Fence, a la Texas

Holy cow!

It's been more than a month since I published a post here.

I can't believe it!

I've had some ideas for posts, but that's as far as they got. 

Just ideas. 

Between working my real estate gig, some photography shoots, my mom's trip to the emergency room and subsequent gall bladder surgery, the days have just flown by.

I have managed to post at least once a week over at Long Hollow, but I do feel bad that I've neglected this one so long.

I'm grateful to TexWisGirl over at The Run*A*Round Ranch for her weekly Fence meme, which made me go searching for some of my own fence photos...

Well, you can see there's not a lot of variety when it comes to fences in my neighborhood. 

I think an old barbed wire fence is a piece of art, so I don't mind.

But this beauty bordering the Texas State Capitol grounds in Austin is my hands-down favorite.

Click on the image to see more 

Freeze!

"It is said that in a certain faraway land the cold is so intense that words freeze as soon as they are uttered, and after some time thaw and become audible, so that words spoken in winter go unheard until the next summer. "

~Author Unknown

Last Tuesday 

Winter reminded us it was technically still her season.

I woke to a crystal-like wonderland out my window.

Naturally, I grabbed my camera and headed outside.

Drops of rain from Monday night's thunderstorm were frozen in place, 

like Time stood still.

I think the sparrows were worried Winter was going to stick around awhile. 

They went on a feeding frenzy at the birdfeeder.

But it was all gone later that day. 

It's March in Texas, after all.

Nature's Metallica - Green Longhorn Beetle

One of the good things about having kids is that when your eyes start wearing out, 

your kids can spot things you never would have noticed. 

Like this Green Longhorn Beetle.

It was zipping all over a little tree near our front door on Father's Day weekend, 

but I never would have known it if it weren't for my kids.

Even after they pointed it out to me

...again and again and again...

it took a long time for my eyes to find it.

I was determined to take its picture, but... yeesh! 

It was twisting and scurrying so fast along the limbs that it's a wonder I captured any images that were remotely in focus.

And then, uh-oh...it spotted me.

Or maybe it had just had enough of me and my camera. 

I recognized that look.

 Very similar to the one my kids often give me when I point a camera at them.

Just one more, I promise! Hold still!

Great! Thanks! All done. 

(I haven't seen him since. But then, that doesn't mean he's not there!)

Laguna Gloria

I scratched another item off my "Austin To-Do" list: 

I finally visited Laguna Gloria, Italianate-style villa, former home of Clara Driscoll. 

(We can thank Clara for not just remembering the Alamo, but making sure it was preserved, too!)

Laguna Gloria sits at the foot of Mt. Bonnell. 

It's a green paradise where peacocks roam and swans swim in the bordering pond.

I joined other writers there for a Critiquenic.  

Critique + Picnic = Critiquenic! 

We snacked and critiqued each other's works and gave thanks that we lived in Austin.

Afterward, I roamed the grounds with my camera, of course.

Come see what I saw...

The front of the house faced the fountain and the rest of the grounds.

The back of the house opened to walkways and adventure.

It was all I could do to NOT step through this cute little gate.

Inside the house. Loved this little corner.

A better shot of the details of the window.

Just one of many paths meandering around the grounds.

Did you notice the lights strung above the path? I'd love to visit at night!

I'm so glad I caught a glimpse of one of the peacocks!

And of this dad and his little daughter on the lawn.

This swan ruled the pond.

A reminder that this is an Art Institute now.

"No one can see their reflection in running water.  
It is only in still water that we can see." 
-   Taoist proverb

This path led to...

...the buildings that comprised the art school.

And look who I found there!

Now, what's next on my list...