Love on the Vines

You asked and I listened! Many of you asked for our itinerary, so here it is!

Last weekend, Daniel and I celebrated our fifth anniversary in the Texas Hill Country. Upon arrival at the lovely, Hill Country Cottage, we were greeted with so much wildlife! We witnessed, spotted deer, brown fox, sheep, lambs, and so much more.

Friday morning, we started at Bear Moon Bakery, a small bungalow on a corner lot in downtown Boerne. We enjoyed our breakfast and to our surprise, we found half a dozen blueberry muffins in our bag; what a delicious treat for our next adventure!

While Daniel spent hours guessing his surprise, it was not until we arrived at Stricker Trail Rides when he figured it out. Our horses, “Trump” and “Prize” trotted us up and down, with twists and turns, creating an exhilarating experience through the valley of the rocky terrain.

We dusted off our jeans and boots and set off for our first vineyard, Saint Tryphon Farm & Vineyards; named after the Christian martyr known for his gift in wine growing and gardening. Parked next to the big red barn, the vines danced in the wind leading us up toward the rusty tin-covered winery. When you enter, the vibrant piece, Saint Tryphon by Rimi Yang, hangs behind the wooden bar. After the tasting, we each ordered a glass of wine along with a charcuterie box from Firehouse Fare. Fresh goods hugged the four walls of the box. It was filled with Spanish chorizo and cheeses such as pesto jack, gouda and havarti. Plump berries, almonds, grapes, ground mustard and pickled okra splashed the box with color. While dining on our appetizer, we sipped our wine and enjoyed the breeze and the warm, beautiful farm scenery.

On Saturday, we made our way to Comfort, Texas for a caffeine boost at the Wander'n Calf and Manny's Cafe for a home-cooked breakfast before a short hike at James Khiel River Bend Park. The tall Cypress trees, with intricate root systems and changing leaves, towered over the Guadalupe River.

Shortly thereafter, we drove to Singing Water Vineyards, the second and last surprise.

Vines lined both left and right of the entrance. Our tastings included Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and orange Muscat. We sat by the beautiul creek and listened to Andy Garcia sing romantic, love songs. Within 30 minutes, we adopted two other couples into our conversation and spent hours with the four God-fearing folks, sipping delicious wine and tasty flatbreads.

The last big adventure was one which came as a surprise to the both of us. We drove up to Kerrville for The Coming King Sculpture Prayer Garden. Upon arrival, you cannot miss the thousand pound, life-sized Lion of Judah. Sculptures such as the Fisher of Men, The Divine Servant, It Is Finished, and especially The Empty Cross with many more were strategically placed around a 300-foot cross shaped garden. Donor artists provided these massive, bronze sculptures to encourage us to pray for healing, deliverance, signs, and wonders.

This was one of the most exhilarating and spiritual experiences I have ever witnessed. There was something sacredly intimate about praying and interceding in between sculptures. Somewhere between the sculptures and prayer rocks, you find yourself weeping toward the seventy-ton empty cross. And for once in my life, we spent the rest of the day basking in God's glory and in complete peace.

We spent the last evening enjoying each other's company knowing we would be hitting the road Monday morning.

This was an absolutely beautiful weekend with my husband. While traveling is my passion, what I love the most is the company.

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Happy traveling!