Park Road 4 - I

Texas is different. One of the state's PR campaigns a few years ago had a tag line: Texas - a whole 'nother country. It's big, and there's a lot to see. If you ask me, it's like several other countries. With my ties to the southeastern US, you might think I'd prefer the East Texas Piney Woods - so much like Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia that the state tags on the highway signs on I-20 are often the only way to tell where you are. But, no, if I want pine forests I'll go back for a visit. My favorite is the Central Texas Hill Country. It's different - but it grows on you.

The weather the last few days has been so gorgeous I decided to take Mom for a drive in the country this morning. We headed north and west to check out Ladybird's legacy around Burnet, Inks Lake, and Marble Falls - and exercise my trigger finger for my road trip next month. For much of the drive, traffic kept us from pulling off the road. But, a couple hundred yards after we turned onto Park Road 4, we found a matchless turnout. . . click. . . click. . . click. . .

The Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush only get prettier, the closer you get.

Throw in a few other wild flowers, cactus, red rock and lichens - and more than a few lush weeds - and there's no doubt you're in the Hill Country.

I like this one - a week or so late, but the pastels cry out Happy Easter to me.

A zoom lens is a wonderful toy. Both these pictures were taken from about the same spot, a dozen miles north of Kingsland. I couldn't decide which I preferred - more detail in the bluebonnets (above) or a slightly more interesting sky (below).

 

If you're really feeling like a bona fide Texan and just have to have some bluebonnet wallpaper, click on the picture above and download a 1920x1200 pixel version.

It was a beautiful day - I'll post a few more shots tomorrow.