26 February 2011

Redbud Love, Part I














The first sign of spring in central Texas is ever-so-subtle. At first you wonder if your eyes are playing tricks on you. A bare tree in your line of vision seems to be emanating blips of slight magenta. It's like some of those LED Christmas lights, a little different type of color and light than your brain is used to, especially after being conditioned to the dull, monochromatic winter. Then, you get closer and realize that yes indeed, the graphite gray spindly bare branches do contain larvae-like clusters of hot pink.

Redbud.

After a few days of inconspicuous fuschia, the larvae transform to half-blossom rose pink hearts. When the hearts arrive, the redbud transformation is more obvious but still pretty; however, I prefer the barely-there larvae stage, those little bouquets of tightly wrapped 4mm roses, a surprise and delight for the lucky souls who choose to ogle.

Eventually, the buds open even more fully to a light pink cherry-ish blossom, but not yet, for, at this point, we are only at the very tip of the inception of Spring 2011.




























And a few days later, they start to open...













...into tiny hearts
































To be continued...fully blossomed.

21 February 2011

Untitled















"I was told where you hide from the short wave;
I was sent in the night in the cold.

Ooh, you're like the ocean,
Ooh, you're like the innocent,
What's in your empty eyes?"
- Besnard Lakes

18 February 2011

Straight up chillin'














Happy Birthday today to three important people in our lives!

We three (C, M, & P) miss all of you. We two (C & M) would love to give you hugs, and the other one (P) would love nothing more than to give you a big doggie-smooch on your cheek and snuggle right next to you all day long.

12 February 2011

Devil's Backbone

Soundtrack: Here.



















Whenever I hear Iron & Wine, I think of Texas Hill Country. The man behind the band, Sam Beam, lives a quiet life in Dripping Springs, a small town within the rolling, dry hills, with his brood of daughters.














+++
Why oh why didn't I take a picture of the sign for the church called Cowboys for Jesus? The line of reasoning WAS: the sign is so dull! So uninspiring! So Helvetica and basic, why waste the time? In hindsight, it was a stupid choice. How often do you really come across a church with such a perfect Texas name? Not often is the answer. Oh well, here's the website.

Devil's Backbone is a circuitous, plummeting and rising ranch road through Hill Country. We packed the dog, the Terra Chips, and the music into our car and enveloped ourselves in the fine vistas and quiet country roadways on the Day That Might Be Texas's First Day of Spring 2011.

















































































Bird nests under bridge overhang:

06 February 2011