This is one of my favorite pictures from this series. It exemplifies my impression of a "typical" Texas River. The Guadalupe, the Frio, the Sabinal - each is shallow, cool, and inviting, but you'd not be terribly surprised to find a dry or nearly dry riverbed in its stead. After all, this is Texas. But by the same token, a broader, deeper river would never provide such a feeling of relief on finding it flowing, and would seldom induce you to kick off your shoes and go wading for a while.
The marvelous root systems of these cypress trees look like something a Disney animator would come up with. Your eyes are drawn to them immediately, searching for any sign of movement, lest you become ensnared by some great tree with a grudge. And, of course, there could be snakes. . .
I like this one too - it's all about texture. It makes me want to pull out my carving knives and chisels and make huge heaps of wood chips. It makes me want to wander through the woods and find the perfect walking stick.
When we moved to Texas from Virginia in 1963, it seemed that as soon as you transitioned from city streets to a ranch road or farm to market road, every bend in the road was marked by an armadillo carcass. They were everywhere. More than 40 years later, you hardly see them anywhere, even as roadkill. This great example makes me think of the old Austin, in the 60's and 70's - the Armadillo World Headquarters, Sixth Street, all the rest - so different from anywhere else I'd ever been.
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