Saturday, November 12, 2005

The Hill Country Morning Mist


I used to love driving to work in the early morning through Texas hill country. The roads were made for my sports car. Limestone walls on either side enhanced the acoustic echo of the stereo as I sat low to the winding road, legs and arms fully extended, mind fully a part of the experience. What an experience that 18-minute, 12-mile ride could be.

There were no straight lines to be the shortest point between my home and work. Only curves—luscious, lean-into-them-curves—that my car knew so well it would start to take them seconds before I had the need. The road, the car, they made me feel like the consummate fighting horseman riding the best trained warrior stallion. We’d enjoy each other and the journey more than any destination. The strings and mystic flutes of Celtic music playing as we rode.

Always in anticipation, I lived for the ride down the great hill.

The great hill could fair be called that as it was on Great Hills Road. It rose 1200 feet at about a 35 degree angle. That made it great to other people. What made it great to me was the untouched, perfect view. From on the hill, it was all tops of trees and rolling hills where no humans had found a way to build. Live oaks and red bud trees were packed so tightly that no sunlight had a space to find the ground. A magic morning mist, a cloud really, would hang over them. Each day I’d look in disbelief that what I saw was real. I understood how it must feel to be a flying highwayman.

And then the drive would take me down into the mist of Avalon.

Sometimes I’d think, I hope even, that maybe I would cross through time. I’d find that I was on a horse in some far off forgotten place, living life that might have been once upon a time.

To this day I still believe that somewhere within the hill country hidden by the morning mist there is a secret waiting to be found.
—me strauss Letting me be

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

I enjoy the Texas Hill Country. Johnson City, Fredricksburg, Marble Falls, Highway 281, Boerne, The Guadalupe River and swimming holes.

Thanks for the memory.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Lance,
Happy to share it with you. People who haven't been there, don't know what they're missing.

smiles,
Liz

Anonymous said...

As a fan of the supernatural, your post reminded me of a story where a couple was treated (or mistreated) to the pleasure of staying at a 17th Century French Country Inn... all the way back in the 17th Century. At first they thought it was historical re-enactment actors working there, but when they got back to Paris and asked about their little find, they were told that Inn hadn't been existence for over 150 years.

Anonymous said...

Liz,
This is by far my favorite post. You writing is wonderful. I felt the ride and could easily ride beside you on it a thousand times. Great, tight story. It was fluid. Maybe like I was riding a stallion through those hills sometime agao. I thought of my father/ thank you.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hey Mojo,
That sounds like a fine book. I would like that book I think.

I see you were playing with your template again. Hnmmmm

smiles,Liz

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Thank you, hungry,
It was the hill and the car and the photo that inspired me. I also felt I had given you guys enough of a rest from this kind of writing that I could go back to it again.
smiles,
Liz

Anonymous said...

We get mist the morning after it rains. :)

Did you notice how the sunlight makes these magical lines that come down through the trees as it hits the mist?

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Yes, I noticed. Isn't that beautiful? I used to think the rain was riding down on hte sunshine bems.

smiles,
Lizekyko

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful post, I could see it in my minds eye perfectly.
Thank you for sharing that
Hope you are doing well
(hugs)

Anonymous said...

That was beautiful.
Until you mentioned Celtic music and my mind attached Clannad tracks to that picture of the mist.
Then it was magical.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hello mergrl,
I came by your site last night. I love your post, but I was too tired to commment. Then I went to Trees and enjoyed your two-way bedtime story.:)

smiles,
Liz

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Cheryl,
Thank you for that.
Something about the trees and the mist mad the music need to be there. Very mystical those Celts . . . I was in a Diana Gabaldon mood I guess. :)
smiles,
liz

Anonymous said...

Liz,
thanks and never worry about comments, I'm just glad you stopped by :0)

and well what can we say about what happens over at Tree's LOL, its always fun :0)

hope you got some rest last nite
(hugs)

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hey,

Thanks for the dispensation. I did want you to know I dropped by. As for the bedtime story. If you search this blog and others, you'll find a few of my own as well.
smiles,
liz

Anonymous said...

Oh so gorgeous. I love the picture. Beautiful and stunning, truely

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Marina,
Welcome to my blog.
Thank you for your nice words.
The photographer is
Stuart Whitmore
http://www.just-stuart.com/

smiles,
Liz

Anonymous said...

If you search this blog and others, you'll find a few of my own as well.

then you know what I am talking about :0)

post it note to self, remember to look for Liz's bedtime stories :0)


Have a good day (hug)

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Thanks mergrl,
Find lots of smiles yourself.
Here's some to start with.
smiles,
Liz

Anonymous said...

As long as the mystery to be found isn't a deer.

You know them Illinois roads...

they like to play chicken with my van

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Yeah, Janus, :)
I was thinking a little more mysterious than a deer.

smiles,
Liz

Anonymous said...

I've been to the Hill country in central Texas numerous times. I have an aunt who has a lake house in Lago Vista. Awesome place. Nice area.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Toadmaster,
Happy Saturday!
Many people have no idea how beautiful it is down there! I'm glad you're not one of them.

smiles,
Liz

Anonymous said...

Liz,
I'm not sure how I missed this, but now that I've read it, I can't wait to actually experience being there.

"And then the drive would take me down into the mist of Avalon."

The sentiment expressed in that line puts me right there already.

As I see it, I'll be in a new place with new things to experience and write about.

I can't wait. Thanks for calling this to my attention.

Scot

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Scot,
We all need a future to look forward to. It was my pleasure to show you this.