Texas Hill Country and The Harsh Drought
Texas Hill Country In The Fall
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Texas Hill Country Travels
Several years ago, my husband and I took up residence in Northwest Austin on the perimeter of the Texas Hill Country. Part of the appeal to this area for us is the close proximity of Lake Travis to our home. In about five minutes, we can make our way by car to the lake shores and enjoy the beauty of this stupendous natural work of art! With the stresses of the week on our shoulders, our quick getaways to the Lake have proven to be regenerating and relaxing to us both! The drive is paved with luscious green trees that overhang the roads and the views over the hilltops are breathtaking from every angle!
An Afternoon of Exploring
Our drive to the Texas Hill Country lake area today was yet another time of refreshing! The Fall colors were exploding on the hills surrounding Lake Travis, appearing to be at their peak for the area. As we drove down one two lane road toward our destination, brightly colored leaves danced in our path. It was a crisp, cool day with crisp fall colors to match the Fall aura of the day.
Searching For The Lake
Over the years, our time to enjoy this beautiful area was often limited to just a few minutes. We usually made a swing down a favorite road and returned quickly home to resume the tasks for the day. Today we had extra time to park, get out of the car, and walk down to the shore?The shoreline has changed due to the drought. We had to walk to find the lake!
Our exploration took us past a dry boat ramp and onto the rocky floor where the lake used to be. The water in this lake had not been this low in many, many years! Descending down into the middle of the very dry inlet, we eventually found a steady flow of water rushing downward in an attempt to refill the vast emptiness we have all experienced for months. The running water was pouring down from several directions and heading into the Lake, causing it to expand and give us all hope of better views in the future!
To my delight, we discovered a small waterfall created by the running water. It was crystal clear and very blue in the bright sun of the morning. The crisp Fall air and the sound of the rushing water over the rocky beds were cheerful moments on this bright and sunny day!
Over the years, during our short trips down to this popular Lake, we have watched droughts dry up the lake, and floods where the lake covered roads! We are in that season of rising waters again! It delights my soul to see this Texas lake rise and cover the harsh, cold rocks with blue reflections of Fall colors! Mother Nature, when will it rain again? Let it rain!
