I'm so excited to share a billion photos I took today on my way to East Texas. I'll have to spread these out over the next few posts since there are so many and I have to do some photoshop editing on some of them.
I decided to take the Terrell exit today instead of taking Interstate 20 so I could possibly capture photos of some interesting places along the way. I was NOT disappointed. While driving along the highway, I passed a very long train headed the same direction as me. Since I was a child, I have always been absolutely facinated by trains, but there's something about them that gives me chills. It's like they come out of nowhere, and then when the crossing lights come on, and the whistle blows, the hair stands up on my arms, but I'm drawn to them. I want to be the first person at the light so I can watch it pass. My friends and I would sit on the overhead bridge in my home town and watch the train come and pass under us. I remember the trains passing in the middle of the night and the whistle blowing. There's just something so haunting and powerful about them....
Anyway, I parked next to the railroad track since I had made it to Terrell before the train did, and knowing it was coming, I got out of the car with my camera and stood there and waited. Moments later, I saw the headlight of the train coming around the corner in the distance. I was getting a little nervous because the crossing lights had not come on yet and cars were still driving across the tracks. Finally, the lights started flashing red, and the bell started ringing, and then the whistle blew. You can't imagine how loudly that whistle blows when you're standing 15 feet from the track. It is deafening! Here is a sequence of shots I took.
Here it comes!!
How cool is the American Flag on the side of the engine??
So after I watched the train pass, I got back in my car and kept driving East. I actually passed this same train again.
About 8 miles out of Terrell, I noticed a darling little blue house on the right that had a sign next to the road advertising Aunt Kate's Barbeque. I had to make a u-turn to come back to it because I was going too fast to pull in. I had intended to just take a photo of the house, but when I got out of the car, the wonderful smell of hickory smoke lured me in.
A beautiful woman named Pennie was nailing a sign on the front porch, and when I asked her if she was open, she said 'sure, come on in'. Since it was only 10:30 and not nearly lunch time, I had no intention of ordering anything, I just wanted to check the place out. Once inside, I had the feeling that Aunt Kate was somewhere near. The restaurant was named after Pennie's Aunt Kate, and the original recipes for the barbeque are still used today. There were photos on the wall of Aunt Kate from back in the 60's and type-written descriptions of the photos. Hopefully you can read the documentation next to the photos.
This is Pennie. She was so warm and friendly and so willing to share the history of the restaurant and her family.
Check out the desserts here. All Aunt Kate's secret recipes and home made by niece Pennie.
See the doll houses here? All made by Pennie. The one in the center, 'The General Store' is completely hand made by Pennie, the others were from kits, but check out the detail of the one in the center. So awesome!
Just smelling the barbeque made me hungry, so I bought a chopped beef sandwich and Pennie wrapped it up to go for me. I can honestly say, this is the BEST barbeque I have EVER had!! I was only a few miles down the road and having already scarfed down the sandwich, I picked up the brochure she gave me with her phone number on it and I called her to tell her just that.
If you are even remotely close to this place, you simply MUST stop in and sample the barbeque. The restaurant is located in Elmo, TX off Highway 80, 8 miles East of Terrell, and 8 miles West of Wills Point. Open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10-7pm. Don't miss this for sure!
That's all for now. My next stop was in Canton at First Monday. I have awesome photos there as well.
Til next time...
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