Since restrictions are lifted and I am fully vaccinated, it is time to go back to the gym. I know this isn’t the most exciting neighborhood tour, but it is a monumental event.  We have brunch catered from the Hillside Farmacy in Austin. We have Sugarland as our entertainment today.

 Hillside Farmacy

Brunch
Texas Cheese Plate
Selection of local cheese, wildflower honey
+ seasonal fruit.
Peel & Eat Shrimp ~
Freshly made biscuits Homefries Cheese grits Seasonal fruit bowl Side of bacon.
GOOD EGGS
Our eggs come from family-owned & operated sustainable pasture-raised organic egg farms around Austin. Their hens are humanely raised outdoors.
BRULÉE GRAPEFRUIT
Texas grapefruit half, sugar in the raw, local wildflower honey
HOUSE MADE GRANOLA & YOGURT
Yogurt, fresh seasonal fruit, local wildflower honey
BUTTERMILK PANCAKES
Mexican vanilla, seasonal fruit, powdered sugar BACON, SCRAMBLED EGG
MAC & CHEESE (vegetarian)
Taleggio, aged white cheddar, bread crumbs
PANCETTA , POACHED FARM EGG, BROCCOLI

Gulf Shrimp
Six gulf shrimp, house-made cocktail sauce, pickled onion
EGG & SAUSAGE BREAKFAST SAMMY
Pork sausage, farm egg, sweet and spicy pepper salsa, spring mix, tomato, mixed pickles, local cheddar cheese.
FARM EGGS BOWL (vegetarian)
Seasonal veggies
SHRIMP & STONEGROUND GRITS
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, cheese grits, kale, microgreens
BIG BREKKIE (vegetarian options)
2 eggs any style
• Bacon or avocado
• Homefries or creamy grits • Wheat toast or a biscuit

White wine: Chardonnay Annabella Napa, CA  Red wine:

Here we are at the gym.

A new pool is going in.

There’s the workout room.

My machine.

Overcast view

Do we want to do some leg or arm work? Let’s pass.

How about free weights? Not now, maybe later.

High-intensity workout? We have brunch to eat.

So let’s get to brunch and the music. I hope you all have a great week.

Today we are going to wander and just take in whatever we can find. There is nothing special going on in Lakeway, so we can just be leisurely and enjoy the day. We are being catered by Sawyer & Co, Austin. It is a New Orleans-style restaurant, so be prepared for some spice. Our entertainment is Sara. Bareilles.

Menu

Sawyer Benedict
poached eggs, grilled ham & creole hollandaise on toasted biscuit

Huey P Benedict
poached eggs & cajun style pulled pork with creole hollandaise on toasted biscuit

Breaux Bridge Benedict
poached eggs* over signature boudin with creole hollandaise & choice of toast or biscuit served with brabant potatoes

Trailer Park Benedict
frito pie with house chili, poached eggs* cheddar & grilled onions

Big Easy Omelet
french fries, ham, chili, cheddar, onions with choice of toast or biscuit

Eggs Sardou
fried green tomatoes, poached eggs* with creole hollandaise over creamed spinach & artichoke hearts with toast or biscuit

Creole Shrimp and Grits
pan-seared shrimp in garlic butter, bacon, mushroom & creole sauce over cheesy grits

Jambalaya
with two eggs* any style, choice of bread

Crawfish Etouffee
Boudreaux approved and served over rice

Catfish Orleans
fried or blackened catfish topped with crawfish étouffée over rice

Desserts

Bread Pudding
with bourbon sauce

Key Lime Pie

Apple Pie

Pecan Sticky Bun
homemade cinnamon roll with praline topping

Root Beer Float

SHAKES
Vanilla, Chocolate,Strawberry, Chocolate Peanut Butter

Today’s wine. White: SAUVIGNON BLANC Patient Cottat, Sancerre, France 2019 and Red: CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE Château La Nerthe, Rhône, France 2016.

So let’s get on the bus.

Before we get too far, we need to check out this fawn and mother on my driveway.

Mama needs to do some bathtime chores.

Running to mom.

Speaking of fawn, here’s one that has been parked by its mother. This is usually okay, but the mom parked this little one on the front lawn in full view of everyone passing.

A close-up. The fawn is sound asleep.

A palm tree in bloom.

A field of wildflowers.

Here is beautiful artichoke agave that, because of the spring freeze, is shooting up a flower. This is usually before dying.

A small part of the herd having a stroll.

Here is a non-murdered crape myrtle blooming its heart out.

That is it for today. I hope you have a great week. Sit back and enjoy the food and music.

We are going back to the Lakeway Enchanted Forest. Today we are going to concentrate on the displays near or on Trees. Of course. We need to carry our fuel and entertainment with us. Today the Brunch is being catered by Launderette in Austin. Our entertainment is Alanis Morissette.

SWEET THANGS

BUTTER & PRESERVES toasted sourdough, housemade preserves & cultured butter
ZUCCHINI BREAD cultured butter topped with Maldon salt
BUTTERMILK PANCAKES blueberry maple compote, crème Fraiche
KEY LIME KOUIGN AMANN

SPECIALTIES

RAINBOW BOWL beet hummus, quinoa, roasted carrots, sprouts, sesame, soft egg
SALMON GRAVLAX sesame bagel, cream cheese, capers, tomato, red onion
ENGLISH MUFFIN SAMMIE scrambled egg, Deer Creek cheddar, fennel sausage, avocado, romesco
BENNY TOAST poached eggs, sauce aligot, braised greens, truffle hollandaise, toasted focaccia
FRIED CHICKEN SAMMIE coriander poblano slaw, pickles, challah
PLANCHA BURGER American cheese, special sauce, pickles, challah
THE AMERICANA sunny eggs, oyster mushroom, roasted tomato, bacon, toast
PORK SHOULDER HASH potato, brussels sprouts, sunny eggs, salsa verde
LITTLE GEMS smoked trout, kale, grapefruit, red onion, avocado, agave citrus vinaigrette

BRUNCH COCKTAILS

MIMOSA cava, fresh orange juice
FOR YOUR HEALTH mezcal, pineapple turmeric syrup, spiced agave, lime
BLOODY MARY vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire, tabasco, horseradish
TEQUILA SPRITZER Blanco tequila, apricot liqueur, chili syrup, bitters, cava
APEROL SBAGLIATO Aperol, Cocchi Rosa, lemon, orange bitters, cava
PAMPLEMOUSSE & ROSE rose liqueur, gin, lime juice, grapefruit juice, Peychaud’s Bitters
MARGARITA Blanco tequila, orange liqueur, spiced agave, lime

For wine, we have CHARDONNAY Scribe, Carneros, California 2016 for the white and CABERNET SAUVIGNON Matthiasson, Napa, California 2017 for the red.

Get on board.

Here we have a fairy house with a fountain.

Looks like a grumpy old man to me.

Gnome and his wishing well.

Massive tree snake.

A fairy in the tree.

Kiss me. (Virtually, of course )

A gnome trailer park.

Several fairies around a fish pond.

Herbs drying in the trees.

The man in the fungus.

A happy forest spirit.

Faries in the park.

Our last is a door to the secret garden. So relax, have some food and listen to the music.

Today we are going to visit the Lakeway Enchanted Forest sponsored by the Lakeway Parks and Recreation. Since there is so much to see, we will be coming back next week as well. You may recognize the venue from the holiday display.  To fortify us for the trip, we have a catered brunch from El Alma in Austin. Our entertainment will be Lady A (formally known as Lady Antebellum )

Brunch Menu

GORDITAS RANCHERAS
fried farm eggs on refried bean gorditas, chipotle tomato salsa, crema, queso fresco, avocado.
HUEVOS REVUELTOS
scrambled farm eggs, chorizo, mushrooms, jack cheese, crispy tortillas, tomatillo salsa. crispy papitas.
ENCHILADAS DE ALMUERZO
jack cheese, smoky tomatillo salsa, fried egg, queso fresco, pico. black beans.
HUEVOS FRANCESES
poached farm eggs and spinach on corn pudding. chipotle hollandaise. tomatoes, avocado.
add crab
CHILAQUILES VERDES
crispy totopos, tomatillo salsa, crema, queso fresco, avocado. farm eggs, refritos.
add chicken
BANANA BREAD PUDDING
with cajeta
OMELETTE AHOGADO
omelet stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, jack cheese, smoky tomatillo salsa, pico, queso fresco, crispy papitas.
BREAKFAST TACOS
choose up to 3 ingredients
egg, bacon, chorizo, carne asada, jack cheese, spinach, mushrooms, poblanos and onions, avocado, refried beans, potatoes

We are going to serve some brunch cocktails. If you would rather have wine, we have it by the glass. Just ask your server.

MANGORITA
frozen margarita, tequila-marinated mango purée, el chile rim

MIMOSA FELIZ
sparkling wine, mango purée

MICHELADA
dos XX, bloody mary mix, lime juice, tabasco, Worcestershire, el chile rim

BLOODY MARÍA
jimador silver, bloody mary mix, olive brine, lime juice, Worcestershire, tabasco, el chile rim

So let’s get on the bus. I was asked if we should be using an electric bus to help the environment. The bus is fueled by environmentally friendly propane.

Here is a welcome sign, so we must be in the right place.

Looks like an entrance arch.

Uh-huh. A troll bridge sign is a give-a-way

And there it is, the troll bridge.

With trolls.

Fairy rocks with butterflies.

A welcome to Lakeway rock.

A fairy flower bed.

Lots of ladybugs.

Bees on a tree.

A wizard and a snail.

Frog

Bluebonnets and hope.

A mushroom patch.

A little gnome’s house.

Another little house.

A gnome and flowers.

A large butterfly.

With a place to leave a message.

I hope you enjoyed part one of this tour. Next week we are going to look at tree decoration. I hope you can join us. For now relax, have some food and listen to the music. Have a wonderful week.

Today we are going out to find the spring wildflowers, and as usual, we need to be fortified with good food and drink. Today we are being catered brunch from Matties in Austin.

Matties Brunch

STARTER
FriedGreenTomatoes shrimp+crabsalad,lemon,creoleremoulade . . . . .
SALADS
Farmhouse Salad (V) local greens, fennel relish, tarragon vinaigrette, cherry tomatoes

Beet Salad cardamom yogurt preserved lemon, arugula, hazelnuts

Frisée Salad pickled apples, arugula, roasted grapes, candied pecans, bleu cheese, lemon-poppyseed dressing

Little Gem Caesar (V) creamy cashew caesar dressing, rebel tomatoes, almond “parmesan,” garlic crostini  Add to any salad
Roasted chicken breast  Seared salmon
ENTRÉES
Biscuits+ChorizoCreamGravy ̊with scrambled eggs
Milk Punch French Toast macerated strawberries, candied pecans, whipped cream, bourbon maple syrup.
Green Chile Pork Chilaquiles tomatillo sauce, chunky pico de gallo, over-easy eggs, cotija cheese, tortilla chips
Breakfast Plate ̊ scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, or house-made wild boar sausage.
Fried Chicken Eggs Benedict ̊ buttermilk biscuits, hollandaise, green salad
Basmati Rice Bowl (V) chickpeas, coconut curry, roasted vegetables, cilantro, tomato, green onions
Grassfield Farms Beef Burger ̊ aged Tillamook cheddar, tomato-bacon jam, Duke’s mayo, house frites. Add egg, bacon, or avocado
SIDES
Nueske’sBacon  HomeFries  Porfi’s Housemade Sage Sausage  FreshFruit(V)

Wine

Raventós i Blanc Blanc de Blancs Conca del Riu Anoia, Catalonia, Spain 2016

Moussé Fils ‘l’Extra Or d’Eugène’ Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut Champagne, France nv

Chateaude Brézé Cremantde Loire Brut Rosé France nv

Rose Gold Côtes de Provence,France 2018

Dessert

Along the side of the main drag in Lakeway is a beautiful display of bluebonnets.

And some wild daisies.

Closeup of the bluebonnets.

A few four nerve daisies in with the bluebonnets

The California poppies are blooming

A close-up of the California poppies.

We are now at the greenbelt, and the iris are blooming.

A close-up of the iris.

The cedar sage (Salvia roemeriana) is lovely.

Path with bluebonnets on each side.

A close-up of the bluebonnets

It could be Antelope horns (Asclepias Asperula), but I’m not sure.

Evening primrose close-up.

The evening primrose in the natural setting.

Some prairie verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida)

A fern by a water feature.

We have finished our tour. Stay and have some food and listen to the falls and cardinal.

Have a great week.

Today’s tour takes us around a little and also to a nursery. I took the liberty of ordering off the menu from Roosevelt’s in Port Aransas. They have a wine and food pairing. Pay no attention to the price. I got this.

For dessert, we have a deep dish Hot Dutch apple pie with home churned vanilla ice cream.

Our entertainment today is Bon Jovi

Time to get on the bus and let’s get going.

The first stop ismy backyard to take a look at the first crossvine blooms.

Now on to see the beginning of the California Poppies. Three so far.

A close-up of the California poppy

Now to a nursery where we are sure to see some blooms. First a nice porch planter.

Various baskets of blooms against the backdrop of a palm showing the results of the freeze.

More hanging baskets.

Some New Guinea impatins hanging baskets

A giant hanging basket filled with yellow and pink begonias, golden creeping jenny, and ivy.

A hanging basket with fern, pink pokadot, and yellow begonias

A hanger with pink impatins, and purple dragon.

Lovely nasturtiums

Geraniums

Red begonias with a little creeping jenny

Terrific porch planter.

We are now in the greenbelt checking on the bluebonnets. Here’s a close up of a few.

They are not out in force yet. Hard to see the few scattered about a meadow. We’ll have to come back when there are more.

That is the tour today so have some more food and listen to the music. I hopeyou all have a great  week.

Before we get started I just want you to know Eternal Road – The final stop, US Kindle edition, will be on sale for 99¢ starting Today, March 21st at 3:00 AM Eastern time until Wednesday, March 24 at midnight. There are 26 lovely reviews for a 4.8 rating. If you have been waiting for the right price. This will be the time. Now to our regular programming.

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Since yesterday was the first day of spring,  it seems like a good idea to go out and see if we can find some signs. We will need to load up on food, drink, and entertainment to fully enjoy the trip.

It seems appropriate that we partake in brunch, given the nature of the trip and the fact that it is Sunday. Today we are being catered by Matties in Austin, Texas. Our brunch buffet consists of all you can eat.

Biscuits+Chorizo Cream Gravy ̊with scrambled eggs.
Milk Punch French Toast macerated strawberries, candied pecans, whipped cream, bourbon maple syrup.
Green Chile Pork Chilaquiles tomatillo sauce, chunky pico de gallo, eggs, cotija cheese, tortilla chips.
Breakfast Plate ̊ scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, or house-made wild boar sausage.
Fried Chicken Eggs Benedict ̊ buttermilk biscuits, hollandaise, green salad.
Basmati Rice Bowl (V) chickpeas, coconut curry, roasted vegetables, cilantro, tomato, green onions.
Grassfield Farms Beef Burger ̊ aged Tillamook cheddar, tomato-bacon jam, Duke’s mayo, house Frites.

Dessert is an assortment of fresh fruit. (Don’t ever say I don’t care about your health)

To drink we have a nice Bollinger La Grande Annee Brut 2012 champagne and Charles Krug Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. Our entertainment is Sarah McLachlan.

So let’s all get on the bus and go.

Our first stop is to view this Bradford pear. It is one of the first bloomers of spring.

A better photo of another Bradford pear

A sweet redbud is all alone.

Green leaves pop out in the foreground, and a light green tinge to the background’s live oak.

The deer love the spring green grass.

A murdered cape myrtle beginning to bud with new growth.

Young Bradford pears.

A close-up of the Bradford pear blossoms.

An older redbud bursting with color.

The last time we were looking for spring, The Producer took this photo of bluebonnets just beginning to grow. We had a hard freeze after this photo was taken.

Here are the same bluebonnets recorded by The Producer this week. As you can see, the freezing temperatures did not stop their beauty.

Well, that’s it for today. Other than the bluebonnets, there are few blooming flowers. Maybe later in the spring. Relax with brunch and listen to Sarah. I hope you have a great week.