You know you are in Texas when you leave the city and see fields alive with bluebonnets and Indian paints which add brilliant color to the surrounding landscape.
Country is little more than an hour from Houston, but with its collection of small towns, ranches and farms it seems light years away. Hay bales,
ramshackle outbuildings
and livestock of all kinds grazing in pastures tell you you have left the city behind.
You might even be surprised to see a herd of belted galloways, a breed common in the area of Maine that is my part-time home but fairly new in Texas.
Long fences define the boundaries for large ranches
and here and there on a country road is a roadhouse where you’ll want to be sure and order a Lone Star, the national beer of Texas.
First thing you hear when you walk in is, “You ain’t from around here are you?” Once that’s out of the way, the locals are right happy to engage in friendly conversation. Heck, they might even share a Lone Star with you on a weekend night!
And if you want to leave your husband there while you go antiquing, why that’s OK, too.
Yep, you gotta love Texas. It’s a place unto itself!
i so appreciate your visit and the comments you leave behind
Sharing with
Lulu's Musings 
Thanks. Love reading this. I’ll come by again. Regards from Thom at the immortal jukebox (drop a nickel).
Love the husband sitting sign!
Hi Lulu,
We just love this post and wanted to let you know that we featured a link to it today as part of our “Slice of Americana Series” that we’re running this July. You can check it out at the link below. Thanks for writing so beautifully!
All the Best, Terri & James
http://gallivance.net/2014/07/19/into-the-heartland-10-links-youll-love/
You are very kind to feature this glimpse of Texas as part of your Americana series. Thank you!
Lulu, you really captured the beauty and fun of Texas. We used to live in Dallas and every spring I was so excited to see the bluebonnets and Indian paints. And we used to have an old neon sign advertising Lone Star beer. 🙂 ~Terri
The many reasons why I love Texas. It brought us so many gifts and blessings. Today, a sister city in Waco needs our prayers and support which I know Texans will give generously in a heartbeat. Beautiful! Have a great weekend and best wishes to your family.
So much sadness this week is hard to understand. Thoughts and prayers go out to all. As you know Texans rally round.
Love the bluebonnets and the Husband Daycare sign is perfect! Thank you for sharing this at the Anything Blue Friday party at The Dedicated House. Hope to see you again at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
What a lovely place to visit and live in. And that sign is sooooo funny !
haha! What a cute post! Thanks for sharing the “lifestyle”.
and thank you for your sweet comment on my project too! Have a wonderful weekend. xox
Beautiful photos! I especially love the old barn, I would love to do a painting of it. Now that husband Daycare center is brilliant! I wish we had one around here!
Jenna
Thanks, Jenna. I’d love to see a painting of yours that depicted the barn or anything else! Hey, I see you were hightlighted for your wonderful table. Way to go!
Came over from your comment left on my opium bed post. Love your photography and especially loved the tour through the antiques venue. I have always wanted to travel to Round Top – I would have to bring a tractor trailer!
(Did you know you are a “no reply” commenter?)
Nope, I’m not even sure what that means, but I’m glad you replied!
I love the blue bonnets! All my children are in Houston now, to attend a wedding….Christine
It looks like they should enjoy a beautiful weekend here. Weather is about perfect.
Everything is bigger & better in Texas Linda! Love the bluebonnets!
It doesn’t get much prettier that a field of Indian Paintbrushes and Bluebonnets growing together in a field.
As a one time Texas girl, you know how beautiful those wide open fields of color are.
Bwahahahahahahaha! I love the daycare for husbands!!! We need some of those around here!!! That’s funny!
I’ve never seen that brand of cows, not even in pictures. Those are cool! The bluebonnets are pretty, too. I think you’d want to have them in scores as pictured here, though. That’s what gives ’em that extra oomph! Except for the brand of beer (we’re Boulevard beer folks around these parts), it looks very much like the Kansas City area. Gotta love the smell of cow and freshly rolled hay!!!
Love these photos! Love this time of the year in Texas 🙂
Ditto, Amy, it’s been a great spring.
Lulu, I’ve lived in TX all my life, and have to agree with you. Texas is a wonderful place to live. Texas wildflowers are always beautiful. I’ve had my own little patch of bluebonnets growing in my herb garden for many years, but not a one this year. Not sure what happened, but I suspect I cleaned them up too soon. They had bloomed early and profusely, and I think I was too eager to clean out the beds. Guess I’ll just have to plant some more. ‘-)
This time of year Texas is an especially good place to be.
I so love Texas…the country, the people, the love of God and Country….nothing like it…The bluebonnets are so beautiful!…have a great week!!
You’re right, Shirley, about there being nothing like Texas. It does have its own unique character.
Hi Linda, I enjoyed my country trip to Texas with you today.. thanks heaps.. regards j
A poor substitute for the real thing so you’ll have to make it from Down Under one of these days.
The blue bonnets are beautiful. There was a story in the 4th grade reader , The Legend of the Blue Bonnets. The kids didn’t like it so much but I always enjoyed it!
My sister has lived in TX over 25 yrs, but still considers herself from NY. I think where you grew up is always your home town.
You are lucky you get to go to Maine in the summer. She says summers in TX are brutal.
Of course, winters here can be awful, too! 🙂
Where is your sister? I grew up in Florida, but Texas seems more like home.
This is a great post, Lulu! I would love to visit Texas, it sounds like a beautiful, friendly state with lots to see and do. And it’s so darn big!!! Thanks for a nice peek!
XO,
Jane
Well, as they say around here, Jane, “Come on down.”
I love this post, reminds me of some of the reasons I am happy to be a Texas girl!
There’s no place like Texas!
Loved this one!
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2013 18:14:53 +0000 To: rfbaxt@hotmail.com
Thank you!
At the airport leaving Texas and our blue bonnets for our European escapade!
Have a great time and do report. Do I remember you will be gone 6 weeks?
Yes we are in Madrid now then off to Portugal.
I LOVE Bluebonnet season — well wildflower season in Texas in general! So beautiful! 🙂
Kenley
This year the wildflowers seem to be profuse. Hope the same is true up your way.
They are!
not sure what the purple flower things are called but i have a few popping up in my front yard.
Maybe you are lucky enough to have bluebonnets or if you are further north, lupines.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/102936289747080254234/albums/posts/5720289438834798194
this is from last year.