The day we got to stop

The roads narrow at night. Something happens in your 50s. It becomes even harder to navigate after dark.* The signs blur. Exits and streets hide.** I no longer enjoy hurtling through the night.

Still, I had a goal - spend the night with a friend and head to the hill country for the day - a long day and sad farewell. I suppose the start was somehow proper - an hour on dark and narrow roads, mostly alone with my thoughts, and steeling myself for tomorrow.

The trip ended the same way - an hour in the dark trusting the maps on my phone and missing only one exit***

But "in between" we talked and ate and shared and stopped wherever we wanted. It seems we both have partners who won't stop.  We visited a nursery, market/post office, fence/cedar furniture store, and herb farm. A search for a weathered board took us to a trash pile.

I snagged a few photos to remember the day we got to stop.

The "little library" my friends are creating and donating.

Ideas for the yard.

This is not the milkweed I so not the seeds I collect. I am reminded that my seeds need to be planted.

I almost stopped for purple coneflower seeds, but decided I have enough work to do in the yard (and enough seeds floating around the kitchen).

I love to see jars lined up on shelves. What kind of preserves do you want?

Hot sauce always reminds me of my brothers.

I love the texture on these pots - inspiration!

This kind of snake is welcome in my yard.

How about a lizard?

New old windmill.

Silly little blinged-out giraffe.

Wish that this old hardware store nail/screw/nut & bolt container had fit in my pocket.

The old Hye Market and Post office was interesting.

The old post office safe was half opened. Robbers got the first door open. No one knows how to open the inside door. Nor does anyone know what is inside.

Another safe provides the rest of the support for a desk. This one is open and used for storage.

A display that will shock some, but just made me laugh.

The post office and display.

It has not been so long ago that the post office was the center of the community (the post office and the barber shop).

You can buy hay in Hye.

You have to love a good hardware/feed store.

Century plants and cactus.

Notes:

* I blame it on bifocals, but that's another story. And I can only say "50s" for another month.
**Yes, it is time for a eye exam. Yes, I will have my cataracts checked.
***Left exits can be tricky without street lights and poor signage. Construction changes everything.