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BLUEBONNETS
IN PARADISE
by Carolyn
Heinsohn
God lovingly took out His paintbrush
and pondered about the exact hue
He would choose to paint Paradise;
He finally decided on bright blue.
Fayette County was truly blessed
to become His special chosen one.
After blue covered its rolling hills,
He smiled and said, "Job well done!"
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It
was a good year for wildflowers in Fayette
County and one of the best places in the state to see them is
the old city cemetery in La
Grange. While the range of wildflowers can go from Hill
County to the north down to DeWitt or Bee County to the south,
nowhere are they thicker than the hills of Fayette
and Washington County.
La Grange is almost equidistant
between Austin and Houston,
and Highway 71 is divided and safe. |
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Independence,
Texas (in neighboring Washington
County) is another popular spot for visitors to take photos. The
ruins of Old Baylor University provide a dramatic backdrop for wedding
parties, engaged couples and new parents. (See Friday
Afternoon in Spring at Old Baylor Park) It has been said that
even Washington
County law enforcement has been known to take suspects to Independence
for their mug shots (weather permitting).
The urban (or in this case, rural) myth that state troopers will shoot
people who pick bluebonnets is a slight exaggeration. And while motorists
will see numerous babies that appear to sprout from Paintbrush or
Mexican Hat groupings, please note the people nearby with cameras.
Texans can not be considered “authentic” unless they have a photo
of themselves as a baby (clothing optional) in a field of Bluebonnets. |
When the Swallows
Come Back to Smithville
TE Photo, May 6, 2010 |
Depending on the timing, it is possible to see the start of swallow
season – which continues through the entire summer. Barn Swallows
built their nests under overpasses –and over underpasses from Houston
to Austin and San
Antonio. Darting above (and into) traffic, they make countless
trips from standing water to build their nests of mud. Their agility
is a marvel and collisions with vehicles is so rare, an entire season
may pass without a single fatality (at any one location). The swallows
also nest in eaves, SPJST Halls, courthouse belfries and in the case
of Smithville
(Bastrop County), they nest on Main Street above the doors of businesses.
For all their charm in flight, swallows have a rather mean looking
face – which they pass on to their children.
Our photos were submitted by Carolyn
Heinsohn, a native of Fayette
County and member of the FCHC. |
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