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Old Hidalgo Pumphouse & World Birding Center

December 24, 2018 by Jillian 1 Comment

old hidalgo pumphouse & world birding center

old hidalgo pumphouse & world birding center

old hidalgo pumphouse & world birding center

Last June I visited the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse in Hidalgo, Texas, a town that lies right on the border of Mexico in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley. Reynosa sits just on the other side of the Rio Grande River. Hidalgo was founded in 1852 and was first named Edinburgh, after the birthplace of Hidalgo’s founder. It became the county seat and the name was later changed to Hidalgo, which literally translates to “son of something” or loosely, “gentleman,” because it referred to someone of noble rank. The Hidalgo Pumphouse dates back to 1909, when it was built to service over 40,000 acres of land that needed irrigation, and was in operation until 1983 when a newer pump plant was opened nearby.

I went to visit the Old Pumphouse on a hot Thursday afternoon. It has been converted to a museum, and like the other parts of the lower valley, attracts birds because of the tropical climate, so it also functions as a birding center. I was the only visitor there, so it was quiet and peaceful, and I was surprised by just how beautiful it was. History and nature are two of my favorite things, and being able to combine the two is even better!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Bits & Pieces, Travel Tagged With: amphiteater, birding center, compassionate women, explore, flowers, garden, hidalgo pumphouse, hidalgo texas, history, international bridge, museum, nature, old hidalgo pumphouse, old hidalgo pumphouse & world birding center, pumphouse museum, reynosa, rio grande river, south texas, Texas, texas history, travel, vegan blog, world birding center

The Garden at La Posada

April 28, 2018 by Jillian Leave a Comment

the garden at la posada

garden

seedling

I’m really bad at gardening. I can’t even keep house plants alive for more than a couple of months. So I started buying only cactus in the hopes that they are low maintenance enough for me and my gardening deficit. Plus, my compost pile has been sprouting new fruits and veggies, which was unintentional on my part!

I have a friend that volunteers bi-weekly at an apartment complex called La Posada that is part of my city’s housing authority. One of the volunteer programs she runs is the communal garden at the complex. Yesterday she gave me a tour, and I was so impressed with all of the beautiful things growing there! Luckily, I happened to have my camera with me and took photos.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Bits & Pieces, Tidbits Tagged With: children's garden, communal garden, community garden, compassionate women, environment, environmentally friendly, fruits & veggies, garden, garden photos, gardening, grow your own food, housing authority, nature, south texas, the garden at la posada, vegan, vegetable garden, volunteer

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge

August 12, 2017 by Jillian

santa ana national wildlife refuge

santa ana national wildlife refuge

santa ana cemetery

There is so much to see and do at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Texas! If you’re in the Rio Grande Valley or traveling through, come check out the 2,088 acre refuge in the town of Alamo. There’s 14 miles of trails, tons of species of birds, a rope bridge, tree tower, observation decks, visitor’s center, nature tram, and historic cemetery. See my favorite photos below from my past two adventures at the refuge, including how I conquered my fear of heights and also thought I got locked inside the refuge at night!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Bits & Pieces, Travel Tagged With: alamo texas, border wall, cementerio viejo, compassionate women, hiking, national wildlife refuge, nature, ocelot, rio grande river, rio grande valley, santa ana border wall, santa ana cemetery, santa ana national wildlife refuge, santa ana wildlife refuge, south texas, southeast texas, texas history, texas wildlife, the old cemetery, travel, vegan, vegan lifestyle, wildlife, wildlife preservation, wildlife refuge

Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary

June 5, 2017 by Jillian Leave a Comment

roy e. larsen sandyland sanctuary

red flowers

pine forest

southeast texas

If your favorite color is bright green then you are going to enjoy this post. Disclaimer: You may have to shield your eyes from all the bright green colors of nature 💚🌳✅🐸

While I was still living in the pine filled region of southeast Texas I discovered a hidden gem that not many people know about. The Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary is right on a Texas highway in the small town of Kountze, but it’s easy to miss the entrance. I remember driving along the highway, thinking I had the wrong address because I was totally not seeing an entrance to any kind of park or sanctuary. Finally, I noticed a small wooden sign that blended in perfectly with the tree trunks surrounding it. Found it!

With over 5500 acres and multiple trails to explore, the Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary is a quiet retreat for nature lovers who want to hike, bike, photograph, or simply enjoy the great outdoors. Here’s some of my fav photos from one of my visits there 📷

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Bits & Pieces, Travel Tagged With: big thicket, biodiversity, compassioniate women, hiking, hiking trail, kountze, kountze texas, natural trails, nature, nature park, open-floor forest, outdoors, pinelands, roy e. larsen, roy e. larsen sandyland sanctuary, southeast texas, spanish moss, swamp, Texas, texas wildlife, travel, vegan, vegan lifestyle, wildlife, wildlife sanctuary

Tiny Texas Houses in Luling

February 13, 2017 by Jillian Leave a Comment

tiny texas houses in luling

tiny texas houses in luling

tiny texas houses in luling

This post has been a long time coming! I first stayed at Tiny Texas Houses in Luling for my birthday in May… last year. I took hundreds of pictures because it was so amazing and it took forever to narrow them down to the best ones, which still left me with over a hundred photos to edit. Definitely worth it though. I ended up going back again this past fall (another post because I can’t even think about editing more photos right now!) and after reading this post, you’ll probably want to visit, too.

What exactly is Tiny Texas Houses? It’s a company founded by Brad Kittel in Luling, Texas (which is a little over an hour southeast of Austin) that uses salvaged housing materials to build custom, hand-crafted tiny houses. These materials are 100% American, toxin free, and more environmentally friendly. Plus, Brad makes adorable and unique houses that are almost unreal!

Best part is, if you aren’t in the market to buy a tiny house, you can still rent one through Air BnB and enjoy not only the house itself, but the beautiful natural surroundings of Luling. What follows are some photos to whet your appetite… for delicious tiny houses! 🏘

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Bits & Pieces, Travel Tagged With: bathhouse, central texas, compassionate women, countryside, custom made houses, day trip, environmentally friendly houses, flowers, handcrafted houses, luling, luling texas, miracle mountain, nature, pond, recycled housing materials, rural texas, rustic, small town, Texas, texas day trip, texas houses, tiny houses, tiny texas houses, tiny texas houses in luling, travel, travel texas, vacation, vegan, vegan travel, wildflowers

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HEY THERE! I’M JILLIAN.

I live near Houston, Texas with my rescue dog Stella! I create cruelty-free recipes that are delicious, to demonstrate that it's easy to follow a plant-based lifestyle. Not only are the health and beauty benefits noticeable, but it creates a more sustainable planet and keeps our animal friends safe & happy. In our spare time, Stella and I also love watching movies, reading, snuggling, and taking long walks! LEARN MORE…

SHOW YOUR PITTIE PRIDE! This design was inspired by own rescue pittie, Stella, who defies pit bull stereotypes every day.

pittie power t-shirt

Pittie Power T-Shirt

Watch My Documentary!

remember my soul

Feature-length documentary that uncovers the Jewish history of the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and the customs & traditions the Jewish people there have contributed to.

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compassionatewomen

Compassionate Women
I made tofu Panna Cotta with a coconut mango puree I made tofu Panna Cotta with a coconut mango puree 🥥🥭 I loved the Panna Cotta part - it set well (first time using agar agar), tasted very fresh, and had the perfect hint of almond. The puree tasted good but I should've strained it - it had those stringy bits of mango which I don't like - so Cece enjoyed all the puree 🤪
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#veganfortheanimals #vegantreats #veganlife #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganpower #veganblogger #veganblog #veganeats #vegana #vegansofinstagram #vegans #veganfood #vegansofinsta #vegansofig #vegandessert #veganaf #veganism #glutenfree #crueltyfree #desserts #foodblogfeed #foodblogger #foodlovers #foodstagram #foodshare #plantbasednutrition #healthyeating #healthyfood #foodpic
Are you really vegan if you don't saute extra vegg Are you really vegan if you don't saute extra veggies to put on your frozen vegan pizza? 🍕
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#veganfortheanimals #veganlife #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganblogger #veganblog #veganpower #veganeats #vegana #vegans #vegansofinstagram #vegansofinsta #vegansofig #vegan #veganaf #glutenfree #crueltyfree #veganpizza #pizza #veggies #veganlove #veganism #dinner #foodblogfeed #foodlovers #foodgram #foodstagram #foodshare #yum #foodblog
Found this vegan jello at my local health foods st Found this vegan jello at my local health foods store. It's pretty good! 🍓
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#veganlife #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganblogger #veganblog #veganpower #veganeats #vegana #vegansofinstagram #vegans #vegan #vegandessert #vegansofig #veganlove #jello #dessert #crueltyfree #healthyeats #healthyliving #healthyeating #glutenfree #foodblogfeed #foodblogger #foodlovers #desserts #foodgram #foodpics #foodstagram #yum #veganfortheanimals
I love taking care of rescue donkeys, even when I I love taking care of rescue donkeys, even when I find snakes under their water buckets, which is what happened yesterday (baby copperhead we think) 🐍 He was safely relocated and donkey cuddling could commence! ✨
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#donkeysofinstagram #donkey #donkeylove #donkeys #animallovers #animallover #animalsanctuary #animalrescue #animals #rescueanimals #rescue #volunteering #volunteer #greatoutdoors #ranchlife #texasblogger #texasgirl #texas #veganfortheanimals #veganlife #veganblogger #veganpower #furfriends #furbabies #friendsnotfood #farmlife #vegansofig #veganaf #weekend #cuteanimals
Made a vegan chocolate chip banana bread cake toda Made a vegan chocolate chip banana bread cake today 🍌🍫 
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#baking #cake #crueltyfree #dairyfree #veganfood #vegansofinstagram #veganlife #vegan #vegansofig #vegans #veganism #veganfoodshare #vegandessert #vegancake #veganbaking #veganblogger #veganfoodie #veganlove #veganfoodlovers #veganpower #foodpics #foodstagram #bananabread #foodlovers #foodgram #delicious #foodblogger #dessert #cakestagram #yummy
I spent Earth Day weekend camping for the first ti I spent Earth Day weekend camping for the first time! 🌎 But not by myself -- with 11 other women from all over Texas for a yoga & hiking retreat that I decided to organize because I thought it would be fun ⛺️ We were all strangers and yet we got along great, and I admire their adventurous spirits! Cece had a lot of fun too. This was a completely new experience for her as well, and I think she did great considering she was totally out of her comfort zone. Already starting to plan my next camping trip! 😃
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#camping #campinglife #campvibes #hikinglife #hikingtrails #hikingwithdogs #hiking #hikingadventures #hike #hikersofinstagram #greatoutdoors #nature #retreat #yoga #yogagirl #yogalife #yogalove #yogadaily #texas #texas🇨🇱 #texasblogger #texasgirl #outdoorliving #outdoors #scenic #naturegram #naturelovers #veganlife #veganblogger #veganblog
I got some belated flowers from Stella's vet in th I got some belated flowers from Stella's vet in the Houston area that performed two of her tumor removal surgeries. It was unexpected but very appreciated 💐
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#rainbowbridge #petlove #petloss #myheart #flowersofinstagram #flowers #flowerstagram #bouquet #dogmomlife #dogmom #cancersucks #pitbulladvocate #pitbullmom #adoptdontshop #adoptthecropped #rescuedogsrock #rescuedog #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #doglove #doglover
@cece_and_stella has more followers than me and I @cece_and_stella has more followers than me and I love it! 😄
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#pitbulladvocate #pittie #pibble #pitbullmom #pitstagram #pittiesofinstagram #pets #petsofig #petlovers #petstagram #dogsofig #doglife #dogs_of_instagram #doggo #dogmomlife #doglove #dogs #dogmodel #dogstagram #dontbullymybreed #doglovers #dogsofinstgram #rescuedog #rescuedogsrock #furbaby #dogmom #animallovers #instadog #followme #happydog
With my volunteer buddy Judy at the Miracle Ranch With my volunteer buddy Judy at the Miracle Ranch yesterday. Judy and I work together every Saturday, usually dumping out the water tubs, scrubbing and refilling them so the donkeys have clean, fresh water. We also help the staff at feeding time. And we kiss a lot of donkeys lol 😄 I think Judy is honestly the nicest person I've ever met! She just adopted Juliet (seen here) and her mom Bracchi. I can't wait until I can adopt donkeys! 😭😭
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#donkeysofinstagram #donkey #donkeys #donkeylove #ranchlife #ranch #animallovers #animallover #animalsanctuary #animalrescue #animalrights #animals #furfriends #texas #texasgirl #veganfortheanimals #vegansofinstagram #veganlife #veganblogger #veganblog #vegansofinsta #vegansofig #volunteering #volunteer #weekend #photooftheday #animalfriends #texas🇨🇱 #sweet #rescueanimals
First photo is from my backyard and the other two First photo is from my backyard and the other two are at the park in my neighborhood 🌸🏵️🌼
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#flowerphotography #flowersofinstagram #flowers #flowerstagram #flowerpower #flower_daily #flower #flowers🌸 #greatoutdoors #spring #springtime #beautifulday #beautiful #nature #nature_perfection #naturegram #veganlife #veganblogger #veganblog #vegansofinsta #vegansofig #plantsofinstagram #plants #texas #texas🇨🇱 #texasgirl #texasphotographer #bluebonnets #springday #photos
There was a baby donkey born last week at the resc There was a baby donkey born last week at the rescue ranch I volunteer at 😭😭 He is so soft and fuzzy and his mom is really sweet too 💞
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#donkey #donkeys #donkeysofinstagram #baby #babyanimals #animallovers #rescue #animalshelter #animalsanctuary #animallover #animalfriends #animals #texas #veganfortheanimals #vegansofinstagram #veganlife #veganforlife #veganblogger #veganblog #vegansofig #volunteer #rescueanimals #cute #saturday #saturdayvibes #instagood #photooftheday #pics
I made 2 mushroom dishes this week that I've been I made 2 mushroom dishes this week that I've been wanting to try for awhile! Vegan fried chicken with oyster mushrooms (but I made the batter too thick 😭) and scallops with king mushrooms & lemon garlic sauce. The scallops were my favorite! So flavorful and the perfect texture 👌😋
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#vegansofinstagram #veganlife #veganshare #vegans #vegetarian #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganrecipes #veganblogger #veganblog #veganfood #veganeats #vegana #vegansofinsta #vegan #vegansofig #veganism #veganaf #friedchicken #recipe #crueltyfree #dinner #foodblogfeed #foodblogger #foodlovers #foodgram #cooking #foodshare #foodstagram #foodlove
Testing out watercolors from my new set 🌈🌈 . Testing out watercolors from my new set 🌈🌈
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#painting #paint #watercolor #watercolorpainting #colorful #color #colores #artsy #artsandcrafts #artlover #art #artgram #artofinstagram #arttherapy #arts #vegansofinstagram #veganblogger #veganblog #vegansofig #bloglife #photoblog #photogram #watercolors #watercolorart #painting🎨
The park in my neighborhood is sprouting bluebonne The park in my neighborhood is sprouting bluebonnets! 💙💙
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#bluebonnets #texas #texasblogger #texasgirl #texasphotographer #texas🇨🇱 #texans #flowerphotography #flowersofinstagram #flowers #flowerstagram #flowerpower #flower_daily #flower #flowers🌸 #blue #nature #scenic #landscapes #pretty #inbloom #bloom #spring #vegansofinstagram #veganlife #plant #plantsofinstagram #vegansofig #plants #plantstagram
My first time making leek & potato soup and it cam My first time making leek & potato soup and it came out so good! And vegan (gf) parmesan toast just sounded like the right side for it 😋 

I sauteed garlic and leeks, added diced potatoes and brought to a boil with water and veggie bouillon. Seasoned with s&p, garlic powder, and nooch. Blended everything together with oat milk. 
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#vegansofinstagram #veganfortheanimals #veganlife #vegans #veganforlife #vegetarian #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganrecipes #veganblogger #veganblog #veganfood #vegana #vegansofig #vegansofinsta #veganism #vegandinner #soup #plantbased #crueltyfree #glutenfree #dinner #healthyfood #foodblogfeed #foodlovers #foodgram #delicious #foodshare #dinnertime #veganeats
No one ever regrets breakfast for lunch 🍽️ Ju No one ever regrets breakfast for lunch 🍽️ Just Egg scrambled with onion, mushroom, and spinach & gluten free bagel thins with Treeline cream cheese 😋
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#vegansofinstagram #veganfortheanimals #veganlife #vegans #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganblogger #veganblog #veganfood #veganeats #vegansofinsta #vegansofig #vegan #veganism #veganaf #plantbased #crueltyfree #friendsnotfood #glutenfree #fitfood #healthyfood #healthyeats #foodblogfeed #foodblogger #foodpic #foodstagram #foodlover #breakfast #healthyeating #yum
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