Johnson City & Some "Wineing"

We had overcast skies yesterday.  That did not deter this cardinal from belting out a tune.  He was working so hard on singing he barely noticed us walking underneath him.  Catherine is still not up to snuff but she wanted to get out and do something.  We drove over to Johnson City to LBJ's Boyhood home and the Johnson Settlement.  We did not have time to tour the settlement last time we were here.

 We took some time to look again at the exhibits inside the visitor's center.  I read more about Lady Bird.  She is known for promoting the highway beautification act but was also quite committed to conservation of our natural resources and our national parks.  She was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt medal of honor for her efforts. 
After spending some time inside, we did the walking tour of the Johnson settlement. This dog trot house was built by LBJ's grandfather after the civil war. They have a recording in the exhibit where Luci Johnson tells the family legend of an Indian raid that sent her great-grandmother under the porch to hide with her newborn.  It is well done. She tells a good story.

We walked around the property which has a barn, milk house,
windmill and some corrals where we found these folks....

 They really are huge when you get up close.  Black came over to say hello.  We said howdy and then moved on...
On our way back to the campground, we decided to check out a winery. 

 

When we left Texas in 1993, Texas was just starting to produce wine and the only wineries in the hill country were back yard operations.  Now, it is a flourishing industry with  over 30 wineries throughout the hill country many of them between Johnson City and Fredericksburg.  We tried a wine tasting but Catherine could not taste due to her congestion.  I tasted but it was not as much fun by myself.  Hopefully, Catherine will feel better soon and we can do some more "wineing", before we leave.  

It was not a complete waste though, we found a great stand of bluebonnets with some Indian paintbrush mixed in, on the road to the winery.

Happy St. Patrick's day!  It is also Grace's birthday.  She is six years old today. See you down the road....