When you get a Texas State Parks pass, you receive a booklet with a map of all the state parks. While recently perusing the map I realized that there are a few parks close to Austin that I haven’t visited yet. The description of Colorado Bend jumped out at me – a 70-foot waterfall?!

So, I made a reservation for a couple nights and grabbed a friend.

We arrived on a Sunday and the park was busy, but by Tuesday it’d emptied out. It’s a small campground but we were luck to find ourselves in a pretty secluded spot near the river.

Wildlife was everywhere! Deer and armadillos greeted us and at night we were entertained and annoyed by javelinas and raccoons.

I was delighted by the diversity of the park. We went kayaking in the river, hiked to a waterfall and around a cave, and swam in a spring. We saw people fishing and heard that someone caught an enormous catfish. We watched the full moon rise and wondered how the stars might look on a darker night.

This is definitely a park that I’ll be returning to.

COMING UP

The Austin Studio Tour is returning this year and will be bigger than ever! We’re combining East and West Austin into one citywide art event that spans three weekends in November. The Studio Tour is a free event, with in-person and virtual activities. Look out for me (#123) in the catalog and online.

My solo art exhibition Iconic Texas is opening on Saturday, November 6th at the Dougherty Arts Center! The show will feature 18 acrylic paintings inspired by my experiences camping and hiking in Texas’ public parks and will run until January 8th. For up-to-date information about visiting the gallery, please check their website or call 512-974-4000.

MORE GOOD STUFF

If you’ve been following me, you know that I’ve recently gotten into meditation. I’ve tried explaining its benefits and how I relate to it, but have often struggled. This episode of How To Build A Happy Life does a great job explaining the how and why of meditation.

I’m loving the Heavy Metal episode of Radiolab for its exploration of curiosity, history, science, and an unexpected look at the Meteor Crater I visited in 2019.

Want something spooky to read? Check out The Necromancer’s House for an unforgettably weird and wild ride.