L & M's The Eyes of Texas search for the best place to view bluebonnets and wildflowers
A Visual Masterpiece by All Entries
You now have a compressive list with pictures to prove it of some of the best 
places across our great state of Texas, to view our gorgeous wildflowers of spring. Share with your friends, family, buyers and sellers. Individually they are all delightful, combined they make a dazzling, breathtaking show! We had a large number of entries this month with a total of 14, which made the judging even more difficult to pick the top three. Every one of the entries deserves to be a winner, but alas we could only pick three to receive the top honors. We did pick two for Honorable Mention, however they will only be able to receive the addition 200 points like the rest, but I did want to bring them to your attention. The range of work was incredible from still pictures to videos, with music, from picking a single flower, to a sensory overload of pictures, and the geographical range went from the Scenic Hill Country to the awe inspiring Big Bend Nation Park areas of Texas. I encourage you to view ALL of the entries listed below, you will not be sorry, and invite you family to watch with you. This month we focused on a visual pleasure, and next month will be for your taste buds pleasure, "Where to find the best BBQ in Texas", so be sure to watch for that the first of June. Without father adieu allow me to present for your viewing pleasure...
Debra A. Brooks from her heart warming title, her very descriptive text, her 
outstanding four still pictures, her link back to our group, a scrolling banner for slide show, her music, to the phenomenal amount of photos on her slide show to her ending remark...her entry was a tough act to follow. She and her husband Scott took the photographs on the back from our Texas group active rain gathering in Bandera Texas, in the hill country. As usual Deb poured her heart and soul into this post, and a ton of time. Well done Deb, congratulations on first place. ACTIVE RAIN FRIENDSHIPS ARE BLOOMING LIKE WILDFLOWERS!
Linda Scanlan talk about exceptional and original, it made me want to jump up and 
head to Big Bend Ranch State Park, where she took her fist set of photographs (yes she had two slide shows). Not being familiar with that part of Texas the flowers were new to me, and the two that just took my breath away were the Ocotillo and the Desert Bird of Paradise...magnificent! Her shows were set to music that was soothing & each flower was named by a scrolling text. Her second show was from Fredericksburg in the hill country with bluebonnets galore. She got a shot of a fence sign that said "A Good Rain & A Baby Calf are always welcome". Thanks Linda, congratulations on second place. Flowers Are Not Just for the Hill Country of Texas!
Sondra Meyer wow exceptional post all the way around. With her 
directions you will not need a GPS to find her spots. After looking at her five photos which were all like works of art, be jumping in the car. The post was so well laid out and pleasing to the eye. She had a photo with her horse that you could see the sun shining on her blond hair, and could almost touch the connection she has with her horse, stunning. The big photo of the one room school house was just beautiful too. If all that weren't enough to entice you, her description of the Antique Rose Emporium would have. Sondra, really exceptional, congratulation on third place. Blue bonnets
Honorable Mention...
Cheri' Smith her post and photos of the Passion Flower was outstanding. I thought it was interesting she remembered them from 4th grad after seeing Passion Flowers in Texas Highways. Cheri' gave us a fascinating story on the flower, which also had medicinal purposes besides being such a show stopper! april wildflower contest: April wildflower contest, Texas Passion Flower
Tom Plant fondly know as "the ambassador for active rain" is from CA and had flown in to join our Texas AR gathering and managed to take a lot of pictures during his 4-day trip. Tom's camera makes you drool, and he knows how to use it. His photos were crystal clear, sharp, l& large. One shoot of a Daisy was so good it looked fake. Texas Wildflowers - This California Boy Was Bowled Over
All extraordinary entries...
Liz Carter Photos of Texas bluebonnets, wildflowers & nature set to music of Willie Nelson (not eligible entry)
Christina and Kevin Stevens Wildflowers on the Beach. & A blanket of beauty.
Ricki Eichler The Hunt for the Missing Bluebonnets
Judi Morgan Texas Spring Flowers...blooming along the highways and byways
Trey Thurmond The Fragrance from Heaven (I just loved this title, Trey)
Kathy Fisher Spring Flowers in North Texas
Melody Botting "Beauty by the roadside."
Christopher Watters Old Settlers Park get $18.9 Million Dollar Face Lift - Round Rock Texas
I would like to thank my partner, Marchel Peterson for all her help and coming up with this great 
way of keeping the entries all in one place on AR, by using a "tag". It makes them so much easier to find, judge and of course if you want to view them all simply click, Blog entries tagged with "april wildflower contest", or just go through the above list. Either way I encourage you to do so, see them all.
A huge thank you and tip of the hat to Thesa Chambers from Central Oregon for the time she spent as one of the judges on this contest, we truly appreciate you. Please stop by and say a big Texas thanks to her.
I would also like to send a huge Texas Thank You to Bob Stewart, who got your points awarded to you today! Record breaking time, he did it for me while I had him on the phone. So check your points they are there! 1000 for first place, 750 for second place and 500 for third place. Everyone else got an extra 200 points awarded for just entering the contest. So if you get a chance tell Bob thanks.
Liz Carter, founder Texas Real Estate group
Please consider this your personal invitation to join our group, simply click here> Texas Real Estate <this link and sign up, we'd love to have you!
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"Your Real Estate Resource For Life"! In top 10 out of 27,000 agents in greater Houston TX by Houston Business Journal. Experts in Cinco Ranch, Katy, Sugar Land, & greater Houston + TX areas Est. 1976
The Realities of Real Estate for 2008 in the US, part 3, by Liz Carter, Realtor Katy Texas
The Realities of Real Estate for 2008 in the US, part 2. By Liz Carter Realtor Katy Texas
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Liz, nice ThemThem to all of the winners, great job on the contest! Thanks for sharing with the ThemThem Group.
Hi Liz - thank you for my prize! This was one contest that was easy to enter! There's no place quite as spectacular as Texas in the spring and it's fun to show it off! I really enjoyed looking at all the other great entries and to be in such wonderful company is humbling!
Thank you.
Do you want to know why I remembered that flower? I was 10 i think. My mom had just remarried. My new grandmother gave me a magazine subscription to Texas Highways. I had never had anything like a MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION! lol. I felt so important!!!! On the front was a flower I had never seen. I talked on and on about it to everyone I knew. From that day on I loved that magazine and that flower. My grandmother....she had a stroke and can't talk well anymore....but we still have a bond that started with that subscription.
Congrats to all the winners and the contestants. There were some beautiful entries!
Thanks for the opportunity to be in the contest. It was a lot of fun and I love the entries.
Hi Duane, it was my pleasure, you have a great group too. Liz
Hi Linda, indeed we do, and this was a hard one to judge, they were all so good. Those two flowers of yours that I mentioned were so beautiful, and you did such a great job on the photography. Congratulations on your win. Liz
Liz, well thank you, glad you are part of the Group. Keep up the great work!
Duane
LIZ, YOU DID A SPECTACULAR JOB ON THIS POST!! We had some great entries!
I still have the crud I brought back from Colorado with me; hopefully it will go away soon. I'm also still on my old computer. I ordered a new part and was hoping it would be here today but isn't here so far.
Congratulations to all the winners. They look like great places from the ones I viewed.
Liz, Thank you and Marchel for coming up with such a nice contest! I have so enjoyed looking at all the entries. Our Texas Wildflowers are gorgeous and should be shown off! You got some great shots yourself! Later in the rain~Deb
Howdy Liz
Everyone of the folk's that entered this here contest did a very fine job with their post.
to each of the winner's, for doing some really fine post's for all of us to read and look at!!
Liz, another wonderful contest. You go girl! Congrats to all of the winners...well worth the read.
Good going everyone and congratulations to all the winners! Gearing up for the Best BBQ in Texas!!! Pssst, hey y'all don't mention this to "Tex". OK? :)
Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all who participated. The pictures are great. Texas has beautiful wildflowers.
Hi Cheri'...now that is a great, sweet story, you should do a post on that. I know they keep the covers, and you could get a picture of that Texas Highways, put some of your flowers on it, and of course a picture with you and your grandmother. Let me know if you do, I'll be your first fan :). Liz
Hi Steven, thanks I like it a lot, I think this contest turned out some of the best post written (I'm a little bias :), and AR featured it...hey hey! Liz
Hi Melody, thanks for stopping by to sow your support of the others, and myself and Marchel...it even got featured. I'm very disappointed a lot more of our team group has been by...not like Texans. Get your blogging fingers limber for the BBQ post, it will be here before you know it. Thanks for a beautiful entry on the wildflower contest, I appreciated your work. Liz
Thanks Duane, hey maybe we should do one together or have a challenge between our two groups??? Get AR to throw in points, and bunch of other cool stuff...huh, huh, huh,? Liz
Hi M, why thank you mama...you know I can't do anything half way :). Did take me a few hours. A little disappointed more of our group did not come to to support the winners. Hope you are up and running soon, that's very frustrating. Feel better too, L
Hi Darling Deb, glad you came by...but I knew you would, you are a class act, all the way around! Congratulations again on another win, you're racking um up :) Liz
Dale my friend, same thing goes for you, I can always count on you to do the right thing. Appreciate you coming by to congratulate the winners. Liz
Hi Judge Gena, so glad you enjoyed it. I played most of the several times myself. Take care, Liz
Hi Ricki, I know I feel terrible, what was I thinking, Tex, poor Molly would have a breakdown :). Liz
Hi Nancy, yes we do and it is in a very large part due to Lady Bird Johnson that we do. She gets 99% of the credit on earth and God gets 100% credit of course in heaven, :). Liz
Great job everyone! Now this is what I call BRILLIANT BLOGGING! ; )
It's so neat that you all spend time to not only come up with these contests, but to promote and encourage all that enter (or want to enter). And to those that take those beautiful pics - wow - fantastic job! I am in the market for a new camera so I can participate too!!!!!
Thanks for the fun!
Liz:
Great post. Love the pictures and very good representation of Texas in the spring time.
Liz, Great pictures, great post, good job, good day. This type of contest sure helps to get the message out about how wonderful it is to live here in our great state of Texas. Keep up the good work.
Don E.
Liz your group email cracked me up and yes you are right. We need to show some love. I have just been jammed, packed and busy the last few days.
Will follow your excellent advice as always.
Have a good week.
Christina
Liz, may be a fun contest, don't think I have seen a Group to Group contest.
Liz, Thanks for the contest. Congrats to all the winners. Looking at the different entries makes me so proud to live in Texas. I hope that people will come across the different posts, look at the pictures and have a better understanding of what it is like to live in Texas. Or visit Texas.
I'm looking forward to seeing the BBQ entries.
Liz, amazing pictures. Makes me glad I live in the great state of TEXAS!
Hi Christina, thanks for coming by, and the awesome comment :). Liz
Hi Ronda, please do! My camera was only $200, and I think it's almost if not as good as my real expensive one we use for our listings. It's a Olympus FE-210, 7.1 Mega pixel, we would love to have you. Liz
Hi Alan, I will double check your tag on the BBQ one :). Liz
Hi Don, thanks for coming by, tell Ricki hi for me, Liz
Hi Christina & Kevin, thanks, hope I didn't upset anyone and they all took it like I meant it and with your sunny attitude :). You're the best...glad you are staying busy. Liz
A Great Big Thank You!
Each of you did a fantasic job of displaying your photos and music. Such a great presentation to show off our beautiful Texas Wildflowers.
GOD BLESS TEXAS!
Hi Duane, Sally Cheeseman, and Jo Smith just did one, that's what made me think about it. Let me know if you come up with something that would fit both groups and I will think about it too. L
Hi Sondra, yes me too :). You did such a good job on yours, congratulations again. The BBQ one should be great too. L
Hi Ann, ditto above :). L
Hi Carl & BWP, yall are so sweet, and creative, what a nice thing to do for all the winners and entries. You're both awesome. L
Liz - Carl just posted #12 in the series:
http://activerain.com/blogsview/511925/EVERYTHINGS-TEXAS-12-by
I have a couple pieces that I will photo tomorrow and add to his EVERYTHING TEXAS #12. It is on Carlos Cortes that does faux bios concrete.
Liz & Marchel, thanks for the opportunity to enter such a "beautiful" contest. It was so much fun driving around looking for the flowers. and taking pictures of them!!! Had to slow down a little and watch for the beauty around us.
Hi BWP & Carl, glad to hear the series is back, look forward to reading it. Thanks for letting me know. Liz
Ju Ju...now I know, and you were going to let me go on thinking it was juneberry...shame, shame on you. You are most welcome I've really enjoyed doing this, and the bonus is getting to know people like you :). Liz
HAHA Liz, I couldn't let you go on calling me Juneberry. JuJu is more ME!!! :) But my b'day is in June -- coming up fast!!!!
JuJu is more you...but still like Ms. Judi, I'll go back and forth. Happy almost birthday. Liz
It's not for another 3 weeks -- we won't make the time go by toooooo fast! :)
Congrats! Wonderful pics! Love the Texas bluebonnets!
A really fun contest. Liked it so much I entered the BBQ contest also!
Great contest ! Just goes to show YOU DON"T MESS WITH TEXAS ! Ha !! Hey CONGRATS you made it in the make over take over, me and Deb too !!! Woooo Hoooo !
Ms. Judi, I love my birthdays, no matter what age I am, age has just never mattered to me. You get presents, cake, and it's all about you. It's the day God blessed the world with your presence, so enjoy it when it gets here. L
Hi Terri, I do too, glad you enjoyed our show. L
Hi Trey, good, I'm sure it will be a mouth-watering entry :). L
Hi Melissa, let me ask you a questions? "How do you feel about being picked for the makeover to takeover contest?" It's great to see someone soooo excited, I just hope Josh is half as excited as you are. Best of luck, you deserve only good things in your life. L
L & M - Thanks for creating such a fun contest and for making me feel so welcome during my visit. I appreciate the honorable mention!
Tom, thanks for entering, you take some great shoots! I hope you got some pictures and ate at a great BBQ joint while in town so you can enter this months contest? L