Non-general general store road trip

Stop! If you see some crazy thing along the road this summer, stop! I passed crazy roadside sculpture and bottle trees on Texas 71 toward Austin and didn’t stop, thinking I’d hit the Industrial Country Market garden center and non-general general store on the way back.

Headed home, I nearly passed it again, but turned around to see what I could see. Pulling up past a bedspring gate and pulling up on a rocky road, I saw a couple loading up their station wagon with buys. They told me I’d be there a long time perusing the interesting wares, and I should stop by the compost toilet.

I heard big band, then Willie Nelson music spilling from huge, plant-covered speakers, and I was in.

Chris at the counter asked if I’d been there before and filled me in on the green house, rose garden, artists area and more. This stop at 1799 Texas 71 in Columbus was a hoot. Maybe a hoot and a half. There was an area that looked like a miniature golf course made of broken bits of oddities, but I think it was just a crazy path to more fun. The bathrooms were an experience, as was a greenhouse full of herbs and olive trees.

Inside shopping featured everything from boxes adorned with recycled Indian wedding bangles to extremely long “freeloader” spoons for people to sneak scoops from other people’s plates.

I left with a jar of mango chutney and free bottled water. Chris also made me take lotion samples. Love this place.

Summer gardening

I was gifted some garden squash and zucchini that had to be used fast. My first stop was sautéed squares of this good stuff mixed with onions and chorizo. I made it into a kind of dip for nachos. Readers, let me know what you are doing with your bounty.

Tiffin update

Some of you have asked about my tiffin metal lunch box mentioned in this past week’s column. Okay, so you can’t heat your lunch in a microwave. This makes me eat better, perhaps, by filling the first round bin with a salad and the second tier with some dressing and perhaps nuts or other crunch topping. I’ve heard fishermen like these. I sure like mine.

ddoiron@panews.com