Category Archives: Travel

How I Got To Texas: My Story

It’s pretty amazing the people that we meet in life and how we get to the place we’re at. I’m pretty intrigued with hearing people’s stories and thought about how we all got to where we’re at. I’ve decided to start a series called “How I Got To Texas” which will introduce you to some of my fellow blogging friends and learn a bit about their background and how they got to the great state of Texas.

Back in sixth grade, I tried to convince one of my friends that we were going to move to Texas together when we “grew up” and write country songs. She didn’t go for it and the dream quickly dissipated. Never would I have thought how it would all pan out (minus writing the country songs – at least not yet.)

My Story

My story actually starts back in 2006. One of my good friends (Heather) graduated college a semester early and moved to Texas in January 2006. That May, as a graduation gift to myself I had planned a trip visiting friends throughout the country and Texas was on the itinerary. A week after I saw Heather at our college graduation, we met up again in Texas. I hated it. I said I would never move here. It was busy, over populated and it was busy.

Mama always said, “Never say never!”

Fast Forward – October 2007

I had wanted to move out of Vermont for, well, a really long time. I grew up there, went to college there and then was working there for a year and a half after graduation. I just wanted to try something different. Where to go? Heather happened to be getting married (in Texas) in October of 2007 and I took another opportunity to make a multi-stop trip. On the way to her wedding, I took a detour to Colorado/Wyoming to visit another friend from college. I found myself driving all over Colorado and Wyoming for three to four days and realized, as much as I loved the landscape, I didn’t know a soul.

Then I arrive in Texas, ready to have the time of my life at this wedding, because, well, I wasn’t going to see these people again. Let’s make the most of it. (It’s probably a good idea to just start laughing about this now.) Everyone knew I was thinking about moving and everyone had a plan – to get Diana to Texas. First, it started with Heather’s dad and sister. Then it progressed to a few other friends. To make a long story short, by the end of the weekend, I had pretty much made my decision… I was headed to Texas.

In March of 2008, I packed up my belongings, filled my car, said my “see-ya-laters” and left Vermont on a very cold morning. I think it was about -10 Fahrenheit. Pit stops and must see destinations were made along the way (NYC, Philadelphia, Louisville and Graceland). Then on St. Patrick’s Day, after driving hours through tornado weather in East Texas, I had arrived.

Fast Forward – 2013

Traveling and exploring new places have apparently always been something that I’ve enjoyed, although not necessarily something that I knew I was keeping up with as a hobby. I started my blog as a way to show my family everything I doing and then it’s evolved into something a little bigger and I’m glad I get to share my experiences with all of you.

Texas, especially in the last year, has really grown a special place in my heart. Although, Vermont will always be my number one, Texas is a close second. There’s just something about it, the rural country, the cowboy boots, the music, the Western lifestyle, the fact that there’s something going on all the time or that this place is so big and there’s every type of landscape. Luckenbach, Gruene, dancehalls, Texas Rangers baseball and those old windmills in the fields just do it for me.

I’m now familiar with BBQ, Mexican menu’s, and making sweet tea. (Although, I typically stick to enchiladas on the menu’s and I’ve been reminded that I am a Yankee and I need a Texan to tell me what good BBQ is.) I enjoy eating stuffed jalapeños and can make some pretty good chicken enchiladas. I’ve got two stepping down and could dance all night if I had a good partner. I own cowboy boots and I’m not scared to throw around a good “y’all” or “right quick” every now and again. I like to think it’s a great blend of the North and the South.

I’m not entirely sure where life is going to bring me but I’m glad that life brought me to Texas.

Vermont Adventures with Green Mountain Man

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Last month, I traveled back home to Vermont for a few days to catch up with family, friends and spend some quality time with my favorite person, my niece. Each time I go home, I spend some quality time with my brother doing something outdoor oriented, sometimes shooting guns (attempting to hit a target), canoeing, snowshoeing or going for a drive. This time around, we went canoeing and fishing and hiking.

Canoeing and Fishing

Vermont is beautiful. The mountains are rich and you will find tons of lakes and ponds tucked around, just waiting to be explored. We came across a few of them, in desolate areas. I swear, my brother knows every nook and cranny in Vermont. The man doesn’t get lost.

Needless to say, we didn’t catch any fish, on a lake that is. We ended up catching a few trout in a brook that we went to later. I did get my legs extremely sun burnt. The views were amazing. My rowing skills were not. The oars were taken away, apparently there was too much laughing and not enough “straight” rowing. Makes me laugh just thinking about it.

Hiking

I should’ve learned my lesson snowshoeing. Vermont had a ton of snow this winter, I think the most they’ve seen in a few years so it wasn’t surprising that there were still a few snowpatches at the top of the mountain where we went to hike. We started off on the northern most part of the Long Trail in Richford, Vermont. The thing is, when you hike with my brother, you may start off on a trail but I guarantee that you won’t stay on it. You will eventually come back onto the trail but again, you may not end on it. We started on the trail, went off the train, came back on only to get back off, found it again and eventually cut through the woods to get back to the main road to where we parked the truck. Again – the man doesn’t get lost.

Tons of moose trackings and rubbings on the trees, and a few views peaking out of the trees. As exhausting as it was to hike with someone who seems to still have energy to run up the mountain after hiking for three hours, it was well worth it!

Volkswagen Car Rally

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While I was visiting Fredericksburg in April, there happened to be a Volkswagen convention in town. There’s literally a different event every weekend year round in Fredericksburg. (Check out their calendar. It’s packed!) It was like walking into the 1970’s seeing all these cars. I think the best way to describe this is to let the photo’s speak for themselves. There were one to two hundred cars around, a great variety.

Here ya go!

Growing up, I use to want a bug – I thought they were so cute. Now, if I had to pick I’d go for the Thing.

This dune buggy – I’d love to take for an off road drive!

I have no idea what this is (below), but it really reminds me of the Bat-mobile.

Texas Tuesday link up with Amanda from Princess of the Panhandle and Crystal from Masons Mama. This is a chance for any blogger to participate in a post on the greatness of Texas! There’s so much to explore!