Travels with Kelli

A.  This city block but maybe its two  or three blocks of canvas creating a story of it’s own. Stories that might be easy to read and others might need some cliff notes or just subtitles to understand the artists thoughts. I’m just going to post the pictures and you can create your own story for them. B. C. D.  E.  F.  G.  H. I.  J.  A. Yoga studio 200 Westcott St, Houston, Tx.  B. Artist Donkeeboy , Caroline Street and Walker Street C. Anniversary rodeo mural - 9 stories tall, 1 market squares garage (Prairie Street at Travis Street) Artist GONZO247 D & J. Mars mural -  artist Sebastian “MrD1987” Boileau*   and Eyeful Art , Leland St and Caroline Street. Each side has a variation on the Mars theme. E.  Zero Hunger mural is the largest in the city, artist: Dragon76 F & I. Houston’s Graffiti Building   Chartres Street. Various Artists and the murals seem to change.  G. El Taco Rico Aracely food truck  H. Mickey Mouse Monroe Another Sebastian Boileau’s work.  One Market Square

  These might not all be presidents but they were influencers. (L-R, Stephen F Austin, Samuel Houston, Abe Lincoln, and George Washington) The busts were created by sculptor David Adickes. His studio is located in Houston and the following pictures are from his studio.  He is also the creator of the Sam Houston statue that I talked about here .  I understand that his busts were put into a park in Virginia but it was demolished and now you can tour the ruins with John Plashal Photo . You know that at some point this amateur photographer plans on going.  So who is this? My final guest is: James Garfield, second guess: Rutherford B Hayes. Who do you think it is? And  I think using my Sherlock Holmes detective skills I have deduced that this is Benjamin Harrison. Am I right?  These presidents were easy to figure out. I even got the ones that were behind or sideways in the picture. I think I know my presidents. How many presidents can you name? As I was researching David Adickes, I came acr

  * mural by Gonzo247 Well the only problem we have is the heat! But the AC in the house and car have been great to counter attack the heat! First stop on the Houston tour is the Beer House  thats what it is…… a house made of flattened beer cans. The owner John Milkovisch started this house project in 1968. He began in laying of marbles, rocks, and metal pieces forming into unique landscaping, finishing the backyard before he started inside. He added aluminum siding aka beer cans. It took 18 years for the house to be completely covered in flattened beer cans. He created garland using cut beer cans that hung from the roof edges.  It is open on Saturday and Sunday for tours. Moving on to the Cloud Column. It is smaller but similar to the Chicago Bean. Ok it stands upright and not on its side. This was put up in March 2018 but was built in 2006 in England then transport here.  Next came on a mistake in my navigation, aka a detour. The Monument Au Fantome  is in the Discovery Green. The s

The town began in about 1836, with the opening of a trading post. It was named after the first postmaster’s hometown of Huntsville, Alabama. Most notably it is known for two things: home of Sam Houston and the Texas state prison. Ok maybe it has other things like the Sam Houston University, and HEARTS Veteran Museum of Texas. There are many odd things to see in this town: the house that is a boot and a hat, 21 ft high raven, headstone of Black Jesus, and prison bat colony.  Lets start with Sam Houston, the man, the myth, the legends….. ok jus the facts:  * President of the Republic of Texas, then governor of Texas * Governor of Tennessee, US Senator & congressman from Tennessee * Led the Texas Army to victory at the Battle of San Jacinto * He opposed the American Civil War * Huntsville has two homes and his burial plot As you drive in or out which ever way you to get to the town there is a statue of Sam Houston on the side of the Highway.  I’m not sure that Sam Houston had a big he

  It’s a beautiful day for a drive. Well except that section where its raining. Luckily that was south west of me and It basically stayed that way.  What else would you find in this town but salt….lots of salt. The lovely lady had tons of information about everything salt. Guess what the free gift was when I left, you guessed it a salt and pepper shaker. So lets break down salt in Grand Saline. * the building this tiny museum is located is made of salt. The brochure has someone licking the building salt rocks.  * salt prairie just southeast of town has salt water rising to surface and drying while the salt crystallizes * Caddo Indians as early as 800 AD and Cherokee Indians until 1839 used the area source of salt. * The main salt bed runs across east Texas and western Louisiana is about 4 miles beneath the surface. * The town sits on top of a massive load of natural salt and goes down about 16,000 feet deep. * Confederates used the salt works during the civil war era * The salt dome is

  Welcome to Texas where everything is bigger and I guess better.  Again I am refraining from the major highways to just enjoy the scenery, to see small town America. First stop is Paris. A small big town in the north eastern part of the state.  How many cities are there in the world named Paris? I’ve been to the original in France, the one in Tennessee, and now Texas. Answer: in the world there are 48 but in the USA there is 23. I might make my list one more after going to Paris Arkansas. Keep you posted. But lets get our tour of this charming quaint town.  Before we start let me say the town claims to be the   “second largest Paris in the World.” I’m not sure about that but will take their word for it. Now the logo is “It’s always a good idea!” I enjoy it, so I guess they were right. The town was established in 1844.  First stop was the Chrome Mustang.  Just like the title its a chrome statue of a mustang, the school’s mascot. I like the fact it looks like this mustang has a spiked M

  It might not be all of the historic jails but these two are interesting on their own and on route 70, so its a win win. First jail is called the Feed Store Jailhouse. Before looking at the picture I’ll bet you can figure out what the jail is being used for now.  This is on route 70, when you get into town keep your eyes open. The jail could be driven right by before you’ll drive right by it. It doesn’t help that rat. 70 was in major construction and it blends into the landscape.  Jail number 2 is the Old Boswell City Jail. It was used from 1906-1965. This one was harder to find. It’s not on rt 70 but a block off. It can be found behind the Police Department on a dirt road. The jail has the original bunks, two cells, one window & door for each cell.  See you at the next bend in the road,  Kelli

  Southeast Oklahoma is a hotbed of many urban legends of Bigfoot for decades. As of 2020 it is ranked 9th in Bigfoot sightings. Possible reasons for the high level of sightings is that there’s dense forests, rivers, and large undeveloped parts of the Choctaw & Cherokee Nations.  So Phil Silva owned a country and western bar on the property for 30 years before he closed. But he didn’t sell he just repurposed it, making it a gas station. But he didn’t want it to be just another gas station but what to do? Well you use legend to make a difference. So Phil named his gas station, Gasquatch and the legend was born. This gas station is a minimart, cafe, car museum, and clothing store. Notable items are all Bigfoot related like: Fried “Squatch fingers”, Bigfoot hot dogs, and Bigfoot slippers.  If you are looking for Sasquatch you are going to find in Idabel, Oklahoma. He might be 30 foot tall but its still Sasquatch! Bonus if you go at night he’s eyes light up! See you at the next bend in

 Doaksville was a trading post in the 1820’s for Choctaws arriving in to their new Indian Territory lands. It did become the Choctaw Nation’s capital by 1850. The town grew into the largest town in the Choctaw Nation. The fort was established in 1824 and became a frontier outpost. The fort was named for General Nathan Towson who was a hero in the War of 1812.  The fort burnt and abandoned in 1829  In 1831 the fort was brought back because of the instability in US relations with Mexico and the Choctaw Indian removal to Indian territory. It was decommissioned in the 1854 but later became a Confederate command post during the Civil War.   The last Confederate General surrendered his Indian Brigade to the Union. You can find that story here .  See you at the next bend in the road, Kelli

  First stop was National Military Park but its all about the Vicksburg battle. I will say its like a small scale Gettysburg. The best part of the park was that you had signs for Union and Confederate stands on the hill. There were a few areas that were closed, like  Grant’s Headquarters area and where Thayer’s Approach area.  I took tons of pictures of the monuments but will not post them all.  Now on to the history - the battle of Vicksburg. The siege started on May 18, 1863 but it really started in October 1862 when Major General Ulysses S Grant was ordered to clear the Mississippi River of Confederate resistance. President Davis knew that  Vicksburg was “the nailhead that holds the South’s two halves together.”  Vicksburg was the South’s lifeline. Lt. General John C Pemberton with 50,000 widely scattered confederate solders was expected to keep the river open.    In December Grant begins maneuvers good for both land and water that should force the surrender of Vicksburg by the Bayo