MORNING HAS BROKEN

There are times when it gets to be too much -- when our water keeps cutting off for some unknown reason, and we have no idea who to call, since it seems to be a pump issue rather than a plumbing problem. When the asphalt driveway needs to be repaved, and the gravel driveway is no longer even navigable. When not only has the dang cinder block wall been sitting half-painted for at least five years, but now the entire house needs repainting, inside and out. And all the metal porch rails too! When the attic over the garage is still chock-full of stuff that was crammed up there 10 or 11 years ago (including a precious cradle handmade by hubby's father), has never been opened since, and can only be reached via a precarious extension ladder, which neither of us has any business climbing up or down -- especially with a heavy cradle in our arms! It's at times like these that I start wondering what it would be like to live somewhere in town, or where all the maintenance chores are taken care of for you.

But then, something like this happens...

 

and I wonder how I could ever possibly leave.

(All photos were snapped, first from our balcony, then on my morning walk around our own driveway, with my handy little point and shoot, in the sequence in which they occurred.)

CINEMA BUFFS

Hubby has been attending a film fest over in Austin all week. Everyone wonders why I didn't go with him. Perhaps these photos will help you understand. I believe they must have been aiming at a younger, geekier crowd. Perfect for my hubby, right?

His favorite movie of all was that one on the right.

He had a total blast, and plans to go back again next year, but...five whole days of having to be up by 7:00AM, driving back and forth to Austin during rush hour, and sitting on his tushie all day long in a darkened movie theater?  It Wore. Him. Out!

So what did we do on his first day off, to help him relax and recuperate? Why, we went to a movie, of course! By the way, you should definitely go see The Intern, with Robert DeNiro. We both enjoyed it thoroughly. Plus we can't wait for the new Bill Murray movie, which they showed trailers for, to come out.

We just might go see The Martian today.
  

BOOT SIGHTING: TURN THE BOOT AROUND

Cue the music...

The "Bootiful Wimberley" program added quite a few new boots around town, so I'm still discovering some I've never seen before. Check this one out, spotted on the steps in front of Gallery On The Square.

So, how many of you noticed what was spinning around inside the boot, there at the top? Nope, you're not imagining things. That is indeed a disco ball!

Only in Wimberley, right?

STUCK IN A RUT

When we first moved here, my greatest delight was exploring all the many little Hill Country towns, each one unique in its own special way. Over time, however, we more or less fell into a routine. Now our path is confined mostly to trips between Wimberley, San Marcos, Kyle and Austin. We keep talking about going somewhere different for a change, but never seem to get around to it. Needless to say, I was tickled to death when two of the Muses suggested an outing to Dripping Springs yesterday. It's been over a year since I was there, and then it was just for a doctor's appointment.

First stop was at Crêpe Crazy, and the weather was just perfect for dining out on their lovely covered patio. 

We each ordered a different kind of crêpe, then split each one three ways, so we could taste them all.

One Florentine, One Chicken & Mushroom

The hands down favorite was a dessert crêpe with sweet cream cheese and strawberries!

Did you know that Crêpe Crazy now has a second location? This one's in Austin, on S. Lamar I believe. Try it, you'll like it!

Once we were stuffed to the brim, Fiber Woman suggested we walk across the side street to the quilt store. I didn't even know Dripping Springs had a quilt store. Expecting some tiny rinky-dink place, I was in for quite a shock. For starters, the place is huge, taking up the entire space where Timpone's Market and Deli used to be. Welcome to Valli & Kim -- so much more than a mere quilt store!

Need a coloring book perhaps?

I tell you what, it kinda made me want to take up sewing again -- especially when I saw those matching sundress patterns for little girls and their dollies. Too bad I gave my sewing machine to my daughter.

The biggest surprise came when I asked one of the salespeople how long the store had been open, and she told me "about five years." Whoa! I really need to get out more!

SUDAN CHRONICLES: POETRY ON DEMAND

 
A couple of days after we went in for our travel immunizations, my hubby and a couple of the kiddos went to the Craft Beer Fest in Austin. There was a guy there, set up with an old-fashioned typewriter, who could write you a poem for a wee bit of cash. All you had to do was give him a word to get him started. Well, Hubby's arms were probably pretty sore by then, so the first word that popped into his head was "vaccinations", and this was the result.

At first I had it hanging on the refrigerator door, but then it occurred to may that perhaps it was time to pull that Sudanese travel journal back out -- the one I started months ago, when we thought the trip was going to take place in August.

When things got pushed back to late December, the journal sort of got shoved aside to make room for other projects. But now, it's back!

SIMPLY SCRUMPTIOUS: PESTO SEASON

Everyone I know who has an herb garden is scrambling to harvest the last of their basil, before the first serious cold front hits. What do you do with a tub full of basil? Why, you make pesto, of course! And, what's the very best thing to do with a freezer full of pesto? Well, you might start with that yummalicious Tomato Pesto Tart that I'm always yakkin' about. But what if you don't do carbs?

Recently there was a recipe popping up on Facebook that contained pretty much all the same ingredients as my tomato tart. The only difference was that, instead of piling said ingredients up on a tasty pastry crust, you mound them on boneless chicken breasts. Perfect for all my carb-phobic friends, right? So I decided to give it a try.

Preheat your oven to 400 F. You'll need one small boneless, skinless breast per person. I pounded the thick end down a bit, so it would cook more evenly. Place the breasts in a baking pan and spread with a layer of pesto. Top with some grated Mozzarella cheese and finish with some Roma tomato slices. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.

Bake 40 minutes at 400 F. (more or less, depending on their thickness) et voila!

The only trick is keeping all the toppings on the meat! Of course, I think those crispy cheese bits left in the pan are the very best part, so I had no problem with that.  I have no problem with the occasional carb either, so I'll be keeping both this recipe and the one with the pastry crust, for both are simply scrumptious!
 

GUANTANAMERA

If you were alive back in the early 70s, I bet you've already got this song stuck in your head, just from reading the title. I've been humming it non-stop ever since last weekend, when we met up with our kiddos at this place in S. Austin -- Guantanamera Cuban Cuisine, on West Gate at Wm. Cannon.

Par for the course, once we got to yakkin' and eatin', a certain someone forgot all about taking pictures! So you'll just have to take my word for it -- their El Cubano sandwich is muy, muy bueno!

And, according to the youngsters, who have been here before, their Mojitos are the best they've ever had, plus they have specialty coffees and cocktails. Lex is quite fond of one called The Hemmingway.

So if you're ever over in that neck of the woods, try it -- I think you'll like it!

Yo soy un hombre sincero...