Today was one of those days where what must be done and what you want to do coincide beautifully. I was scheduled for a visit to Artisans at Rocky Hill in Fredricksburg, Texas. The perfect opportunity to turn my back to the city and enjoy the fresh air, scenic drive and a little of adventure. To start with there is nothing so relaxing as a morning drive along the Perdernales River with a good cup of coffee and a view of the rolling hills. First stop a visit with Anne who selected some shiny new pieces to add to the Artisans at Rocky Hill gallery. These iridized glass items display a brilliant metallic shine reflecting a rainbow of colors that stop you in your tracks.
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Now it would be a shame to have driven all this way and not explore a bit while I had the chance. So, I hit the streets for a little adventure. It wasn't long before the camera came out of the bag. Many of the shops on Main Street have fabulous basements (a rarity in Texas) and patios, full of magical surprises and visual texture. All of this lead me to Rather Sweet where I enjoyed a healthy lunch. Followed by an amazing piece of carrot cake (this counts as a vegetable right?) which rivaled the one I had a Papa Hydan's while in Portland last June.
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Last stop before leaving was Showcase Antiques. An amazing display of cut, pressed and cast glass antiques. Sure there was silver, china and other items but who cares. I was looking at the glass. Standing in a small room that sparkled with the reflection of light off of hundreds of cut and faceted surfaces it was difficult not to be amazed by the brilliance. I could imagine the various skilled craftsmen who confidently took their crystal to the lathe with perfect execution as the repeated patterns over and over again. The staff at Showcase Antiques was only to happy to share their knowledge and talk about individual pieces. This place had the reverence of a museum and the excitement of a candy store. It will hard not to think back on this experience the next time I'm standing in front of the lathe with a piece of glass in my hands.
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This all came to an end with a meandering drive down farm road 1346 through the small town of Sisterdale before turning east toward Kendella and US HWY 281S which brought me home. I'm already looking forward to a return visit in several weeks by which time I imagine the wildflowers will have made their appearance on the Hill Country Landscape.
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