SUMMER BLISS

I can't believe summer is already half over, and the Muses and I just now made it to The Blue Hole, on Cypress Creek, for our first float of the season! Now that the temps are a steady stream of triple digits, it's quite the popular place, thanks to the always-cool water and the blessed shade from those ancient eponymous trees which line its banks. We are ever so grateful that, unlike the ones along our section of the Blanco River, these were spared from the devastation of the floods.

Mobs of people had the same idea as us yesterday, but the Muses and I have a secret modus opperandi. Wait and go around 4:00, when people are starting to poop out, and walk past all the moms with little kiddos in the shallow section. Keep walking past the hordes of teens and tweens standing in long lines at the the rope swings, awaiting their two seconds of bliss when they can swing out and let go with a Tarzan-like scream. Then keep on walking until you reach the very last ladder down to the water. Climb in there and paddle your float or tube down even further, until at last you reach the rope with a sign saying something like "Halt! Private Property". Then, at last, you will have reached the one and only calm, peaceful spot in the entire place.

Well unless, of course, the Muses and I happened to get there before you, in which case we'll be laughin' and yakkin' our heads off.

COLOR-MAD COWGIRLS

Miss Paula and Mister Toad came in for a one-nighter this weekend. We decided we were getting into a rut so it was a try-new-stuff weekend. As usual, we were having so much fun together that I pretty much forgot to take any pictures at all! But, that's actually a good thing, when you think about it, cuz it means I was fully "present" in the moments! We met up in San Marcos, which is undergoing a bit of a renaissance for some reason, with new stuff popping up every time you turn around. The guys headed off in one direction (to an Irish pub for burgers, followed by a stop at their favorite little cigar shop) while we gals headed off to try a new-to-us place, the tea room at The Price Center. Since I forgot to take any photos there until we had demolished our stuffed cabbage rolls and Salisbury steak, I thought I'd share this link to a review by fellow hill country blogger and foodie Charlotte Caldwell. The food was pretty yummy, and the big old house and gardens where it's located were gorgeous. The only thing we didn't really care for was that it was full of old people. What's with that? Oh, and the fact that they were out of their usual Baklava dessert. But that actually turned out to be a good thing, since it led us to Rhea's Ice Cream, the newest brainchild from the Root Cellar group. All flavors are made by hand, in store, with the freshest ingredients. Some sound kinda strange, but trust me, they're gooood! I tried their S'more flavor, and my dad would've loved the Big Red flavor, but Miss Paula went with their very best seller, Raspberry Jam With Goat Cheese. Yeah, I know you just wrinkled your nose up at that but, trust me, it's their best seller for a reason!

We also checked out a new dress shop I read about in a local publication. It's named after the owner's little daughter, River Rose. Is that a cool Hill Country name, or what?  Best thing in the store? This color-mad display on the back wall.

If I didn't have the world's tiniest closet, I might be tempted.

As it is, I'm on the verge of getting rid of all the hats and boots I already have, since I can't even remember the last time I wore any of them. Besides, I need more room for grandkid stuff!

Biggest surprise of the day? The fact that the Blue Dahlia Bistro, a long time Austin favorite, has opened their third location right there on the San Marcos square! It really got me to wondering, what's going on with this no-longer-sleepy-little-town?