I hid some chocolate eggs around the house again this Easter. Last time I did this, it took Monte several months before he found all of them! Hee hee hee 🙂 💙🐰🍫🥚
Category: Food & Drink
Good day.
Happy birthday Monte! We celebrated by working in our ginormous yard all day. Then we grabbed sushi for dinner and enjoyed some homemade birthday cake for dessert. Yummmm.
Beautiful, and delicious, too.
Mud bugs.
It’s what’s for dinner. Another sign of spring.
Better late than never.
Monte and I grabbed lunch in South Austin today at Evangeline Cafe, a long-time Austin favorite for Cajun food and live music. I cannot believe it has taken us so long to make it here! It was the first time for both of us. And it was goooood. I want to come back again soon.
The hallway is covered with music posters for performances at the cafe over the years.
Mardi Gras is only a few days away, so maybe you should check them out, too!
My Hill Country happy places.
We took a drive out through the Hill Country this week; out Highway 290 towards Fredericksburg. It was a beautiful day. We left early to beat the morning rush hour and stopped at Pedernales Falls State Park to visit their bird blinds. We stayed for less than an hour, but saw canyon wrens, ladderback woodpeckers, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, lincoln and field sparrows, ruby-crowned kinglets, black-crested titmice, cardinals, spotted towhees, and more.
Field sparrow…
Lincoln sparrow…
Along the way we stopped at the Pedernales River several times and saw wild turkeys, buffalo and longhorn cattle.
Then we stopped at Wildseed Farms to buy fresh flower seed to plant after the last freeze.
After lunch in Fredericksburg, we headed back east, making stops at the tasting rooms of Grape Creek Winery, and Becker Vineyards.
Our last stop, Hye Rum, was a new one for us, having opened only a few years ago. Monte especially enjoyed their barrel-aged dark rum. Check them out.
We made it back home before the afternoon rush hour.
All good!
B-bye BB’s.
Last night Monte and I went to our local pub for dinner and to watch Monday Night Football. Since we don’t have cable, we have to go out to watch the Seahawks play. We won! 🙂
It was bittersweet, though. Our local favorite and most awesome pub, BB Rover’s, is closing for good in 2 weeks. 😦
I’ve enjoyed lots of good times and good beers in that place over the last 23 years. Post-softball-game celebrations, after-work happy hours, St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage dinners, darts, Austin Sailing Society meet-ups, live music and open-mic night, and many games of pinochle with friends. It is very sad to see it go.
Fare thee well, BB Rover’s.
Pumpkin spice.
I guess I should take a break from talking weather. Here’s a local pumpkin patch. ‘Tis the season!
Happy anny.
We recently celebrated our anniversary. Tonight, we had Lori and Pooh over for dinner and popped open one of our oldies.
It was a bottle from a winery that we visited on our honeymoon – an almost 20 year old chianti that we brought back with us. The cork didn’t leak or budge in the last two decades, so the wine was really pretty good! I am very happy to be able to share it with friends.
Fall festival.
September 22. Autumnal equinox. I just googled it, and it’s happening right now – 9 pm central. Timing!
In honor of the season, we visited Live Oak Brewery today for their OAKtoberfest. Fun. Nice brews. Oompah music. No rain!
His and hers beer steins…
And the Austin Polka Band…
Prost!
Boats, et cetera.
We toured the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain tall ships with Francine, Rebecca & Aaron. It was fun to learn they would be here during our visit. 
The next day we ambled through some antique shops, and then took the ferry to Seattle to visit Pat, Nga and the boys.
A photo of the Southworth ferry (manipulated with the Prisma app)…
They have a beautiful new home in seattle with a view of the Sound. Another pic, manipulated with the Prisma app that I so enjoy playing with.
Will helped Monte hang their dartboard. And the throwing ensued.
We walked around the neighborhood garage sales, and all the beautiful yards.
Then blackberry picking…
Then we made a wonderful seafood dinner. I sautéed some Manila clams. They were eaten so fast I only got an after photo…
Pat grilled salmon and it was perfect!
Nick and I put together Lego dinosaurs after dinner – well, I helped. 🙂
Table delivery.
Tom and Doray hired Monte to build a dining room table for their new home. We delivered it yesterday, and since it’s about an hour away, we stayed overnight to play a bit, too.
The table is beautiful, a live-edge walnut table.
After setting it up, we made stops at Real Ale Brewery and Cypress Creek Reserve Rum Distillery for some celebratory libations.
So many good brews to choose from.
Pretty good rum at Cypress Creek Reserve Rum. Doray and I enjoyed their White Texan, while Monte sipped on a pour of their aged rum.
Happy Birthday…
… to our Laura!
We celebrated Laura’s birthday by a visit to the Blanton Museum, played ping-pong at SPiN, and then shared delicious nibblies and drinks downtown.
A really fun night!
Didn’t cry.
Doh! I did this within 10 seconds of waking up this morning. *sigh*
Our local.
We were treated to a visit yesterday from our long-time pinochle buddies and newly moved-to-the-hills friends, Tom & Doray. We took the opportunity to pop over to our nearby bar hangout for dinner and cards.
The guys kicked the ladies’ butts. Next time…. 🙂
Sheila365 