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SAN MARCOS PUBLIC LIBRARY

My journey this week reminded me that the Lord’s word is our refuge and strength.

The new year is off to a fine start around my place. In the past few days, I have been delighted to see yellow-rumped warblers, fondly called “butter-butts” by some folks. I’ve also seen ladder-backed and golden-fronted woodpeckers. All were attracted by a hanging block of suet – peanut variety.

Tailgating at the big game is a timehonored and beloved tradition for millions of football fans. Tailgates tend to be parties in parking lots, and no party is complete without food.

The Art of Bill Hutson is a unique citywide exhibition celebrating the work of artist and San Marcos native Bill Hutson. As part of the show, the Texas State Galleries at Texas State University, San Marcos is featuring a six-piece installation of works by Hutson, the centerpiece of which is “Homestead with signs, symbols and numbers.” This massive painting — over 6 x 9 feet — is accompanied by five preparatory studies for the work, including a sculpture titled “Shotgun for Elton Fax.” The exhibition is on view in the Texas State Galleries foyer through May 18.

Once upon a time, there was a small town in Texas called Wimberley. A cypress-lined creek trickled through its heart to meet the bottle-green waters of the Blanco. Its cedar-studded hills and the rocky spine of Devil’s Backbone provided a backdrop for all manner of tales, and if someone looked at the village just right, it could look like a hundred years ago, or only yesterday. It was one of those kinds of towns.

A news flash came across my phone on Friday, Jan. 14, saying “A Major Food Shortage is Coming Again in the United States.” That headline, coupled with what we are seeing in the places we shop, is enough to cause a level of anxiety.

In the dense early fog of Dec. 1, as Sights and Sounds prepared for its first night, a small truck — Atelier 4 — arrived at the San Marcos Art Space in downtown San Marcos, a stop along their coast to coast delivery route.

SAN MARCOS PUBLIC LIBRARY

At the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens, it was the Copper Canyon daisy that was guaranteed to put all visitors under a spell from the smell. It happened on a regular basis. After a class, I would take the students or clients on a personal tour of the garden. We would exit the side door of the conference center right into the Mediterranean Garden and instantly, they became fixated on a shrubby marigold with a tantalizing fragrance.