Weekend re-cap: Perisso's, STW, Pottery Ranch, Bill's, Bent Oak

It doesn't look like I'm going to get better at photo-documenting our weekends anytime soon. But it was a stressful week, so I am giving myself a break.  And this coming weekend I am on call, so I will skip the re-cap.  I'm sure it will involve chores, and possibly going to work.  So.

 We started out by eating at a Mexican restaurant in Liberty Hill. Then sat outside at Highlands for a while, tucking ourselves into bed by 10:30 to rest up.  Because the next day bright and early was harvest at Perissos!

 

 All of us picked 13.1 tons of Tempranillo and Touriga in about 2.5 hours.

 It was actually very fun!  Afterwards they had a grape stomp.

 

 

As it was also release day at STW, we puttered around to kill time until 1 p.m. when they open.  We have always wanted to check out the pottery and imports store on 281 - The Pottery Ranch.  It was about a billion degrees outside with the humidity, but we managed to kill over an hour admiring the Talavera pottery,

 the rustic farmhouse window art,

 more pottery, handmade furniture, wind chimes, water fountains, a horse (real),

 and so much other stuff.  The inside was packed with jewelry, decorating accents, candles, linens and pillows, leather stuff, art for the walls - too much to look at.

 By then we were tired to say the least.  We enjoyed our popcorn and beer, visited with a couple of friendly gentlemen, played cards and

enjoyed the miracle of a newly air-conditioned tank room.  Amazingly, they weren't at all busy, which is unusual for a release day.  We left around 3:30 to nap in our lounge chairs at Highlands.  We grilled some Hatch Chicken with squash, potato, and onion.  The next day, we slept in, made an easy breakfast, then left around 1 p.m., intending to enjoy a burger in Marble Falls, and try out a winery next door.  But that winery turned out to be closed, so we made a plan to visit Westcave Cellars.  Sadly, we got turned around and ended up on the opposite side of Lake Travis.  So, another day for Westcave, I guess.  Curse you, Google maps!

Plan C was a winery located in Cedar Park, which we knew nothing about.  Set in an industrial park, it looks like nothing much on the outside.  But we walked inside and it was amazing.  A jazz saxophonist was playing, there was soft lighting, scented candles, people clustered around in eclectic seating, obviously having a great time.

 

The owner was very friendly and the wine was outstanding.  How in the world had we missed this place?  It is literally 10 minutes from our house!  They have a 500 member plus wine club which is wait list only - sign us up for that wait list!  It was an awesome end to our afternoon and I'm sure we will visit again soon.  A very nice ending to a fun weekend!

Gina

Weekend re-cap: Perisso's, STW, Pottery Ranch, Bill's, Bent Oak

It doesn't look like I'm going to get better at photo-documenting our weekends anytime soon...But it was a stressful week, so I am giving myself a break.  And this coming weekend I am on call, so I will skip the re-cap.  I'm sure it will involve chores, and possibly going to work.  So.

 We started out by eating at a Mexican restaurant in Liberty Hill.  It wasn't great - $50 later we decided that we could have had a cheap meal and been happy.  We sat outside at Highlands for a while, then tucked ourselves into bed by 10:30 or so to rest up.  Because the next day bright and early was harvest at Perisso's!

 

 All of us picked 13.1 tons of Tempranillo and Touriga in about 2.5 hours.

 It was actually very fun!  Afterwards they had a grape stomp...

 

 ...and lunch.  With wine, of course!

As it was also release day at STW, we puttered around to kill time until 1 p.m. when they open.  We have always wanted to check out the pottery and imports store on 281 - The Pottery Ranch.  It was about a billion degrees outside with the humidity, but we managed to kill over an hour admiring the Talavera pottery,

 the rustic farmhouse window art,

 more pottery, handmade furniture, wind chimes, water fountains, a horse (real),

 and so much other stuff.  The inside was packed with jewelry, decorating accents, candles, linens and pillows, leather stuff, art for the walls - too much to look at.

 By then we were POOPED to say the least.  We enjoyed our popcorn and beer (the fructum bonum is wonderful) , visited with a couple of friendly gentlemen, played cards and...

 ...enjoyed the miracle of a newly air-conditioned tank room.  (the white object in the upper left hand corner of the photo).  Amazingly, they weren't at all busy, which is unusual for a release day.  We left around 3:30 to nap in our lounge chairs at Highlands.  We grilled some Hatch Chicken with squash, potato, and onion.  I might have dropped off again in my chair...so comfortable in the breezy shade.   I missed out Hubby yelling at a possum which was encroaching on the barn.  {#countrycritters}  The next day, I slept in - gotta love Sundays now.  We made an easy breakfast, then left around 1 p.m., intending to enjoy a burger in Marble Falls, and try out a winery next door.  But that winery turned out to be closed, so we made a plan to visit Westcave Cellars.  Sadly, we got turned around and ended up on the opposite side of Lake Travis...so, another day for Westcave, I guess.  Curse you, Google maps!

Plan C was a winery located in Cedar Park, which we knew nothing about.  Set in an industrial park, it looks like nothing much on the outside.  But we walked inside and it was AMAZING.  A jazz saxophonist was playing, there was soft lighting, scented candles, people clustered around in eclectic seating, obviously having a great time...

 

The owner was very friendly and the wine was outstanding.  How in the world had we missed this place?  It is literally 10 minutes from our house!  They have a 500 member plus wine club which is wait list only - sign us up for that wait list!  It was an awesome end to our afternoon and I'm sure we will visit again soon.  We headed home and enjoyed a healthy version of tater tot casserole, salad, brownies with ice cream...and early bedtimes.  A very nice ending to a fun weekend and a great start to what is already another stressful week...

Mealplan Monday #208

Monday - Buffalo Chicken Bites, quinoa, seasoned corn
Tuesday - Hot Dogs, potato salad, pickles and carmelized onions
Wednesday - (leftovers) Apple Pork Loin pasta bowls, salad
Thursday - Pizza take-out
Friday - Italian Baked Shrimp (we didn't eat this last week), zucchini
Saturday- YOYO
Sunday - Pork Chop and new potatoes sheet pan dinner, Arkansas green beans*, simple berry cobbler and ice cream

*This is a Plain Chicken blog recipe and my official favorite way to eat green beans!

Gina

Mealplan Monday #208

Monday - Buffalo Chicken Bites, quinoa, seasoned corn
Tuesday - Hot Dogs, potato salad, pickles and carmelized onions
Wednesday - (leftovers) Apple Pork Loin pasta bowls, salad
Thursday - Pizza take-out
Friday - Italian Baked Shrimp (we didn't eat this last week), zucchini
Saturday- YOYO
Sunday - Pork Chop and new potatoes sheet pan dinner, Arkansas green beans*, simple berry cobbler and ice cream

*This is a Plain Chicken blog recipe and my official favorite way to eat green beans!

5 thing Friday - drought, abalone shell, Jenga, pie, worry

The Austin area is having another scorcher of a summer - this one is turning out to be hotter than last summer (which was record-breaking), with over 45 days of 100 plus heat.  So, the drought is still on, and we could sure use more rain.  More than what we got the previous weekend and for a longer period of time.

Last weekend, we mowed the grass at Highlands.  A spark from an overheated engine can set the place ablaze, so it worries me.  We hadn't mowed since right after the bluebonnets died down.

The skies are still blue, the trees are still doing well, but everything else is so yellow.  Even the cacti seems to be struggling.

After a morning spent mowing, who doesn't enjoy Whataburger and a beer?

And we "beered it forward" to some friends we hope will stop by!

 

I found a treasure under the oaks that we cleared around to put a table for giant Jenga.  I think I will use it as a little dish on my nightstand.  At one point in time, Highlands was a virtual dump. I often joke with Hubby that any day now, we will either find a body, or a bank robber's stash up there.

That table weighs a TON and was already on the property.  It is plenty sturdy for a Jenga game in the shade.  And since the storage box for the games pieces is also heavy, it can live under the table.

Peaches are in season and plentiful, so I made a peach pie last Sunday using of my pie crusts in my freezer stash.  I boiled water to let sit on the peaches a couple of minutes, and the skins slid right off,  Then I sliced them up and added, sugar, a bit of flour, cinnamon, dash salt, and butter.  It was buttery peachy wonderful!

The situation with my mother is still a thing and has my sisters and I worried and at odds over what the solution is.  I took her grocery shopping on Wednesday, and she seemed to do fine.  But later, she showed me her bruises and burst into tears.  This isn't like her, and I know she herself is worried.  She thinks time will heal her wounds, and I'm sure that is true, but I don't think bruises are the only concern.  For now, I hope the three of us can give her some peace and not talk to her about it constantly.

Gina

5 thing Friday - drought, abalone shell, Jenga, pie, worry

The Austin area is having another scorcher of a summer - this one is turning out to be hotter than last summer (which was record-breaking), with over 45 days of 100 plus heat.  So, the drought is still on, and we could sure use more rain.  More than what we got the previous weekend and for a longer period of time.

Last weekend, we mowed the grass at Highlands.  A spark from an overheated engine can set the place ablaze, so it worries me.  We hadn't mowed since right after the bluebonnets died down.

The skies are still blue, the trees are still doing well, but everything else is so yellow.  Even the cacti seems to be struggling.

After a morning spent mowing, who doesn't enjoy Whataburger and a beer?

And we "beered it forward" to some friends we hope will stop by!

 

I found a treasure under the oaks that we cleared around to put a table for giant Jenga.  I think I will use it as a little dish on my nightstand.  At one point in time, Highlands was a virtual dump. I often joke with Hubby that any day now, we will either find a body, or a bank robber's stash up there.

That table weighs a TON and was already on the property.  It is plenty sturdy for a Jenga game in the shade.  And since the storage box for the games pieces is also heavy, it can live under the table.

Peaches are in season and plentiful, so I made a peach pie last Sunday using of my pie crusts in my freezer stash.  I boiled water to let sit on the peaches a couple of minutes, and the skins slid right off,  Then I sliced them up and added, sugar, a bit of flour, cinnamon, dash salt, and butter.  It was buttery peachy wonderful!

The situation with my mother is still a thing and has my sisters and I worried and at odds over what the solution is.  I took her grocery shopping on Wednesday, and she seemed to do fine.  But later, she showed me her bruises and burst into tears.  This isn't like her, and I know she herself is worried.  She thinks time will heal her wounds, and I'm sure that is true, but I don't think bruises are the only concern.  For now, I hope the three of us can give her some peace and not talk to her about it constantly.

Gina