Yes, the USA-Iran World Cup match was on the screen as my students wrote their essays today. Glad the U.S. advanced. Not a big fan of a World Cup during November and December. I've never had the WC conflict with school before. But, guess that's what you gotta do when you decide to put the tournament in a corrupt, authoritarian desert kingdom.
During our stay in Fredericksburg we drove about twenty minutes north to visit Enchanted Rock State Park. The weather was drizzly and cool but made for great hiking weather. We are used to hiking in 90 degree temps so the mid-50 degree temps were very nice. Enchanted Rock is a spectacular display of pinkish granite. The terrain almost seemed Martian. Everywhere you hiked provided fantastical views. Unfortunately, due to earlier rain the trails to the summit were closed. But the loop trail was super fun nonetheless.
Over the Thanksgiving Break we traveled down to Hill Country and spent a
few days in the quaint German-Texan town of Fredericksburg.
Fredericksburg was settled in the 1840s by German immigrants and retains
much of it's Bavarian character. It's a cool place to see. We also went
to nearby Enchanted Rock State Park and experienced great hiking. We
enjoyed our AirBnB which was just a couple of blocks from Main Street
and right next to a field where we saw deer each day. It was a nice
quick getaway.
"Well...I have thought, perhaps I may come to work with the Master in the Tower, to be one of those seek among the books and the stars for lost names, and so...do no more harm, if not much good...."
"Maybe," said Vetch, "I am no seer, but I see before you, not rooms and books, but far seas, and the fire of dragons, and the towers of cities, and all such things a hawk sees when he flies far and high."
- from A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin