Be sure to check out the story on bat-watching by Nola McKey and Larry Ditto in the August issue of TH, coming this week to a newsstand near you. A side-note regarding the colony that roosts under Austin’s Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge: Though not nearly as spectacular as the bats’ mass exodus at sunset, another interesting sight for early risers is the creatures’ return to the bridge after their nighttime banquet on pesky insects. I often catch a glimpse of the furry fliers when I drive over Ladybird Lake at daybreak—one by one, they dart from the sky, back to their bridge abode.

When we’re hungry, but not in the mood for ‘cue in our favorite Hill Country town, we find a booth at Stonewall’s Pizza, Wings and Things on Llano’s courthouse square (101 W. Main). While there this past weekend, our group indulged in the fried-chicken salad (with honey-mustard dressing), cheeseburgers (delicious, doughy buns; served with battered fries), and a sausage-and-pepperoni pizza (wonderful crispy-but-chewy crust). We topped it off with Blue Bell Cotton Candy milkshakes! Yes, there are healthier items on the menu, including a turkey sandwich that my cousin swears by.
By the way: On the edge of town on Texas 29, I noticed what must be a new place that sells bottle trees (anyone been there?). The shop was closed when we passed by, but the displays of colorful glass radiating in the late-day sun had me rethinking my backyard landscape on the drive home.

Spent a delightful evening last Friday at the Trail of Lights in Austin’s Zilker Park. Our group (which ranged in age from five to 75) wandered mesmerized through the extravaganza of illuminated holiday displays (think canopies of radiating trees, character scenes from Snoopy to SpongeBob, and a gleaming Nativity). The brilliant scene could beam the Bah! Humbug! from old Ebenezer himself.

We ended the evening with our traditional, dizzying spin under the 155-foot Zilker tree. On the list for next time is a night ride on the Zilker mini-train, which becomes a Polar Express of sorts as it winds along the blazing trail. Hurry—the Trail ends Dec. 23 (of course, next year’s event will be here before you know it). Quick tips: Go early and be prepared for crowds; the Capital Metro shuttle at Waterloo Park to and from the event is quite efficient.

For those near Belton this season, there’s more time to catch Fort Hood’s Nature in Lights, at Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area, which extends into early January (Jan. 4, 2009). The five-mile-plus, drive-through trail winds past more than 100 themed displays (the dancing reindeer and Santa on a motorcycle were my kid’s favorites), with lovely Lake Belton as a backdrop. Make a stop midway at Santa’s Village for cocoa, crafts-shopping, and photos with the jolly one. At trail’s end, the whirling tunnel of lights sent us home with woozy smiles. There’s just something about a dizzying finale.

Where have you found lights fantastic this season?

I’m always looking for roadside surprises on our frequent trips from Austin to visit family and friends in Hico and Llano. When Hico bound, we often stop to fill up at the H-E-B in Lampasas, renowned for its cheap (if that’s what you can call it these days) gas. We then guzzle milkshakes and cheeseburgers alfresco a few blocks ahead at Storm’s Drive-In (Elvis ate here). Down the road, on US 281 north of Hamilton, we’ve been known to pick up a weekend’s worth of comestibles at Dutchman’s Hidden Valley Country Store: smoked meats and cheeses from the deli, cinnamon rolls and other treats from the bakery, and sweets at the old-fashioned candy counter. Don’t forget Dutchman’s own dressings and other Texas food products—and the antiques and knickknacks for sale.

I’ve already blogged (on July 9) about my favorite stop on the way to Llano, the plant/pottery paradise known as Sam’s Dam Ranch, at FM 1431 and Texas 29 in Buchanan Dam. A diagonal jaunt across the corner will take you to the aptly named Tamale King restaurant (we usually pick up a dozen or two to go).

Reading Senior Editor Nola McKey’s blog on her kolache quest in West, along with Senior Editor Lori Moffatt’s Italian food find in Sanger and Editor Charles Lohrmann’s ode to Carl’s Corner (all just off of I-35), makes me think we ought to start a list of prime pit stops. What are your favorites?

I have visited the Glen Rose area dozens of times over the years, but had never stopped at Dinosaur Valley State Park. But with a five-year-old rock hound/fossil fan in the family, we just couldn’t pass up the park last weekend.

The 100-degree heat must have warped our sensibilities, as we drove past the visitor center at the park entrance—past fiberglass models of a 70-foot Apatosaurus and a 45-foot T-Rex (great photo-ops)—and headed straight for the various track-viewing sites on the Paluxy River. The park map/brochure and information boards on site were helpful, but the river was somewhat murky and our track sightings few. It was still exciting to think of the therapods, sauropods, and duck-billed dinosaurs that had walked here before us. (Helpful—and painfully obvious—hint: Start at the visitors center, where a video, casts of tracks, maps, and other displays will help you get your bearings.) It’s interesting to note that some of the tracks are on view at the American Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

We made our own footprints on the park’s wooded hiking trails, and my kiddo enjoyed splashing in the Paluxy with other swimmers. (Helpful hint: Bring a swimsuit and towel, or at least a dry change of clothes!)

For next time: Just outside the park entrance is the new (and huge) Dinosaur World, which features 100-plus life-size dinosaur replicas along a winding path, a museum, a fossil dig, and a picnic area. It’s fronted by a BIG gift shop (all we had time for)—think giant geodes, casts of T-Rex teeth and claws, and every dinosaur toy imaginable. We bought a cephalopod fossil and had to move on.

I’m always in search of dino-good times for my peewee paleontologist. Any suggestions?