Thursday, November 12, 2009

Travels throughout the Summer and Don't be afraid of the Bats!


Well, Well, Well I guess I will get back into it. I have really been waiting to post so I can post pictures of all the fun events that have happened over the past few months, but my camera has been broken. Waiting for it to get fixed my life passed by. Turns out it's my card that holds my pictures that is funky. Anyway! Since my last post we have had a family reunion in Big Bear National Park, spent a summer weekend in Chicago, two weeks in the Outer Banks and a weekend in Austin, TX for a wedding!! Oh yeah, we also have had some arrivals from Cuba knock on our door one summer morning! So, here is the low down for those of you who were asking. When Cubans arrive on American soil, they can stay. As far as I know, they stay and they get a chunk of change. Some times they build rafts, sometimes they pay someone to take them here. As long as they make it, they can stay. But, everyone else from everywhere else gets sent back. Thats that. It was funny though, they kept asking Evan to call the news, because they wanted to be on the news! Unfortunately, this isn't really news round these parts!
Next. Another really cool thing I want to share from our travels is the bats in Austin. Over 1.5 million bats have made a bridge in Austin their sleeping spot during the day. They are there from March through November, I believe. WELL, at sunset, through these months they make a mass exit. Everyone gathers to watch this, and let me tell you, it is AMAZING!! We went down two nights because I wanted to see it again. It takes about two hours for all of them to make it out from the bridge. When they built the bridge, they had no idea these bats would make this home. There are tiny slits in the bridge that seem to be a perfect size for these bats to sleep. The bats go to Austin to have their babies, and teach them to hunt before migrating in November. A SINGLE BAT CAN EAT 600 MOSQUITOS PER HOUR! Can you understand why these might be gods for me? I mean, the mosquitos eat me, cause me pain, discomfort, they eat the mosquitos. Ah, them and the dragonflies- as Martha would say- good things. Don't be afraid of the bats! They have a such a bad reputation and it is so unjustified. Bats are beneficial and areas where bat populations have decreased, the insect populations have dramatically increased. Think about it! Plus, they are really so darn cute! Here is a picture of the bats, but it is so much more exciting being there! Go!

Also, discovered this fall, while my parents were visiting, a little gem in the middle of Homestead called Schnebly's. It is a winery, and they have all these fun, sweet, Florida wine, made of avocado, guava, passion fruit and all kinds of tropical fruit. Love it! Yum! The place is also like an oasis in the dessert. The atmosphere is really fun. They just had a guacamole festival at the winery in which they broke the Guinness book of world records for the biggest vat of guacamole. It was like 4, 000 pounds, or something like that, don't quote me on it.
And I must not forget the Rib Festival. Another Homestead annual event, in which you can taste various ribs in the best rib contest while listening to various music acts as Joan Jett and Blue Oyster Cult. I must say, delicious ribs. I can imagine all the pigs and cows who lost their lives to have this fest, may they rest in piece in my belly. But no, I really feel bad. I also have no idea who won, but I do know some of the booths put fake trophies outside their booth to make it look like they were winners in the past. Tricky.

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