Impatiens!

Mister has finished planting the back area.  Impatiens EVERYWHERE!  Are they not just oh so pretty?

Austin/Ennis/Bluebonnets

Saturday:  Mister and I are taking a few days to go and play down in the Austin area.  This time of year is spectacular in Texas and I want to witness it myself.  Our first stop is Mount Bonnell and what do you suppose Mister sees?  Ahh.  Beautiful isn't it?  

From Wikipedia:  Mount Bonnell is generally believe to have been named after early Texas newspaper publisher George W. Bonnell, who moved to Texas in 1836.  George W. Bonnell was publisher of the local paper "The Texas Sentinel" and was prominent in early Texas and Travis County (Austin) affairs after the War for Independence.  Though sources have long credited George Bonnell as the mountain's namesake, Albert Sidney Johnston may have named Mount Bonnell in present-day Austin for his friend and fellow West Point graduate Joseph Bonnell, who was a Captain in the Texas Army during the War for Independence.  There is little contemporaneous evidence to support either derivation of the name.

Legend has it that Mount Bonnell was once called Antoinette's Leap, after a young woman who leaped to her death to avoid being captured by Native Americans who had killed her fiance.

Pick the one you like the best and go with it.

What an absolutely gorgeous day!

These are just lovely!  And also, the beginning of what we are about to see.

As I am walking away, the bluebonnets catch my eye.  It is their time of year and I am hoping we will see some magnificent ones.

It is getting late and in the day and one of the reasons we chose this weekend is because a local brewery is having it's anniversary party.  Therefore, we are off to Live Oak Brewing for a little fun.  The place is packed and muddy, but a very enjoyable afternoon takes place.  We do the tour and enjoy sampling their work.

Sunday:

We start our down in the city and head for the Capitol.  I want to wander the grounds and peek inside again.  It has been a couple of years since I was here the first time and this time, I would like to learn a little as well as enjoy the scenery of this impressive place.  The rose gardens out front are oh so pretty.  I want to stand and look at them all day.  What a great entrance.  I don't remember seeing this last time.  Hmm.

Yes!  I do love this architecture.

This statue resonates in me.  I am not from Texas, nor a pioneer woman, but am grateful to those who are and were.  I have truly embraced this state and love living here.  It just feels good.  And right.

Let's go inside.  The dome!

Levels and doorways.  Immense!

Floor.

Treasurer's Office - Love the floor.  A view from the portico.  So pretty.

As we leave the Capitol, we make a stop at the The Bullock Texas State History Museum, which I thought we had not been to before.  Once inside, we both remembered having been here before.  This is not a floor that a person forgets easily.

Mister has located a funky little stop so we head there next.  It is called the The Cathedral of Junk.  Please check the link to find out more as it is really pretty cool.  We were impressed with the amount of stuff in this backyard.  Now THIS Is a clubhouse that any child would give everything to own.  What fun!

Can't tell much from the front can ya?

After a wonderful dinner, we park downtown and walk to the Congress bridge.  Perhaps my favorite thing to do here is watch the bats come out at sunset.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.  We set up in a spot and enjoy ourselves to the fullest as they begin their nightly feast.

The skies start to darken, but still you can see the bats leaving as they dot the blue.  So very many of them.

Fun photography:

Ah the city lights are on.  Let's go have a drink.

The city's motto is "Keep Austin Weird" and I guess they hold to it.  We stop in at a local pub to have a freshly made root beer while sitting at the bar.  Lawrence Welk is on the television and as the bartender goes to change the channel, everyone at the bar shouts not to.  Only in Austin.  This has been a great day, but we are on the road tomorrow so time to call it a night.

Monday:  We are off to Ennis today.  The Bluebonnet Trails started this weekend and I want to go have a peek.  Today is eye candy day to the max.  We start coming across fields of many different colors.  There is yellow, red, white, pink, and blue to be seen everywhere.

I think I am in love with the longhorn cattle in amongst the flowers.  How cool is this?

We spot some deer as well:

The rest of these selected shots are just going to get to speak for themselves.  Suffice to say:  What an incredibly beautiful day.  Thanks so much Mister.

I "think" this one may become a gift for Mister's Mom.  She loves bluebonnets.

Billings - Two Days

I am up to Billings for a couple of days and cannot wait to see my little ones.  First stop is at Rhiana's to say hi to Miss Elena.  I cannot believe how quickly she is growing and my heart hurts to be so far away from it all.

She is so sweet and I get to hold her until she falls asleep.  Bliss.  Now I have to go to work for awhile.

It is day two and I did not take near enough pictures yesterday.  Drat.  This morning I am being treated with "what we can do" moments.  I love this time so very much.

Uh oh, Mommy left her purse available and I watch as Missy thinks she needs to be made up as well.  Oh this one is definitely going to be "all girl."

I get a little bit of time after work to spend at Matt's with Master Hyrum.  Oh these kids and how quick they are growing.  Sigh.  What a cutie!  I LOVE that he knows who I am and is excited to see me.  Becca said he watched out the window until I arrived.  OH, melt my heart now.

The days here have just flown by and it is time to leave again.  Ugh.  I'll be back soon though --- cannot get enough of these little ones.