Sometimes the beauty in the Texas landscape has to be sort of coaxed out of hiding.
For being so notoriously "big," its gifts are sometimes small and easy to miss.
That's because much of this fascinating state I call home is not blessed with naturally good looks. Especially as you get into the more arid parts of central and west Texas. Here it's in places ruggedly handsome but in others stark and lonesome at best.
Take this lovely scene above viewed from the north shore of the Brushy Creek Lake Park, just north of Austin. Go out around that jut of land and turn left and you'll see...well not much at all. Just a wide open view of Brushy Creek Lake with several dozens of acres of desolate lakeshore that wanders toward the enormous earthen dam on its eastern end. Needs a few thousand trees, if I'm being honest.
But in the early morning quiet, this inlet on Brushy Creek Lake is totally still. It's lovely and calming and reflective. And with those amazing live oaks twisting themselves out over the water.
The Great Egret pictured below landed just behind me on the deadfalls in this moody little bay.
Some of the small pleasures of Big Texas.