Ennis - Interesting Structures
Picture taken 2007 along Sugar Ridge RD - Prints are available - click image for order form
This is the fourth and last in the short blog series covering the Ennis area. If you missed the first three posts then please visit and like my page: https://www.facebook.com/RichOCreative
Because the Ennis area is a mixture of working farms, ranches and weekend country estates there are a variety of interesting structures that can be added to your wildflower photography. '
Reflecting ponds: North Texas is dotted with both made-man and natural ponds. Because these ponds usually occur in depressions at the bottoms of hilly areas there can be bluebonnets flowing down towards the ponds. Some provide an interesting reflection of the bluebonnets or other wildflowers in the pond along the banks of the pond. The attached image (from 2007) here is one such pond along Sugar Ridge RD. This one also has a small foot bridge/dock, boat and a bench. Other examples:
http://www.pbase.com/richo/image/77352231
http://www.pbase.com/richo/image/42292822
http://www.pbase.com/richo/image/142629435
Farm Implements and hay bales: One of the neat things about the Ennis area is the passionate efforts of the Ennis Garden Club to showcase and welcome visitors to see the bluebonnets along the trails there. This enthusiasm to make visitors welcome can lead to some neat surprises in people's yards such as old farm implements, antique furniture and hay bales. Of course since the area does have working farms you can find tractors and hay bales too: http://www.pbase.com/richo/image/149888837
Old shacks, barns and windmills: You can also find a few old shacks, barns and windmills along some of the back roads. Then there is the place along Union Hill that has the windmill and a barn house. In past years the people who own the property have allowed folks to come on the property so long as they do not trample the blooms. Not sure that will happen this year. Sadly each year a few people have little respect and begin to ruin it for all the ones who do. http://www.pbase.com/image/159759721
http://www.pbase.com/richo/image/42292826
Country Estates: You can find some really nice country estates along many of the roads in the Ennis area. Some of these will also put some interesting things in their yards in the midst of the wildflowers. Here is one that at sunset provided an interesting contrast of red color with the bluebonnets.
http://www.pbase.com/richo/image/149825328
Other interesting structures include, fences, old wooden bridges, dead trees, pumps etc. Check our the free Ennis eBook at http://www.wildflowerhaven.com/ebooks.aspx for suggested routes and route maps for this season.
Also please go by and visit the Ennis Visitor Center for real-time updates on the condition of the blooms along the marked trails. Each April the Ennis Garden Club sponsors the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails from April 1st to April 30th for details visit http://www.visitennis.org/bluebonnet.htm