Texas Hill Country, Wildflowers and Ice Cream

When we lived in Dallas in the 1980s, one of our annual pilgrimages was to the Texas Hill Country in April for the wildflowers. Since the timing of this trip put us pretty close to the area at its peak, we just had to budget a few extra days to re-visit.

The Hill Country is an area west of Austin noted for its rugged terrain of granite hills, crisscrossed by spring-fed streams and two-lane blacktops. Mostly rural, it is dotted with cattle farms, charming small towns and, yes, even wineries. And every spring, it erupts into an artist's palette of colors along the roadways and streams, over the hills and throughout the meadows.

We spent two days viewing the stands of bluebonnets (the Texas state flower), paintbrush, primrose, and more flowers than we could even identify. The sight is truly one of Nature's wonders. While these photographs don't really do justice to the sight, if you're interested, you can check out some additional photos and information at: http://www.highlandlakes.com/wildflowers/

If you were to ask most people to name a shrine in Texas, they would say the Alamo in San Antonio. If you were to ask Cindy Kelly to name a Texas shrine, she would say, The Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham. For those who are not familiar with Blue Bell ice cream, it is a Texas tradition. Originally available only in the state of Texas, it has recently expanded somewhat, but is still limited to only 19 states -- mostly in the southeast and southwest. We're not sure if there is such a thing as an ice cream-aholic, but if there is, Cindy might just qualify. They offer a factory tour which is both interesting and informative, but Cindy might tell you that the best part is the free scoop of your choice at the end.