Views of the Neighborhood – Deer Check

August 31, 2025August 30, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 72 Comments

Today, we are checking out the deer in the neighborhood. We are catered by Maie Day of Austin, and our entertainment is Steve Martin, Allison Brown, and Jackson Browne.

gimme burger – Wagyu smash burger, the works, gimme sauce, fries 24

Grilled Half Chicken – Lemon-honey brined

steak frites – 8 oz sirloin with fries

Fried Redfish – succotash, cornbread purée 7 oz

Prime Rib – au jus, horseradish cream, burnt onion powder – 10oz/20oz

Chicken Fried Steak – black pepper gravy

Butterflied Fish – whole grilled fish, sweet pepper chow chow

tomahawk Pork Chop – whiskey-brined, pepper glaze

Ribeye – flake salt, beef tallow 16oz

New York Strip – flake salt, beef tallow 16oz

Picture of an old time school bus

Let’s go

The crowd shuffles in.

Carrots for everyone.

Newlyweds.

Two guys babysitting.

“You talking to me?”

Corncaine.

A buck caught in the virtual headlights.

Dad and lad on a sunny morning.

Four fawns and one nanny.

The boss.

I hope you enjoyed the tour. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the food and music. I wish you a beautiful week.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway City Hall Art Exhibit by Larry Bishop

August 24, 2025August 23, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 68 Comments

Let’s get rolling

Here’s a shot of the gallery. Notice the works are framed. My cloe-ups have excluded the frames since there is a significant glare problem with them.

About the artist.

Norway Rapids

Yaupon Creek

Serene Storm

Jackson

St. Croix Driveway

Hamilton Greenbelt.

South Garden.

620 @ Dawn

Morning Green Light.

Tantallon.

Iceland Harbor.

Brnggs Canel

Rainy Parking Lot.

Yupon Creek.

Rock[port Palm.

Hawbill Turtle.

Mahogany Road.

Bayside Getaway.

Coldwater Creek.

South Garden Skyline.

Manager’s Quarters St. Croix

Well, there you have it. Time now for food and entertainment. I hope you have a beautiful week.

/div>

Views of the Neighborhood – Potpourri

August 10, 2025August 10, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 85 Comments

Today, since it has been a quiet week here in Lakeway, we are doing a potpourri. We are catered by Hestia of Austin, and our entertainment is Jack Antonoff and Oscar the Grouch.

Smoked mushroom – mushroom tare, fermented turnip, Fresno chili

Halibut – shiro dashi, beurre monte, corn, trout roe

Red ranger chicken – peach lacquer, fermented gooseberry, radicchio

Berkshire pork chop – charred shishito peppers, fermented green tomatoes,fried eggplant

Texas wagyu bavette – mole negro, oregano beef tallow

30-day aged Texas wagyu ribeye – grilled spring onion, okra, fermented green peaches

Picture of an old time school bus

Lets go

Let’s start in our garden. A shot of the most temperamental Hibiscus on the planet.

Vincas are thriving.

White Begonia is holding up too.

Red Begonia is still kicking.

Basil on the left and a chive parsley combo on the right.

We had some fun trash this week. Looks like the kid is growing up

Grandpa has finally gone home, so it’s time to redo the bathroom. It might be time to get rid of the vehicles, too.

It looks like the chairs, bookcase, desk, and ironing board have outlived their usefulness and aren’t invited to the new house.

Either an Iranian Drone went off course, or a very hungover driver this morning. Either way, the mailbox came out second.

A lovely mailbox topper.

A unique piece of metal art. Dog and golf ball.

We’ll leave with a shot of the lonely chair no one wants (awwww).

Time to relax with the food and entertainment. I hope you have a good week. So you know, I will be taking a blog break Friday through next Thursday.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Impaired Driving Prevention

August 3, 2025August 2, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 81 Comments

Today, we are going to the Justice Center in Lakeway for a presentation on impaired driving. We are catered by Bangers Sausage House of Austin, and our entertainment is Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes.

S E R V I N G A BISCUIT A BASKET – Four house-made biscuits served with honey butter & seasonal preserves.

FRIED FRENCH TOAST – Look, I’m just going to say it… this is absolutely delicious. The key

is the super thick challah bread that we somehow manage to make both crispy on the outside and custardy on the inside. We top it with whipped cream, powdered sugar, candied bacon bits, a maple-bacon glaze, & and a delicious strawberry sauce.

CORNED BEEF HASH SKILLET – Our house-brined corned beef sauteed in cast iron with Yukon Gold potatoes & Cajun “Mirepoix.” Topped with two eggs, pickled peppers, onions, & and grilled sourdough toast.

AVOCADO TOAST – It all starts with toasted pumpernickel, creamy avocado, & a six-minute egg. We then add the marinated cherry tomatoes, spicy salsa macha, & our seed mix for some crunch. We finish it with fresh herbs & a squeeze of lemon that brings it all together.

BRATWURST – Our take on the most classic of German sausages. Mild, perfectly balanced, & most importantly, delicious. Topped with sauerkraut & grain mustard.

SPICY ITALIAN – A classic Italian sausage with plenty of fennel & a whole lotta red pepper. Topped with sautéed-to-order peppers, garlic, & fresh basil.

DRUNK CHICKEN -Beer, serrano peppers, red pepper flakes, cilantro, & more beer. Topped with garlic aioli & grilled onions.

JALAPEñO CHEDDAR BRATWURST – Our world-famous bratwurst with some jalapeño & cheddar cheese mixed in. Topped with grilled jalapeños & grain mustard.

CHICKEN & APPLE – You get the sweet from the Honeycrisp & the tart from Granny Smith. We then double down on the apple flavor with apple juice & applesauce. Add a dash of brown sugar & some chicken thighs have mercy!

VEGETARIAN B.L.T. Vine-ripened sundried tomato sausage, infused with cheese curds. Topped with shiitake mushroom “bacon,” sliced tomato, shredded iceberg lettuce, & garlic aioli.

A U S T I N S I N C E SHRIMP & GRITS – Sautéed gulf shrimp served over grits cooked with pork belly drippings, topped with house-made bacon, & a six-minute egg. Garnished with peppers, onions, BBQ sauce, & our Pig Dust seasoning.

BACON FLIGHT – Four, count ’em, FOUR ways to enjoy our house-made bacons! Original house-made bacon, black pepper-bacon, bourbon coffee-bacon, & sweet’n’savory bacon chutney. Served with pure maple syrup & white gravy.

PANCAKE PLATTER – A fat stack of four pancakes, two sausage patties, two eggs, & a side of crispy potatoes. Add some maple syrup, fresh berry compote, & a dollop of whipped cream & you’ve got yourself a proper breakfast.

Picture of an old time school bus

Let’s go.

Here is the information and sponsors for the presentation.

The Justice Center is visible in the background, with a green ribbon in memory of those lost in the July 4th flood.

A fire rescue information table.

Underage drinking prevention table.

A place most want to avoid.

A field sobriety test simulation

Ahhh popcorn.

Inside is a drinking and driving simulation.

Information on texting and driving.

A distracted driver simulation.

Tips for teen safety.

Rescue.

Mayor Tom Gilgore is introducing the Blessing family, who lost their daughter, Aspin, to a drunk driver.

A compelling presentation by each member of the Blessing family on the impact of losing a family member

The Blessings have founded Your One Choice to spread awareness about the consequences of drinking and driving. Aspin is pictured.

Wrist bands for reminders not to drink and drive.

Thanks to the Blessing family, the city, the county, and the state for a meaningful educational day.

Now it is time to enjoy the food and music. I hope you have a beautiful week..

Views of the Neighborhood – Eagle Scout Work and Native Plants

July 27, 2025July 26, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 76 Comments

Let’s get on the bus.

We are at LMUD, and the first view is the beautiful message board built as an Eagle Scout project.

The relaxing bench, stained and walkway, built as part of the Eagle Scout project

The final Eagle Scout project – A path to the Heritage Center.

Here is Nico, the Eagle Scout candidate, who did all the projects.

A class in session – The Beauty and Ease of Growing Cowpen Daisies – Presenter: Leah Crenwelge

And here they are – Cowpen Daisies.

An overview of the native species garden at LMUD.

Several species – Mealy Blue sage (center), Orange Milkweed (right), Purple trailing Lantana (Far Right)

Texas Star Hibiscus (near right).

Flame Acanthus.

Coral Bean.

Monarch on the Gregg’s Mist Flowers

More Butterflies

Little Pink Skullcap

Black-eyed Susan.

Latana.

Gregg’s Mists Flowers

Turks Cap.

Well, that concludes our tour. Time for food and Music. I hope you have an easy week.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Airpark Open House

July 20, 2025July 19, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 76 Comments

Today we are visiting the Lakeway Airpark open house. We are catered by Home Slice Pizza of Austin. Our entertainment is The Steve Miller Band.

Margherita – Fresh mozzarella, diced Roma tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic & basil.

White Pie with Spinach – Extra virgin olive oil, garlic, mozzarella, ricotta, provolone & romano.

Eggplant Pie – A NY staple that’s like eggplant parmesan on a pie.

Veggy – Spinach, Roasted Red Peppers, Green Olives, Onions

Classic – Pepperoni & Mushroom

Variation – Sausage, Ricotta Cheese, and Roasted Red Peppers

White Clam Pizza – Chopped clams, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh oregano, and Pecorino Romano—street cred in Naples and New Haven.

Hop on the bus and let’s get going.

The sign you are at the airpark

$5.00 a gallon for aviation fuel.

The historical marker.

Coffee and donuts.

Glider kits for the kids.

A little free library.

A high-priced sports car showing.

Observation plane.

A 2005 Cirrus.

A vintage Piper

An experimental homebuilt.

SeaRey seaplane.

There are two of the many homes around the Airpark. Notice the big doors and drive to the runway

Here is city councilman O’Brien taking a traditional selfie at the event

There is one taking off.

I hope you enjoyed the visit. Now it is time for food and music. I also hope you have a great week.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lake Travis Comparison

July 13, 2025July 13, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 78 Comments

Today, we are visiting Lake Travis to see what effect the rains here in Texas have had on the lake levels. The flooding was such a tragedy, and we don’t want to lose sight of those who lost their lives and those who are still missing. I think the health of the lake could be considered a memorial to all. The before photos were taken in August of 2022.

A shot looking toward the end of the lake. Remember the boathouse.

The same shot this week.

Nothing but green in 2022.

Water has filled in.

Lots of dry land and a dock on the shore.

More water and the dock is floating

Docks and a sailboat on land.

The docks in the water, and unfortunately, the sailboat sank.

The same dock and sailboat in 2022.

Another view

Looking toward the other end of the lake in 2022.

That view this week.

The kayak launching site in 2022.

Now, let’s go to the greenbelt and check out two waterfalls.

This is before the rain.

This week.

Before the rain.

This week

I hope you found this interesting. Keep all those folks in your prayers.

A reminder

Eternal Road – The final stop – The first book in the Eternal Road series, Kindle edition, is on sale now for 99¢. Sam and James battle Lucifer for the future of mankind. 4.6 stars https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GL135KQ

Views of the Neighborhood – Flora

July 6, 2025July 5, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 84 Comments

Today, we are cruising the neighborhood to see what kind of summer blooms are available. We are catered by ABA of Austin. Our entertainment is The Cowsills.

Texas Peach Biscuit – peach compote, whipped cream

Avocado Toast – pomegranate, preserved lemon, mint

Khachapuri – baked egg, cremini mushroom, graviera, green onion

Açaí Bowl – blueberry, banana, pomegranate, dukkah, coconut, mint

Short Rib Shakshuka – local eggs, spicy harissa, graviera, roasted potato

Kefta & Eggs – lamb & beef kefta, fried eggs, tzatziki, lemon dill rice

Shawarma-Spiced Skirt Steak & Egg – fried eggs, crispy potato, tzatziki

Jerusalem Bagel & Smoked Salmon Spread – sumac red onion, tomato, caper, labneh

Kebabs – served with basmati rice, Grilled Mushroom, date, sherry vinaigrette, zhoug

Grilled Chicken – yogurt marinade, sweet pepper, zhoug

Lamb & Beef Kefta -lemon, olive oil, tzatziki

Grilled Salmon – sweet pepper, red onion, zhoug

Beef Tenderloin – bell pepper, cippolini onion, zhoug

The bus is waiting.

Our first bloom is a beautiful red Crape Myrtle.

Next, we have Mexican Bird of Paradise and white Angel’s Trumpet

A lovely example of Mexican Sage in bloom. A signal rain is coming.

Checking on the mom and baby in our yard. (I know not flower blooms but blooms of another kind.)

A gigantic pink Crape Myrtle.

Another lovely red Crape Myrtle.

A Century plant (Agave Americana) with it’s one and only bloom before dying.

A Crape Myrtle that has a purple hue.

More Mexican Bird of Paradise.

Prairie Verbena.

Cactus flower.

More sage.

Mexican Birds of Paradise.

Blackfoot Daisy.

Well, that is the tour today. Time to relax and enjoy the food and music. I hope you have a terrific week.

Views of the Neighborhood – Art Display at Lakeway City Hall – Char Michelson

June 22, 2025June 21, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 64 Comments

We are heading to Lakeway City Hall again to view a colorful display of Char Michelson’s artwork. We are catered by Hestia of Austin. Our entertainment is Chicago.

So let’s go

Here’s information on the artist.

A shot of the gallery.

None of the paintings is titled, so we will enjoy the work and maybe make up our own titles.

Lovely monuments in sandstone.

Flowers, pitcher, table, and wallpaper.

A rural scene.

Rolling countryside.

A hill that just begs for climbing.

A lovely vase filled with joy.

It is now time to relax and enjoy the music and food. I hope you have an easy week.

Views of the Neighborhood – Wildlife of the Hill Country – Walk

June 8, 2025June 14, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 72 Comments

Today, we will visit the Activity Center walkway for a tour of the wildlife of the Hill Country sponsored by the Lakeway Parks and Recreation. We are catered by III Forks of Austin, and our entertainment is Little Texas.

Snake River Farms – American Wagyu, Gold NY Strip – Served with flamed Jack Daniel’s Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Infused Maldon Salt

Snake River Farms – American Wagyu, Gold Bone-In Ribeye- Served with flamed Jack Daniel’s Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Infused Maldon Salt

Classics, Filet Mignon

Bone-In, Tomahawk Ribeye – Served with flamed Jack Daniel’s Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Infused Maldon Salt

Certified Angus Beef® Brand Prime 75 Day – Dry Aged, Bone-In NY Strip – Served with flamed Jack Daniel’s Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Infused Maldon Salt

Atlantic Salmon – tarragon chimichurri

Chilean Seabass

Roasted Chicken -Steak Frites Petite Tender, Garrison Brothers Tarragon Butter, Fries

Prime Double-Cut Pork Chop – serrano peach BBQ sauce, balsamic glaze

Charred Cauliflower Steak

So let’s go.

The Parks and Recreation department has installed information posts all along the Activity Center walkway. There are changing displays to enjoy while taking a leisurely walk.

Before we start, I want you to know there are 28 animals pictured. We will do half today and the rest next week.. The images are behind glass, so under certain conditions, some images may be distorted by glare. When I was taking the photos it had just stopped raining so there is that too.