Hof ter Saksen cafe

Gallery

Did 2 24x30cm prints today and matted and mounted them at 40x50cm before framing them. they are now hanging in the Hof ter Saksen Cafe. I also printed and matted my Artist Statement/Warranty/Prices on 2 18x24cm mounted prints and hung those too. I also printed 10 copies of the material about butterflies and dragonflies to go into the Menus at the Cafe as well as the two sheets which duplicate the smaller prints above. I will be using these materials in the sale/show in two weeks time.

Garden

The Apples and Crab-Apples in themain back garden are now in blossom. they seem to be better than in previous years so lets hope we have a good crop. I'm still concerned about the apparent lack of bees. Maybe this is nornal though and I'm being paranoid.



Still good displays from the tulips and the Iberis is now flowering well. In the background everything seems to be growing apace.

There goes my wallet

General

Discovered that my wallet has gone missing. Between here and a shop called Gamma. About 500m away. I cycled down to pick up a bag of mulch. It's now cost me about 250 Euros. Plus I have to get on the case and replace all my cards etc etc. Depressing. Tosser!

Gallery

Printed a lot of stationery items for the sale today. Price Lists, Special Offers, Artist Statement, Warranties, Gift certificates, Sold sign, Reserved sign ... all that kind of nonsense.

Had a mail from the Matte suppliers saying they were on the way. They gave me a FedEx tracking number that doesn't work. Nice.

Sunrise at Enchanted Rock

This Time Last year

I get up really early and hike up Enchanted rock in the dark for the sunrise. It's worth it too. spectacular scenes. Great shots. On the way down I cross a herd of deer. no shots of these though - ay least no decent ones.



I'm back in camp by 8am. I get everything packed and then read until Debs and sacha arrive about 11am. We go for a hike up to frog Pond amd Turkey Pass before returning via Sandy Creek. Very pleasant. We have a picnic lunch under the trees before driving back to Austin. On the way we drop into Hamilton Pond but it has a "no dogs" policy so we move on.



My log is petering out now as I've come to the end of my camping trips in the Texas Hill Country.

Roadrunner at Enchanted Rock

This Time Last year

Slept late in my damp tent and got up just before 9am, Luckily it's a fine and sunny morning so I get everything out to dry in the sun. I spend all morning doing this.



Go for a walk in the afternoon up to Frog Pond and spend sometime shooting dragonflies. Try to take some in-flight shots too. Tricky. I continue the walk through Turkey Pass and back through Echo Canyon. I see a Roadrunner! Then I return to camp and read for the rest of the afternoon.



In the evening I again go for a sunset walk. The light is a bit better tonight. I shoot some rock shapes and hoodoos.

Back at camp at 8.30pm for dinner and drinks.

Rain infiltrates the tent

Gallery

I take my materials up to Hof ter Saksen but no one is around.

Garden

Do some weeding. Notice that both the cherries are beginning to blossom. Many of the tulips are beginning to show too.

This Time Last year

Up at 8am but it's cloudy and drizzly. I start a walk just after 10am and go up to Frog Pond. I shoot a couple of new butterflies; Phaon Crescent and a Bordered Patch. The wind makes it hard to photograph the dragonflies though.



I spend the afternoon reading again and then go out to a look-out point for a sunset walk. Again the light is disappointing. I do get a couple of shots of the weird rocks shapes (Hoodies!) when the sun does break through.



I return to the camp via Moss Pond and past a rock with a hole. I go to bed just as a storm comes over and I watch lightning flash over the rock. It rains in the night and I wake up at 3.30am as I can feel the ground sheet getting wet beneath me. I make the best of it and after making sure everything was packed away I try to sleep as best I can

Crescent Moon over Enchanted Rock

Gallery

Finish doing the 45x45cm prints and the material for the menu too.

This Time Last Year

I'm up early but it's a cloudy morning so I don't start my walk until 10am. I walk the whole loop trail including the Walnut Springs part. When I get around to Sandy Creek I follow the small stream and get some damselfly shots. Some new ones too.



I'm back for lunch and I spend the afternoon reading.



At 6.30pm I go for a walk up the Enchanted Rock itself. The sunset is disappointing but I do get some shots of the Vernal Ponds up there. These only have water in the spring and autumn. I meet Neil and Scott from the Rocky Mountain School of Photography, which is based in Missoula, Montana.

I have supper by the fire and watch a beautiful crescent moon before retiring.

Meteor over Guadeloupe River State Park

Gallery

Yesterday I was asked by the Hof ter Saksen staff to prepare 6 45x45cm prints of Butterflies to be made into puzzles. They are having a kids event towards the end of May. I also prepared 7 sheets which I hope can be inserted into the menu at the Hof ter Saksen Cafe. Five of these describe the Butterflies and Dragonflies that can be found there and two are advertising for my prints. Sounds fair to me.

Garden

Everything is coming on fine. The Almond and Blackthorn are in blossom and the Plum and Peach will soon follow. Still a good show of Daffodils and the Tulips are almost ready. Also plenty of Hyacinth and Grape Hyacinth.

This Time Last Year

Wake up to drizzle and get everything packed in time for Debs arrival about 10am.

We drive into Bourne and find a place for a pancake breakfast. We then drive through Fredericksberg to Enchanted Rock State Park and get checked in after some difficulty with the computer. I set upvcamp and then we go for a walk on one of the trails in the park. We go on the "Loop Trail" past Moss Lake, where Sacha has a swim, and back through Echo Canyon.



We then drove back to Fredericksberg to get some supplies and for a drink at the Silver Creek. Back at camp we have dinner and wine before Debs leaves about 8pm. I sit under the stars until I retire.

This Time Last Year Yesterday

Up early and on the road by 6am. I sneak into Honey Creek State Natural area ... you are only supposed to go in with a Ranger! I arrive before the sun has reached the creek itself. I watch a raccoon bathe itself, but it's too far away for a shot. As the light comes I take plenty of shots.



I then sneak back out to the entrance and join Craig's Birdwatching Group at 8.20am. We do see a few birds including a Sapsucker and a White-cheeked Vireole. I also shoot a few dragonflies. The Ranger also lets us leave the trail to take shots - also not allowed.



Back at camp I have a quick sandwich and then a shower before relaxing and reading all afternoon.



Build a fire and BBQ later and finish off the wine. Whilst watching the embers die I see a meteor fall across the clear night sky. Seems to land fairly close too. Amazing.

At Honey Creek State Natural Area

Garden

Do some more seed planing; both in pots and in the garden. Go for a walk to Hof Ter Saksen in the afternoon and bump into one of Kristine's sisters. Take a few shots of Magnolias.

This Time Last year

Busy day. Up early for the guided 9am walk to Homey Creek State Natural Area. Too many people and too many kids but still very enjoyable. Shoot a couple of butterflies and dragonflies and views of the creek too.

I get a reide back to camp and only have a hours rest before I'm down at the Interpretation Centre for Butterfly Workshop with Craig, a local Ranger. He does a talk for about an hour and then it's back up to Honey Creek to see what we can see.

We have a wild time trying to net some butterflies. I see a Californian Sister but can't manage to get a shot. I do get a shot of a Goatweed Leaf and plenty of dragonflies and damselflies.



I'm back at camp around 4pm. I laze and read. I go for another walk and have dinner.



In the evening I go down to the amphitheatre where Craig is giving a talk on Owls. After a 40 minute talk we walk in the dusk to listen for owls. But we hear nothing.



After that I spend an hour with Craig trying to ID the butterfly shots I took today.

Arrive at Guadeloupe River State Park

This Time Last year

Got up early and got everything packed. Then it began to rain, but Debs arrived just in time. We go into "historic" Bastrop and find a great cafe for a huge breakfast.

Then it's back to Bastrop SP to take the scenic drive to Buecaher SP. Very nice too but the park is full! We then drive the short distance to Smithville and walk around a little. The museum is closed thoughh bt I do see a couple of Union Pacific engines in the the rail yard. This used to be a big UP Depot.

We call a few more local Sp's but they are also full. We stop for a coffee at San Marcos/ We then dribve to Guadeloups River SP and they can squeeze me in. We go for a walk and a picnic. After setting up we drive out to HEB (A supermarket) for supplies.

We sit around the fire and have dinner and Debs leaves me to the wine at abpout 8.30pm.

Wild Turkey

Garden

Tidied up some frost damage and planted some annuals. Cleaned pots from Geraniums I lost over the winter! Sat in the garden reading later in the afternoon.

Gallery

Nothing today. Some A3+ paper and inks arrived in the mail.

This Time Last Year

Up at 7am and on the trail by 8am. I walked all the inner trails through the park, but was back by 10am. I saw the lake but it was quite a sad affair!

Later I went walking in the forest and saw some deer and a wild turkey - a first! The weather is a bit gloomy today but the sun breaks out later.



In the afternoon I finish reading "The Pearl" and start "The Inheritance of Loss".

In the evening I have the usual BBQ and some more of the Sloe Gin Sling. I watch the fire til bedtime.

Coral Snake and Sloe Gin Sling

Garden

Lovely warm day today. Did a few tidying jobs and then planted some seeds for the flower baskets. Petunias as usual. Also planted some herb seeds; Coriander and Basil. Never seem to have much luck with Basil and will have to try something new ... but what?

Gallery

Nothing much today except I sent away some documents to be translated into Dutch.

This Time Last Year

Slept late and pottered around until the Ranger came around to ask if I'd paid. I hadn't. We'd arrived too late yesterday. He gave me a lift out to the entrance office and I walked back.

About 10ish I set out on the Lonely Pines trail and it turned out to be a long walk as I didn;t get back until 3pm. almost the first thing I see is a Coral snake. "Red besides yellow poisonous fellow" is the rhyme to help one distinguish this snake from the Garter Snake which is also banded in red/black/yellow. I managed to get a few shots but stayed away!



Later I saw a few butterflies, mostly dark skippers and satyrs ... but also a Goatweed Leaf mimic. I also saw several types of dragonflies and spent some time trying to get shots of them. It was a long slow walk and I didn't meet anyone else on the trail. I must have broken a million spider's webs.



Back at camp I had a late lunch and then a shower. after that I start to read "The Pearl" and with the evening BBQ I make myself a Sloe Gin Sling ... left over from the w/e. I crash out early as I'm tired from the walk.

Bastrop State Park

Gallery

Mount and label the prints I did yesterday and do 8 more prints and then mount and label those too. Order some more mattes and backing boards plus more ink and paper.

Garden

Didn't do much today ... but put down netting over the wild garden seed beds to keep off the cats. Filthy sods.

This Time Last year

Up early at 7am, but not as early as Debs who had to start work at 5am. Crazy!

Sat around drinking coffee and work on the PC. Trying to ID the butterflies I've shot so far. At noon I take Sacha for a walk up the golf course but it's a bit dull and we are back by 1pm. Later I watch ManU against Roma in the quarter final first-leg of the CL. We win 2-0.

Debs comes home from work and we head off to Bastrop State Park just outside of Austin arriving about 5pm. After setting up camp we go for a walk in the Loblolly Pine woods. Back at camp we start a fire and grill, whilst drinking a glass of red wine.

Debs leaves about 8pm and will return on Friday to pick me up.