CUSSING UP A BLUE STREAK

Early last autumn Hubby gathered up all the fallen limbs and debris from several severe storms, hauled them down to the bottom of the hill, covered them with soil, and created a berm at the entry to our driveway. He then spent a fortune on good wildflower seeds (including poppies, my favorite) and covered the berm with them.  A few days later, on Halloween, we had yet another epic storm -- one which flooded much of downtown Wimberley, and washed all of hubby's seeds over the cliff, into the creek. Or so we thought.

But then, one day in late winter, we came out to find the berm covered in green! Was it weeds, or could some of the wildflowers have taken root? Only time would tell.

Finally, I discovered a few spots with the distinctive bluebonnet foliage, but the rest looked pretty weedy. Then, just a few days ago, I came home in late afternoon and discovered this:

SQUEEE! I almost wet my pants. I was that excited.

Next morning I headed down the driveway bright and early, to check for new blooms. Instead I found that every last one of them had their heads chomped off!

I'm sure my mama was turning in her grave, over what I had to say about those stinkin' deer!

Well, guess I'd better start packing. It's almost time to head to Austin for Wedding Round #3. Please send good vibes our way, hoping for stormless weather tomorrow evening. Catcha on the flipside!

TODAY IS THE DAY

Woo Hoo! I finally got my first "Love Note" from my pen pal in Washington state.

In response to our first week's prompt, asking what kind of world we wished to live in, she wrote this:

This weeks prompt was "Today is the day...", and I just about have her next postcard ready to drop in the mail. Actually, she's getting four of them this time, but all in one envelope.

Whenever I have a problem to solve, the best thing I can do is go for a walk. Which is what I did as soon as I got the email containing this week's prompt. By the time I came back, I knew exactly how to finish that sentence, and what I wanted to put on the other side of my postcards!

Remember when I first moved up here and started making all those crazy to-do lists? The ones I decided to illustrate, even though I could barely draw stick figures at the time? Well, I finally found a use for them!

I had Hubby print a few of them up on some postcard-size matte photo paper, et Voila! 

There was just one problem with my brilliant idea. Though this matte photo paper may look and feel just like watercolor paper, it most definitely is not watercolor paper -- as you will surely discover as soon as you do all your lettering in pencil, and try to erase your mistakes. What an icky, gooey mess! Might I suggest a base layer of gesso?

CURED

Don't have much time this morning as I've got a 9:00 appointment to get my gardener's nails whipped into shape for Wedding Round #3. I can't believe the rehearsal dinner is day after tomorrow! In the meantime, I just wanted to share a few photos of the lunch spot we tried when we went for our annual meet up with our CPA over in San Antonio. I give you Cured!

A Selection Of Their House-Cured Charcuterie

Hubby's Charcuterie Selection

Oyster Po'Boy with Tarragon Aioli and Dill

So many great options to choose from now at the Pearl Brewery complex. Go see for yourself!

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Someone Who Loves Plants Even More Than Me

One of the best things about spring in the Texas Hill Country is getting to go to the spring plant sale at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in southwest Austin, along with a few thousand other native-plant-lovers. And, if you were savvy enough to become a member there, you can even get in a day early, before all the good stuff is sold out!

When daughter Lexi and her hubby bought a house not five minutes away from the Wildflower Center, and discovered that it was a fantastic place to bring small children, they decided to become members too! I'm counting the days until I can meet up with her there, to take Little Goober on long walks through the demonstration gardens and children's play area. Then, maybe, if he manages to fall asleep in his stroller, we can even grab a bite to eat in their lovely little cafe.

Less than six weeks until Goober is due to arrive!

Know what the very best thing is about spring at the Wildflower Center? It's that we almost always get to see a couple of these guys nesting up in their special little spot on the aqueduct.

Gaahh! Is there anything cuter that a fuzzy baby owl?