Happy 3rd of July! I know, usually it is the 4th of July we celebrate for Independence Day, but this year we are celebrating both days thanks to the extra long weekend. There are fireworks shows on both nights in different cities surrounding the Austin area. I slept in this morning and then went to the Monument Cafe in Georgetown for a late lunch. Their food is always nice, but a stroll through their garden is one of my favorite things about this city.
Warning! Super geek with a camera does a lap around and through the community pool this morning when left alone before lap swimming time. Enjoy!
The Mueller Airport Control Tower is a lovely piece of history in Austin. It is one structure that is still standing from the old Robert Mueller Airport days. Since then, Austin has grown, and the Airport was moved further outside of the central part of Austin. Lucky for us, it makes for some nice photos and a walk through the neighborhood will bring you up close to a few flowers for some smells and photographs.
If you walk the correct path at Mueller, you will find yourself beneath a giant Spider. The sculpture is called “Arachnophillia“, and was created by the artist Dixie Friend Gay. Today, the temperature was about 90 degrees which made for a hot walk in the direct sunlight. The sunflowers were loving it and the baby birds were using the spider for shelter as they chirped for dinner.
I got out of work a little bit later than I had hoped. I looked for a nearby walking opportunity before the sun was scheduled to set, and decided to try the Round Rock West Greenbelt Trail – power lines, greenbelt, and 0.88 miles of asphalt walking path. I found birds, lightning bugs, a rabbit, the Lake Creek, and a nice sized deer that followed by me on the path for a short while. Overall, a cool, short walk at sunset.
I attended an event at the downtown Austin Library, and on my way out, I saw this lovely neighborhood block of historic homes and gardens. They are all privately owned, so I couldn’t get too close. Here is a series of photos that will give you an idea of how awesome this neighborhood really is. 🙂
There was a nice sunset today off of Great Hills Trail in Austin. 🙂
My goal today at Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve was to see the waterfall. I thought it would be raging with all the rain we have had recently, and it did not disappoint. The downside was that the crossings for Bee Creek were also raging and the hiking conditions were muddy in places. A good test for my hiking boots. 🙂
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve advertises that it has 2.5 miles of trails. I did the outside loop this evening and finished just before a heavy downpour. I trekked over to view the waterfall, then headed to take in the scenic views. Overall, a nice quick hike.
The Mayfield Nature Preserve is home to the Mayfield-Gutsch Estate, and they take pride in their gardens. In 1971, Mary Mayfield-Gutsch left the Estate to the City of Austin for use as a park. There are several volunteer gardens to see, along with a few lily pad ponds and an old dinner bell that hangs from an archway in the stone wall.
earthrobert 