adventures in love

Hello Waco!

Waco, Texas sits 175 miles from Houston which makes for a nice, easy day tip. My wonderful girlfriend, who grew up in Houston and has shared a wealth of tips and tricks with me as I try to get settled here, invited me to join her for a day trip to Waco. 

I jumped at the opportunity since the popularity of “the Fixer Upper” had me curious about the city that’s situated along the Brazos River and sits between Austin and Dallas. And quite honestly, all I can remember about Waco was brief snippets of not so good news years ago. 

The Silos in Waco

Tip: Get an early start to beat the crowds (and the heat!).

The Magnolia Market at The Silos

This place has something for everyone. From shopping, playing to eating you can spend the whole day at The Silos. 

Arriving at The Silos a little before noon, we fell into a short line outside of the Silos Baking Co. S had told me so much about the yummy treats baked up here during the drive up that it was our very first stop. 

Greeted by a young lady handing out menu ordering cards and tiny pencils I spent the short ten minutes in the que trying to make up my mind on what to pick. Let me tell you it was a struggle. I finally landed on a lemon lavender cupcake. 

And then I arrived at the glass display case… choices, choices…

Oh my. 

On a whim I added a cranberry orange biscuit, reassured by the young lady checking me out,  that  it would be just as delicious tomorrow morning with coffee. She was right! 

Tip: don’t forget to grab a cold lemonade from the case just inside the front door. You won’t be sorry! Especially on a hot Texas day. 

As the afternoon got on the crowds increased, but we were blessed to have arrived when we did since it wasn’t too bad. Heading inside of The Market the first thing I noticed is how big it is. And how BUSY it is. The popularity and marketing makes The Silos the place to be. 

Take your time and wander around. You will find items for your home to apparels. There really is something for everyone. 

Tip: Avoud the long checkout lines! Look for a customer service rep carrying a tablet. They will check you out in the floor if you are paying by credit card! 

Towards the back of the property is the Magnolia Seed +Supply with a quaint garden surrounding it.  Don’t miss out wandering through the garden and spending some time taking it all in. 

Spice Village

The wonderful thing about traveling with a girlfriend is the luxury of exploring little shops. Or large shops like Spice Village, not to far from The Silos. 

After a salad and a cool ice tea, we meanardered our way through Spice Village, a warehouse size of shops all blended together. 

Tip: Be prepared for visual overload! There is something to see everywhere!  And to buy… you can definitely do damage to your pocket book. 

Taking a mental note to cone back after I close on my new house, we left the Spice Village and headed out of town. 

Heritage Homestead 

According the website “Homestead Heritage is an agrarian- and craft-based intentional Christian community. Its literature stresses simplicity, sustainability, self-sufficiency, cooperation, service and quality craftsmanship. It also strives to live in peaceful coexistence with the land, other people and other faiths.” 

S looked up the meaning of “Brazil’s de Dios”. It means hands of God. The beauty of the property reminded me of a small slice of heaven and I can imagine it being cupped gently in the hands of God. Go! You won’t be sorry to escape the rat race of the city. 

Trust me, they live up to that. I could spend all my time wandering grounds here and still not see everything. There is something so tranquil about its peaceful grounds that my whole body seemed to exhale all the stress I’d been carrying from the week. 

Blessed with clouds sheltering us from the Texas heat, we wandered our way about, discovering all the out buildings taking us back in time. I can’t wait to bring Miss R here to watch her face light up in wonder as we watch the weavers weave, the big water wheel driving the mill, and the lump of clay forming magically into a vase under the skillful potter’s hands. 

Outside of the basket weaver’s we paused to watch butterflies dance among flowers. I tried to catch them in a photo but the picture doesn’t do it justice. 

To be honest, I have to say that the mill might be my favorite spot. Stepping off the trail, the mill sits tucked up next to a small river driving a large water wheel. I could watch it for hours. Stepping into the mill, the scent of fresh, milled flour wafts through the air magically sprinkling the air with nostalgia. 

Tip: There are benches in unexpected places begging you to sit down and melt into the scenery. Sit. Relax. Count your blessings. 

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After leaving the mill we found the garden. 

S shared with me lots of information about the native plants and flowers to Texas.  It will be a novel adventure when I get the opportunity to plant a few beds in my back yard. 

Tip: Stop at the market just as you are leaving the Homestead. I splurged and bought pancake mix for a future breakfast with Miss R, a delicious marinated feta cheese sure to pair with pasta sublimely and local preserves.  

I could go on and on about this beautiful place. But I’ll leave you with one last tip. They offer classes! How cool is that!?! You can learn to turn a wooden bowl, weave baskets, or spin and weave cotton.  Step back in time. Let go of technology and explore the meaning of craftsmanship.

Calvert

I can see coming back to Waco with the family. Yes, it makes a great day trip but there is so much to explore in Waco it might be a better weekend trip. There was a lot we didn’t see but there will be a next time. 

Oh, before I sign off I want to tell you about a little place to stop along the way if you love chocolate; Cocoamoda Chocolate. 

We arrived just as they were closing but they were so gracious and served us anyway. 

This little town is a destination in itself.  We arrived too late to Calvert. The shops all close up at 6pm but what I could see on the quiet street is a great place to go hunting for antiques. Stop for chocolate but you may unearth a hidden treasure too in one of the little shop on the Main Street. 

Back to Houston 

This post is a little longer than usual, but I  had so much to share! Hope you get a chance to get out and explore all that Waco has to offer!

Sending you love and happiness. 

❤️