At 5:45am as my alarm went off I struggled with either driving downtown or staying closer to home. I hit the snooze and drove to the park Emiliana and I frequent.
Waking up at Mueller Lake Park
While it's a man made recent development, I read they planned the lake around the existing trees and old airport hanger. Well-played, Austin. Since my old favorite willow tree at Butler Park was cut down last fall, I find much solace in the older willows that grace the lake here.
There's a farmers market on Sunday mornings next to the hangar, from 10-2pm. That's when there's fresh produce from several local farms, a couple of local coffee brewers, baked goods and a few unique shops like vintage spoons etched and custom knives. It's one of the better ones in Austin, I think, mostly because of the live music and children running around. Oftentimes Tiny Tails to You will set up shop with baby animals and they'll be a face-painter and story-telling too. And that's just on Sunday.
The Thinkery, the newly built children's museum is a few blocks away and a gigantic outdoor park just across the street. It's quiet on the weekdays. I was surprised with just how few runners there were. I pretty much shared the park with the ducks trying to nip at my calves and turtles until closer to 8AM. By 8:30 there were kids and dog walkers and the sun high in the sky.
I didn't know what to expect this morning. I found Mueller to be a nature haven compared to the concrete and architecture that surrounded me yesterday. I've not claimed to nor ever felt myself a nature photographer, but this morning it was delightful trying to find the tiniest almost imperceptible changes that the rising of the sun brought. I would walk down a path the sun hadn't hit and 5 minutes later the entire field was lit up with an explosion of light.
It's all about timing, right? Timing and trust.
I have a lot to learn...
Good morning, Mueller. :) The pleasure was mine.
