At Wild Seed Farm outside Fredericksburg, TX                               Photo by Chris Duffy

GOTTCHA!  It was just a matter of time.  I had been trying, but with little success, to get some good pictures of butterflies as they sat on flowers our whole trip. Then when Alice and I came to the Wild Seed Farm outside of Fredericksburg, Texas I just KNEW I'd get a good shot. There were butterflies everywhere, drawn by all the colorful flowers, so my chances of getting one to sit still long enough for me to snap them were exponentially better than out in the wild. Also, these butterflies didn't seem quite as skiddish as the ones out in the countryside either.  Evidentally they are used to people at the Seed Farm. Still, it took me 8 shots before I got one where they all had their wings spread out.  They are soooo incredibly beautiful. 

McKinney State Park in the Texas hill country                               Photo by Chris Duffy

This was the first State Park Alice and I went to in the hill country and I'm glad we went ahead and paid the fee to get in.  We briefly considered NOT paying and that would have meant we'd  miss some pretty wonderful scenery.   If there's wonderful scenery AND pretty flowers in the same proximity, it usually means that I'm either down on my knees or crouching down trying to get a shot through the flowers . . . in extreme cases, I've even been know to lie down on the ground to get the shot . . . however, not wanting any chigger bites this trip I passed on the laying down bit.  

Chris and Alice at Settler's Crossing in the Texas hill country.    

OOPS, I told you you wouldn't have to look at very many pictures of Alice and me hiking, but this one is special, because it's of a split rail fence. Now granted, our mother and brother aren't in it with us, but we couldn't resist when we passed the fence.  Out of respect for the fence we just stood in front of it rather than actually sitting on it.  I doubt seriously if it could have taken that much of a strain. 

Some of the best things on vacations are "happy accidents", and Bull Creek was one of those for us.  Alice and I were driving back to our hotel after a full day of going, seeing and doing in Austin when as we came to a stop light on Loop 360.  As the car slowed, I noticed there was a side road leading down to a creek and there were several cars parked there, which made me wonder what might be the attraction.  So I called for an impromptu "photo op" and we left the highway to investigate.
 

Bull Creek at Loop 360 Crossing in Austin, TX                                 Photo by Chris Duffy

Boy, am I glad we did.  It was a beautiful creek and what was going on was a young couple were having their pictures taken by a professional photographer . . . we guessed they were engagement pictures.  The photographer was having them wade around in the creek and getting different poses as she also waded carrying her expensive camera.  I'm glad to report that no one fell down in the water.  The above waterfall was one of the prettiest waterfalls we found on the trip although it's not what you'd describe as spectacular.

Bull Creek at Loop 360 Crossing in Austin, TX                                 Photo by Chris Duffy

We were amazed at how crystal clear the water was.  Not only here at Bull Creek, but almost all the creeks and rivers we visited were clear and clean looking.  Like maybe you could drink straight from the creek, although we didn't try that.

Bull Creek at Loop 360 Crossing in Austin, TX                                 Photo by Chris Duffy

We stayed at the creek for nearly 45 minutes, and when we talked with a couple of the locals, they told us this used to be a "Hippie Hangout" back in the 60's and 70's.  I can believe it. 

Alice and me Hiking in McKinney State Park

This was the first of many hikes we took.  We were surprised to find that we had to pay an entrance fee into most of the state parks and nature reserves . . . and also pleased to find that some of our better shots were gotten at places we stumbled onto by accident . . and they were free.  This was just as we started the hike through McKinney State Park in Austin. 

I promise you won't have to look at too many pictures with Alice and me in them, but I wanted you to see us first so you can imagine us trapsing around the Texas hill country.  This is how we looked all week . . . comfortable, that's the ticket!!

RiverWalk in San Antonio, TX                                         Photo & enhancement by Chris Duffy

We're Back !!  We're tired too.  We got back to Dallas last night and spent the remainder of the evening unloading my stuff from Alice's car and downloading our pictures to the laptop so we could take a peek at them.  We're such anxious photographers . . . just can't wait to see how good the pictures are . . . or aren't.  I spent all evening tonight after work transferring the pictures from my laptop to my home computer so I can blog them.

We did a lot of hiking and saw some quite spectacular sights and we took a lot of pictures to share too.  I'm really pleased with the variety of pictures we got too. . . they're not all hiking shots either.

I'm exhausted, so I'm doing pretty good just to post a blog tonight.  I'll hopefully get around to everyone elses sites very soon. 

Alice and Chris hiking in Withrow Springs State Park in Arkansas

Today's the day !!!  From the weather reports, it looks like the first couple days of our trip are going to be pretty wet. . . but we're washable and dryable so that won't stop us. We even have ponchos to wear if we're out in the rain when it hits.  All my stuff is sitting just inside the front door, waiting for Alice to arrive.

Thought for the day: "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty and well pressed body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming . . . Wow, what a ride!"    Author unknown.

Downtown street in Burford, England         Photo/enhancement by Chris Duffy

The little town, Burford, which we made our "home base" while in the Cotswold earlier this year, was bustling during the daytime, but virtually evaporated after 6PM. Even most of the eating establishments were closed in the evenings. Only the pubs were still open.  You can't really blame the folks though; when closing time comes they rush to their homes just like we do. Besides, we sure didn't want to be on those narrow one lane roads after dark, and I suspect they didn't either.

One and a half work days till our Austin trip. . . not that I'm getting excited or anything.

Gate at the Alamo in San Antonio, TX              Photo and enhancement by Chris Duffy

We've made a slight change in the vacation plans.  We're going to spend one night in San Antonio afterall. . . . and on the RiverWalk.  That ought to be fun.  I love the way it looks at night time. 

TWO MORE DAYS and counting.  For Alice it's ONE more day and counting, but I still have to work Wednesday and Thursday.  She'll drive down from OKC to Dallas while I'm working Thursday and we'll leave as soon as I get home from work . . . and I'm leaving early that day. 

Now Mike has home made pizza in the frig and steak stroganoff and two kinds of dessert. He said he'd eat Wendy's Chilli for some of his meals, and to be honest, he does know how to cook too, so I KNOW he won't starve.  Plus he usually has to eat out at least one or two evenings a week anyway, so that'll take up a couple evenings.

I've been ironing and packing most of this evening, and I'll leave the rest for tomorrow evening.

Currently Reading: Wreck the Halls by Sarah Graves.

Pumpkin Pie & Photo by Chris Duffy

THREE DAYS AND COUNTING.   I thought I'd make a pumpkin pie for Michael to eat while I'm gone.  Although he says he doesn't eat sweets, I know differently.  So I've made a coffee cake for him and this pumpkin pie.  That ought to last him while I'm gone. I'm also making a big batch of steak stroganoff tomorrow for supper in the hopes that there will be plenty of left overs for him.  Otherwise I'm afraid he'd subsist on Campbell's Bean with Bacon soup and that just wouldn't be fair to the other folks in his office. 

Do you know what you get when you rearrange the letters in: ELEVEN PLUS TWO?  TWELVE PLUS ONE.