Spectacular lighted trees bring holiday joy in Johnson City
We tooled into Johnson City at dusk after a day spent in charming Fredericksburg, in the Hill Country west of Austin. After dinner at a local brew pub, we stopped by the electric company, just a block off the main road, to view the lighted trees that surround the headquarters.
More than a million lights strung on trunks, branches, and twigs transform a grove of live oaks into an enchanted forest. Located at the Pedernales Electric Coop’s headquarters on Avenue F, just off Highway 290, the display is part of Johnson City’s annual Lights Spectacular.
I love Austin’s Zilker Christmas Tree and the Trail of Lights. But if you want to enjoy a fantastic light display sans crowds, make the 1-hour drive west to Johnson City, park your car conveniently on the street, and walk 25 feet to gaze up at these beautifully adorned trees. My only complaint is that a hot-chocolate vendor has set up a mobile cafe at the street corner powered by a generator thrumming like a dozen lawn mowers. The racket significantly diminished our enjoyment of the display, and I’d urge city leaders to keep generators at least a block away from the trees in the future.
Last year when we visited Lights Spectacular, all the lights were white. This year, a few blue trees stood out amid the white ones.
They were truly beautiful.
Live oaks retain their glossy leaves through the winter, and the leafy canopies glowed with reflected light, somewhat resembling a nebula cloud in space.
How I wished someone would cut the cord on that generator so we could enjoy a silent night under the glowing trees…
…or a blue Christmas.
Go see it with your family. It’ll make you feel all warm inside.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! See you in 2014!
All material © 2006-2013 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
WOW
I know, right? 🙂 —Pam
Such beautiful pictures of the trees outlined in lights! Someone very talented decorated them, I think. Thanks for sharing them with us. What a bummer about the generator.
The trees are individually stunning, and the combined effect is simply magical. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. Happy holidays, Alison! —Pam
Now that’s beautiful! Thankfully the only background noise I had while enjoying the trees was Dean Martin signing “Winter Wonderland”…Merry Christmas Pam, enjoy your blog break.
Perfect background music, Loree. Merry Christmas to you! —Pam
Merry Christmas and Happy new Year, Pam. And thanks for posting these excellent photos of a spectacular light display!
It was my pleasure, Peter. Have a wonderful holiday and see you next year! —Pam
Absolutely Beautiful. I mean you ladies. I can tell you are related. 😉 Merry Christmas….
Aw, thanks, Lisa. That’s my mom and sister. My daughter was there too, but she was taking this shot. Merry Xmas to you too! —Pam
That is quite the light show, Pam, how fun to enjoy it with family. Merry Christmas!
And to you, LostRoses! —Pam
Hi Pam,
Thanks for sharing these beautiful trees and for another fantastic year of garden blogging. I may not always get the time to comment, but I love dropping in to see what you are up to. You are such an inspiration to me because you put the photos and the writing together in wonderful ways. And I love your new book…I now own a copy as of this year.
P.S. I almost met you in November at your talk at Antique Rose Emporium. Sadly, I could not make the event due to my wife contracting pneumonia that weekend. Ugh! She’s better now.
Maybe we’ll meet in 2014. Hopefully yours,
David/Tropical Texana/ Houston :0)
Merry Christmas, Ya’ll!
I wish I’d been able to meet you at the ARE event, David, but I hope we’ll have a chance to meet in 2014. I’m cooking up an idea for a Texas blogger meet-up. Merry Xmas! —Pam
How do they DO that?!? How do they get them wrapped so closely way up in there? One day I want to learn this trick and apply it to my scrawny pecan trees. Not to the same effect I’m sure, but I want to try! There must be a formula for how many strands of lights you’ll need, how to get them on there so well, and how many hours of cherry picker rental it takes… 😉 Thanks for this!
Good question, Cayla. I’d love to watch them wrapping those trees to understand the tricks of this festive trade. —Pam
So grateful for all of your beautiful, informational, and inspiring posts this past year. I look forward to seeing the coming year through your eyes (and camera lens.)
Thank you, Vicki! Merry Xmas and a happy new gardening year to you! —Pam
. Suffering from a mild case of holiday blues……and these photos made me smile. Merry Christmas
Joanne, I’m glad these photos brought a smile. Having the blues at Christmas is tough. Hang in there — spring is right around the corner. —Pam
Absolutely spectacular! Merry Christmas, Pam!
And to you, Kris! —Pam
Perfectly done lighting, especially with all those oaks 🙂 Wish I could have gone…so thanks for enduring that generator! Each time I drive through Johnson City, or especially Stonewall, I say, “I could live here”. That lighting would be the icing on the cake…
(I remember you showing nice lighting last year, but in Fredericksburg?)
Last year’s Xmas light posts were from Johnson City and from Austin’s own Trail of Lights, David. You’ll find the links in this post if you’d like more holiday brightness. Cheers! —Pam
Absolutely fantastic!
Merry Christmas!
Lea
Merry Christmas to you too, Lea! —Pam
Beautiful! We drove through there last year. They do put on a great show.
Hope your Christmas was wonderful.
Happy New Year!
Here’s to a happy new gardening year in 2014, Linda! —Pam