Happy Weekend!

Purple blooms everywhere - Austin, Texas - 25 September 2009

More Lovelies

Natural Beauty II - Austin, Texas - 7 June 2009

Natural Beauty

Natural beauty - Austin, Texas - 7 June 2009

June Beauty

Wildflower unknown - Austin, Texas - 7 June 2009

Highlights from the weekend:

• Saturday evening, enjoyed a wonderful celebratory dinner with the love of my life
• visited Boggy Creek Farm for fresh local produce (arugula, kale, cucumbers, the first tomatoes...)
• an early morning walk on Sunday, happening upon four deer, two herons, a turtle and a cardinal
• watched the men's French Open final Sunday morning
• enjoyed a matinee performance of the animated film Up

Enjoy the journey!

a beautiful Sunday morning

A beautiful morning - Austin, Texas - 7 June 2009

Natural Beauty

Wild Poppy beauties - Austin, TX - May 2008

So much is blooming at the moment, Magnolias, Wild Poppies, Prickly Pear Cacti, innumerable wildflowers, just to name a few. Everywhere you look a splash of colour, at times the subtle or exuberant fragrance wafts your way, Nature in all her glory! Happy Mother's Day this weekend!!!

Enjoy the journey.

More Hats

Fields of them - Austin, Texas - 14 May 2008

Everywhere you look at the moment something is in bloom. So many different wildflowers, Magnolia blossoms, Crepe Myrtles, Oleanders, just to name a few. Hope the Victoria Day long weekend at home was an enjoyable respite for all (although a bit cold and wet from what I hear). Enjoy the journey!!!

Natural Beauty

Wild Poppy I - Austin, Texas - 18 April 2008

Beauty

Thistles - Austin, Texas - April 2007

Just sent off several packages in the post today, I can hardly wait for each to arrive at their destinations. I believe I get as excited about sending parcels, as receiving. I finished a few little projects this weekend which is always fun and am looking forward to what this week has in store. Hope you have been enjoying the photographs this past week, I will begin filling posts with more words in the days to come. I trust this week brings each of you much joy and peace.

A nod to Lady Bird Johnson

You may have noticed the comments on the last post, Rachel (born and raised in Texas) asked if I (being Canadian) was aware of the reason for the wildflowers along the roadsides. I was able to answer a resounding yes and I thought that I would provide a bit of background information for those of you not in the know. The following information I found at this website and more information can be found here.

LADY BIRD JOHNSON (b. 1912)
Lady Bird Johnson, born Claudia Alta Taylor, was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969. She spearheaded a campaign to clean up the nation's roadsides by removing litter and landscaping with native flora. Her idea became law in 1987, when the government required that federal highway funds be spent to plant native species. On her 70th birthday, in 1982, she founded the National Wildflower Research Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving and reestablishing the country's indigenous plants.

The National Wildflower Research Center is located right here in Austin, Texas.

Enjoy your Monday!!

dry shadow
under the parked white car --
spring downpour
—Jeffrey Winke

Spring comes to mind

This has been an interesting week. The weather has been cloudy, with sporadic bouts of rain all week. Scott commented today that is the longest stretch of this sort of weather that he can remember since moving here to Austin. We are not complaining, it will be blissfully remembered once the sun scorching heat sets in. The wildflowers have benefited greatly from the rain that has fallen over the past several weeks. The Texas Bluebonnets are out in full force, turning the roadsides into impromptu gardens. Along side the state flower or instead of, there are a multitude of other wildflowers about, in so many delicious shades of yellow, red, pink, yellow and orange. The trees are either blooming, leafed out or have the most delicately shaded green tinged buds on their branches, not to mention the gorgeous new growth on the evergreens. With the overcast sky one can truly appreciate the broad range of green tones in the surrounding vegetation. This is truly an awe inspiring planet we call home!!!!

Hope the weekend holds great promise for each of you.
Enjoy the journey!!!