New Generation

As you can see, my new grandson Braden is thrilled with the idea of me teaching him to use a chainsaw at the Wimberley property. His mom (my daughter) knows me well enough to just grin and go along with my photo gag, but inside she may just be wondering if it will really be safe to leave him with THIS grandparent...

It felt like a milestone event to have three generations of us out there, standing on the site of our getaway home that will be started in a few months. Hopefully, Braden will grow up knowing the place well, having a blast exploring in the woods or at the creek. If his are anything like my childhood visits to my grandparents' place, he'll develop cherished memories of which will always remind him that he is loved. He'll have all sorts of wacky photos of his experiences there. Maybe he'll even come visit his aging grandparents in Wimberley when he has kids of his own, and seeing some object reminding him of a childhood adventure, start telling them a story beginning with "I remember when..."

Clearing it

I'm clearing a new area on the Wimberley property to create a view of the hill you can see in the distance in this photo. See the fire in the foreground? That would be the last gasp of some cedar trees that formerly blocked the view. I'll be clearing more trees over the years in a methodical manner to avoid erosion on the hill. I partially cleared this area several years ago, giving the grasses a chance to get started before cutting the rest of the trees. So, hopefully the view will be "open for business" by the time there is a house to view it from!