The Texas Hill Country presents wonderful opportunities for day trips from the San Antonio and Austin. I find myself hitting my brakes; locating a safe place to pull over; and jumping out of my car to make a photograph. It is always the same whether it is a derelict peach stand, a funny sign-post, a poignant notice, or a breathtaking vista: I must have repeated this event a thousand times.

This month as my husband and I celebrated our thirty- seventh wedding anniversary we made the trip from our home in New Braunfels, Texas to the vibrant small town of Wimberley. It’s just twenty-five miles from our home and we enjoy all of the amenities that Wimberley has to offer. In 2015 Wimberley suffered a blow when Cypress Creek and the Blanco River flooded in May and then in October of that year. The city has adopted the “Wimberley Strong” banner and the city is rebounding in true Texas fashion. This article from USA Today highlights the spirit of the town and the people that choose to live here.

Hiking along Cypress Creek in Wimberley, Texas.  The area is recovering from floods. — Hiking along Cypress Creek in Wimberley, Texas. The area is recovering from floods.

Celebrating 37 years of marriage to my husband Tom Richardson.

Serenity Farmhouse Inn, Bed and Breakfast and Wedding Venue is tucked away in a lovely wooded area about eight miles outside of Wimberley. We were greeted warmly by the proprietor of the inn and treated to wine and chocolate as we settled in to our bungalow. In the morning our breakfast was delivered to us and it was delicious!

Farmer's Market Bungalow, Serenity Farms bread and Breakfast and Wedding Venue

We were off to hike the Cypress Creek Nature Trail by mid morning. On our way out to the trail we stopped in Annie James Boutique and I found a great outfit for my portfolio show next month. What a great selection. Our hike was fun. It is great to see the area being protected and given the chance to rebound from the flood damage. After our hike we had a snack and made a trip out to Duchman Family Winery for a glass of wine. We had a great visit with the sommelier, and ended up signing up for their wine club!

Bottling and Labeling at the Duchman Family Winery

Please take a moment to check out my travel and landscape photography in my Places portfolio and contact me if you are interested in my Hill Country Places Workshops that will commence in the spring of 2018.

Wurstfest is a Texas sized German festival that is held for 10 days in early November in New Braunfels, Texas. The first festival was in 1961, and over the years it has provided a great deal of fun for generations of New Braunfels residents as well as raising money for community organizations from the local community. Great food, beer, wonderful music, carnival rides and camaraderie delight the Wurstfest attendees every fall. The history of Wurstfest reminds us what a small town can accomplish when community leaders work together for a common goal.

As a documentary event photographer I visited Wurstfest for the first time in 2015 to photograph a photo essay for an editorial project. I went back to the fest this year for an assignment covering the Texas Hill Country in the fall. The spirit and energy of Wurstfest is contagious.

I lived a total of 10 years in Germany during my years as a military child and a military spouse. When I was 18 I moved to Munich, Germany to study at the University of Maryland, Munich Campus. I was able to study abroad in one of the greatest European cities. Oktoberfest is held every year in Munich. It is actually held in September, in 2017 it will be September 16, 2017 to September 26, 2017. In 2016 there were 5.6 million visitors to the world's biggest fair. When I walk onto the Wurstfest grounds I can really feel that same festive anticipation. Wurstfest is the real thing!

The Texas Hill Country is full of unique festivals such as Wurstfest that are worth attending and equally as fun to photograph. The places that you can visit provide and wealth of photography opportunities. The fall is a beautiful time to visit the hill county. It is a great place to learn travel or event photography. Last week I wrote a blog about my recent visit to Lost Maples State Natural Area in Vanderpool, Texas.