The Easter weekend will be the first holiday for residents, weekenders and visitors to enjoy Cedar Creek Lake since it filled back up after last year's drought. Judging from the traffic on Highway 175 and the lake area's roads, it's going to be a big, busy weekend for everyone, especially local businesses that suffered last year as weekenders and visitors avoided the lake. Highway 175 leading from Dallas is ablaze with wildflowers, especially along the stretch from Kaufman to the Cedar Creek Lake turnoffs at Kemp and Mabank. Bluebonnets, the state flower of Texas, are at full bloom along this stretch. Several cars stopped Friday afternoon for the passengers to unload and take pictures of each other in the beautiful fields of wildflowers. The bluebonnet is the subject of an Indian legend that attributes the wildflower's creation to the "Great Spirit" answering a little Indian girl's prayer for rain to end a drought that was starving the buffalo and also the Indians who depended upon the beasts for survival. According to the legend, rain fell afterwards and grass immediately grew, along with a carpet of bluebonnets. After last year's devastating drought, the unexpected refilling of the lake when it was expected to remain low for much longer seems almost as miraculous as the Indian legend to some. Wildflower sightseeing gained popularity decades ago when Lady Bird Johnson, former First Lady, championed the beautification of the state's highways. The Texas Highway Department now regularly plants wildflowers in certain areas of the state. The National Wildflower Research Center operates in Austin, the state's capital. It works to educate the public about the importance of wildflowers. In addition to filling the lake back up the recent rains have allowed the wildflowers to thrive, ensuring that the drive to the lake is as pleasant as the weekend relaxing on its shore and waters will be.