The grounds of the Goliad courthouse host numerous bric-a-brac, including a cannon which has a little commemorative plaque that states this cannon was officially operated by Colonel Fannin, who was one of the heroes of the Texas Revolution and the commanding officer at Goliad. Above, Vincent plays with his godsons and the cannon......it is a joy, now, to see them being so unselfconsciously silly, as nowadays they eschew most photos generally, and if you can catch them and force them to pose (via threats and bribes), it is generally with scowls on their faces.
Boys flying out of cannons ! They are clearly qualified to get jobs at the circus now. *
In between all the historic sites and Tex-Mex dinners, we took a little tour of one of the extended family member's ranch. It was a lovely sunny late winter day, and we rode the rugged terrain in the back of a pick-up truck.
Along the way we met some cows, which No#2 son began naming and turning into pets. Sadly, these cows went to make hamburgers, a few months after our visit. An extended years-long draught has plagued south Texas recently, making it difficult to grow enough grass to feed livestock, thus forcing ranchers to purchase hay to feed their cattle - an expensive proposition.
One of the most vivid "Texas-ish" moments for me was when one of Vincent's great-aunties took us all to see her personal oil well, located on the ranch. Yes, you heard me right, her own personal oil well. This is Texas, after all. As we stood there, looking at it, the auntie said to me , "You know, sometimes I come out here at night, and look at it, when it's all lit up. It looks just like a Christmas tree to me. A big ole fat Christmas tree that is just pumping money right out of the ground. " Her eyes twinkled a little, as she said it.
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