Barton Springs

My second job in Austin, circa 1992-1994, was as a counselor in the outdoor group therapy program that MHMR/Child Protective Services ran at Zilker Park. During the school year, we met from 3-6 p.m., but in the summer, it was 9:00 in the morning until 1:00, and included PB&J sandwiches three days a week. I was poor back then (not like now, 'cause I'm making teacher money, baby!), so that was free lunch, three days a week.

On therapy days, an hour for work in the summer was spent swimming with the kids at Barton Springs. Glorious. As a symbol of nature in Austin, nothing tops Barton Springs. The water is cold and clear, and there is no place that feels more like Austin. 

When friends came into town with their kids last summer, we took them to Barton Springs. The two younger kids focused on the cold water, while the soon-to-be college freshman understood the cool factor, which included many college-age girls in bikinis.  

The pictures in this post are from what has become an almost annual tradition for me: A New Year's Day dip in the springs. It's supposed to bring good luck, but I think of it as more about washing away the old year, and a clean start to the new. This "swim" usually lasts only a few minutes, and then it's time to quickly dry off and warm up. That is me and our friend Tara in the picture below.

Tara wanted to swim in Barton Springs for her birthday last week. Couldn't pass that up, especially since Tara is something like 78 weeks pregnant right now. With record heat, the pool felt great, and it was easy to see why people flocked to this oasis back in the day when there was no air-conditioning.

Just before we left, a couple in their 30's (maybe their 20's, it's tough to tell when you're in your 40's) asked me to take their picture with Barton Springs in the background. I was delighted to help, because this was a couple that understood. They hadn't just gone swimming, they'd just gone swimming in Barton Springs, and they knew the difference.

Peace,

JS4