Category: Further-A-Field

Brian & I were up at the crack of dawn.. okay… well, way before the crack of dawn, to go Largemouth Bass Fishing. Brian found our Guide online.

We were out the door at 5:45 am, 50F, a slight breeze. We were off on our fishing boat at 6:30 am on Lake Walter E. Long (Decker Lake) which is on the east side of Austin. It was way windier than in town and it was a north wind, so quite cold (for Texas … and for me!)

First fish of the day … 2 lbs, 11 oz; caught before 7:30 am!!

We started in the northeast part of the lake …

There were many different birds out this morning … coots (they nest at home in June), seagulls, vultures, osprey, cardinals, hawks, blue heron, several species we didn’t know, and also this cormorant …

We changed to the northwest part of the lake, into a channel to the power plant at this lake.

Largest fish of the day … 3 lbs, 12 oz !!

My turn!! 2 lbs, 13 oz …

All-in-all, Brian caught six more smaller ones that he threw in without us taking a photo, our guide caught several, and I caught the one. Okay… I caught many reeds too! 🙂 And no, we didn’t keep any – it was all catch and release.

Mom & Dad and Brian & I spent the afternoon in and around Dripping Springs, at a couple distilleries… tasting Texas whiskey, gin and vodka! We really enjoyed our time at Treaty Oak Distilling!!

Then it was an evening with Bruce & Renee, Connor & Jasmine, celebrating Bruce’s birthday. We had a lovely supper out an Italian restaurant close to Bruce’s …

Then it was back to Bruce’s for cake and ice cream!!

Connor & Jasmine are heading to Stampede this Summer, so they had to get in the spirit, wearing Brian’s boots and dancing western line dances! …

We had a beautiful sunny Thursday to drive east of Austin and out to La Grange … to Old World Antieks! Bruce had already discovered it, and that’s how we found out about it. Sadly, no photos, but what an amazing antique store!!!

They bring in, weekly, items from Europe, India, Egypt and Turkey, and sell it in 55,000 sq ft of showroom and warehouse. Amazing doors, furniture, church antiquities… it was just too overwhelming to adequately describe!!

But, alas, nothing much would fit in our suitcases; only one small item will head back to Redtail Rise!

We went up to Waco to have lunch and a visit with a high school friend of Dad’s… they haven’t seen each other since 1959, but have kept in touch all these years!

We aimed for lunch at Magnolia Table… we arrived at 11:30 am and there was a 2 hour wait for a table, so … we went to the BBQ place next door!

After lunch we went out to Magnolia Market Silos (The Silos) and wandered through their Market.

They had a 1951 Willys at The Silos …. Brian had one for a while 40 years ago, in Edmonton.

The Silos themselves are not yet renovated, but plans are in the works. Here, Mom & Dad and Brian are sitting in The Garden, by one of the silos…

Just not with Waylon and Willie and the boys!! 🙂

Mom and Brian & I headed west to Luckenbach (Dad stayed home for a quiet and restful afternoon). They had an acoustic jam in the afternoon.

The old Post Office/General Store is still there… it’s no longer a Post Office, but it is still a store – the front part and rafters is more museum, with items that had been sold in the distant past, and the rest of the store sells “Luckenbach merchandise”.

The old Dance Hall is still there too! Build in the 1880’s and still being used! There was a concert Saturday night, but it was sold out.

The afternoon jam was out back of the store, under Live Oaks … beer, burgers, dogs, fries and HUGE sour pickles! …

Over by the creek were some more big ol’ Live Oaks …

We spent the afternoon and evening hanging out with Bruce and Connor & Jasmine.

We checked out Connor’s “ride” … 2015 Subaru something. 🙂 He and Bruce have worked on it together and Connor loves it! Brian drove it for a test drive (I squished into the almost non-existant back seat – but hey, if Connor’s friends can do it, so can I!!)

Then Bruce, Mom & Dad and Brian & I hopped into Bruce’s “ride” and headed to Lakeway (about a 20 min drive from Bruce’s, still apart of Greater Austin). Lakeway is over by Lake Travis.

We went to look at where Bruce’s garage will be built … it will give him a place to work on his cars and meet other car enthusiasts.

We went to the local bar, and these wild periwinkles were growing …

We were only a few blocks from Lake Travis, so we went down to have a beer and nachos on the lake shore!

Then it was Supper at Bruce’s, so we got to visit more with Connor & Jasmine too!

Mom & Dad and Brian & I headed out mid-morning to San Antonio… and passed through ….

Kyle, Texas!

First stop in San Antonio?… The Alamo!!

March 2nd happens to be Texas Independence Day … on March 2, 1836 settlers in Mexican Texas officially declared independence from Mexico and created the Republic of Texas. Unfortunately, news didn’t reach the Alamo in time and its Texian defenders were wiped out on March 6, 1836.

Because we arrived on the anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo, there were several re-inactments. Here, soldiers are shooting muskets.

The Alamo itself was one of the early Spanish missions in Texas, originally known as Mision San Antonio de Valero … it was a mission and fortress compound founded in the early 1700’s by the Catholic Church.

Here, Mom & Dad are standing by one of the original walls … beside a shrub called Peregrina or Spicy Jatropha …

A close-up of the Peregrina flowers …

In a lovely courtyard, with several bronzes commemorating the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Alamo, was this lovely tree … I think it might be a Wisteria …

There was a Texas Independence Day Celebration in front of the Chapel of The Alamo …

Then it was off to San Antonio’s River Walk … what an amazing place! Everything at river level, gardens, restaurants, bars, shops … absolutely beautiful, and unique to San Antonio!

Photobomb!!!! …

A little bridge over the river …

We took the River Walk Tour …

One big ol’ OLD Live Oak Tree …

Looking down into the River Walk from street level …

Mom & Dad down in the restaurant … you’ll have to look close!

Supper at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.!!

Brian & I spent our last day in Austin snooping in interesting shops on S Congress Ave and at UT Austin, in and near the downtown core.

And we finished our trip with a lovely supper with Bruce and Connor & Jasmine …