Saturday!! This is likely the last weekend before our dock becomes disconnected from shore, power and water. Lake Travis is low and dropping. 😦 This guy was guarding E dock when we arrived.
We anchored up in Arky south again. Rory and Greg arrived on Sapphire and joined us after a couple hours. We have the kayak stored in the slip now so it’s easy to bring it out with us. This is its first outing of 2013. Many more to come.
We set out again with Marty and Sue this afternoon for the Austin installment of the Jimmy Buffett “Songs from St. Somewhere” tour. We got there a couple hours early so we could phlock with all the other parrot heads. We saw Rob and Jen, too. Though the concert was postponed 24 hours, the place was packed.
The new Formula 1 track complex is pretty impressive. It sprawls over 1300 acres, located SE of the Austin airport. Quite a trek, but boy do they know how to move people in and out quickly and smoothly.
The Austin360 amphitheater is very nice. Brand new. Accommodates 14,000, which we must have been close to tonight. It is nestled between 2 giant hairpin turns of the F1 racecourse. The tower behind the stage is the observation tower overlooking the racecourse
And the concert was fantastic. Jackson Browne opened, and Jimmy played for a couple hours straight. He’s a great entertainer. I hope he doesn’t wait 17 more years before coming back again.
We’ve been counting down to tonight, to go to a concert with Marty & Sue at the new Circuit of the America’s racetrack concert venue called the 360 Amphitheater: Jimmy Buffet + Jackson Browne!
The last time Jimmy Buffet played a show Austin was 17 years ago at the (no longer there) Southpark Meadows. I was at that show, and have been looking forward to tonight’s show as well.
So we all headed out together in parrot head garb, and stopped to eat at Chuy’s before the show. It was there that we learned, an hour before the gates opened, that the concert had been postponed on account of high winds, until tomorrow night. A cold front came through early this morning and the winds have been blowing 20-40 miles all day, and will continue through the night.
Ok, I guess we’ll do it all again tomorrow!
It’s pizza night! These are the works of art from tonight’s installment. Rachel and Julie were the pizza artistes. Monte’s homemade crusts, of course. The top left one is margherita with tomatoes, mozzarella, home grown basil and olive oil (instead of red sauce). Top right is tomato sauce, prosciutto, onion, basil, red pepper, olive and goat cheese. Bottom left and right are varying amounts of prosciutto, mushroom, olive, onion, red pepper and mozz.
Yum – life is good !
We have another niece visiting us this week. Rachel and Monte went out to the lake and sailed for a few hours. Then Julie and I joined them about 4 o’clock. We sailed around for a couple more hours. Then got a great table at the Oasis. And surprisingly enjoyed the appies that we ordered. The view of sunset was awesome, as usual. Very, very nice!
We went to the lake this beautiful Sunday afternoon. Julie joined us and jumped in. The first one this year. Water temps are still in the 60’s! We brought the kayak out and will try stowing it in the slip. Eliminates some schlepping!
Nick joined us in Arky cove on kalliopi. Then we ate dinner at shades with all the regulars.
Some wisdom from above the bar … I sure can’t wait for Friday to come around again!
For the last 15 years, Becker Vineyards has had a Lavender Festival. Its been one of the things on my todo list. This year, i put it on my calendar several months ago, so I wouldn’t miss it. And, it worked! Today we headed out for a long drive through the hill country, in the miata with the top down. And we had a really great day…
We walked out through the lavender fields. They have several different varieties. It didn’t look quite like I had expected – i was imagining endless rows of deep purple, like in Provence. But it was pretty, nonetheless.
They also grow their own artichokes. I have never seen them in the wild before!
We walked through the vendor booths. Lots of lavender goodies, flowers, herbs, nibblies and such. 
Then one more walk through the fields, this shot is looking back at the winery.
We packed a light lunch and ate it at the festival while sipping wine and listening to the Raggedy Cats (we really enjoyed them).
Then a winery tour. Lots of new factoids. Becker has been here 20 years or so, and in that time, they’ve increased the amount of their wine that they make from grapes grown at the winery to 85%. The rest come from Lubbock.
Can’t wait for the Fredericksburg peach harvest!
On the way home we decided to dodge the brewing thunderstorms and buzzed over to Der Lindenbaum in Fredericksburg for some German home cooked food for dinner.
The festival is open tomorrow, too. Get out there if you can, this year or next!
Ok. This post is not for vegetarians. Look away. Now!
Tonight Julie brought home a couple of magnificent ribeye steaks. From now on, Julie is the official steak shopper. 😉
These babies were an inch and a half thick!
They turned out perfect. We also whipped up some delicious sides: sauted zucchini and yellow squash, roasted mushrooms, and corn casserole. A Thursday feast!
On another topic… Monte just made this great tray / carry-all out of some cypress that he recently acquired. Tonight it carried in herbs for the feast.
Yummy!!!
We anchored in Arky south last night. It was chilly, in the 40s, so we hunkered below. This morning we lounged around until the wind filled in, then went for a sail. We beat upwind all the way to Bee Creek. We dropped sail and motored up the creek until it got too shallow. The big wide basin where we’ve rafted up in the past is just a twisty creek now. 20′ deep where we turned around.
On the way out of the cove we turned the motor off and ate lunch as the wind nudged us back out to the lake.
Another lovely day on Nirvana.
On the sail home this row of birdhouses high on a ridge caught my eye. What a great spot for a birds eye view.
We made it to the lake today in time to race the Beercan. We got a late start, and crossed the starting line about 2 minutes late. But we caught up with the field. In time to come in third out of five!! Woot woot!
We headed to arky and put out an anchor and are waiting for the riff-raff to show up.
Lovely sunset.
We spent the night on the boat last night. Got up this morning and headed out for a sail. We had a great day – sailed up to Windy Point and back. Back at the marina we grabbed a bite to eat at Shades and watched the end of the Masters. Then on to Iguana Grill to watch our friend Wiz and his band play.
As I was sitting listening to the music I saw a tiny hummingbird hit a beam and fall down right next to me. I think he flew in the open window on his way home and hit the beam.
For all the times I’ve hunkered in the kitchen in front of the window where the hummingbird feeder hangs trying to get a stealth shot – it was really amazing to see one up close.
I didn’t know if he was dead or just stunned. So I picked him up. His eyes were open and he was breathing really hard. He was so tiny! I held him for 5 minutes or so. I brought him over to Monte for him to see. He held him in his hands for a few more minutes. Then, after his head cleared, he stood up, flew into the air… chirped a “thank-you” and flew home.
Whew! That was a crazy week! I’m glad it is Friday.
Julie made beef and veggie stir fry tonight. What a great meal. And colorful, too.
Lori rented a place on Lake Buchanan for her 50th birthday extravaganza. It was a fantastic day. The weather was awesome. It was great to see friends that had come from near and far to celebrate with her.
A good time was had by all.
This week has been jam-packed. I seem to be playing catch up from the minute I wake up in the wee hours of the morning. I’m doing my last meeting from the car this afternoon as we are heading out of town for the weekend. Lori’s birthday party is tomorrow, and tonight we’re staying with Marty & Sue at a beautiful lake house on Lake LBJ. This place is fantastic. When I grow up I want one just like it. 🙂
Sheila365 