Friday, March 30, 2012

Spring in the Texas Hill Country

Saturday morning Tom and I headed out with friends for a drive into the Texas Hill Country...

First stop: Willow City Loop
It's just another winding country road most of the year.
 Pretty, but no more so than any other little country road...
...until spring arrives.

Then it becomes a wildflower wonderland... 



The residents ask that you don't park, so mostly we drove, oohing and aahing around every curve... and snapping bluebonnets from the window.


But a few times Tom agreed to stop so I could jump out and grab a close up.


Indian Paintbrush


White Poppies and Bluebonnets


We continued down the highway to Enchanted Rock State Park...



...where we sat in a line waiting to drive in.
Fortunately, this cardinal kept us company while we waited.



We had a good view of the Rock. 
I prayed we'd make it in before the capacity limit was reached.



We did, hallelujah!
I already posted several photos on Long Hollow of our adventures on the Rock, but here are a few more.

This one gives you an idea of its size...



White Poppies up close... blossoms delicate as tissue! 



The poppies grew along Willow City Loop, but also decorated the beginning of the trail leading to the top of the Rock, along with the beautiful Spiderwort below.
(Who named these, anyway?) 



Fern peeked out from under a huge granite boulder that rested on the Rock.



Colored lichen dressed up much of the granite. 
Besides this University of Texas orange, I also spotted some blues and reds.



We also found color on the cactus...



I have a feeling the cacti below didn't grow like this on their own.
(See those little fuzzy knobs popping out? Soon those will be gorgeous flowers!)



Leaving the rock, we drove into Fredericksburg for lunch and parked near this beautiful church.



The church school... such an imposing building!



A mysterious little door on the side of the church.
I felt sepia added to the mystery.



Fredericksburg is a beautiful little German town with tons of things to photograph
but we were famished and this was as far as we got.
(I recommend the Reuben Sandwich!)


Now that's the way to spend a Saturday in spring!


23 comments:

  1. love those poppies! they don't grow here, but our bluebonnets are glorious (and we have a few bright patches of indian paintbrushes, too). :)

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    1. I don't have any of the poppies in my neighborhood, either. Wish I did, though!

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  2. beautiful. i love how the bluebells grow along side of the road and the contrast with the cactus. what a beautiful drive.

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    1. Those are the views of them I love best, too, when they're contrasted with cactus or a fence or other flowers.

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  3. It sounds like a wonderful trip. I love the photos of the flowers. At times they are so different in one place than in another.

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    1. That is probably due to the light - the sun was coming and going through some early morning fog when we first arrived.

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  4. Lovely spring colors are popping up all over where you are aren't they? Very lovely.
    Wishing you a very happy weekend!
    xo Catherine

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    1. Oh, they are Catherine, and I'm so grateful for all of them! I'm soaking it up like a sponge!! Hope you have a wonderful weekend, too!

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  5. I NEED TO GO THERE! I haven't been to the Hill Country in so many years it's not even funny. Maybe when hubby retires, although that thought scares the crap out of me!

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  6. Some beautiful scenes and wonderful colours. I love that little happy face, waving cactus.

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  7. These are so gorgeous! Love the blue bonnets!

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    1. We had practically no bluebonnets last year, so I'm loving all the blooms this year!

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  8. Your spring shots are gorgeous! (says she shivering in the snow!)

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    1. Shivering in the snow is just the trade-off you have to make for those gorgeous sunrise and sunset photos!! I appreciate your sacrifice!!

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  9. The highway shot & the spiderwort? (purple) have me swooning. What a wonderful saturday :)

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  10. So happy to see all the wonderful flowers blooming in Texas...that goodness the drought has ended. I hope that you weren't close to the Tornados..❤

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  11. I'm amazed at how many beautiful flowers you guys have out there despite the hot dry summers they have to endure!

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    1. They're amazing me, too. Some are popping up I've never seen! They all require just the right conditions, it seems.

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