Successful weekend getaway out to Wimberly, a small idyllic town in the hill country a few hours away from Houston (closer to Austin really). Moony saw his first donkeys and ponies, and I got a kick out of seeing my first llamas, which the wife insists are not as weird as camels (what?!).
It provided for a much needed disruption of the routine we've established at home in Houston. Routine is good for keeping the machine-of-life running smoothly, but terrible at making life interesting. But that's what the not-so-frequent intended disruption is good for. The accommodation, sat on a ranch with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking lush trees and a pond, was a sight for sore eyes and a prime example of design-forward architecture for the countryside. Although a small one-bedroom, the high ceiling and ample natural light made it feel spacious and—dare I say—luxurious. And I'll admit made me long for a proper studio space away from the house, which has increasingly been overtaken by Moony (which, if you've ever had a baby, know is only natural). Not ideal for art-making, which for me requires inducing oneself into an almost trance-like state, whereupon you're fully absorbed in the ideas and world you're creating. Not so easy to do if your child sees themselves an opera singer.
It was good to be in nature for a moment though, and think.