ANY DAY NOW

TOGETHER AT LAST

It's been months since we've got together with our Sunday afternoon vineyard group -- lovingly referred to as the Winos, though that's certainly not the case! Finally, yesterday, we were blessed not only with perfect weather but, miracle of miracles, everyone was in town! (though one poor fellow had just flown in from Korea, and was still a bit jet-lagged)

Instead of going to our usual hangout, we decided to make a field trip over to the Canyon Lake area to check out a small vineyard, La Cruz de Comal, that one of the couples had discovered. It had the cutest little tasting room ever -- I could live in this tasting room!

The owner is quite the character, having been a Houston defense lawyer with many high-profile clients in his previous life. He is a man of strong opinions, especially when it comes to the making of wine. He believes in hands-on, natural wine-making, with nothing added. His production is very limited, using only Texas Hill Country grapes. I'm no oenophile, but he must be doing something right. Several in our group, who normally don't touch anything but reds, were lugging home bottles of rose' and raving about dessert wines! Me? I just loved the ambiance...

the company...

and the owner's fabulous art collection!

On the way home we stopped to eat at an old favorite, Plooky's! It's a bit seedy, and a bit slow, but they still do a pretty darn good Cajun boiling pot, which you can order mild, medium, or super spicy! I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of our table, covered in long sheets of butcher paper, with it's mountain of shrimp, crawfish, corn, potatoes and sausage piled high in the center! If you ever make it out that way yourself, don't forget to mosey next door to take a peek inside of Frank's Bait & Taco, one of the most unique places you'll ever come across. Unfortunately, it's not open on Sundays.

ON MY TABLES

With hubby working out of town this week, I've been having very light, simple suppers.  Last night it was a spring riff on the wonderful Provencal salad that I've mentioned several times, and gave you the recipe for here.

Only this time, instead of fresh green beans, I substituted fresh asparagus -- straight from my very own garden! And, instead of the tuna, I substituted a bit of leftover poached chicken. Yummmm!

Meanwhile, over on my art table, well...remember how I've always said I have a one-track-mind, and am terrible at multi-tasking? How I can focus on either my hubby's health, or my own, but not both? Or I can be passionate about sewing, or gardening, or writing, or knitting, or art -- but only one at a time? Well, yesterday I passed by my art table, which I had cleared off a couple of weeks ago, and I realized that it was still clean. How odd! After mulling it over a bit, I finally realized that, ever since I got this fitbit gizmo and became a tad obsessed with getting in my 10,000 steps per day, I have done a bit of sketching, but have not painted One. Dang. Thing. Know what I have to say about that? Not only "No" but "HAY-ELL NO!"

I grabbed the first journal I could get my hands on and several bottles of Dylusions spray inks, and just started squirting!

"Aahhh," she said, checking her nails for evidence. "Better. Much better!"

Dear Lord, please don't ever let me morph into a woman whose nails are always clean and perfectly manicured!

IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE!

Guess what I found at the bookstore yesterday? This!

 Mingle is yet another gorgeous magazine published by the folks at Stampington, but not one I normally pick up. It's mostly about entertaining, and the parties all seemed just a little too "perfect" for me. I discovered long ago that the more perfect I try to make the food and decorations at my parties, the less fun I actually have. In fact, it was one of the very first things I wrote about after I had "My Big Idea" about living my life with Seasonality, and started this blog.

This issue, however, seemed to have a theme going -- about the magic that happens when women gather. There was one article about KnitXMidwest, and one about the Soul Sisters Conference in Portland, Oregon. And then there was this...

an article about the very same art camp I attended last fall, and have been yammering on and on about ever since! Know what's really funny? My photography instructor from this camp, Vivienne McMaster, was featured in the Soul Sisters article as well!

Know what else is really exciting? Not only am I signed up for Lucky Star 2014, but one of my sisters has decided to go as well! And, if there's any chance that you might like to go, you'd better hop to it! I got to register early, since I attended their inaugural session last year, but by the time my sister got registered, one of the classes she wanted was already full -- and that was before this magazine article came out!

Hmmm, that article looks like something Miss Alexis might be interested in -- especially since it has a great idea for a photo booth, which I know she is planning to have at her wedding. Better save it for her.

If only I had one of these trees growing at my house!
 

'TIS THE SEASON: MEXICAN BUCKEYE

I have to admit, there was one good thing about the afternoon I spent trying to find may way down the-trail-that-was-no-more. "What was that," you ask? Hundreds of these beauties, ready to burst into bloom!

We rushed right out and planted one ourselves a couple of years ago, after attending a spring festival at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and seeing them in full bloom.

Too bad our little tree only has one measly bloom on it this year. It doesn't have quite the impact as all those clusters of three to five trees, each with multiple blooms. So here's what I'm thinking. I'm thinkin' perhaps we need to plant a couple more there in our tiny grove, give it a wee bit of company.

Ah, but that one measly bloom, with those luscious, lurid colors...

is that gorgeous, or what?

BYE-BYE BABY

Well, Hubby went to Houston mid-week to get the ball rolling on this consulting gig of his. The people in HR led him to believe it could take 3-4 weeks for the background check and clearance to be finalized. When he got home Thursday afternoon, he admitted to having second thoughts about the whole thing...about being so far away for so long, missing me, his healthy routines, and most of all, his Toto toilet. Two days later they called him back, saying "We need you back here in Houston Monday and Tuesday, then you can head straight to Sabine Pass from here." Uh, guess it's too late to back out now, huh?

Smooching on the steps of my college dorm, for old time's sake.

"Look on the bright side," I told him. "One of two things will happen. Either you will enjoy it enough to want to do it again every now and then, and you'll have a nice little chunk of moolah to go towards weddings and kitchen remodels. Ooooorrr, it will remind you of everything that was stressful and unpleasant about "the good ol' days", and you'll finally have it out of your system once and for all. Either way, you win!"

I chose not to remind him of the third option -- that hospital where he ended up after agreeing to take "a piece-of-cake consulting job" for a friend at a certain oil company,  when they needed someone kind and empathetic (didn't they have anyone like that on staff?) to field a few phone calls from people who might be a wee bit upset over a certain oil spill...

Anywho, too late now. He's on his way!

SYNCHRONICITY AND THE NEW KIDS IN TOWN

Party Pavillion at Cypress Creek Cottages

A month or two ago we met up with Lexi's future in-laws to check out the Cypress Creek Cottages here in Wimberley. I am constantly amazed by the fact that I have lived here so long, but have discovered so few of Wimberley's hidden treasures.

Each cabin was beautifully decorated, had a fully-furnished kitchenette, and it's own private hot tub. Plus there was even a little dog park on the premisses! A very family- and pet-friendly place, perfect for Nate's sister and her family of five to stay at when they come for the wedding.

While we were there we chatted with one of the owners, and he told us of another project he and his sister had underway -- a hotel down on River Road, in walking distance to the town square! We've been watching its progress ever since.

It's located where the old Angel's Landing used to be -- a rather run-down day spa where you could get massages and facials and such. The footprint may be the same, but that's where any resemblance to its previous incarnation ends.

They have dubbed it Hotel Flora and Fauna.

My friend Sherri is a master-marketer, and is helping them with their launch. They came up with an ab-fab idea for their grand opening -- inviting 12 different local non-profits to set up in each of their 12 guest suites, to hand out literature and answer questions. Each group invited everyone on their mailing list to come for free music and refreshments and, since everyone around was dying to get a peek inside, they all came! Brilliant, no?

A Salt Water Pool Tucked Behind the Mural Wall

As with the cottages, each room has a nice kitchenette, but the look is more serene and sophisticated.

It's not the same family- and pet-friendly place that the cottages are (kids 13 and over only), but if you're looking for a quiet adult get-away, it just might be the place for you!

Best of all, it's located right across the street from one of the best restaurants in town -- The Leaning Pear. And, since it was perfect weather for dining out on their terrace, that's exactly where we headed after the bash!

Now for the amazing synchronistic bit about this whole day! Sherri, the master-marketer, is a friend I met through my blog several years back. They were living on Catalina Island at the time, but knew they wanted to move to the Texas Hill Country when her husband retired from his harbor patrol career. They finally made the move a year or two ago, and have been great friends ever since.

So, as I was leaving her bash, I heard someone call my name. You'll never guess who it was? LaNell! LaNell is another on-line friend whom I met a year or two ago, when we were taking the same art class. She too was planning to move to the Hill Country one day, and started reading my blog. I knew she had finally made the move, but we had yet to meet in person. I simply can't believe she managed to pick me out of that mob - especially since I'm always the one taking pictures, but rarely ever in them!

Sherri said we should start a lunch club of people HCH has lured to Wimberley. We're about to hold our first meeting!