Stop 1/25

71 pts!

@ Howdy! Welcome to Texas!

Sponge, a Little Pink Monster, arrived in Lubbock, excited but a little nervous. Texas was so huge! But Kerry had told her the pets here were really friendly, and it was true! She was greeted with smiles, firm pawshakes and an enthusiastic 'Howdy!' on all sides. Everypet seemed so glad to see her!

Stop 2/25

12 pts!

@ Prairie Dog, Lubbock

Sponge started her trip in Mackenzie Park. She sat by a beautiful lake and became aware of a number of prairie dogs nearby. In the Texan way, several called "Howdy!" and asked where she was from. "I've never seen so many prairie dogs in one place!" marvelled Sponge.

Stop 3/25

15 pts!

@ Sparrow Duo, Texas

"Lubbock!" Sponge sighed happily—her first port of call was the Buddy Holly Center. Pausing only to share some seeds and fruit and to have a conversation with some chatty house sparrows, Sponge made for Crickets Avenue!

Stop 4/25

15 pts!

@ Tortilla Chips, Chili & Salsa

Emerging hungrily from the Buddy Holly Center several hours later, Sponge headed for a street vendor of tortilla chips and salsa. "This is the official state snack of Texas!" the vendor informed Sponge, serving her with a large, fragrant helping. "It's deeply rooted in Texas tradition."

Stop 5/25

51 pts!

@ Mama Possum and Brood

Sponge headed back to Mackenzie Park to wind down after her first full day in Texas! Here she was enchanted to come across a young family of opossums with their proud Mama. Sponge read a bedtime story to the wide-eyed, appreciative baby opossums and said Goodnight!

Stop 6/25

11 pts!

@ Black Vultures at Sunrise

Sponge rose at sunrise, wondering what it would be like to tune into 1950s KDAV for some country music. She went for a quick trek round the block and said Howdy! to some black vultures roosting in a tree, who all made friendly hissing noises at her whilst stretching their huge wings.

Stop 7/25

10 pts!

@ Texan Rooftops

Sponge heard mewing and saw a tiny kitten clinging onto a roof, in danger of sliding off the sloping tiles! "Oh, Joshua, what to do?" Sponge looked round. That tree! She climbed the tree, carefully moved over onto the roof, just in time to catch the kitten as it slid helplessly down the slope!

Stop 8/25

15 pts!

@ Mockingbird, Texas

Sponge could hear a blackbird's call, but she could only see a grey bird with a long tail! The bird stopped singing and chuckled. "I'm a mocking-bird," it explained. "I enjoy copying other birds' songs!" The two pets got to know each other. By the time Sponge left, they were fast friends.

Stop 9/25

15 pts!

@ Black Headed Squirrel, Texas

Texas Hill Country! What an amazing place! Sponge was enjoying a trip in the woods. On encountering a Southern Fox Squirrel, she shared some fruit with it and enjoyed a chat.

Stop 10/25

15 pts!

@ Texan Spanish Barrel Tile Roof

A group of pets was busy re-roofing a building. They told Sponge that Aged Mission Clay Spanish Barrel Tile copied an old style. "Can I help?" offered Sponge. "Yes, but take great care!" warned the forepet. Under supervision, Sponge proudly laid a new tile, then slid back down to the ground. It had been a bit scary, but fun!

Stop 11/25

10 pts!

@ Riverwalk Waterfall, San Antonio

At the Riverwalk Waterfall, Sponge saw an elderly squirrel trapped in the water! "I've got a paw stuck between two rocks!" it wailed. Sponge edged closer to the dripping wet squirrel and freed the imprisoned paw. Then holding onto each other, both pets cautiously moved to the bank.

Stop 12/25

15 pts!

@ Coot, Mitchell Lake, San Antonio

Sponge got chatting with an American coot at Mitchell Lake and added another friend to her list! The coot was a good swimmer but not so good, Sponge noted, at taking off for flight! However, once in the air, it could fly as well as any other bird.

Stop 13/25

11 pts!

@ Texas Rose-Bellied Lizard

After her evening meal, Sponge strolled along a trail in one of San Antonio's parks, and chatted to several small Sceloporus variabilis, or Texas rose-bellied lizards, basking in very relaxed fashion along the way.
"Kerry told me I'd love all these laid-back little lizards!" reflected Sponge.

Stop 14/25

15 pts!

@ Wild Horses, Texas

Going off the beaten track, Sponge fell into conversation with a group of wild horses and she learnt that the numbers of their herds were hugely reduced since former centuries. Sponge had a bareback ride on one horse, which was great fun!

Stop 15/25

14 pts!

@ Black Rodeo Horse

"Can I get you some water?" offered Sponge, seeing a rodeo horse looking rather hot. The horse gratefully plunged his muzzle deep into the bucket for a welcome cooling drink.

Stop 16/25

11 pts!

@ Sunset on Rodeo

Winding down at the end of the day after the rodeo—what a day of adventure!—Sponge spent a long time chin-wagging with other pets, and ended by promising to get back in touch with them the next time she was in the area!

Stop 17/25

14 pts!

@ Bovine Contentment

Sponge made friends with some Texas longhorns and told them about her travels in Europe. She showed them a picture on her phone of a cow in a meadow. "This is Matilde, in Portugal," she said. "She's mighty purty," drawled one of the Texans. "We'll say she's an honorary Texas longhorn!"

Stop 18/25

14 pts!

@ Tex-Mex Chicken Taco

Sponge had been researching Tex-Mex during her trip. It was so delicious! From her investigations, she learnt it was a cuisine as American as apple pie. Tex-Mex was born in Texas, and was America’s oldest regional cuisine, going back to when the Spanish first colonized Texas in the 1580s.

Stop 19/25

13 pts!

@ Granny's Texan Pecan Pie

As a special treat that night, Sponge ordered a large slice of pecan pie! It was a Texas pecan pie, so was big, full of luscious goo and fresh, home-grown Texas pecans. Sponge's waiter informed her that pecan pie was the official State Pie of Texas!

Stop 20/25

67 pts!

@ American Bald Eagle, Houston

Whilst strolling by a river in Houston, Sponge met a huge bald eagle on the look-out for a meal of fish. "How do you do, sir?" said Sponge. "I'm honoured to meet the national bird of the USA!" Sponge and the bald eagle chatted for a while until regretfully Sponge had to take her leave.

Stop 21/25

14 pts!

@ Coca-Cola Mural, Kilgore, Texas

Sponge's next stop: Kilgore, near Dallas! She visited the Texas Oil Museum and the Museum of Broadcasting, show-casing the golden age of TV and radio—she even had a go at making a pretend broadcast on camera! To end the day, Sponge had barbecue at the Country Tavern with some of her new friends.

Stop 22/25

50 pts!

@ Bide-a-Wee-Bench, Fort Worth

In Fort Worth, Sponge met an elderly Labrador called Gerry outside the old pets' home. "My family are very busy and don't visit very often," quavered Gerry. "It gets a bit lonesome." Sponge felt very sad for her new friend and spent over an hour listening without interrupting to stories of times past.

Stop 23/25

10 pts!

@ USA

On her last night, Sponge pondered the meaning of bravery. Courage is a virtue very much valued in American culture. It is doing what one believes to be morally and ethically right without regard to personal safety or gain, or put another way, feeling the fear but doing it anyway—bravery should not be confused with fearlessness.

Stop 24/25

@ Cross at Sunset, Texas

The next day Sponge took Gerry out. They spent a quiet day touring, and at sunset took in the glories of nature. Sponge promised to write.
As the end of this part of her Texan trip was near, Kerry gave her a special gift of a handsome Texan cowboy hat!

Stop 25/25

@ Baltimore Oriole

On her final evening, Sponge met a Baltimore Oriole in the wood. She told the oriole that she'd had an amazing time in Texas! "Hasta la vista!" said the oriole.

Sponge has enjoyed her tour of Texas, but it is time to go home now! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also enjoy this event!