Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Bluebonnets on My Mind



hey y'all,

yesterday afternoon i ventured out by myself for a little P&Q (peace and quiet), in hopes of finding The Perfect Field of Bluebonnets.

not sure if i found it or not, but maybe something close:

a sea of blue!


each year around my birthday i make a special trip (usually to the gorgeous texas hill country) in search of bluebonnets. i didn't get that accomplished this year, so i sliced out a couple of hours yesterday for myself ... and used them wisely.

with chick fil-a (#5 combo meal, diet dr. pepper) in the seat next to me, i rolled onto a country backroad, toward salado. no, that's not the hill country (for those texans who know the area). i didn't have the luxury of a full day get-away. but there are plenty of fields and hills and valleys ... countryside ... where i'd likely find just what i was looking for.

without waxing too philosophical or sentimental or even maudlin, bluebonnets are very special to me. sure, you'd expect a native texas gal to say something like that.

but there's more to it. something that i've never quite been able to explain. each year i feel the need, not just the desire, to go and see the bluebonnets. maybe it's because they're blooming, in all their glory, on my birthday each year ... that i feel a connection to them.



but it goes deeper than that because i never quite feel satisfied, emotionally, until i've schlepped out into a field full of bluebonnets (and chiggers), breathed in that wonderful bonnet-scented country air as deep as i can ... and taken as many pictures as my heart desires. i guess i'm trying to capture the elusive beauties (in photos and in my soul) because i know all too well that soon, they'll be gone.

until next year, that is.


some years it's quite the production, trekking out to the hill country and making a day of it. or staying overnight in a charming town such as fredericksburg. other years, i'm lucky to spy the beautiful blue creatures along the busy highway as i traipse back and forth to doctor appointments.

so anytime i can actually take a drive, with the single purpose of bluebonnet spotting and photo-taking, i'm grateful.

grateful. but forgetful.

was cruising along the curvy backroad, almost to the scary loooong Narrow Bridge over stillhouse lake when i suddenly realized ... I ... DO ... NOT ... HAVE ... MY ... CAMERA!!!!

can you say CRAP?! i did. okay, i might've said something else. just maybe.

well, first things first. i had to navigate that damn Narrow Bridge. when i say narrow, i mean NAAAAAARRRRROOOWWW. it's a long two-laner with no shoulders and it's high above the lake. ack!! just perfect for someone like me: claustrophobic, agoraphobic, acrophobic, aquaphobic ... and i can't swim! i think that about covers it.

okay, at the last minute, i googled an image for you. this is THE actual bridge. can't believe i found a pic of it! see what i mean?!


so i white-knuckled it across the bridge (thank GOD i didn't meet anyone so i could drive right down the middle stripe, thereby protecting myself from falling off either side).

calm down, terry lee. you made it across the bridge. and you DO have your iphone camera ... i told myself.

yeah, but the iphone camera quality stinks, i retorted.

well, you're this far out here, just make the best of it, crybaby (was really getting annoyed with my smartass self by then).

so, i apologize for the quality of the photos. i may have to take another bluebonnet trip with the real camera. we'll see. but for now, here are the best ones. i'm no professional photographer, but it's almost impossible to screw up a bluebonnet. almost, i said.

enjoy!

love and hugs,
terry lee

this is one of my favorite shots. love that rough old tree trunk juxtaposed with the blue beauties.




see how it looks like solid blue grass or water back against the fence line? looooove it!!


this is the direct result of going on the hunt for bluebonnets solo.


another favorite, i think. love getting bluebonnets with old fences.


yes, i realize this is a horse, of course. but as i was driving along, i couldn't help but stop when i saw him. v. pretty, eh? there are a few bluebonnets near him, but they're difficult to see.






sweet mix of bluebonnets with white thingies. love the church as a backdrop ... sorry 'bout that ugly pole right in the center!

9 comments:

Library Lady said...

Beautiful pictures, even with the iPhone! Just lovely. Wish I were in one of those fields of bluebonnets right now. Glad you got even a short get-away to see the blooms.

And seeing The Bridge brought back a lot of memories -- fishing under that bridge before the lake was developed, for one. Driving over it for another! YIKES!

Another great posting, dear sis.

Love you,
Big Sis

Dana said...

My Wish List
1. bluebonnets in my pasture.
2. a horse like the one in your picture
3. tips on how to snag a P&Q trip!

Denise Marie said...

gorgeous post!! gotta love bluebonnet fields. I get little bitty patches here in Houston. I'm a compulsive junker of vintage stuff too..what it up with that? lol

Anonymous said...

Ah, what a sentimental, touching post. If I ever had to leave Texas (Heaven forbid!) I would be cranky, cranky this time of year - not being surrounded by our precious Bluebonnets. Seeing them always makes me misty eyed.

vintagesue said...

i thought i was the only person afraid to cross a bridge in the car!!!!!!!!! i would have peed on myself with that bridge. yikes....yikes....i'm going to have bad dreams.
OKAY..2 things. one...the PHOTOS ARE GREAT. and two....IPHONES RULE. i think iphones take great photos outside. those look scrumptious of you and the those baby blues. i love this post.
glad you had some time for yourself and accomplished you task. glad you made it across the bridge. will you go back across next year?
take care....
s

Mollye said...

Hi Terry Lee, Oh they're so pretty and it reminded me of recently spotting so many fields here in Louisiana with miles and miles of Pink clover. Nature's Perfect canvas. I think you did well on your photos with what you had and I loved the one with the fence and also the fallen tree. They would be pretty framed. Glad you got some "Me" time alone with just you, God and P & Q. Luv ya girl and happy weekend, Mollye

Jamie said...

Hey there Terry Lee! The photos are fabulous! I keep meaning to load the kiddos up (and the camera!!) and go take some bluebonnet pictures. I am quite familiar with that bridge! I go over it every time I go to south. You weren't too terribly far from me :)

Jamie said...

There was a city wide garage sale in Lampassas and you didn't tell me until AFTER the fact??? What is up with that? LOL!
I'm going to be out there for a marriage retreat middle of May, can you suggest some places to hit? I've only been to Crazy Nana's out there, but I'd love to explore some more.

Francelin Lopez said...

Where exactly did you find these bluebonnets? I'm on the hunt for them and it's my first time, so I'm lost. :-(