I thought I would try something a little different. There are so many different names of streets in Lakeway, and yet some have a commonality. For instance, a number of them have a nautical theme, which makes sense since there is a lake here. Since Lakeway was founded in the sixties there are some streets that carry an astronaut or space theme. Since space travel was of high interest, then it is not unusual to have streets named after either vehicles or heavenly bodies.  Here are those signs.

This crossroad has a twofer, Rocket, and Explorer. The marker that is attached to street signpost designates the original parts of Lakeway. The font used for the words ‘Old Lakeway’ is the style used originally on the real estate sales brochures and posters back in the sixties.

Here’s one that is pretty simple and self-explanatory.

Yeah, we can get that for sure.

Of the eleven Vanguard rockets which the project attempted to launch, three successfully placed satellites into orbit.

Although a stretch, the Zephyr Rocket was an overnight passenger train operated jointly by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (“Burlington Route”) and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (“Rock Island Lines”) between Saint Louis, Missouri and the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. I left this in for Dan Antion.

At the time of naming the street, I’m sure the thought was the constellation. Now NASA has an Orion, the only spacecraft designed for long-duration, human deep space exploration.

Although it is unclear why the name Challenger was picked back in the sixties, it certainly can stand as a memorial to those who lost their lives on the shuttle disaster in 1986.

Intrepid is probably named after the Aircraft Carrier USS Intrepid which was the recovery ship for Mercury and Gemini space capsules.

I hope you enjoyed the walk around and hope you don’t have a crick in your neck from looking at the signs.

StoryWalk® is an innovative and delightful way for children — and adults! — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Laminated pages from a children’s book are attached to wooden stakes, which are installed along an outdoor path. As you stroll down the tr,ail, you’re directed to the next page in the story.
StoryWalks® have been installed in 50 states and 12 countries including, Germany, Canada, England, Bermuda, Russia, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Korea! They are always received with appreciation.
​
StoryWalk® was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT
and has developed with the help of Rachel Senechal,
Kellogg-Hubbard Library.®

Lakeway has installed a StoryWalk® installation near the activity center where the Holiday light walk was during the holidays.

There is a sign pointing the way to the walk.

A sign to tell you to follow the path.

The title of the book is I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichenheld. It is a delightful book. Due to constraints on photo memory, I won’t picture each page, but if you are interested, there is a video at the end.

I wish you more ups than downs.

I wish you more tippy-toes than deep.

I wish you more hugs than ughs.

Here is a resting place.

An overall view of the trail beginning to give you an idea of the setup. I hope you enjoyed the little walk. The full story follows. Thank you

The Activity Center in Lakeway is a hectic place. There are events and classes every day. Today I wan,t to highlight an event that takes place during January and February.  It is the brown bag music sessions held on Thursdays. There is a signpost up ahead. Let’s go investigate.

As you can see, the event is free. Folks bring lunch and hear super music.

Here we are at the Activities Center. Let’s go in.

Oh my. The place is packed. The band is playing a catchy country tune.

The music brings back memories.

It looks like some forgot lunch. Well, maybe after.

This is Frank Cavett & Friends and their honky-tonk renditions. During one introduction, Frank stated he had never played in a place with so much light. He said it was a little scary that he could see the audience. Yes, a big laugh.

Here is the schedule for the rest of February.

As you could tell by the audience photos, this is a pleasant opportunity for our seniors to get out and enjoy the sounds.

I plan to take you to other Activity Center events but for now, thanks for coming along.

Since not much is going on around the neighborhood, The Producer and I went out searching for signs of spring. Come walk with us.

As we get started we should read the famous signboard in front of El Arroyo restaurant in Austin. Pretty much describes Texas weather.

Yeah, this morning, lots of fog. Sure sign of spring

Last week we saw a couple of puny artichoke agaves. Here is the grandmother of all artichoke agaves. It is about eight feet across and I guess it to be over thirty years old. Not spring but thought you would like to see a big one.

Here is a bush that is beginning to bloom. The Producer and I cannot identify it. It is not a Forsythia. Any ideas? It is very prolific and looks like its branches grow up and then cascade down the plant.

Here are some red berries of a Hawthorn. Not sure if it is a green bark Hawthorn or not. It looks like it started as a shrub and then trimmed to look like a tree.

Huge agave. Not a sign

A sign of spring is trimmed Crepe Myrtles. They flower from new growth so they need to be trimmed each year. These have been trimmed to within an inch of their lives. There is some debate about whether trimming them this radically produces the best results. Some people call this kind of trimming Crepe Murder. A swing by in a few weeks will tell the tale.

Here is a Crepe Myrtle that has not been trimmed as yet.

A yucca in bloom. Not necessarily a sign of spring since they can bloom anytime.

Heavenly Bamboo showing its berries

Deer out and about without worrying about those nasty bucks chasing them. Yup. A sign of spring.

The ever-popular Rosemary. Blooming blue flowers.

I hope you enjoyed the walk. Here have a margarita. You’ve earned it.

 

I was supposed to do a feature, on an embroidery exhibit at the local library. I must have had the date wrong since there was nothing there. So here it is mear minutes from a deadline, and I got nothing. It was then I started looking around and noticed some interesting (to me) plants. So here we are. I hope you find them interesting. If not, well,  let’s hope next week is better.

I thought these agaves were lovely. These are at the entrance of a section named The Hills in Lakeway.

A different kind of agave with a backdrop of grasses and live oaks

This sign has a waterfall, some peacock orchids against a backdrop of live oaks and junipers.

Here is a shot of some typical live oaks.

On one corner are some beautiful artichoke agaves

Here is a full shot of the bed including a potted artichoke agave.

Here is the opposite corner with the same kind of agave display.

I thought this footbridge across the culvert was cute. This is a shot of Lakeway Boulevard looking North.

Here is Lakeway Boulevard looking South. I thought this stand of grass combined with the stark deciduous trees was a good photo op.

The tree in the grass is marked as are all the trees in Lakeway. In this way, records of trimming and health can be maintained.

I thought this live oak had personality given the twists and turns of its branches.

No pictures of plants in the neighborhood would be complete without a giant prickly pear cactus. So here it is.

I hope you weren’t bored out of your mind. Of course, if you were, you would not have gotten this far. So there is that for sure.

 

 

Yes, it is another walk on one of the trails here in Lakeway. The map gives you an idea of extensive the trails are. We are only going to take one today.

Notice the distinct desert feel to the geography. There are a couple of Peacock orchid plants and a few grasses in this bed.

There’s a signpost up ahead. Friends of the park have several projects around Lakeway.

Here is one view of the trail, which is not very colorful. The cedars are the predominant vegetation with limestone as the base component of the soil.

Another view showing some prickly pear cactus on the right.

Big power lines that run next to the trail.

The everpresent rescue marker so one knows where they are and can tell emergency responders their location.

More cactus. About the only thing green other than the cedars.

Rocky and steep trail.

Rocky and very steep trail.

The MUD water retention pond. (Municipal Utility District)

I just had to take a shot of a water tower that looms over the trail. All in all, the path was not like others. There is little variety, and it is very rustic and more desert-like. Maybe the next time we will go to an area that has a pond which was a little too far for a trip today. Besides, the cedar pollen is at an all-time high, and as an asthma sufferer, I need to get out of here stat.

I thought it would be fun to stroll the neighborhood and take photos of some of the house decorations. Hope you enjoy it.

This house has a very eclectic display. If you look closely you can see so,me pumpkins and a silver skeleton on the porch. The knocked-out Santa and the dragon add to the festive nature of the display. Excuse the misty look of the photo but there was ,a little fog in the morning.

The same house had a drunk Frosty and what could only be described as a nuts snowman in a hammock between two palm trees.

I thought you might like the agave decorated.

Now into the night. Here is a simple display.

Luminara going up a driveway.

A prominent ole place with professionally installed lighting.

Multi-colored display.

Hard to see but a house with lights on the eves and Santa, a snowman, and elf by the curb.

Just a porch decorated.

Tree lights and Snoopy.

House ablaze with lights

House front decorated.

Combo trees and house.

Tress wrapped.

Eves hung with lights.

A beautiful display of trees.

I hope you enjoyed the display and wish you a very Happy Holiday Season.