Looks like this tree is making pancakes.
Every season provides different things to see in the woods. We take a leisurely walk while the squirrels and chipmunks race around us, getting their places setup for winter. Ok, maybe I should be getting my own place ready for winter, but that can always wait for another day.
A fall hike is a great way to unwind. Maybe pack some snacks though, since the forest isn’t going to be whipping you up any edible hotcakes.
A good friend of mine once told me to always pack a bathing suit regardless of where I’m traveling. She also told me to hold my ski poles as if I am trying to not spill a tray of margaritas – but that’s another story…
Austin presented the perfect swimming opportunity – the Barton Springs Pool. The pool is in the Barton Creek channel and is filled by water from Main Barton Spring – the fourth largest in Texas.
It’s a great way to cool off and relax before taking advantage of everything else the city has to offer.
Whether you go apple picking, or walk to a local farmer’s market, don’t miss out on some of the season’s best.
Apparently the recent colder evenings are great conditions for making apples sweeter.
My batch from last weekend is nearly gone already, so I’ll be heading back to the farm on Saturday. It’s hard to improve on the perfection of a crisp fall apple, but I certainly wouldn’t turn down freshly baked apple crisp.
I was paddling down a winding river on the weekend – one way to take advantage of a day when the weather is still middling but has promise. There’s always something different to see. This time five mergansers paddled within ten feet of me.
Around one bend there was a small beach, and as I got closer I noticed animal tracks. I pulled over and got out to take a closer look. Bear cub tracks – little front paws (about two and a half inches wide) at the edge of the water.
It had rained all night, just letting up before I set off. These two impressions in the sand were perfectly outlined – very recent.
So what did those bear cub prints mean? It meant the bear’s mother must have been close by, so it was time to get back in the canoe and get going.
Later when I was sitting on the porch, a chipmunk sat at my feet, as if to say, ’unlike bears, my mother won’t mind you being here at all. Now how about sharing some of those walnuts…’
I wondered what this donkey was going to talk about at 11:30. Ends up he casually wandered around us listening to the talk to make sure the humans at the Donkey Sanctuary had their facts straight.
Here’s what I learned:
After the fantastic day I spent with these gentle creatures, if someone calls you a donkey, I believe it’s a compliment.
Do you prefer music in the city or the country?
I was lucky to be at two great music events this past weekend – friends hosted the band Tarantuela at their place in the city, and the following day, I joined other friends at Tawse Winery for their summer solstice concert.
Getting to any venue can provide it’s own entertainment. In the city, it’s easy to overhear random parts of conversations as you pass by people on the sidewalk (‘…if I stick to rum, I’m fine….then they arrived dressed as pirates…’). Whereas at the winery, in order to get to the stage, we followed a path beside the sheep.
This is the best time of year for outdoor music – everywhere.
Can’t see the forest for the trees? Get out of the forest.
This picture was taken during the Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race, but you don’t have to race, or even be on a boat to look at things from a different perspective. If you aren’t a fan of boats, look out from anywhere along the waterfront.
You might even see a new pal like this one swimming by…
Great weekend for cycling along the waterfront trail. At one point, I rounded a bend, and there was a large grass field dotted with dandelions, but one flower was moving – a lot. OK, since I noticed, this means I was taking my time on the bike – I like to look around at stuff.
In any case, I stopped to get a closer look. It wasn’t a dandelion at all – but a goldfinch having a snack in the grass.
He’s was actually much brighter than the flowers surrounding him, but the dandelions made a pretty good cover.
Look who stopped by for a snack.
You don’t have to go far to see wildlife – on the trail, or in your yard.
I thought I’d take advantage of the opportunity to try to make a deal with him about my garden (or at least the start of what I hoped would become a garden). He could help himself to some of the seedlings , if he would arrange to top up my Easter chocolates next year.
The idea of this small rabbit being an Easter bunny helper is probably closer to reality than my dreams of a successful vegetable garden.
Gold, Silver & Lead by Jed Lind
Offhand, here are a few options:
The great weather today hinted that summer is just around the corner – a perfect day for walking around, soaking up the sunshine, and being entertained by what we see – art in all its forms, however you define it.
Where did you find art today?
Play Outside Now 