Spring is nature’s way of saying, "Let’s party!"
Robin Williams
April in Texas. Best time of the year for me. After the brown of December, January, February and most of March, I've escaped from winter's hold on the bleak. Perfect weather has arrived. I sit outside and I'm not hot. Nor am I cold. The sun on my skin provides much needed Vitamin D.
Everything sings green. My garden grows.
Best part? No bugs.
Doesn't get much better than that. Except for when you head out in the car for a Saturday adventure. Country roads. Beautiful vistas. Wildflowers.
In the 1960's First Lady Lady Bird Johnson began a beautification project throughout Washington DC and America. Since she lived in Austin and also in the nearby Hill Country, her efforts are seen in abundance here as she saw to the spreading of wildflower seeds to enhance the landscape. You can read more about it here.
The roads surrounding us in Spring are filled with camera toting families, oil painters, and flower lovers cruising the countryside to find the best fields of Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush along with many other species of yellow, white, pink and purple persuasions.
On Saturday my husband and I joined the masses and headed out with our friends Mike and Bonnie. I planned to drive so I could go as slow as I wanted and stop whenever to get a better photo. However, that bad wife in me felt sorry for my husband as I know he likes to drive. I offered him my car keys and listed the parameters of his task ahead.
1. This isn't a race.
2. We will need to go slow.
3. You will have to listen for "What a great place to stop." or "Slow down." or "Go back, go back." and comply.
4. This isn't a race.
He agreed.
Off we went.
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Passed by the strawberry picking place and
headed onto the highway and then many country roads.
All of those merited a Stop the Car shout.
But this one, this one was just perfect. Took a turn onto a road that ended up a dead end, but, oh, my. Overwhelming find.
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| Let's see that again. |
We came around this corner and found a perfect spot for a vista view.
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| Any time you guys are ready... |
Shortly thereafter, my husband forgot the mission of the trip. I opened my window to take a photo and he sped up. Bonnie said, "Wow, what a perfect place to stop." He turned up the radio.
But gotta love the man for shortly thereafter he took a quick turn into a long drive that took us to this view
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and a winery. Nothing like finishing out the drive with a wine tasting and a view.
After that, all we saw was just icing on the cake.
Ended up in the metropolis of Marble Falls for a big hamburger at Bill's.
Cheers.
Thanks Bob, Mike, and Bonnie. Fun day.
Happy Spring Northern Hemisphere.
Loving the Bluebonnets.
And the paintbrushes.
What Glory! I've been through the pictures twice. Bob was a good sport or a secret admirer, only bolting when he smelled grapes.
ReplyDeleteHa! The man does like his grapes. Our friends have nicknamed him Mario.
DeleteWhat great looking photos, warm greetings!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Blogoratti. Warm greetings to you as well.
DeleteThose wildflowers are just amazing - I do wish I could really see them growing.
ReplyDeleteIncredible views, mostly seen while driving 60mph. My favorite are on a road where I can't stop. The bluebonnets go far back into the hills and look like blankets just waiting for me sit and see. Very welcome after winter's brown.
DeleteLovely blooms to enjoy, seeing a few shrubs and trees blooming here
ReplyDeleteI bet you are. The return of the earth -- or least the more colorful one.
DeleteThe bluebonnets! The paintbrushes! What gorgeous wildflowers. Thank you so much for these great pictures, and thanks to those who drove for stopping. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. Truly an incredible sight. Due to the rain last year spring, we’ve had a bumper crop. Most gorgeous.
DeleteI know that about Texas, and yet I'm always surprised by pictures of the all those expanses of wildflowers. Glad you got to enjoy them.
ReplyDeleteTruly beautiful. I’ve heard that was peak weekend, but they were just as beautiful last weekend. Might sneak one more in.
DeleteWhat a glorious spring! I needed that color and hope for future blooms on this wintery 30s day in Maine. Your photos are divine.
ReplyDeleteSending karma for your upcoming blooms. Nothing like Spring to revive the spirit.
DeleteYou know, I have recently read about Lady Bird's Texas parkland...where...why??? That sure is a lovely spring you're having.
ReplyDeleteI know how that goes — where you’ve just reading something. This morning I read a poem by Billy Collins and he mentioned Marianne Moore. I didn’t know her and looked it up. Then this afternoon saw an entire article on The New Yorker webpage about her. Freaked me out.
DeleteI am envious! You certainly had a lot of cake and icing. Beautiful. I love the railway tracks covered in heavenly blue. Sounds like a perfect day. One of these days it will warm up here. July at the latest. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou and your camera would have gone nuts that day. I just took landscapes but you would have found so much more. Sending good thoughts for a warmup.
DeleteThank you for taking the time post the pictures! A friend of mine moved to Temple, TX. She says that April is the best month because of the mild weather and the beautiful bluebonnets and has invited me there. Maybe I'll get there next April! I see that you and she agree!
ReplyDeleteLady Bird deserves big kudos! Her work is on the interstates of Virginia, too.
I would imagine she had a hand in Virginia, also. And if you get to Temple, I'm not too far and would love to meet us with you.
DeleteAmazing! I was going to post some pics of wildflowers that I photographed when in Italy, but not sure now as they cannot compare with yours! I've never see those blue bonnets or Indian Paintbrushes before so that was interesting. An enjoyable 'stop/start' drive out with friends ending up at a winery sounds good to me!
ReplyDelete