Spring is in the air.....

This year Spring sneaked in through the back door, in between freezing temperatures and hot days.  When she did decide to show her face it was worth the wait.  Suddenly new growth started appearing, Bluebonnets started to bloom, peach and other fruit trees began to blossom, and once again I thanked God I live in Texas!

Scott and I are blessed to have a friend that loves to garden and luckily has a bright green thumb.  Not only do I occasionally reap the benefits of her vegetable garden but also get to take photographs of her flowers.  So after a yummy Springsgiving dinner she and I walked around her yard looking for the signs of Spring.

 While waiting for these signs of Spring I played around with Mom's Amaryllis and Orchid.  I think they both died .. due to being overworked. 

One pretty day, I took my camera and headed to the dam. 

The spot on the left is below the dam and there is a fishing dock there.  I do see fishermen occasionally but more often than not it is a family or a couple of workers taking a lunch break.

On the right is along a path on the lake side of the dam.  I liked that Mother Nature had placed a plant in one of her vases for us to enjoy. 

Our pasture is Bi-polar when it comes to Bluebonnets.  One year they will be everywhere, and the next we will have a sparse showing.  This year promises to be one of the banner years.  I saw promises to come about a month ago.

Last week I saw the early bloomers and plants everywhere.  Can't wait to see what this little bit of rain we have been having has done for them.  Next week should be fabulous!  

I do love my Bluebonnets.

The Evening Primrose are blooming too, but have difficulty telling time, because they bloom all day long.  Some are shy and hide behind plants and between rocks.

I did sneak in some retail therapy time with a friend.  Just a quick jaunt up to Fredericksburg and a stop at my favorite store...Da Peach Haus.  Stay away from Josh, the store manager, he can empty your bank account in a heartbeat showing you lots of goodies you decide you just have to have. 

I know you have seen the pond before, but here ya go again.  I loved the reflections this time since it was a still day instead of the ripples from the last time.

One of the things Marti and I didn't get to do last year due to circumstances beyond our control was to walk the dam on her birthday.  This year we met our friend Brenda and did it.  Since we hadn't thought to park a vehicle on the other side, and I wasn't sure my knees or Marti's short legs could do all the way across and back or not, we settled to going half way then turning around.  So that was .08 miles, and we found a marker for the next time...ten steps past that marker and find a new one.  Some day we will make it!

Happy 5th  birthday Baby Girl...you light up my life!

 We got to Overlook Park a little early so looked around a bit snapping random shots as they caught our interest.  The park itself is beautiful and restful.

The day was a bit overcast and the lake and sky met

There is lots to see from that vantage point.  The farmstead below, the spillway runoff, the valley and beyond.

Brenda arrived and we started across the dam.  I gave her the leash since I wanted a shot of the birthday girl doing her thing.

There she goes....

 

Um, maybe not, that looks like a long way to me
 

 Hey, Mom, lets reconsider this idea....my legs are pretty short.

 A little encouragement from Mizz Brenda..

OK, if you say so....but I reserve the right to turn around at any point.

About halfway she noticed that there were intruders on the lake and had to tell them to leave immediately or face the consequences.  They wisely chose to leave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That walk and guard duty built up a girl's thirst, so the three of us took off for Cup O' Joe for refreshing beverages along with a split three ways banana muffin.

 

 

 

Refreshed and with a lot of daylight left we took off for below the dam and the nature trail.  Once before Marti came down and found a "krockogator" so we had to see if it was still around.  It was but had lost it's lower jaw, so wasn't quite as intimidating as before.

 

 

Once we were sure we were safe from vicious Krockogators we toodled on down the path finding signs of spring along the way as well as a mystery or two.

 

 

One of the mysteries was this area of a gulley.  I thought it was where the soil was washed away from roots.  I got "the" look from Marti that only daughters can give mothers who are totally stupid and she patiently explained it was obviously a trap to catch Krockogators and I should stay away from it.  Not a problem.  There are lizards without legs down in that gully.  

Further on down the path was a tree that could use a little Proactiv help.  

And another tree that Marti's boyfriend, Eddie mi luff, is still questioning and wanting to know exactly who K is.....

Off I go to find more evidence that Spring is really here.  For all my northern friends, I hope it gets to you soon.

Marti has the right idea!

Remember to listen for the whispers of the back roads, they may be coming from the paths and trails as well as the road you are traveling.

Sage Hill - The Inn Above Onion Creek

A good book and, a glass of wine with your best friend in front of a fire on a cold wet day.  Doing all that at a beautiful and tranquil bed and breakfast in the Texas hill country less than 30 miles from home.....priceless.

Before I jump too far ahead let me show you my usual "I am off" picture from the driveway, in this case, on the road leading from my house.

As you can see it isn't my usual gorgeous sunrise, and also you can see I need to replace the windshield wipers.  Suffice it to say it was nasty, ugly, wet, and horrid.  So we did what any self respecting women would do....we went shopping!

 Through prior arrangements with the inn we were able to meet at 10:00 and leave a car in their lot.  Wimberley, another small touristy town is just about 12 miles from the inn so off we went to visit the shops and art galleries, but mostly to have lunch at The Cypress Cafe on the square.  Their "inside out nachos" are delicious and huge - and I left my doggie bag in the fridge in our room when we checked out (dirty words).  About the time we had reached our limits on dodging rain drops and cold winds, we were within the check in time so off we went back to the B&B.  

Despite pickups trying to do a proctology exam on my Explorer I managed to safely turn into the grounds and follow their winding mile long driveway to the inn.  The Live Oaks are amazing and the wildflowers are going to set them off beyond belief.  All along the way were Deer X signs and cautions to drive slow.  No problem! As you can see it is still nasty out.

 That's a two way traffic road...proceed with caution and slowly.

Sage Hill – The Inn Above Onion Creek is in Kyle, a small (well it used to be) town between San Antonio and Austin.  Kyle was established on July 24, 1880 when land was deeded to the International – Great Northern Railroad by David Moore and Fergus Kyle.  The town built up around the railroad and is now pretty much a bedroom community of Austin (in my opinion).

 The inn....see the little porch above the smaller house Right next to the chimney?  That was our room!  These are 1/2 the stairs we climbed to get there and so worth the effort!   Not sure if next time I will go for a lower room with a sleeper sofa or just suck it up and climb those stairs again for the views. 

We stayed in the Schlemmer room and in the room was this description of Mr. Schlemmer.  

"Nicholas C. Schlemmer, a station agent in New Braunfels, was appointed first postmaster of Kyle in 1880.  He refused the appointment upon seeing the town.  William E. Roach of Mountain City accepted the appointment.  A year later Roach officially appointed Schlemmer, who accepted this time.

Schlemmer's time in Kyle included other business endeavors.  In 1884 Schlemmer's Store was opened in a wooden shack on Center Avenue (now Center St.)  In 1885 he rented a large rock storefront on Front Street where the post ofice was located, and the small grocery became a general merchandise store.

In 1890 he built the large rock building on Center Street and changed the name to Schlemmer Mercantile Co.

In 1889 he married; four children were born in Kyle where the Schlemmers resided until 1904 when he entered the American Consular Service in Europe.

N.C.'s brother, Louis, became manager of the store.  It is the present location of Tenorio's Cash Grocery, which is called Center Grocery as of this date, located at 110 W. Center St.

L.C., N.C.'s brother purchased the first car in Kyle, a Buick, according to the Kyle News of April 20, 1928."

 This is the front or the back depending on how you look at it...at any rate it is the other side of the building than the one above. 

 This porch overlooks acres of property that will soon be covered in wildflowers.  Below is a Bluebonnet plant that should be showing color in the next couple of weeks.  This is one among thousands.  Bear in mind each little star shaped cluster produces one magnificent bloom.

There are trails, paths, and grounds to walk and find treasures.  One thing for sure, you will relax and your will take your time...and if you get tired there are plenty of places to rest.  Random shots from our walk.

Of course no trip is complete without some rust in it...and I found some down the path from the inn.  Not a truck but rust nonetheless.

And I found evidence that Big Foot actually lived and died in Texas.  Unfortunately the only thing remaining is his fossilized foot.

All good things must end, but we just put this place on hold, because we will be back whenever we need just a sit and relax and let the world tend to itself time.  Kyle is the childhood home of Katherine Ann Porter, a woman who had quite the life story including four divorces when divorce wasn't as accepted as now.  She is the author of several magazine articles and short stories, but wrote only one novel, The Ship of Fools based on a trip to Germany she had made many years before writing the book.  Her own story is capsulized at Katherine Ann Porter's Story.  This is the home of her grandmother, where she lived after her mother died when she was only two.  You can arrange tours and that has been added to our bucket list for a future visit to Sage Hill.

We had to circle the block to find parking and this little beauty jumped out at me.  Love circling blocks, almost as good as back roads.

 Only a couple of blocks away is the Donaldson House.  The capitalized wording is from the Texas Historical Commission sign.  Recorded Texas Historical Landmark - 2009.

CORA JACKMAN DONALDSON HOUSE

CORA FRANCES JACKMAN (b. 1853) WAS THE DAUGHTER OF SIDNEY DRAKE AND MARTHA (SLAVIN) JACKMAN.  HER FATHER, A CONFEDERATE GENERAL DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND LATER A STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND U.S. MARSHALL, SETTLED HIS FAMILY IN HAYS COUNTY IN

1865. CORA MARRIED CHAUNCEY B. DONALDSON, OWNER OF THE 738 ACRE LIVE OAK SPRINGS RANCH.  AFTER THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND CORA HAD WALLACE BROS. LUMBER COMPANY OF KYLE  BUILD THIS HOUSE IN 1913 FROM A RADFORD ARCHITECTURAL PLAN BOOK.  THE TWO STORY RESIDENCE FEATURES QUEEN ANNE AND CLASICAL REVIVAL DETAILING IN ITS CROSS GABLES, IONIC COLUMNS, BAY WINDOWS AND ENTRY WITH TRANSOM AND SIDE LIGHTS.  NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE HOUSE SINCE THE 1930'S. 

Next door to the Donaldson house is the Auction Oak.  When the Kyle was founded 200 acres of land were given to the railroad (The International and Great Northern) and they held auctions under this oak tree on Auction Day, October 14, 1880.  Free train rides were given to the auction and most of the residential lots were sold.  In 1881 the railroad gave four acres around the oak for a school, Kyle Seminary, which burned in 1889.  Today the oak is on private property and is maintained by the home owners.  Notice, despite the shadows, the sidewalk and how it too accommodates the Auction Oak.

Time to put on our ghoul hats and head off to a couple of local cemeteries.  The first was St. Vicente Cemetery, which is predominately Hispanic.  Before the early 1900s when Vicente Gonzales donated the land for the cemetery, the majority of Hispanics were buried on the property owned by the ranchers who employed them.  Blas Mendez was the driving force behind establishing the cemetery and also was instrumental in having the cemetery named after the man who donated the land allowing Hispanic citizens a place to rest in dignity.

 The Hispanic culture is evident in the many colorful headstones and markers.  The graves are decorated with flowers, mementos and tile work. 

There were plain crosses, some made of cedar branches tied together, others of wood and tile, and a row of these made of metal tubing screwed together.  

I would love to know the story of these graves, placed outside the fence of the cemetery.

The one that really caught my attention was this one.  Someone knew this lady enjoyed her Lone Star far more than roses, daisies or carnations.

Further down the road is Skyview Cemetery which is predominately African American.  There are over 170 marked graves - some with what we consider normal markers, but others with uninscribed limestone rocks, bricks, and there are many that are not marked and only indicating gravesites by the sunken areas.  The oldest marked grave is that of Mary Kirby (1895)

The cemetery will soon be ablaze in color as the Iris begin to bloom.  There was a promise in one patch but it was still a bit early.

 

One reason we like to wander around old cemeteries is the artwork found in them.  This is a prime example. 

Although we do find the beauty, it is mixed with the sad often.  I can visualize a young black man, with a strong build and sinewy arms, sitting on a sagging wooden porch after a long hard day in the fields.  Exhausted and with a heavy heart he painstakingly carves away at a rock to mark his baby's final resting place.  R.I.P. Baby Freeman.

After a couple of stops for necessities...nothing fun...I took Pat back to her car and headed on home.  Someone was happy to see me pull into the driveway.

Enjoy the journeys you take, but remember to listen for the whispers of those back roads you travel.