Austin - Our Second Home

 We have tons of family in Austin and have spent a whole lot of time there.

It was so comforting to arrive and settle in for a whole week.

One of my favorite places is my dad's house. He has lived in many dwellings over the years, but wherever he is, it always feels like home when I go there. 

Some things I love about my dad's home:

There are lots of good books. I generally pick one up and read the whole thing while I'm there. This time it was Anne Tyler's The Accidental Tourist. It was beautiful - full of longing.

There are the familiar framed photographs, the meditation pillow in the corner, the sparkling water (and not much else) in the fridge, and scrawled notes lying around.

There's a peaceful stillness and coziness to the space that I know well and appreciate. 

After Niall and my's long journey, spending a little time there was such a respite.  

We had the chance to visit my dad and his lovely girlfriend, Beth's community garden plot. Beth made a gorgeous bouquet of herbs for us - including fragrant rosemary, which I used in a potato salad for the party Niall's family had while we were there. 

This garden is so lush and there are bees there! It was so fun to check it out and see the enormous plot  (or plots, rather) they have.

We had lots of quality time with family, including the youngest members:

We also went to see Birdman at super cool Violet Crown Cinema.  Violet Crown has reserved, comfy seats and a cafe. Wow, was that movie good. It is a true masterpiece.

We have a whole lot of fond memories of that week, but not a whole lot of photos.

Before long, it was time to leave. We had a wonderful visit in this fun city with family and friends. Writing this makes me want to go back!