The Old Year Passes, The New Year Beckons

2011 is just hours away from being just a memory for us and the new year is waiting in the wings. The past year has been a year of waiting at the Kissiar household. We lost our home in November of 2010. The Lord led us through the dark times and we found a wonderful vintage home to rent for the past year, but we have just been marking time. We want our own home. 

Now, after months of praying, months of saving, and months of searching, we are almost ready to close on a home that will be our very own. Praise the Lord.

This is not a photo of our new home, though our new home is not much bigger and about as old as this yellow farm house. We are so excited, because we have found an old home built around the 1930s that just needs a little tender loving care. So, the new year will be a time of rebuilding for the Kissiars. It is going to be so much fun.

As I close out this blog post for 2011, I would like to thank each visitor who has stopped by since I started blogging in January. Many of you are from distant lands and there are lots of folks who live in Texas, so I have tried to include photography that gives you a sense of my little corner of the world. I hope you have enjoyed the photos and the little notes, and I look forward to sharing the wonders of Texas as seen through my eyes in the coming year.

Happy New Year to each and every one of you, and may God richly bless your lives with his love and grace.

The Old Hymns of Our Faith

This photo was taken inside a very old, very tiny chapel which sits on the northern edge of Salado, Texas. The chapel was moved to the site, it is not original to Salado, but someone fell in love with it and wanted to keep it from being demolished, so it was moved and placed next to a rare books and manuscripts store. The inside of the chapel has been decorated with salvaged fixtures from other old churches, so it is truly a non-denominational house of worship.
I loved the light streaming from the beautiful stained glass windows. The golden light streamed across the room to highlight these hymnals which were sitting on one of the pews.
If you have a good imagination, you can still the voices of the congregation singing the hymns of God and glory in this tiny chapel.

Just an Old Tomcat Sitting on a White Bench

There's something about this old cat sunning on this rustic cast iron bench that appeals to me. His eyes squint like he's thinking about sleep, but with me standing in front of him with my camera, he's not quite ready to shut his yellow cat eyes.

1955 Volkswagon Retired in Texas

I found this classic sitting in a salvage yard located on the side of Interstate 35, just south of Waco. What a great old car!

A Quiet Bay, A Single Tree and Sunrise

Now that the hustle and bustle of the past week is over, a person can stand still and relax for just a moment. Breath deeply, and allow the frantic pace of the holiday season to be replaced with a moment of sweet leisure.

This photo was taken on the shoreline of a tiny bay just outside of Rockport, Texas. The sun had not yet crested over the horizon, but it was light enough to see the details of the trees and grasses along the beach. A single large cloud drifted from right to left over the water, creating a deep shadow directly underneath it. Off in the distance, low clouds hugged the horizon, giving the illusion of a far away, mist-covered mountain range. It was a beautiful sunrise.

Seguin's Central Park Decorated for Christmas

Merry Christmas to All 

My Dear Friends

x

Christmas Eve on the Farm

I love Christmas lights. They remind me of the Light of the World that was born to a travel-weary young girl and a worried carpenter who couldn't even find a decent room for the night. Can you imagine what Joseph must have felt like when Mary told him her water broke? He did not know anyone in Bethlehem, even though it was his family's ancestral home, for if he had known family, surely they would have given the young couple a place to stay.

So, as I look at Christmas lights, it is easy to ponder on that night so long ago when Mary lay on the dirt floor of the stable as Joseph waited at her side. You know, he may have even delivered the baby himself, for who else could have been there in time?

As you and your loved ones celebrate this joyous holy day, may the wonder of the real meaning of this season fill your hearts with peace and love.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace and goodwill toward men.

Have a Boot-Scootin', Red-White-and-Blue, Truly Texan and All-American Christmas

Texans can even make a cowboy boot look good on a Christmas tree!

Just in Case it Doesn't Snow....

Here's a snowman I found in an antique store in Gonzales, Texas. He'll come in handy when there is a lack of snow for the real thing (which is pretty much every winter, in central Texas). He is a little worn, but I think that just adds to his charm. I wish I had purchased him when I saw him, but he is probably gone now. I hope some one displays him in their front yard.

Christmas Dreams

When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with Christmas. I didn't give any thought at all to why we celebrate this holy day, or give thanks to God for sending his only begotten Son to be born in a lowly stable. No, I could only think about all those wonderful presents that would be under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. In my bedroom, I had a green slate chalkboard and in the upper right hand corner, there would be a countdown of how many days until "Present Day." Believe it or not, sometimes I would start the day after Christmas and count down 364 days until the next great present event.

Well, I look back and smile as I recall the simple, childish happiness I felt as I anticipated opening my presents. This shot, taken on the front porch of an old farmhouse converted into a gift shop, reminds me of those feelings. The tree sparkles and reflects hundreds of lights in the living room window, and one red ball has fallen off the tree and sits on the seat of the faded pink tricycle.

Looking at this scene, I recall an illustration our pastor gave to the little children of our church on Sunday morning. He showed them the manager scene sitting on the table in front of the pulpit and pointed to the baby Jesus, who is the reason for this blessed celebration. Then, he started showing the children different presents he had brought from his home. He read who the presents were from and to whom they were going to be given, and he placed each one on the table for them to look at. When he was done, all the children could see were the presents. The manager scene was completely hidden by the wrapped presents sitting on the table between the manager and the children. The message of his little illustration was crystal clear. Presents are nice, but it is very easy to let the gifts we give and receive block us from seeing the most important part of the Christmas celebration. For without that little baby lying in a manger, that miraculous gift of our Savior from the Almighty God to every boy and girl who ever lived, to every mom and dad, to you and to me, then Christmas would just be another day of the year, and there would be no reason to celebrate at all.

My prayer is that this Christmas, the love of God blesses you in a very special way. As you look at the brightly colored packages and the sparking lights, remember to give thanks for the greatest gift ever given, the gift of the Savior, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.

A White Picket Fence At Christmastime

I love white picket fences. In fact, I would love to have one surrounding my own yard someday. At Christmastime, a white picket fence looks so elegant draped with lighted garland and bright red bows. This fence surrounds the yard of a little shop in Bracken Village, which is located on the outskirts of San Antonio.

A Texas Christmas...The Old Barn Gets Some Lights

It's been a while since this busy grandmother/photographer has blogged about her favorite state in the good old U.S.A.

However, with Christmas fast approaching, I feel the need to share some holiday cheer that has a distinct Texas twang. 

This particular barn sits in a cutesy shopping village just outside San Antonio. It is part of an old farm which has been converted to lots of old farmhouses turned into shops, and the whole place is decorated for the Christmas season.

I love the deep red of the old barn up against the black sky with all the twinkling white lights sparkling along the roofline.

Come back tomorrow for another of my favorite Christmas shots, one that has more of that Texas twang!

Guadalupe County Fair Parade October 7th, 2010

It's that time of year again. Harvest time and pumpkins, cooler weather and shorter days. It is time for the yearly county fair. Guadalupe county is a farm country, so the kick-off parade reflects the focus on agriculture. Since it is a Texas county, there is the addition of cowboy boots, cowboy hats and lots of horses. Here is the first set of the parade photos. 

Kingsbury School Yard...My Kind of Playground

Here is a post for all you folks who love to rummage through old warehouses and junkyards...

This is the site of the old school house in Kingsbury, sitting right off Highway 90. What a treasure trove of old bits and pieces.

The Victory Has Been Won

On this day of remembrance, we look back and recall our feelings of horror and sorrow as the Twin Towers fell. A blow was struck against the people of the United States in the heart of our great cities of New York and Washington, D.C. and we grieved as the families and friends of the dead mourned their loss. Ten years have passed since September 11, 2001 and still we grieve. Still we mourn.

Yet, we must realize that the blow that was struck did not originate from 19 fanatics flying planes. The blow was struck back in the dark recesses of time when Lucifer shook his fist in the face of God and said,


"I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14: 13, 14)


That was the moment the battle began and it has been raging throughout time. A terrible blow was struck in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were enticed into rebellion. The battle continued and the enemy had so hurt mankind that God sent a terrible flood to wipe out the rebellious people. And the battle continued as Jesus came to earth as a little babe born in a stable stall.

Ah, but the good news is that the war has been won and victory is ours, for you see, when Lucifer moved in the hearts of wicked and evil men, he thought that killing the King of Glory would be the death blow for the heavens. Instead, as Jesus hung on the Roman cross, bleeding and beaten beyond recognition, he told the universe,

"IT IS FINISHED!"

And to prove to all creation that the victory over sin and death had been won, Jesus rose from the grave and ascended to the throne room of God Almighty.

The victory has been won, yet the battle still rages until that day when Jesus returns triumphant for his people, the sheep of his pasture, those who has bowed their hearts in shame for their rebellion and asked for his forgiveness.

 I am one of those people. There is nothing I could do on my own to win the fight, but my champion, my savior, Jesus Christ did it all. His pure and holy blood was given to pay my sin debt. It was enough. It was all that was needed. And IT IS FINISHED.

So, as we look back on that terrible Tuesday morning, ten years ago, when the enemy struck a blow to the people of the United States, let us not forget who the real enemy is, and let us not forget that the victory is already won!

The Rail Road and Kingsbury

Today, there are two main roads to Kingsbury. You can travel from I-10 and go north on FM2438, or you can travel Highway 90. Either way, you will pass the train tracks that follow parallel to Highway 90. The railroad has played a significant role in Kingsbury's development and history.

If you will recall, I was originally planning on driving toward Bastrop, a town about 40 miles north-east of Kingbury, on Tuesday. I came down I-10 and took FM2438 to Kingsbury, planning on picking up Highway 90 and heading east. The fire that has been raging in Bastrop is now said to be the worst wild fire ever in Texas history, and I was going to take some photos of the smoke and haze hanging over the land.

When I stopped at the intersection of Highway 90 and FM 2438, I spotted this train. It was stopped in Kingsbury, though it's engine was idling loudly. There were actually some wild flowers blooming, which is very rare due to the severe drought, so I parked my car on the side of the road and got my camera out.

If you follow the cars to the background on the left side of the photo, you can see the haze caused by the smoke from Bastrop. Also, note how the blue sky is all washed out. That is not typical for a cloudless day in Texas.

Anyhow, I digress. I wanted to share a little of the history of Kingsbury with regard to the rail road.

William Guilliam Kingsbury (1823-1896) was born in New York and became a dentist. In 1846, one year after Texas had become a state, he immigrated to Texas. After accompanying a Texas Ranger to Mexico during the Mexican war, he eventually settled in San Antonio in 1851. He wrote about Texas, and his writings caught the attention of the governor, who appointed him the commissioner of immigration. He represented several rail roads and wrote pamphlets which were distributed to people in Europe, encouraging them to immigrate to Texas.

Here is a quote from one of his pamphlets in which he describes Texas:
"I only propose in this paper to glance at the topography and some of the many inducements I am prepared to offer to parties who will settle in that country. These are rich and fertile lands, so cheap that the laboring man may get his board and ten acres for an honest month's work, and the rich man find large profits from his investments. A climate so healthful, that the death rate, taken from official sources, reaches but ten and a half to the thousand. An atmosphere so pure that fresh meat exposed to a free circulation will cure without tainting, and people may sleep out of doors the year round without the slightest risk of fevers.
A country in which law and order is strictly maintained and crime speedily punished; religion respected and churches supported, and a school fund that will give free education to it's children forever. A country in which the agriculturist reaches the highest returns from the least labour and the stock-raiser is furnished the food on which to rear his flocks and herds as free as the water they drink, or the air they breath."1

After reading that, who wouldn't want to come to Texas! Well, due to his efforts, many people immigrated to Texas.  This is the man for whom the town of Kingsbury was named.

More of Kingbsbury's story to follow....

1 September 7,2011. http://books.google.com/books. Re: Konecny, Lawrence and Machann, Clinton. Perilous voyages: Czech and English immigrants to Texas in the 1870s, p.20.

Kingsbury's 1939 Chevrolet

There is something about rusted, retired, forgotten old cars and trucks that pulls at my heart. I adore the colors in the corroded metal. The patina of an old junker is incredible. When I spy such a treasure, I long to spend time examining it. Sometimes, it is behind a fence or in a field and only accessible for viewing with a zoom lens. Once in a while, though, I find one sitting right where I can get to it.

That happened when I was in Kingsbury, yesterday. I spotted this 1939 Chevy and had to make a detour to go take a look. Isn't she gorgeous?

Looking at Kingsbury Through a Lens

Today was a road trip day. I was planning on driving toward Bastrop, since there is a massive fire that has burned thousands and thousands of acres and hundreds of homes, and since the smoke smell has travelled over 60 miles to Seguin. That was my plan. 

However, as I began to drive through Kingsbury, I decided to stop and take a few photos of the old main street buildings. I hadn't taken more than a couple of shots before a car pulled up beside me. 

That is when I met Margaret Taylor. She has lived in Kingsbury all her life. Margaret invited me to her home, which was just down the road, where she had a whole notebook filled with old photographs of the people and the buildings of Kingsbury, going back over one hundred years. Thanks, Margaret, for making your town come alive for me. 

Here are several of the original buildings that make up the old part of town. The building to the far right was a bar that served food. Left of it is Halms' Red and White Grocery Store, and then a meat market and there was a lumber/hardware store, and finally, on the end, was a stage depot. I think I have that right, but I will have to reconfirm that before I will be sure.

Here is a close up of the Red and White store. You can still see remnants of the red and white trimming which edges the porch.

Here is the Railway Saloon, open for business, at the west end of the street...

and the old post office, at the east end of the street.

Margaret graciously made me a copy of one of her old photos of the main street, and you can see the pointed roof of the building which has the buggy parked in front. Looking up at the first photo in this blog, you can spot the same building with a pick up parked out front. Times have changed, haven't they? If you look in the bottom left of this old photo, you can see an old Barnum and Bailey sign.   I look forward to posting more photos from my day trip along with a little of the history of this charming town.

Rejoice!

As we begin another week, let us begin it with praise!

Praise ye the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary:

Praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts:

Praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet:

Praise him with the psaltery and harp.

Praise him with the timbrel and dance:

praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals: 

Praise him on the high sounding cymbals.

Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

Praise ye the Lord.

Psalm 150

The Texas Theater Remodel

Back in March, 2011, I did a photo study of the Texas Theater, which was in the process of a major remodel. Now that the renovations are complete, I would like to show a few before and after photos. The Texas Theater is truly one of the finest jewels of Seguin's architecture.

This is the finished building...but I must admit that this photo has been edited just a bit. I couldn't stand the telephone pole and power lines in the foreground, so I photoshopped them out. 

Before

After

Before

After

Saving Sweet Pine...Time to Get Your Orders In

Hey, friends and family! You have an opportunity to have a first run copy of my humorous novel about a small southern town that gets invaded by squirrels. This is a great book to read when you just want to escape the daily grind, but you don't want to be tied reading some long, boring romance novel or spy story. This is just about what we know best....living and attending church in the rural south.

Now, there is humor in the story, but there is also some real important stuff about God and eternity....You won't want to miss out, so let me know today or tomorrow so I can get a general idea of how many books to order.

The cost is only $12....that's a bargain for almost 200 pages of fun. In return, you will get your very own paperback book written by one of your very dear friends (me!).

I would appreciate your prayer support as I work on publishing this book. Right now, I am self-publishing it because it is a scary thing to approach agents and publishers with your work...at least, it is scary for me. So, your prayers and your orders will be greatly appreciated.

By the way, this is a great book to give as a gift to your friends and loved ones who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The salvation message is given very simply and clearly several times in this story.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone came to Jesus because of this funny and moving story?

Call me or email at nancykissiar@gmail.com to let me know how many copies you would like! I am sending off the order on August 31st.

Love in Christ,
Nancy

Hot Enough to Fry an Egg????

It is sooooo hot outside! My thermometer says 109 degrees, but others here in Seguin have reported 115  degrees in the shade. That's so hot. So, I wondered if it was finally hot enough to fry an egg.

After researching on the internet, I found out an egg needs to be heated to around 140-160 degrees to actually cook, but if you put a piece of highly reflective foil on the ground, you might be able to get it to cook on a very hot day. Worth a try....

Now, I had no intention of sitting outside and watching the egg, so I left it in the driveway and  went back into the house. After half an hour, I went back outside....

Nope, not even remotely hot enough to start the cooking process....Well, that's nice to know. It is NOT hot enough to fry an egg. But it is hot. I promise you it is very HOT!

From My Treasure Box of Architectural Jewels...Discovering Seguin's Gems

I love old buildings. When it is not quite so hot, I enjoy walking around town and taking pictures of some of the architecture, especially the features that I consider to be little bits of jewelry on the very fine buildings around town. 

Here is a collection of some of my favorites....

Starting on North Austin Street, just a couple of blocks from the center of town, here is a little of the fun details you will find on the Texas Theater. The little balls and the zig-zag ornamentation on the column reminds me of court jesters and renaissance fairs. On the top, it is capped with the traditional arch, aTexas form which also tops the Alamo.

Just a block or so to the south on Austin Street, you will come to the Aumont Hotel. If you will recall in a previous post, the Aumont got its name because it is on the corner of Austin and Mountain Street. There is all kinds of ornamental brickwork on this building.

One block east of Austin Street is River Street. Walking south and east of the Aumont, in the 200 block of North River Street, you will come to City Hall, a wonderful art deco building. I would ask the post office to move their blue mail box if I thought it would do any good. They put it right in front of the building, ruining any opportunity to get a good, clean shot of this landmark. What were they thinking?

This building is located in the 100 block of North River Street, across from the Heritage Museum. The bits of red striping great on these white columns and the decorative blocks on the underside of the balcony catch my eye every time I walk past it.

.

The Starcke Building, on the other side of downtown, was built by the same architect who built the Aumont Hotel. This is a shot of the entrance to the building. The mosaic tile, featuring an elaborate black and white key pattern is an unexpected treasure as you look down. This little bit of mosaic definitely qualifies as a jewel. 

Red is always an eye-catcher. Here is a door on South Austin Street, across from the courthouse. In fact, you can see a bit of the courthouse reflected in the glass.

Would you believe I even have a favorite door handle? Look at this ornate piece of art work that someone created for a door handle. This door is located on a building across the street from the Starcke building.

Finally, to complete todays display of little gems, here is a window on a red brick wall decorated with little cast iron stars. The sweetness of this treasure is that you have to search it out. It is not on one of the main streets. It is down a tiny little alley between a couple of buildings, leading to a hidden retreat  complete with patio tables and chairs, used by the inhabitants of one of the Court Street buildings.

For all my Seguin readers, I hope my walking directions have been good enough for you to find some of these treasures for yourself as you travel downtown. I know that many of my readers live in far away places all across the world, so I hope you have enjoyed a little glimpse of some of the architecture of a small Texas town.