Of Birds and BarBQue!

I know it wasn't a full moon this weekend because the "super perigee" full moon was last weekend, but something was just a tiny bit askew last Friday and then on through the part of the weekend.


First, as I was traveling down 51st street, I noticed this young girl, dressed rather provocatively in a bikini top and low-rider warm-up pants walking slowly on the sidewalk in front of a church, all the time staring at the church and giving it the "bird."

Then, on my way home near 38th and I-35, one of the regular homeless clients was walking along the frontage road with his sign asking for help.  This particular individual was stick thin and grizzled, and was pointedly waving to each driver as he slowly walked past the queue of cars.  I chose not to make eye contact as he walked by my car and that obviously didn't set well with him because when the light turned green and I moved on away from the intersection, the man was glaring at me in my rear view mirror giving me the bird!

Ok - about that time I begin to feel that something was a little peculiar becase two birds in one day was a little unusual.  I had a nagging suspicion that somehow both birds were related or connected in some way, but couldn't fit the puzzle together.  Still can't.

So, we hooked up Mingo II, got the heck out of Austin, and spent the weekend at Lockhart State Park, a beautiful little State Park built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) back during the 1930's. 


Fairway Camping Loop, Lockhart State Park



For BB and I, this park truly has it all!  Excellent back-in camper spots (on the Fairway Loop) and pull-through slots along the Creekside Loop.  This state park has the only TPWD staff-operated 9-hole golf course in the Texas State Park system.

It doesn't look like the highly manicured 'hoy-palloy' courses you have to be a member of to even get through the gate, but it was a beautiful course to us and we had a great view of the golfers (in the words of the song writer Mary Gauthier "some play it pretty good, some play it so bad it hurts...") from our camper.

Holes 2-5 @ Lockhart State Park

Anyway, back to the bird connection.  In the first photo, you'll notice that each campsite has a covered arbor unit. On Saturday, and again on Sunday, I heard this rapid-fire metallic jackhammer sound.  I couldn't figure out what was making that odd racket until BB pointed out the Woodpecker pecking away at the tin roofs of the arbor.  Another strange bird behaviour, and one which I still suspect is trying to tell me something profound in the grand scheme of things.  I just can't seem to grasp it though.

Then the final bird thing in this fowl tale is something a little more normal, natural and welcomed.  Each morning, we could hear flocks of wild turkeys fly off the roost.  They would call to each other during the day, then you could hear them fly back to roost in the evening.

For some reason, they apparently enjoy grazing (do turkeys graze?) down the fairways, and we were treated to Toms "strutting their stuff" for the hens.  

Turkeys Playing Through

This is a beautiful part of the State and Lockhart has one of the coolest county courthouses ever, if you're into that sort of stuff.  If you're a history buff, you'll likely already know that the Battle Of Plum Creek with the Comanche War Chief Buffalo Hump was fought near here. 

This park has excellent roads for bicyling, and some truly excellent hiking trails that BB, Henri and I enjoyed.  The wildflowers and other plants were blooming and the woods were often fragrant with the smell of their blooms.

BB

Me

There are so many trees and so much lush vegetation, that the woods abounds in critters to Henri's delight.  He came eye to eye with a jackrabbit while we were hiking and I'm not sure who was more surprised, Henri or the Jack.  Thank God for a strong leash and dog collar.

There were squirrels everywhere that Henri had to keep an eye on.  Even during the heat of the day, (while BB was unmercifully beating the dickens out of me in Scrabble,) he had to keep a sharp eye out for those pesky critters!



I KNOW They're Out There!



Truly a nice park; we'll definitely be back.  BB, Henri and I give it a 4.5!

Oh yeah - the BarBQue connection.  As you likely know, Lockhart is also known for some pretty good BarBQue.  We stopped at Smitty's Market, walked into this cavernous old brick building which smells of wood smoke and sausage, past the open hardwood fire burning on the old concrete floor near the indoor pits, and ordered some of the best brisket ever!  Brisket, with some crunchy burnt ends, cole slaw and saltine crackers served on brown butcher paper, with sweet tea was a fine coda to a great weekend.  We saved some for Henri and he decided we should definitely make this an integral part of our Lockhart tradition in the future.

BBQ Pits at Smitty's

After dropping Mingo II at the storage site in Pflugerville, we stopped by Dazzle Coffee, and sipped on some great lattes.  The weekend just doesn't get much better than that. 

I'm on my way to Oklahoma City next week to spend a week with the Oklahoma DOT folks.  Hope everyone has a great week - till next time!