Texas bluebonnets

Travel+Leisure has an article by Mariah Tyler, digital photo editor at Travel+Leisure, with photos of one of Rico's favorite springtime phenomenons:

Spring is finally here and, in Texas that means one thing: wildflowers. Bluebonnets in particular are native to Texan soil, and are such a part of the region's landscape that they were officially named the state flower more than a hundred years ago.
Even before the Highway Beautification Act, enacted by Texas-native President Lyndon Johnson in 1965,  the Texas State Highway Department hired a landscape architect to preserve and encourage the growth of wildflowers along its roadways in 1932, making Texas a must-see state for both flowers and road trips.
Driving Lone Star State highways in spring is especially breathtaking. In March and April, an outing can easily prompt a spontaneous stop in a bountiful field. But finding the perfect place to pull over can be a little tricky, so heed our tips:

The blooms rely heavily on abundant rainfall, and Texas experienced one of the wettest years on record in 2015, resulting in a spring where Texas highways are blanketed in the blue state flower. The bluebonnet season tends to start in late March or early April, but it came a little early that year, so you might want to act fast if you’re trying to frolic. Only rule: do not pick them: it’s illegal. (Well, not technically illegal, but it's best to let the flowers germinate properly.)

But before you get overwhelmed by the idea of driving through the whole of Texas, know that bluebonnets only cover a third of the state, and are concentrated throughout north central Texas (Houston, San Antonio, and up through Austin in the Hill Country to Dallas/Fort Worth). While no area is guaranteed to have the bluest fields, there are sure bets along the Bluebonnet Trail in Ennis, which claims to feature over forty miles of trails full of blooms. Other photo-worthy fields can be seen off US 280, Wildflower Loop, and US 281 towards Burnet. If exploring the trails doesn't satisfy your wildflower desires, there are also a few bluebonnet festivals (it wouldn’t be official without a festival) in Ennis, Chappell Hill, and Burnet in early April.

Rico says it's not the only reason Rico likes Texas, but it'll do... (Before you go, check this Texas website for local bloom info.)