Discretionary and Necessary

On South First there is a cool store peddling vinyl records, vintage stuff and photographic art. It's next to a no nonsense locksmith shop. Good to have in the neighborhood.

Super Heroes Preserving Austin's Weirdness

This family, decked out as super heroes, were preserving Austin's Weird Cred at the Keep Austin Weird Festival.

Cool Off!

With highs frequently stretching over 100 and a low of 75 a victory, one has to stay cool. If you are at an outside festival, a sno cone might be the right choice!

Crossword Tattoo?

We were dining last week at Elizabeth Street on South First and our waitress at the bar had a tattoo I'd never seen anything like: a crossword puzzle grid. She said she was from Oregon and used to be a big fan of crossword puzzles. Thanks to FFP for this great iPhone photo.

Jovita's

This joint, where we've been before to enjoy Tex-Mex and brews with some music and dancing, was the eye of a storm of arrests over heroin traffic recently. The owner was allegedly involved. Gives new meaning to that last band to play: The Cold Irons.

Onward Thru the Fog

There is an, ahem, paraphernalia shop (what we called a 'head shop in my day) on 29th Street that has been there forever. This is the mural art on the side windows. This is the place to go if you need some incense, an iconic poster or button or, of course, a bong.

Great Blue Heron

Jackie took this earlier in the month. Lots of things to see on Lady Bird Lake if you look.

The Interitance

Jackie shot this a few weeks ago and comments: "As we were walking home from dinner at Bess’ Bistro last night, the Austin Bike Zoo was getting ready to perform Midsummer in Motion at Republic Square Park. The Inheritance, 'an Eastern European folk / experimental dance band' was playing what sounded to us like a polka. We didn’t stay for the show." 

We walked through the park several times as the Bike Zoo performed, too, without taking it in. Once we almost became a part of the show because the park is a short cut we often use coming home at night.

National Championship

The University of Texas has had some struggles in sports of late but earlier this month the golf team clinched a national title and the tower glowed orange to commemorate it. Thank to Jackie for shooting this from downtown. Later when the team is home they light it up again with window lights forming a big '1' for the national championship.

A Yard Theme: Yellow Balls

This house in South Austin has a theme. And that theme is yellow balls. They are everywhere.

Native Home of the Cowboy

We sometimes use the Capitol Grounds as a thoroughfare and sometimes walk there as a destination. The other day I noticed this statue and read the inscription. The artist is Constance Whitney Warren. She was a New Yorker who went to Paris (to study sculpture I assume) and produced this piece there. The governors of New York and Texas arranged in 1925 to have it donated to Texas "as a memorial gift to the native home of the Cowboy." Well, we still see lots of hats and boots!

Willie Salutes Buffet

In May Jimmy Buffet played at ACL Live. They decked out the Willie statue with island wear for the occasion. Thanks to Jackie for this catch.

Bike Queue

Wow...lots of bikes! They were waiting for a triathlon back in May.

Wine Down Wednesdays

Second Street has a Wednesday event with free music on the 'porch' of the Austin City Limits Live (Moody Theater). At then end of May Jackie shot this picture of local blues singer Nakia performing.

Refresh Yourself

In Pease Park, this splash pad provides some refreshing fun for the little ones. Tempting to all of us on a hot day.

Fauna Welcome

This gate in West Austin seems to welcome wild life to have a run of the place.

Sign of the Drought

This sign at a private home in West Austin means 'do not call the water police when you see see this property violating whatever stage of water restriction we are observing now.' We have various restrictions on watering that involve certain hours and days of the week and methods and they become more draconian the longer we go without rain. Last summer was horrible. But there is ground water and if you have the bucks you drill a private well. Then you post this sign or otherwise people call the hot line to report you watering on Tuesday or something.

Tiny House?

The stone wall, the elaborate gate and such a tiny house? But really it's a garden belvedere for a bigger home in West Austin.

What?

This mural is on a wall facing East Sixth. I'm not sure what it means. Interpretations welcome.

Window Washers

Jackie caught this very interesting composition of window washers on Silicon Labs one Sunday morning.

Republic of Texas Biker Rally

Every June motorcycles rule for a weekend in the Capital City. On Friday night they take over Congress Avenue for a parade and then a sort of impromptu convention and street fair. Snapped this Friday night after taking in the parade and then a set of jazz at the Elephant Room. Zoom, zoom! And, yes, that's the Capitol in the background.

Musicians Ride

Noticed this interesting mural on a trailer on South First . Bufalo (sic) Bob's may also have good food (don't know, we aren't much for trailer dining) but the mural was worth the walk there. Willie, Marcia, Stevie et al on Armadillos!

O. Henry

This one from Jackie: "Says ”By nature and doctrines I am addicted to the habit of discovering choice places wherein to feed. – O. Henry' On the side of a building. Not sure exactly where this was. I love the quote but also the border at the top." 


Our job is figure out where it is! I don't know either! [And before publication I happened to walk by...It's a bar called HandleBar at Fifth and Brazos.]

Green Heron

Jackie got this picture of the grown up version of the Green Heron that we showed yesterday by doing a little bird watching near our sighting.

Baby Heron

This baby seemed a little mystified. We think (hope) Mom was off getting some food. Caught this shot on the north shore of Lady Bird Lake. Jackie says he is probably an immature Green Heron and that the they are summer visitors.

Tranquil Reflection

Ending our little riff on tranquility, here is a closer look at a pair of swans in a reflection near Lou Neff Point.

Whole Foods Blooms

At the busy crossroads of Lamar Blvd. and Fifth and Sixth Streets is the gigantic Whole Foods store. Jackie shot this of some of the beautiful landscaping. She comments: "We were stopped in our tracks by the incredible blooms, especially the purple sage, also called cenizo (right foreground). Usually the flowers are sparse, except a week to 10 days before rain, giving them the nickname “barometer bush.” If this is true, there’s a gullywasher in our future (I hope)."

I've heard this about the sage as well. Let's hope it's true. We need the rain.

Elegant Floating

Jackie shot this paddleboarder 'floating with the swans' on Lady Bird Lake. Jackie liked that the swans seem unconcerned. Are we still feeling tranquil? Actually the swans only seem upset by one human-powered boat or raft on the lake.

Duck Babies

Continuing on our tranquility theme, here is a shot from Jackie of a Mother Duck and her brood. She comments: "It’s baby time. On our Sunday walks, we’ve been seeing swans with their chicks but not close enough to photograph like this duck and her babies snapped on Mother’s Day."

Tranquility

A kayak floats near Lou Neff point where some swans and ducks hope for some folks with crusts of bread to come by. Today is theme day at City Daily Photo. The theme is tranquility. What could be more tranquil than floating on the water on a beautiful day?

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