SOC: The ATX Farewell Tour - Part III: Final Farewells

Andromeda Cv., Austin, That 

My last week in Austin was an amazing whirlwind of fun, exhaustion, and bittersweet moments. The previous posts have focused on what makes Austin Austin... that barely definable thing that makes this city weird, and on the Art of the city. This final post then, is about my last day and the people I was leaving behind. Enjoy.

Last Day / Mother's Day

My final day in Austin was Mother's Day. I had hoped for a peaceful jaunt about the city but, as always, the Universe had other plans. We had parted company with Jaya and were on our own for transportation. I had booked a reservation for a rental car, but the rental did not go through as planned, so we took a Car2Go instead. 

Note:

If you've never taken one of these, it is an interesting experience. They are not terribly comfortable, being SmartCars, but they are incredibly useful for a town like Austin, which has a large population of people who travel via bike, bus, and foot. 

Mom and I finally got underway for some "relaxing" nature time...of course, it was pretty hot. So the trek up to 360 point was a bit more taxing than either of us would have liked. But come on, that view:

SOC: The ATX Farewell Tour - Part II: Austin = Art

Sea Turtle
[Seeking title & artist]

If you've been checking things out so far, you've already read my "short" profile of Austin in a previous post. The Summer of Color (SOC) continues, then, with the main event for my final Austin revelries: touring art and history in Austin with my mom.

This part of the Austin Farewell Tour began with Mom's entrance via plane. She arrived, as always: pink outfit, purple (magenta, really) hair, and Supernatural-themed jewelry. Yep, this one belongs to me. I got my ticket claim right here.

After collecting bags and mandatory trips to the bathroom, we jetted outside to meet Jaya. I can't stress enough my appreciation to both my friends, BMFD - who allowed the use of his truck for us to jet around town - and Jaya - my dear brother who chauffeured us about. Without them, we could not have done nearly the amount of sight-seeing that we did. Mad love to you both, brothers.

The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind. We ran past where I'd been staying the last couple months, grabbing all my stuff and hot-footing it, through excruciating afternoon traffic, to our home for the next week: Chez Z (not to be confused with Chez Zee, the restaurant). The fun was just beginning...

Summer of Color: The ATX Farewell Tour - Part I: Home Is Where the Weird Is

Austin is known as the Live Music
Capital of the world.

Ah, Texas. Texas is...well, it's weird. It's so weird, that its capital even took that as its motto. No, really, "Keep Austin Weird" is a thing, and they're serious about that shit. It really is one of the most eccentric cities in the world, and no little part of that has to do with its relationship to Texas. As my brother Jaya and I have often said:

"This is Austin: individuality or death.
...but this is also Texas, so don't think we won't go for death."

Texas Bluebonnets

Texas itself is huge: it ranks second largest in both land size and population [according to 2013 census]. Within this enormous land mass there are multiple terrains & climates: desert, forest, plains, swamps, and even some beaches & mountains. It's broken up by winding rivers and a plethora of decent-sized lakes. It gets hit with droughts and floods, hurricanes on the coast, tornadoes on the plains, dust storms, and even snow. Driving across this vast state, you can't help but be hit with the marked differences...even if it takes most of a day to reach them. 

And set right there in central Texas's Hill Country is Austin, Texas's capital.

The Summer of Color: Beginning a New Journey

The last six months have been one hell of a journey, and now that I am back and recuperated (mostly) from my travels, have I got a few stories to tell. I'd love to get into all of it right here, and I'm sure the rambling mess that was hurled onto the screen would be entertaining at the very least. Still, I maintain a semblance of composure, and I prepare for an enormous series of posts and photos showcasing this period of time to be launched over the next few weeks: 

It's going to take months to share, but that's okay, right? I mean, we're buckling down for winter, yes? Which means we not only need something to do when huddling indoors from the frigid darkness but also need inspiration to plan for next year. (I'm already prepping trips for next spring.) So read on to see where this journey is going, and get prepared to feel a little wanderlust. But, first....

Why the "Summer of Color"?

Anyone who knows me well, knows I eschew (I've been using that word a lot...wonder if that means anything....nah) bright colors. I dress in black, gray, and various shades of muted greens. So what could possess me to write an entire series based on a color theme? Well, it all starts, oddly enough, with knitting.

A knitted cap from one of our
favorite yarn store haunts