Here in Houston we are well aware that summer is fast approaching, so I am trying to enjoy these beautiful spring days by getting outside with my boys as much as possible before it gets too hot. Yesterday, we decided to head out on another Saturday adventure, this time to Armand Bayou Nature Center in Pasadena. None of us had been before but we had heard good things and figured it would a fun morning outing. Our morning turned into a full day adventure but it was a fun one.
We arrived at the park around 10:30 in the morning and were greeted by this squirrel munching on seeds.
Cut-outs, always!
We started off on our hike. The park has about five miles of trails. We chose the Martyn Trail that linked up with the Karankawa Trail in a big loop that was just under two miles.
Will was my map reader.
Gene and Henry were quiet and found all kinds of wildlife, including skinks, a frog, and a jackrabbit!
Armand Bayou.
Clam shell.
We thought this was a huge bumble bee, but if you look closely at the photo, the "bee" is eating a fly! A quick google search taught me that this is a laphria, or bee-like robber fly. It looks like and mimics a bee but eats other insects.
Sweet honeysuckle.
Skink -- they were scurrying about everywhere!
Spirit of Christmas, version 3.0.
My explorers.
I think this is a yellow-crowned night heron.
After about an hour and a half of exploring, we decided it was time for lunch. Armand Bayou doesn't allow picnicking, so we headed to nearby Bay City Park for our picnic lunch and some playground time for the boys. After lunch, we headed back to Armand Bayou to check out Martyn Farm.
The boys were secret-agents and Gene sent them on missions. This mission was to count the bison.
There were two :)
More wildflowers.
My boys.
At Martyn Farm, from the 1800s, we learned all about farm life in early Texas.
Some blacksmiths were out working as well.
Our final walk was through the prairie. It was just beautiful!
We found a real bumble bee sipping nectar.
Will asked me to take this picture!
By the time we left Armand Bayou, it was 3pm and all three of my boys were in the mood for seafood, so we decided to drive down to Galveston. That had not been in our original plan at all, but we were all having so much fun that we decided to continue our adventure! Honestly, if the boys had not been up for it, we would have just headed home, but even though they were tired, they were game for more adventuring.
When we got to Galveston, we just wandered around a bit.
Dolphins in the bay!
We decided to eat at Fisherman's Wharf, which is always where we end up when we're in Galveston. We were there early, before 5, so we grabbed a table outside, drank St. Arnold's Elissa beer about 30 feet from the Elissa, and just sat back and relaxed.
I've got to give these two boys props. They were handed the kids' menu, took one look at it and both said there was nothing on there they wanted to eat! Will was in the mood for calamari and clam chowder while Henry and Gene shared oysters on the half shell and beer-battered fish and chips. I ate grilled Gulf shrimp and shared with everyone who wanted a bite.
We had promised the boys Galveston's best ice cream after dinner, so we went to La King's Confectionery on the Strand. In my book, they have the best ice cream on the island.
Chocolate-chip cookie dough for Will
and rocky road for Henry. Mommy got licks of both.
We watched the taffy show before we left,
sampled fresh, still-warm banana salt-water taffy,
and came home with a bag of taffy to enjoy this week.
We arrived back in Houston at 7:30 in the evening, a full 10 hours after we left, tired but happy and full of good memories of another exciting adventure.
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