Above: Widflower Cafe

Our vacationing friends had arrived with a simple request: show us the real Texas Hill Country. For several days we roamed the attractions of Austin and San Antonio, seeking the picturesque, the curious, the unique. Still our guests wondered "what about the area's natural beauty?" With their visit coming to a close, where could they best experience the Hill Country's distictive flavor?

Fortunately the answer was nearby. We drove to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, located on the western fringes of Austin, Texas where the Hill Country first ripples up from a sea of farmland. Unlike traditional botanical gardens where finicky imports steal the show, here native plants are king. Volunteers and scientists study and preserve North American shrubs, grasses, vines, trees, and wildflowers.
We began at the visitors gallery, where a film explains the uniqueness of this non-profit center founded in 1982 by the former First Lady. Nearby, exhibits like "nature's medicine cabinet" illustrate plant remedies while "Ralph the talking lawnmower" features facts on native grasses.

But the 42 acres of fields, blazed with bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, verbena, and other local species, drew our attention. We strolled the nature trail where, buzzing through fragrant wildflower meadows, we saw lilliputian Ruby-throated hummingbirds feeding on colorful blooms. Overhead, a mockingbird, the Texas state bird, sang its tune.

We were ready for a bird's eye view of our own so climbed the 45-foot Observation Tower. Part of North America's largest rooftop rainwater collection system, this beautiful stone tower overlooks acre after acre dotted with native plants, a true Lone Star landscape.

Soon we stopped for lunch at the center's Wildflower Cafe. Seated beneath a tall oak, we toasted our look at natural Texas with the tangy taste of black-eyed pea salad, a traditional Texas good luck dish. We knew this meal, enhanced with the fresh flavors of peppers and onions, was the perfect way to finish off our friends' first visit to Texas.

For more information: Contact the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

BLACK-EYED PEA SALAD

1 16-ounce package frozen black-eyed peas, cooked
1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
2 cups rotelle macaroni, cooked
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 medium fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup purple onion, chopped

Dressing:

1 0.7-ounce package Italian salad dressing mix
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Cook peas according to package directions. Drain and let cool.

Drain artichoke hearts, reserving liquid. Chop artichokes, and set aside.

Combine peas, chopped artichoke, macaroni, and next six ingredients in a large bowl. Toss gently.
Combine reserved artichoke liquid, dressing mix, sugar, pepper, vinegar, and oil in a jar; cover tightly and shake vigorously.

Pour dressing over pea mixture, stirring gently. Cover and chill salad at least two hours before serving.

Yields 12 servings.