Willie Nelson Concert

Willie Nelson's 81st Birthday Concert at The Backyard

I finally got to see Willie Nelson perform on April 29, 2014. It was his annual birthday concert at The Backyard. I'm not a huge fan, but I'm a Texan and you have to see Willie perform at least once if you consider yourself a real Texan. As much as I was looking forward to this concert (for many many years), I was a little disappointed. After all...the man is 81. His better days are behind him. But, he played all of his classics and did better than I think I'd do at 81. He sort of said the lyrics more than sang them, but he can still play that guitar. His band members were equally as old, including his sister on the piano. The youngest band member was the guitarist pictured to the the right of him above. But, you could tell he really didn't want to be there. I'm fairly certain he was drunk or stoned or both. I have no regrets and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was a cool April evening outside and the warmup band (The Peterson Brothers) was truly amazing. Surprisingly, the Peterson Brothers was the highlight of the evening for me. 

If you get the opportunity to attend an event at The Backyard, I'd recommend going. But, avoid the hot summer months if you can. It's a totally outside venue and can get really hot. Reserved folding chair seats are worth the extra money. You get a better view and are generally more comfortable. However, if you're there more to socialize, drink and people watch, bring a blanket and hangout on the grassy lawn. Either way, you'll enjoy what Texas has to offer on a clear night outside.

Hamilton Pool

5 Stars

Hamilton Pool

Hamilton Pool...ahhhh! If you only make it to one natural swimming hole in your entire life, it should be Hamilton Pool. This place is so much more than a swimming destination. The rocky over hang that shades the pool is simply breathtaking. The water spills over into the pool from above. The maidenhair fern grows naturally where the water spills over the rock. Make it a point to walk all the way along the interior wall under the rocky ceiling. These pictures should give you a sense for the size of the pool & rocky overhang. (Look for the tiny people in the first photo.)

TIPS & INFO:

1. Get here early. Get there early. Did I say, "Get there early"? The place fills up quickly & once it's full, they won't let you in. It'd be a shame for you to drive all that way just to have to turn around and head home.

2. Hours: 9am-6pm daily, weather permitting. No entry after 5:30pm. Swimming ends at 5:30pm.

3. If it rains, you won't be able to swim because of e-coli levels. Call ahead to make sure you can get in & that you can swim. (512) 264-2740

4. It's rocky steps all the way down and all the way up. So, if you have mobility challenges, this is not the place for you. Expect to carry small children on the way up...I know...I'm a Mom.

5. Given the steps and overall rocky terrain, I'd encourage you to only bring what you can carry on your shoulder or your back. Avoid bringing a large cooler if you can...although I did see some college kids lugging in their big cooler the last time I went, but they were young and stu...never mind.

6. Get all the rest of the scoop here.

Anderson's Mill

3 Stars

There really was an Anderson Mill! Did you know that? I didn't until I saw a sign on RR2769 while I was taking a shortcut to Lakeway.

Replica of Anderson's Mill house

The Mill & museum is open to the public the 4th Sunday of each month, March thru October 2pm - 5pm. The grounds, Mill & museum are maintained by the Anderson Mill Garden Club. The cost for all upkeep comes from private donations. There's a lot of history about the Mill on the Internet. So, I'm not going to post it. You can start reading about it here. When the property is open, you can tour the replica of the Mill and a small museum dedicated to the Thomas Anderson's family.

Mill wheel inside the Mill house

The museum contains some of the family's belongings. It's a great piece of history right in our own back yard.  If only the original Mill was still around...

Outside picture of the Mill house with a replica of the Mill wheel

Krause Springs

5 Stars

Krause Springs Pool

Krause Springs is an amazing spring fed watering hole just outside the city limits. The water is cool & refreshing. The grounds are lush and tropical. There are huge old Cypress Trees scattered throughout the park with picnic benches nestled underneath for shade.  The entrance fee to the park is quite reasonable & if you go on a scouting trip to just check things out, they'll likely let you in for free to just take a look around. Near the entrance is a beautiful garden that I'd highly recommend checking out...especially if you are into gardening. 

Spring-fed pool

The first level of the grounds (which slops down from the entrance) is where the pool is located. The pool was built to capture a large volume of the 68 degree spring water for pool swimming before it spills over the cliff into the Cypress Creek below.

Cypress Creek below the pool

Walking down some rather steep steps takes you to the lower part of the grounds where the creek is located. It's not a huge space, but large enough for plenty of floating. Speaking of floating...bring your floats. It's the best way to experience the creek. It's a bit warmer than the pool above. There's a rope swing & rocky shore perfect for catching some sun. The water that spills over from the pool above cascades over the most gorgeous collection of maidenhair fern that I have ever seen. 

Stream below with room for floating & a rope swing

Huge old Cypress Tree

TIPS & INFO:
1. We were told that they never turn anyone away, but I imagine it can get quite crowded. Get there early to secure a picnic table. There are a lot of them!
2. Krause Springs isn't too far from Hamilton Pool. So, if you get turned away from Hamilton because of the crowds, head over to Krause.
3. There's an onsite bathroom (with a shower) for changing.
4. You can bring in coolers, food, floats and all the other watering hole paraphernalia.  
5. There are no trash cans. You bring out your own trash. So, bring an extra bag.
6. They sell ice in case you run out or forget yours.

Picnic tables shaded by Cypress Trees

7. There's a food truck onsite, but it wasn't open when we went. I'm not sure if it's operational or not. Bring your own food & drinks.
8. The slope down to the pool is a bit of a hike. The steps down to the stream are quite steep. If you have walking and/or mobility challenges, this isn't the place for you. 
9. There's onsite primitive camping for an add'l fee. No water or electric. We didn't camp, but toured the camping area. It looks really nice with shaded trees, picnic tables & fire pits.
10. Check out Opie's BBQ on your way to the park. It's simple...meat & beans.  Yum-O. 

Gruene Texas

5 Stars

Gruene Texas

Texas Clay Festival 2013 - Gruene, TX

Gruene Texas (pronounced Green) has it all.  I love this little town.  There is so much to do here that makes me happy, happy, happy.  This weekend we made our "I've-stopped-counting" trip to Gruene to attend the annual Texas Clay Festival.  I blogged earlier about this festival.  I always go with a of couple things I want to buy.  This year, I bought three pieces.  I bought a platter to place candles in that sits on my fireplace hearth, a beautiful green & blue bowl for K to display his garden harvest and another pumpkin for Halloween that will be A's when he moves out of the house someday. <sniff, sniff>  I had my eye on a half a dozen other items, but if I would have purchased them all there'd be no reason to go back again next year.  

The Gristmill

After we made the first pass through the festival, we made our way over to the Gristmill for lunch.  The weather was absolutely perfect.  I didn't mind the wait as I listened to the guitar singer belt out some country classics and we waiting under the shade trees for our name to be written on the big chalkboard.  Our Texas-sized lunch was just as yummy as every other time we've made a visit.  I'm so glad this place takes an hour+ to get to or I'd be visiting it every single weekend.  I love this place that much.  I think Gruene has got to be one of my all time favorite small Texas towns.

Waiting for our name to make the chalkboard

Open air seating at the Gristmill

Our day in Gruene ended with our usual family tradition....a stop at the Gruene Toy Store followed by a homemade smoothie from the shop next door.

Brushy Creek Skate Park

5 Stars

Brushy Creek Skate Park

I'm not a skater, but I've been to the Brushy Creek Skate Park dozens of times with my kids.  Here's why I like this park: it's free, it's clean and it's safe.  This is one of three skate parks I know about in the Austin area.  All of them are free.  Building a public skate park run by the city is a risky proposition.  Someone could get hurt and sue the city.  For whatever reason, however, the city has a free skate park and I haven't heard anything about a lawsuit of any kind associated with the park since I moved here.  It's another reason I love Austin so much.  

Ramp at the Brushy Creek Skate Park

This particular skate park is in the Brushy Creek Sport Park that runs along the Brushy Creek trail.  The park also has football & soccer fields, a baseball field, a playscape, basketball courts, a frisbee golf range and a building housing public restrooms & a concession stand.  It's truly an amazing park right in my own "backyard".

Large Bowl

The skate park itself also has a lot of nice features.  Ramps of all kinds, a large and small bowl, stairs and other amenities I can't identify or label dot the skate course.  Right next to the park is a covered picnic area for parents of younger children to sit and watch.  Although the park is frequented by older teenagers, they are all very respectful of the smaller kids when they come to enjoy the park.  I haven't seen a collision involving an older and younger child yet.  BMX bikes aren't allowed, but I do see the occasional teenager try to give it a go with his bike.  The skaters tend to give these kids the cold shoulder until the eventually leave.  

Small Bowl

Although I consider this a really safe park, I wouldn't recommend dropping off your younger-than-16-year-old if at all possible.  Some of the older skaters smoke and curse.  Generally speaking, however, most of the kids are well behaved and come to skate vs just hang.  Early mornings are the best time to visit if you have younger kids.  I suppose this is because the teenagers are still sleeping.  They arrive after 10am and well into the afternoon hours.

Even if you don't skate or don't have a child that skates, this a fun park to come and just watch the kids do tricks.  Skateboarders and scooters are both welcome.

Mighty Fine

5 Stars

K was out of town this weekend dove hunting and so I took the day off on Friday. After doing some errands, I decided to visit one of my favorite burger places. Austin is known for hamburger joints, taco places & BBQ.  Most locals have a favorite in each category and are pretty opinionated about their selection.  My favorite burger joint happens to be Mighty Fine.  I like this place for two reasons: great burgers AND fries & exceptional service.  But, it's not cheap.  My 1/4 lb cheeseburger, fries & small shake was $9.  For a family of four, that can set you back $30!  So, we try to make our visits to Mighty Fine a special occasion.  Having a Friday off of work by myself fell into this category for me.

Mighty Fine

Customers queue up to order their burger from friendly employees.  Burgers are cooked medium well, but you can order one cooked medium, which is our family preference.  They tell you it'll take a few minutes more for the specially cooked burger, but 3 more minutes of wait time never seems long to me.  While they're ringing your order up, they always, always, always ask you how your day is going.  Make a note of this...they never fail to ask the question.  Employees are making a real effort to create a human connection in this question and I like it.  We've become a society that overlooks the human aspect in simple things like shopping and ordering a meal.  I like to be reminded that we're all just trying to make it in this world together and being friendly isn't such a hard thing to do.

1/4 lb Cheeseburger, Fries & a kid's Shake

Back to the food...  order a burger AND fries.  They cut their own fries and make each patty by hand and you can taste it.  You can also order a kid's size shake.  It'll give you a great sweet treat without making you feel so full you need to be rolled out to your car.

RFID Tracker

Seating is comprised of community benches.  You'll be given an RFID tracker to place on your table so that they can bring your order to you when it's ready...pretty cool huh?!  So, there's no one calling your number over a loud speaker when your food is ready.  I really like that...yet another opportunity to connect on a personal level.  



There are four other interesting aspects to this place that make me like it even more.  They are:

1.  A fun hand washing station for children & adults alike.  You stick your hands into the wetting machine and it does the rest.  Try it out for fun no matter your age.
2. There's a cool electronic board in front of the window where they make the burgers.  Move your hands across the board to see what happens. This is great entertainment for the kids
3. At the Mighty Fine in Cedar Park, there's a two-way mirror in the men's room.  Ok...this sounds kind of creepy, but it isn't.  If you don't know about this, you'll just think it's a mirror in the dining area.  But if you happen to be a guy, you can see customers primping in the mirror while you're washing your hands.  How funny!

   

   Two-way mirror in the dining area.
4. I'm not sure about the men's room, but the ladies room has a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.  How many times have you seen that in a burger joint restroom?!

   

   A touch of class!

Wimberley Blue Hole

5 Stars

We found the Wimberley Blue Hole by accident this summer.  It kicked off our quest to find other swimming holes and visit as many as we could during the hot summer months.  The kids were away at Camp Cho-yeh for a week and we were on what has now become our annual adult summer vacation. We stayed close to the Austin area again this year so that we could dash back to camp if something unexpected happened with the kids.  (Next year, we're planning a real vacation away...don't tell the them.)  We spent two days in Wimberley.  On our way out of town, we followed the signs to the Wimberley Blue Hole.  The swimming destination is very close to the downtown shopping area.  Getting to it is simple; you just follow the signs.  It's on 100 Blue Hole Lane...go figure. 

Rope swing

The park that supports the Blue Hole is more than just a place to swim.  There's a hike & bike trail, places to play ball and a playscape for kids.  But swimming in the chilly spring-fed creek is what a trip to the park is all about.  The creek is lined with beautiful old cypress trees that hang over the water shading it almost entirely.  Two of the trees anchor rope swings that make me think of what swimming was like before the invention of swimming pools.  One swing is for younger kids and a larger swing perched much higher on one tree is for the big kids & adults.  Catching the swing requires cooperation from one of the visiting swimmers.  This gives the swimming experience a sense of community with human-to-human contact we often miss in our digital, I-need-to-Facebook-my-every-experience world we live in today.  It's sooooo refreshing!  Speaking of refreshing...the water is COLD.  But, it's Oh so wonderful all at the same time.

Park area that lines the Wimberley Blue Hole

The park that flanks the creek is lined with an Austin stone walkway peppered with picnic tables cut from large Austin stone boulders.  Native grasses and plants line the walkway. There's an open grassy section in the center where swimmers lay out their blankets (be sure to bring one), towels, coolers and picnic treats.  Entrance to the park is $8/adults and $4/children and is worth every penny.  Get there early...like before the gates open (10am Mon-Sat & 11am on Sunday) because the park controls how many people enter the Blue Hole area.  The park filled up to capacity during our visit, but it never seemed crowded.  

If you have the time, make a day out of visiting Wimberley.  Go swimming and then visit downtown to shop. You won't be disappointed.  The short drive out of Austin to this jewel of a swimming hole is worth it. 

Whole Foods

3 Stars

What can I say about Whole Foods?  For me, this establishment falls more into the category of experience & entertainment vs primary grocery shopping destination.  The place is fascinating in so many ways.  The variety of products is astounding but, it's not your typical grocery store.  Don't expect to find Chef Boyardee's canned ravioli at this joint.  No-sir-ee, this is high-quality-organic-no-animals-where-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-food food. There's also a plethora of obscure products designed to keep you young, slim, smart and healthy.  The shoppers here are no less colorful.  You will see it all.  A quick visit to Whole Foods and you'll start to understand why Austin celebrates being weird.  

So, whether you're trying to lead a healthy life and think that better eating is your ticket to outliving every other person on the planet, or you're just looking for a way to spend a lazy afternoon watching people you think have too much discretionary income, you need to visit this place.  Have a smoothie, try some tofu and do some people watching.
___________________________

Try as I might to describe how I experience Whole Foods, I think this Blog really epitomizes the Whole Foods experience.  I've taken the liberty of posting Kelly MacLean's entire blog posting below in the event the link breaks....I think it's that funny & entertaining.  I hope you enjoy it!

Kelly MacLean

Stand up comic, actress, writer @thekellymaclean

Whole Foods is like Vegas. You go there to feel good but you leave broke, disoriented, and with the newfound knowledge that you have a vaginal disease.

Unlike Vegas, Whole Foods' clientele are all about mindfulness and compassion... until they get to the parking lot. Then it's war. As I pull up this morning, I see a pregnant lady on the crosswalk holding a baby and groceries. This driver swerves around her and honks. As he speeds off I catch his bumper sticker, which says 'NAMASTE'. Poor lady didn't even hear him approaching because he was driving a Prius. He crept up on her like a panther.

As the great, sliding glass doors part I am immediately smacked in the face by a wall of cool, moist air that smells of strawberries and orchids. I leave behind the concrete jungle and enter a cornucopia of organic bliss; the land of hemp milk and honey. Seriously, think about Heaven and then think about Whole Foods; they're basically the same.

The first thing I see is the great wall of kombucha -- 42 different kinds of rotten tea. Fun fact: the word kombucha is Japanese for 'I gizzed in your tea.' Anyone who's ever swallowed the glob of mucus at the end of the bottle knows exactly what I'm talking about. I believe this thing is called "The Mother," which makes it that much creepier.

Next I see the gluten-free section filled with crackers and bread made from various wheat-substitutes such as cardboard and sawdust. I skip this aisle because I'm not rich enough to have dietary restrictions. Ever notice that you don't meet poor people with special diet needs? A gluten intolerant house cleaner? A cab driver with Candida? Candida is what I call a rich, white person problem. You know you've really made it in this world when you get Candida. My personal theory is that Candida is something you get from too much hot yoga. All I'm saying is if I were a yeast, I would want to live in your yoga pants.

Next I approach the beauty aisle. There is a scary looking machine there that you put your face inside of and it tells you exactly how ugly you are. They calculate your wrinkles, sun spots, the size of your pores, etc. and compare it to other women your age. I think of myself as attractive but as it turns out, I am 78 percent ugly, meaning less pretty than 78 percent of women in the world. On the popular 1-10 hotness scale used by males the world over, that makes me a 3 (if you round up, which I hope you will.) A glance at the extremely close-up picture they took of my face, in which I somehow have a glorious, blond porn mustache, tells me that 3 is about right. Especially because the left side of my face is apparently 20 percent more aged than the right. Fantastic. After contemplating ending it all here and now, I decide instead to buy their product. One bottle of delicious smelling, silky feeling creme that is maybe going to raise me from a 3 to a 4 for only $108 which is a pretty good deal when you think about it.

I grab a handful of peanut butter pretzels on my way out of this stupid aisle. I don't feel bad about pilfering these bites because of the umpteen times that I've overpaid at the salad bar and been tricked into buying $108 beauty creams. The pretzels are very fattening but I'm already in the seventieth percentile of ugly so who cares.

Next I come to the vitamin aisle which is a danger zone for any broke hypochondriac. Warning: Whole Foods keeps their best people in this section. Although you think she's a homeless person at first, that vitamin clerk is an ex-pharmaceuticals sales rep. Today she talks me into buying estrogen for my mystery mustache and Women's Acidophilus because apparently I DO have Candida after all.

I move on to the next aisle and ask the nearest Whole Foods clerk for help. He's wearing a visor inside and as if that weren't douchey enough, it has one word on it in all caps. Yup, NAMASTE. I ask him where I can find whole wheat bread. He chuckles at me "Oh, we keep the poison in aisle 7." Based solely on the attitudes of people sporting namaste paraphernalia today, I'd think it was Sanskrit for "go **** yourself."

I pass the table where the guy invites me to join a group cleanse he's leading. For $179.99 I can not-eat not-alone... not-gonna-happen. They're doing the cleanse where you consume nothing but lemon juice, cayenne pepper and fiber pills for 10 days, what's that one called again? Oh, yeah...anorexia. I went on a cleanse once; it was a mixed blessing. On the one hand, I detoxified, I purified, I lost weight. On the other hand, I fell asleep on the highway, fantasized about eating a pigeon, and crapped my pants. I think I'll stick with the whole eating thing.

I grab a couple of loaves of poison, and head to checkout. The fact that I'm at Whole Foods on a Sunday finally sinks in when I join the end of the line...halfway down the dog food aisle. I suddenly realize that I'm dying to get out of this store. Maybe it's the lonely feeling of being a carnivore in a sea of vegans, or the newfound knowledge that some people's dogs eat better than I do, but mostly I think it's the fact that Yanni has been playing literally this entire time. Like sensory deprivation, listening to Yanni seems harmless at first, enjoyable even. But two hours in, you'll chew your own ear off to make it stop.

A thousand minutes later, I get to the cashier. She is 95 percent beautiful. "Have you brought your reusable bags?" No, they are at home with their 2 dozen once-used friends. She rings up my meat, alcohol, gluten and a wrapper from the chocolate bar I ate in line, with thinly veiled alarm. She scans my ladies acidophilus, gives me a pitying frown and whispers, "Ya know, if you wanna get rid of your Candida, you should stop feeding it." She rings me up for $313. I resist the urge to unwrap and swallow whole another $6 truffle in protest. Barely. Instead, I reach for my wallet, flash her a quiet smile and say, "Namaste."

The Gristmill Restaurant

4 Stars

The Gristmill Restaurant epitomizes the classic saying that "everything is bigger in Texas!"  I love the Gristmill for this reason and so much more.  

The multi-level open-air building sits on a tract of land overlooking the Guadalupe River.  The front yard is shaded by large trees with a smattering of benches & picnic tables for waiting.  Expect a bit of a wait especially if you visit during the Texas Clay Festival or Gruene Market Days.  But, you can pass the time sipping on your favorite adult beverage ordered from the outdoor bar.  You'll know it's your turn to be seated when your name is called and crossed off of the very large outdoor chalkboard.  On busy days, you can also pass the time by listening to some live country music.

Once your name is called, make note of the pathway from the entrance to your table.  The building is a large structure with lots of connecting rooms.  It's a maze.  There's no air conditioning in the building.  So, ask to sit by a window if there's a breeze or under a fan if there isn't.  (Insider's Tip:  If you're sitting inside and can't stand the heat any longer, make a break for the restroom.  They are air conditioned!)  If the weather is nice, make it a point to sit outside.  There's plenty of outdoor seating under more shade trees & glimpses of the river.  Dining outside will make for an amazing experience.

Dining alfresco at the Gristmill (Oct 2011)

Food portions are BIG...like Texas.  You'll likely see people ordering the foot high stack of thick onion rings....no kidding...they really are stacked about a foot high.  I've never tried them simply because I've never dined with enough people to eat them but, they look yummy.  Most everything on the menu is good.  My favorite item is the fried shrimp.  It's enough to split between two people because...let's say it all together...everything is bigger in Texas!  

The food really isn't the reason I like the Gristmill.  I love this place for the ambiance, charming building, friendly college-age wait staff & small Texas town atmosphere.  If you're in Gruene, (or even New Braunfels for that matter) this place is a must see (& eat).  You won't be disappointed.

Texas Clay Festival

5 Stars

...otherwise known as the Greune Pottery Festival to me.

This is one of the first festivals I went to after moving back to Austin.  Greune is a quaint little town just outside of New Braunfels.  It's about an hours drive south of Austin.  The Texas Clay Festival occurs every October and it's FREE.  The weather has cooled off a bit by this time of the year and it seems that everyone is looking for opportunities to spend time outside.  This festival is filled with original art work.  Some pieces are functional serving dishes and other pieces are simply art.  One of my favorite artists is Mary Fischer.  She makes miniature houses that look like they are made from pieces of metal.  I want one, but they're pricey.

Cups from TX Clay Festival

Every year I buy at least one piece.  The first year I bought a cup that we used as a toothbrush holder in my kids bathroom.  We also found a planter that we use to store napkins on our kitchen table.  The second year, I bought cups for my bathroom.  I also bought a small bowl to collect my husband's cherry tomatoes from his garden.  The kids found a pumpkin they liked and it's become one of our annual Halloween decorations.  This year, I'm going to be on the lookout for a platter to hold 3-4 large candles...and maybe one of Mary's houses.  

There are a few demonstration areas on the festival grounds.

Napkin Holder

 There's one where kids can mold clay and another that demonstrates the art of firing or painting and things like that.  The festival is situated in the heart of downtown Gruene.  We eat lunch at the Gristmill before or after shopping for pottery.  If we've got the energy, we also walk through the local shops and always make a stop at the Gruene Toy Store.  The kids never fail to find a toy they can't live without.  The store carries items that you won't likely find in other toy stores.  We usually end the day with an ice cream or smoothie from the shop near the toy store before making the drive home.  And if we've still got any energy left after all of the shopping and walking and eating, we'll make a stop at Buc-ees on I35 right outside of town.  Ah...Buc-eeeeeeeee's...that deserves it's own post!

Cave Day

3 Stars

Plaque to the entrance of Dies Ranch Treasure Cave

This past weekend, we took the kids to Cave Day and explored two caves in the Cedar Park area. Twice a year, a few of the over 750 caves in the Williamson County area are opened to the public. These are not Carlsbad Cavern size caves, but they are really cool none the less. We didn't visit all of the caves on the tour, but did get to enter two that were quite amazing. (Cool Fact: There are over 1000 caves in Texas and 750 are in Williamson County!)

Dies Ranch Treasure Cave:  This little cave is tucked between two houses in the Twin Creeks neighborhood area just off of Anderson Mill Ln. You'd miss it if you didn't know it was there.  It's closed off by a wrought iron fence. To access the cave, you walk through the fence into a wooded area until you reach an open grate in the ground. Volunteers assisted us as we entered the cave onto a platform. From there, we climbed down a ladder and were in the heart of the cave. The cave was about the size of a large bedroom. The walls were rock and the floor was muddy. Off to one side was a small crack that everyone had the opportunity to squeeze in to and walk behind one of the walls through a small passageway. The passageway came out on the other side of the wall through a small hole that you had to climb up. It was tight. The kids made the passageway trek & got muddy in the process. Mom & Dad stayed behind and took pictures. But, the volunteers said that adults would fit & not get stuck.  I saw a few adults give it a go and no one got stuck while we were there. Legend has it that Sam Bass may have stored some gold in this cave back in the day. (Location: 2709 Gholson Dr. Cedar Park, TX)

Dies Ranch Treasure Cave Sign

Avery Ranch Cave:  Now this cave was more like the caves most of us have seen.  One volunteer described it as a mini version of Carlsbad Cavern.  I'd have to agree with that description.  The cave had stalagmites and stalactites with other formations on the walls.  The cave is located in two vacant lots across from the tennis courts on Morgan Creek Drive just off Avery Ranch.  It was apparently discovered during the construction of the Avery Ranch housing community.  Volunteers let 20 or so people into the cave at a time.  It was lit up quite well and there was a platform with ample room for a lot of visitors.  Steep stairs led down into the cave.  The air was stuffy.  It felt like there was very little oxygen in the cave.  With it being almost 100 degrees outside, the small cramped space made for a sweaty experience, but we all enjoyed it anyway. (Location: 9510 Morgan Creek Dr. Austin, TX) 

Since visiting these caves, I've read a lot about caves in the area and have come to learn that there are literally hundreds of them.  One was even discovered when the DOT was constructing the I45 overpass near 620.  That particular cave contained some rare beetles.  The DOT had to purchase some land that housed another cave to protect the species from extinction so that they could essentially destroy the other cave to finish the I45 construction.  And just within the last month, a new cave has been discovered during the expansion of 620.  A study is still being conducted as to what exists in that cave and how it's discovery will impact the 620 expansion project.

The way we protect our land & it's inhabitants is just another reason why I love this great city!

Map of Cedar Park Caves

Explore God

5 Stars

It's no coincidence that I've listed Explore God as #1 on my Austin Bucket List.  God is an important part of my life and I'm proud to say that.  This movement isn't a "thing" to do or a place to visit, but I think it exemplifies one of the many reasons I love Austin so very much.

The movement called, Explore God, is going on in Austin right now (Sept 2013).  Many of the local churches around town are participating.  The intent of the series is to create a safe environment to explore what we know & think about God.  It's for believers and non-believers.  And it is SO Austin!  I can't imagine ever seeing something like this happening in the DFW area. (I lived there for almost 30 years.)  I'm simply blown away by how many churches are participating.  It's really amazing.

My church is participating in the movement also.  Our Pastor is discussing these questions with us and then we have an opportunity to dive into them deeper in small groups throughout the week.  These are the questions all of Austin is exploring right now:

1. Does life have a purpose?
2. Is there a God?
3. Why does God allow pain and suffering?
4. Is Christianity too narrow?
5. Is Jesus really God?
6. Is the Bible reliable?
7. Can I know God personally?