A Day in Fredericksburg Texas - Part 2 (Inside, where it was warm!)

Fredericksburg is only an hour or so away from Austin. 

Go by way of bus with a dozen other realtors and that hour passes fast... 

...especially if most of them are women! 

We slipped into this little restaurant on the main street for a coffee to-go. 

Ammunition against the freezing temperature and brisk wind outside.

All of the shops are inside historic buildings and show off the great architectural details. 

I should have bought this for my son and daughter-in-law.

I hope they're happy with just a photo of it.

Look who's keeping an eye on the store in Dogologie!

Stylishly bundled up against the cold.

Precious!

Embroidered boots! How do they do that?

If I hadn't just bought a pair of boots... 

(and if I had an extra few hundred bucks lying around...) 

Hmmmm....makes you think.

When in a German town, you have to drink a German beer...

My view as I ate my Reuben sandwich (and drank my German beer.)

More of our group wandered in later...

This unique stair railing graced the inside of one of the shops...

Such a cute idea!

On the way home, we stopped at Messina Hof winery for a tasting...

It was the perfect way to spend a winter day in Texas...

...although, honestly, Fredericksburg is great in any season!

A Day in Fredericksburg, Texas (Part 1 - On the Street)

I jumped on a bus with a bunch of other Keller Williams agents this past Thursday for a trip into the hill country...

...specifically, to Fredericksburg, a quaint little German-heritage Texas town just an hour or so west of Austin, known for shopping, wine, peaches, and lavender, depending on the season.

Thursday it was cold and windy, but the shops were warm and cozy, all decked out in Christmas color and bling. 

Grab some hot chocolate and follow me along the sidewalks...

So creative!

All decked out for Christmas.

(I had the Reuben. Yum!)

See those people down there? We weren't the only crazy ones exploring the town that day!

I love the architecture...and do you see the figures along the wall to the right?

The Salvation Army bell ringer braved the cold to bring in donations.

The Art Deco touches on this building caught my eye.

A little tequila would have warmed us up!

Who can resist Betty Boop?

Our bus parked near this church. While waiting on the rest of the group, I jumped out and took some photos. Surprised? I didn't think so.

This old home is right across the street from the church. I'd love to know how old it really is. 

Wasn't that fun? 

Join me tomorrow...or Monday or Wednesday...for Day 2, wherein I take you into the shops and restaurants with me!

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!