Wonderful Waco

What an interesting time we have had in Waco this past week. When we arrived, it was nice and sunny - wonderful weather, then the winter storm hit late last Monday. Fortunately, hubby checks on the weather, so we were able to go to HEB before the freezing weather hit. The nice thing about the weather was that we were able to eat comfort food. I made chicken pot pie, chili and pot roast that fed us until Friday lunch. By Friday, we were able to get out and enjoy some of the sites in Waco.

Our site for two weeks, before the freeze.

Our new welcome mat is frozen.

The truck is frozen.

The lowest temperature was 26.8 and we 

stayed below freezing for 3 days.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chili, yes, I am from Texas, but I put beans in my chili.

Friday, we went to the Dr. Pepper Museum, the Silos (Chip and Joanna Gaines shops) and then out to eat, finally we saw the sun.

Dr. Pepper town

How the conveyor belt was used to bottle and get shipment ready for 7-Up.

Keyhole Girls (1930s). These three ads are known collectively as 

the Keyhole Girls due to the shape of the background looking 

like you are peeking through an older style keyhole.

Schweppes Bottles (from the early 1800's to the early 1900's).

Didn't realize how many different sodas Dr. Pepper made.

You get a free Dr. Pepper when you visit the museum. 

Old delivery truck.

Dr. Pepper grill and patio set.

Old Dr. Pepper vending machine.

So many super heroes represented Dr. Pepper.

If Atlas were on Earth he would recommend Dr. Pepper.

10 2 4 is when you need Dr. Pepper. They did a study on blood sugar levels

 and came up with your blood sugar level drops at 10:30, 2:30

 and 4:30, this is why you need Dr. Pepper at 10 2 and 4.

Do you see us?

In front of the Dr. Pepper Museum.

Dr. Pepper was first used commercially in 1885. It was introduced nationally in the United States at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition as a new kind of soda pop, made with 23 flavors. Fun fact: Its introduction in 1885 preceded the introduction of Coca-Cola by one year. The Dr. Pepper formula is a trade secret, and allegedly the recipe is kept as two halves in safe deposit boxes in two separate Dallas banks. It was formulated by Brooklyn-born pharmacist Charles Alderton in Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas.
 
After visiting the museum, we went to the Silos. It is commonly known as the Magnolia Market. It is a shopping complex that encompasses two city blocks in downtown Waco. The silos were built in 1950 as part of the Brazos Valley Cotton Oil Company. They closed in 1958 and the silos ceased to serve as storage in 1990. The area opened for the public in October 2015 and is owned by Chip and Joanna Gaines, TV personalities best known for HGTV's Fixer Upper TV series. The Gaines completely transformed the Waco landmark, which helped to change the city as well as many surrounding areas.

Time for some shopping!

The 1950's silos.

Waco lies along the Brazos River some 100 miles south of Dallas. It was founded in 1894 on the site of a Waco (Hueco) Indian village near a Texas Ranger fort (1837) in a farming and plantation area. Waco is the city seat of McLennan County. After the American Civil War, Waco became a river-bridge crossing on cattle trails. Later its economy was based almost exclusively on cotton, and the coming of the railroad 1881 stimulated economic growth. World War II brought two large air-force installations (now closed) and the beginning of industrialization. 
 
Waco still depends partly on crops and livestock, but manufacturing (including clothing, machinery, tires, and glass) and service industries have broadened its economic base. In the 2010's the city experienced a significant boost in tourism owing the huge popularity of the home-renovation show Fixer Upper (2013-2018), which was based here. The program starred Chip and Joanna Gaines, and the couple launched several businesses in Waco, including a restaurant and a home-furnishing store. The city is the seat of Baylor University (Southern Baptist; founded in 1845), McLennan Community College (1965), and Texas State Technical College (1965), located near the deactivated James Connally Air Force Base. 
 
A violent tornado devastated Waco on May 11, 1953, killing 114 people. On April 19, 1993, after a 51-day standoff with federal agents, nearly 80 members of the Branch Davidian religious group perished in a fire at their compound near Waco. Lake Waco, formed in 1923 by damming the Bosque River, is a recreations spot just west of the city.

Graffiti picture 

After math of the 1953 tornado.

"Every act of creation is first an act of destruction." Pablo Picasso

Waco

Baylor - Go Bears.

Brazos River.

Statues memorializing the cattle drives.

"Keeping it real" when we arrived in Waco we were getting set up in our site. One of my jobs is to pull out or pull in the slide-outs. Well, slide-out number one (our bedroom slide-out) sounded awful as I was pushing the button for it to move. We have a phone call into an RV repair guy, and I am guessing we will have to get that gear box replaced. Just did slide-out 5 in Houston. Oh, the joys of full time RVing. 

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saint, practicing hospitality". Romans 12:10-13 (NASB).

Stay tune for the next blog post, you will learn all about the Cottonland Castle. I also believe we will be headed out to the Texas Rangers Memorial and Museum. Oh, how the hubby loves museums. 

If there is something special you would like me to take a picture of, please let me know!
 
Drop a comment for me and let me know your thoughts on the blog.
 
God, the RV & me...