i spy...
BLUEBONNETS!!
that's right, ladies and gentlemen, spring has arrived in central texas. throughout the latter part of march i had been searching for the bluebonnets along the highway and my search was finally rewarded. my bookclub met out in bastrop this past weekend (hi brea!) and the wildflowers on the way out there were absolutely gorgeous. not to mention the brisket we had for lunch...mmm mmm good!
so now back to the topic of bluebonnets, i mean, brisket is yummy, but bluebonnets...be still my heart! did you know that LBJ (that's LADY BIRD, not LYNDON B.) was instrumental in beautifying our highways? there's some info on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center site, but here's the essential info:
Right after the 1964 election, she decided that "the whole field of conservation and beautification" had the greatest appeal to her. Soon after that, she was urging her husband to see what could be done about junkyards along the nation's highways.
Today, perhaps most people think of Lady Bird Johnson as the reason why we see wildflowers blooming along the nation's highways and fewer junkyards and billboards. The Beautification Act of 1965 was one tangible result of Mrs. Johnson's campaign for national beautification. Known as "Lady Bird's Bill" because of her active support, the legislation called for control of outdoor advertising, including removal of certain types of signs along the nation's Interstate system and the existing federal-aid primary system. It also required certain junkyards along Interstate or primary highways to be removed or screened and encouraged scenic enhancement and roadside development.
It is part of that legacy that today the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987 requires that at least 0.25 of 1 percent of funds expended for landscaping projects in the highway system be used to plant native flowers, plants and trees.
ok, education over! go out and enjoy the spring, and check out Faylas Follies because there are some new designs posted. ENJOY!
PS -- i'll get some photos of bluebonnets up for sale as soon as i get out there to get some good pictures of 'em
posted by momo @ 1:56 PM
2 Comments:
bluebonnets in TX and daffs and violets in NJ - a spring shower today and things are beginning to pop here!
lovely photos and nice history on LBJ - course i lived through it, but nice that you are educating those who didn't :)
xxoo
Maggie
Hehehe, John loves having bluebonnets by our deck, so he always buys a few and plants them over there, but accidentally bought PINK bluebonnets this year ... I don't know when I've ever seen him so upset as when those flowers started blooming. :) I'll try to get some pictures of it posted tomorrow. It's actually a rather pretty flower, but John curses every time he walks by it. And I won't let him pull it out. I'm sweet like that.
So very glad to see y'all on Saturday, and let me know if/when you make the brisket, how it turns out. Mmmm ... brisket ... (Brea wipes drool off keyboard) Sorry. :)
~Brea
Post a Comment
<< Home