here's a link to the Vial of Life Website. Read the navigation options and decide for yourself. If nothing else, print (or order) some of the free Vial of Life labels, create your own form, and store the
information in your fridge. The information you provide could help save
your life.

21 people from the park attended the ropa usada experience. Gerry is showing Irma the nifty leather jacket she found.

Lots of bales to go through yet

Kay says,"Do you want this?".

The guys wait for the shopping to end.

Phyllis and Mary looking over their 'finds'.

The party is over....

Marge looks a bit appalled as Mary divides the burger with a machete among the 7 of us. Those onion rings are mighty sizable too.

After biking we went to Granny's in Mission TX- home of the mega texas burger.

A Mexican Hacienda...

Many "raptors" spotted on the Hawk Tower.

A Texas Raccoon

Tuffy looks too

Birders at Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park

Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park is known as the World Birding Center. This unknown birder was one of many.

Peccary aka Javelina spotted at Bentsen-Rio Grande Texas Stae Park

A demonstration of how Aloe Vera Gel can be a hair care item. Our tour guide looks like Popeye, don'tcha think?

Our tour guide does sand pictographs.

Carol looks at Aloe blossoms

Our tour guide also does sand pictographs. He says it takes him about 15 minutes to do one and he gaurantees the sand will not shift.

Gus- the canine son of Marge & Dave Scott

Aloe King

The fileted aloe leaf

Our tour guide fileted a plant in the field for us

They must remove the suckers from the main plant and these are sorted and sold to nurseries.For a healthy Aloe Vera Plant remove the babies from the parent plant.

On the patio, just now.

More than one group went to a ropa usada facility last Friday. This happy group went to one in Hidalgo that offers a dollar a bag sale every Friday. Now if you had a mind to you could load up with lawn and leaf bags! Photo credit: Kay Voss

Buried Treasure

Mary is searching for buried treasure. Photo credit: Kay Voss

A dollar a bag! Photo credit: Kay Voss

Marge Scott spotted this bird in the field behind the park.
Photo credit: Dave Scott The White-tailed Kite was rendered almost extinct in the 1930s and 1940s by shooting and egg-collecting, but they are now again common in California. Their distribution is sporadic, however; they can be seen in the Central Valley and southern coastal areas, and also around the San Francisco Bay. They are also found in southern Texas, on the Baja California peninsula, and in eastern Mexico.

Keep Movin On

So every day or so you check in on Magnolia Park News and you know it is about to come to a close...and as most of us computer people know we kinda get addicted to these things. Well there is GOOD NEWS!! You can still keep up with what the ol guy and I are doing at http://brooker3.blogspot.com/. That blog goes by Keep Movin On which has been our motto for the past year or so. There has been a certain amount of crossover between the two blogs but the Keep Movin On one has taken a backseat lately. But never fear there is about to be a reawakening on that one. The park one will get a new post now and then so don't give up on it entirely. Heres to looking ahead!

Pecan Bill says "No,more!"

Chubby lives on Cherry street.

This girls day out was preceded by a trip to Ropa Usada (used clothing) south of McAllen on 23rd street where many bargains were discovered. Then on to Bucardo's in Progreso for lunch after which we split up for the shopping excursion. I do not know about the other 6 ladies but I came home and enjoyed a nice nap.

We all received paper roses courtesy of the waiter at Bucardo's. Bucardo's is located one block west at the first cross street as you go into Progreso. It is upstairs, neat, clean and a nice place that serves very authentic Mexican food.

The girls went to "lunch" in Progreso followed by some serious shopping.

Bucardo's entertainment-Nuevo Progreso, Mexico

This is from a friend in Atlantic Iowa "The young people make fun of me, but I tell them..
" I know a lot more about being young, than they know about being old." "

The park is getting empty as people are leaving for their northern homes. I will be here another week and then we are heading west...then north...then east.

Watermelon Art

Watermelon Art....amazing! Link of the Day:

Show and Tell Day- Doris Moritz showed her amazingly beautiful quilt top

Show and Tell Day- Dick Brandes does intricate woodwork.

Show and Tell-One of Norma Cooklins paintings

Show and Tell- Lois with her Modge Podge Plate

Magnolia will be the featured Park on channel 4 next Thursday at 7:20 AM.

Monkey business at Tony's Diner

Dorothy Wendt's finished project

These are Tony's helpers...the ones we could round up anyway. There was much discussion that if all of Tony's helpers were there it would take a much larger picture. The new sign is ready to go up ASAP.Tony and Jo are back up north but will not be forgotten.

Leo, Madison and Tom- Magnolia Parks finest dart throwers