on the last day of the year 2008 i woke much earlier than the other occupants of the house in Austin i was staying in (of course). i took my newcam, Aretha, and a few dollars in my pocket and drove (the Texas way!) a few blocks to Jo's on South Congress for my morning coffee. it was too early for hipsters, instead there were homeless folks, people awaiting the bus to go to work and a few people my age, all sitting like sunflowers with our faces in the rising sun and the grackles cackling at our feet. damn i love grackles.

when the coffee was at a manageable level for walking, i began to wander and shoot. there were FLOWERS - sweetpeas in December. i could not have been more delighted. everything looked beautiful to me. it was warm.

lastly, i stopped in Texas French Bread and the darling tiny market, Farm to Market to procure breakfast breads and juice for my loved ones, still sleeping - Betsy, Margaret and Andrew. i felt the greatest happiness.

of course they didn't wake for hours still, so i sat in the yard in a wicker chair under large live oaks and read a book. the dog kept me company. we ate some of the bread. sometimes he barked at squirrels. it was a wonderful morning.

more and more i forgive Texas many things - even the obsessive Car Culture - because of the live oaks. i adore them.

of course there are more photos here