Johnson City - Home of LBJ

Johson City was actually named after James Polk Johnson (see here: http://www.johnsoncity-texas.com/history/index.html), but it was Lyndon B. Johnson that it will be remembered for! Everything there is NOW named after LBJ! While we were in the area, we visited one of the many LBJ historical sites (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/lyndon_b_johnson/), although we really only toured the Sauer-Beckmann Ranch...

Beautiful old barn/stable.

Just like Little House on the Prairie! Can't you just hear Ma scolding Laura for something or other? (OK, maybe that's just me...)

Definitely a window into the past...

Now the sleep of ghosts.

Bill admires the old engineering marvel of a windmill with its water pumping/storing mechanisms.

Still beautiful, after all these years...

The Bartons visit Barton Springs, again!

A few of the Bartons at Barton Creek's edge.

Many, many years ago, on a trip to Texas, Bill took me to see Barton Springs (I don't think THESE Bartons had anything to do with the naming, but it's still a fun thing! Although apparently the first anglos that settled there were a William Barton and his family! Hmm, I wonder if they had a Scratty too?!). A refuge in the hot Austin summers, this popular spring-fed swimming hole formed when Barton Creek was dammed up. Like Balmorhea, Barton Springs just has the original, natural rock and gravel for its bottom and sides (way cooler than plaster! and speaking of cool, the water stays about 68 degrees all year - amazing that my coldwater-weenie husband could ever swim in such "frigid waters," but he did!). Also like its western cousin, you will be swimming with other entities in this pool, even if you're the only person there! All sorts of fish, eels, and turtles (including snapping turtles - oh my!) live there!

Unfortunately, this time the pool was closed for the season and being cleaned - we were just a few days too early! So the water level's lower than normal in this photo, and there are a lot fewer people than normal!!!!!!!!!

Barton Creek (below the dam).

Turtles ABOUND here!!!!!!! (Red-eared sliders in this photo)

Looking back upriver. If you were to look way down the other way, you'd see the skyscrapers of downtown Austin.

Nice walking trails on both sides of the creek.

Cruising through Zilker Park, which is where Barton Springs is located.

After our creek stop, we just mosied around Austin. There are some neat houses, with beautiful yards. I just like the look of ones like this.

And this.

Austin city streets, with the gorgeous capitol building in the background (more of that to come later...).

Taking a leak in Leakey....

On March 3rd we took a long drive, passing through Fredericksburg, Kerrville, Leakey, Rio Frio, Utopia, Bandera, and back. One of the things we saw a lot of was native and exotic hunting ranches, which had critters like: axis, whitetail, fallow, mule, and sika deer, black buck antelope, ibex, oryx, eland, yak, special rams & sheep, wild boar, elk, and turkeys. I'm not too sure about the history of this or how it all began, but it is certainly popular and has been going on since Bill was a boy. Another thing we saw a lot of was water, at least in the form of rivers and creeks - and flood gauges, which makes the title of this piece even more relevant, don't you think?

The Guadalupe River.

The Rio Frio. This has to be one of the neatest rivers we've ever seen. The clear water, weird rock texturing beneath, interesting trees and coloring... So this is why you're going to see so many photos of it (and to you they will probably all look the same!), but it was such a cool river, it deserves the space and recognition! I recommend clicking on the photos so you can see them larger.

And now on to the Rio Caliente.

(no, just kidding!)

More water near Utopia.

The Pedernales

On March 2, we visited the Pedernales State Park. It was very cool! I just love the rock formations and clear water you find at so many central Texas rivers!!

Bill & Ouray beat me down to the river - "Hey Mom! Hurry up!!"

The boys do some rock climbing.

Nice dramatic light on the Pedernales.

A little further downstream.

A nice sandy beach makes Ouray feel young at heart again!!!

What a playboy!!!!

Bill by the river.

Making the dog take a break from all the fun for a photo!

Pretty Pedernales.

Willkommen to Hill Country!

Hill Country is in central Texas. Characterized by rolling terrain covered by oaks, it's like a larger version of our own Mesa Grande. It is known as bluebonnet central and a wildflower destination in April. It's also home to many German immigrants, esp. Fredericksburg (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredericksburg,_Texas).

Hi! I'm back! Been awhile I know, but Texas has been full of good stuff to explore, see, and do - leaving less time for blogging! But I'm trying to get back in the saddle a bit... So, on March 1st we moved to Johnson City, home of LBJ and central hill country. It was still mostly winter when we got there, but temperatures moderated and a few trees started blooming while we were there.

Ouray's my copilot as we gas up for our relatively short trek from Junction to Johnson City (because of the short distance, Bill and I will be driving the vehicles separately).

Hey! They're wrong - the scenery DOES change, even when you are NOT the leader!!

Peaceful trio.
Don't see the third party? Look closer...

Tractor takes a break during his desk maintenance work...

The house Bill lived in while attending the University of Texas in Austin (it wasn't purple back then though...hmmm...)

Cats up a tree.

This fantastic tree was right behine our RV and a safe place, so we let the kitties go free and climb to their hearts' content. Big lateral branches made for great runways! They went high and far out on teeny branches, while Mommy worried and Dad was proud! Bet you can't see the kitties here - I can't! But I do know they're in there!

Scratty: The Ascension

Bill's birthday meal - and then some! This place made the BEST chicken-fried steak!! And we love their promo: "nearly three dozen sold!" poking great fun at McDs! In fact, they sell several dozen daily!!

More fun at home: Tractor jumps down behind the computer/desk equipment, into a tall, very skinny space. Luckily for him, we could remove the printer (which was only velcroed down) and get him out...! What a little fart!!

Dog x 2

Roadside art (advertising a gallery we didn't make it to). Awesome longhorn though!!!!

The real thing.

Just a weird, cool place. Looked like it used to be a tourist trap of some sort - but not any longer.

Bisbee, revisited?

The Miller Creek, for which our Miller Creek RV Park was named.