EXERSPLORING

John and I have been doing our best to make walking a part of our regular routine, but no matter how beautiful one's neighborhood is, walking the same ol' route, day in, day out, can get pretty boring. Therefore, we are ever on the lookout for someplace new to do a little exersplorin'. Wednesday morning I stayed at the computer so long I ended up missing my Zumba class, and needed to take a walk instead. When I was pondering where to go, I remembered a recent dinner table conversation with some new friends -- friends that I actually met through this blog several years ago. They were living on Catalina Island at the time, but had bought a home here in Wimberley, which they planned to retire to. They finally made it here this summer, and are still in the oh-so-giddy stage where they wake up every morning thinking "I can't believe I finally live here!" They are doing lots and lots of exploring, and one of their recent adventures was to the Emily Ann Theatre. You may remember my mentioning the Trail of Lights they host there each holiday season. They also host the big butterfly release each spring, and in summer, it's Shakespeare Under the Stars. Ken and Sherri had just gone to see Much Ado About Nothing there, which was done with a circus theme, and were verily impressed! They asked if I had ever gone there just to wander around the trails and gardens, and I said no, only at night during the Trail of Lights. I hadn't realized you could do that without paying any kind of entry fee. So that's where I went on Wednesday.

It turned out to be quite a hoot. For one thing, there is lots of very odd stuff scattered here and there. Many local businesses and organizations set up light displays each year, as part of the big competition, and I'm guessing they leave some parts of their exhibits up year round. Like a lavender version of Cinderella's carriage, a giant serpent, and this little building here.

Looks just like the one where I eat lunch all the time!

There were many lovely little garden sections, such as the pond below, which were installed and are maintained by local families and organizations -- some in memoriam for lost loved ones, just as the theatre itself was built in memory of a beloved daughter who passed away very young.

It was absolutely covered with little frogs!

Guess what else I discovered? A troth-pledging tree! Couples are supposed to hold hands, touch the tree, and read the lines that are posted there, which I suspect are from some Shakespearean play. If they're from Romeo and Juliet though, I'm not sure I'd want to read them, considering how things turned out for them.

Before I knew it, and without really noticing the effort, I had reached the top of the hill where the Veterans' Memorial is located, and had a pretty good view out over the Wimberley valley. That's Mount Baldy across the way, the most popular hill to climb in the area, but one which I will probably never tackle.

Can you see that staircase running along the ridge there? That's a whole lotta steps! Almost 300, if I remember correctly. Steps I don't plan to climb. I opted for the elevator at the Eiffel Tower, and I really can't understand people who spend their lives trying to swim the English Channel, or win their eighth Tour de France. When I hear the phrase "because it's there", I just want to grab them by the shoulders, rattle their brains around, and yell "For Pete's sake, find something useful to do with your time! Get to know your kids or something!" But that's just me.

The Emily Ann has always been an outdoor theatre, but pretty soon, it will have an indoor facility as well. All in all, I think it's a pretty amazing place, not just for the official events that they host, but also as a place to take a nice little walk, enjoy a picnic, or maybe even to re-pledge your troth to the person you have been in love with for the past forty or so years.

Chess, anyone?