A Taste of Texas

Easter weekend we escaped to the Texas Hill Country for a fix of nature.

Now that little Bucky has mastered the art of getting in the car (because he has figured out that there are fun new adventures ahead) he was eager to get going. He did not want to be left behind, and got a head start by leaping into the back hatch of the car patiently waiting for us before we got the suitcases in and before we were even ready to go.

Springtime is a great time to live in Texas. It comes early (okay - that's from a Canadian perspective) and by April it is already "hot" (everything is relative.)









Its fun and beautiful as green leaves burst out and colourful wild flowers appear everywhere. The most prolific and prominent ones are the beautiful Texas Bluebonnets.

I am sure that anyone that has ever lived in Texas, or visited in the springtime, has at least one picture of Texas bluebonnets.

This is Bucky's first springtime in Texas. Well, actually, its Bucky's first springtime - PERIOD. So he needed some photos in the bluebonnets.

Its impossible to just take one photo. And with our little photogenic and handsome Bucky there are lots of great pictures to choose from.

He is getting good at posing and is
already perfecting the big Golden happy smile.

For his weekend Easter adventure, A Taste of Texas, Bucky also visited a winery (no wine tasting, he just enjoyed the ambiance, music and hoped to score an errant morsel of food), a lavender farm, the Gristmill Restaurant in Gruene and listened to music from afar from the infamous Gruene Hall. He also relaxed in the shade of Cypress Creek and went to a 30th Anniversary party in the great outdoors.

Everywhere we went, people oooohed and awwwwwed over Bucky. He is such a great conversation starter and a perfect way to meet new people.

One couple we talked to told us their daughter is blind and has a guide dog. They said their daughter's dog travels all over the world with her - their daughter is an elite athlete and competitive skier. In fact - she competed in the Sochi Paralympics earlier in the year! She skis down the hills at speeds up to 70 miles an hour. YIKES! (John's first question was "How does the dog keep ahead of her?" Sometimes John can really embarrass me.... but fortunately not toooooo often!) Her name is Danelle Umstead. http://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/UM/Danelle-Umstead .

It was very interesting to speak to them and learn the positive things that a Guide Dog can contribute to their handler's life. And so happy to hear the amazing lives that Guide Dogs can lead.  

Having a Guide Dog, and raising a Guide Dog puppy, can open up all kinds of new opportunities and expose a whole new world for both the Puppy Raiser and the Handler/Guide Dog partner team.

Feeling: very privileged.... :-)