interlude

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Tricia and I took a break from our usual responsibilities this past week and visited the little town of Fredricksburg in the Texas Hill Country. This is our second trip there and we stayed at the same comfortable B&B as before, while attending the annual symposium of the Native Plant Society of Texas, doing a little shopping and enjoying some great German food and drink. We rekindled some old friendships and made some new ones.

We joined plant society tours to nearby Enchanted Rock State Park and the Bamberger Ranch. On the way home we veered a little to the west where we were priviliged to join a plant identification walk at the Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area, a beautiful spot ordinarily open only to hunters. We mostly saw ferns and grasses there, both plants I want to learn more about. I always thought of ferns as growing in the forest, but it turns out they like rocks.

We were on a busy schedule the whole time but it was still very relaxing and stimulating as well as being a lot of fun. I didn't want it to end, but I am glad to see my cats again. Sapphire ignored us for a whole day when we got back, but now she has forgiven us.

Posted by Bill Hopkins on October 20, 2003 08:45 PM
Comments

OH! What did you end up calling the yard cat?

Your blog this morning makes me want to get out with my camera and wander through the woods. We have a GREAT State Park up here that is perfect for pictures.

Posted by: Mary Lou at October 21, 2003 10:12 AM

Still no name for the black cat. Ideas welcome.

Any fall color where you are, Mary Lou?

Posted by: bill at October 21, 2003 11:52 AM

I see Opuntia -- prickly pear cactus, I think. And broomsedge. The rest are Unidentified Flowering Objects.

Posted by: fredf at October 21, 2003 06:38 PM

There was a bit of cactus there. I'm afraid my photography does not do justice to the scene.

Posted by: bill at October 21, 2003 10:07 PM

ahhhhh I would love to visit your state, if only to take photos....

Posted by: Rachel in Alaska at October 23, 2003 02:22 PM

Actually, we met someone from your neck of the woods during our trip - Delena Tull, author of Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest.

She's a former Texan who now lives in Dillingham Alaska.

Persoanlly, I think that if you can't be in Texas, Alaska would be a perfect place to be.

Posted by: bill at October 25, 2003 09:27 AM