A Day at the Park...Benbrook, Texas Style

When I go to a park, I am always looking for things to photograph. If the park has a pond, there are usually water fowl, and the park at Benbrook is no exception. I love ducks.

My daughter christened this guy "Kramer". He is actually called a crested white drake.

There were also swan geese in the pond. They swam in pairs. God made them with the desire to be with their mate, and so they swim back and forth, always together.

This common mallard, unlike the geese, kept to himself. 

The water fowl were great subjects, but the main reason I was at the park was this little guy and his sister. Daddy brought some bread, and Joe had fun chasing ducks, and when they escaped to the water, he had fun feeding them. That's really why I  had so much fun at the park. Grandchildren are one of God's greatest gifts.

Abbott, Texas... Population 356

Pulling into Abbott, Texas, I did not know what to expect. I just hoped there were a few interesting photo ops. The first thing I saw as I headed into town was the water tower.

It's a nice water tower... I took a couple of shots and looked around. There was one store on the main street with a car in front of it. Just one car, and a red bicycle. So I took a couple more shots...a few of the bike and a few of the store.

After taking a couple of shots of the church across the street, I decided to go into the store, since that was the only spot in town where I saw any life. However, as I got there, the manager and a couple of young people were just locking up. Darn.

Not a problem. Jeff, the manager offered to open up, and he shared a little about his store. He told me Willie Nelson, THE Willie Nelson, is the owner. Ahhhhhh...that would explain the sign over the door.

It just goes to show a person that you never know what you will find when you leave the boring interstate highway and head down a country road. Who would have known that Willie Nelson grew up in Abbott, Texas? I can't wait to go on another road trip.

Willie's Little Church

On our trip home from Fort Worth, we stopped in the little town of Abbott, looking for rustic things to photograph. You know, old tractors, weathered barns, or whatever else might catch my eye. After taking pictures of the old store, the water tower and one of the churches, I went back to the old store to go inside. The man who runs the store had just locked the door and the keys were still in his hand. He saw my camera and asked if I would like to go in the store, and he wouldn't take no for an answer, so as we stood in front of the store, I asked him to tell me a little about Abbott.

"Well," he answered, "Willie Nelson is my boss. He owns this store, and the Methodist church across the street, and he has a house over there." Now, I know that Willie Nelson is a Texas icon, but I was not sure he was talking about THE Willie Nelson, so I asked him if he was talking about the country and western legend. He grinned, and said that was the one.  

He told me that his grandmother and Willie's grandmother were sisters. "That makes me his second cousin, I guess," He said as he smiled. 

We went inside, and he asked me to sign the guest book on the counter. "That's the first thing Willie looks at when he comes into the store," he said. As I signed the book for Richard and me, he said he had something to show me. He went to the back of the store and came out with this record. I set it on the counter and took a picture of it, and he laughed. He couldn't fathom why anyone would take a picture of a record jacket when there was so much more interesting stuff around. 

Jeff, (that's the store owner's name) pulled out a key and dropped it onto the counter. "Here's the key to the church. Would you like to look at it?" Well, how could I say no? So, Richard and I walked across the street to look at Willie's church.

Abbott United Methodist church's first sanctuary was built in 1884, and at one time, they had a congregation of over 600 people. I am not sure when this building was erected.

Inside, I took what some folks might consider lots of pictures (about 20), though when I got home and looked at them, I wished I had taken more time composing the shots. Nonetheless, there were a couple I really liked.

This one is my favorite.

I also took shots of the organ, piano, and the old-timey attendance board.

Richard found a comfortable pew to sit in while he waited so patiently for me to finish.

It wasn't until I got home and looked closely at the photo of the record jacket back that I realized Willie and Bobbie Nelson were sitting in front of the very same piano that I had seen. Also, they had the attendance board in their shot. Do you notice anything interesting on the attendance board? I'll bet lots of folks wish we had the kind of offerings Abbot United Methodist Church had that Sunday!

The Aumont....A Seguin Architectural Gem

The Aumont Hotel, located at the corner of Austin Street and Mountain Street (It was named after the two streets),  is one of the architectural gems of Seguin. Designed by Atlee B. Ayers, it opened in November of 1916 at a cost of $100,000. Ayers, a famous architect of his time, also designed the Starcke building on the corner of Nolte and Austin Street. The beautiful brickwork, and his wonderful lines give his buildings a timeless elegance. Here are a few shots of some of the fabulous features of the Aumont. 

Here is a copy of an old post card of the hotel.

Texas Pride

There is something very inspiring about the Texas flag...maybe it is the red,white and blue, or maybe it is the oversize star. Whatever it is, Texans love their flag. Once in a while, you can spot it adorning a barn, or shed, or a windmill. I spotted this gem between Bastrop and Fayetteville on a quiet farm road.

Flatonia Farmhouse

I am a big fan of rustic farmhouses, old barns and windmills. This particular farm is located near Flatonia. I spotted it as my mother and I took a driving tour from Seguin to Bastrop, across to Fayetteville, down to Schulenburg, and  then back to Seguin. My mother is not a sunrise kind of person, so we left a little later, just because I love her. It was around 8:30 or 9 am when we spotted this gem.

Another Chick...Meet the Little White-wing Dove

This little fella was perched on the brick railings at my front door. I spotted him when I was opening windows, so I grabbed my camera and went out the back door, to see if I could sneak up close enough to get a shot or two before he flew away. Oh, I put my cat in the house as I went outside. Missy follows me around when I am outside. Do you know what she thinks of baby chicks? Right...they taste mighty fine. That's what she would say if she could talk.

The little dove chick spotted me right away, but sat very still. I moved closer and closer, for that is my nature. I always push the line. Well, finally, it was too close for the bird. He (or she, not really sure, you know I am not a dove expert) stood up, alert and ready to fly. 

I wasn't real sure the chick could fly yet,but when I took one step too many, the little thing up and flew around the corner of the house. By the time I turned the corner, it was gone. It flew fast enough to get away from me. I hope it lives a long and healthy life.

Bluebonnet Bouquet of Photos

Bluebonnet season has come and gone. It was not a good year for the stereotypical Texas bluebonnet photos... you know, the field of bluebonnets, a deep blue sky, some clouds, and an adorable toddler or two. I have not had much luck with that kind of photo shoot. No picturesque fields, no handy toddlers are available when I have been ready to go shoot. So, my bluebonnet shots are typically tight and close up, focusing on light and something called bokeh, which is a fancy photographic bit of jargon that just means artistic background blur. 

Here are a few of my favorites from last year, back when we had rain, you know. This first one pairs up the bluebonnet with a few common white daisies and a scattering of other wildflowers in the background. Gotta have good bokeh, right?

I experiment a lot with light, too. I use natural light almost exclusively. No flash for me.

Also, I tend to take shots of the same subject, and change the shutter speed quite a bit. The soft, bright light is nice, but there is a drama that comes into the finished work when the shutter is very fast, making the background almost black.

It seems that I have the best results when I use early morning light hitting the blooms. Here, you can see the dew drops still hanging on the petals and leaves.

All in all, photography is a more than just pointing a camera and snapping the shutter shut. I hope you enjoy this little bouquet of spring flowers, featuring the beautiful blue Texas bluebonnet.

A Quiet Evening on Lake Placid

I am a sunset watcher. Every evening as the sun begins to fall toward the horizon, I wonder what will happen. Will the sky turn shades of pink and rose? Will there be a few clouds to reflect the fire of the sun? Will it be too hazy to see the sun as it gets close to the horizon? 

You see, you never know how a sunset is going to turn out until it actually starts to set. So, I have a tendency to approach the end of every day with anticipation. 

Last night, while visiting with friends at their riverside home, the sun started to set. It was what I call a quiet sunset...not a lot of clouds or tons of color, just a little bit of pink in the sky. The sun was the star of the show, not the sky. It was such a pure, rich color as it dropped lower and lower. For just a moment, it was framed between the branches of a nearby tree. Then, it finished it's free-fall and dropped below the horizon. 

Have You Noticed Anything Different About Some Contrails in Our Sky?

Most of the time, my posts feature photography of Texas kind of stuff...flowers, sunsets, buildings, people, bugs, or whatever strikes my fancy when I have my camera in hand. Today, I feel like sharing photos of what I call "odd" contrails that appear over our skies once in a while. These contrails, in contrast to what I call "regular" contrails, don't go away after a few seconds. They expand and hang in the sky for hours. Have you seen them?

Often they appear in a tic-tac-toe type arrangement, criss-crossing the sky in a very orderly pattern.

As you can see in the photo above, they have a definite starting and stopping point.

Here is an example of a fresh trail being laid, and two that are slowly expanding. They eventually created a milky haze that covered the sky for the rest of the day.

Now, there are all kinds of crazy conspiracy theories (or maybe not so crazy,huh?) that are out there. All you have to do is google "chemtrail" and you will find theories galore. I am not even going to go into any of that. I am just going to show you that these trails are in our skies, over our homes and our families. These photos were taken January 19, 2011 around 10 am.

You are welcome to ignore this mystery, and you are welcome to laugh at me because I have concerns. However, before you form any opinions, I do encourage you to do a little research with an open mind.

The bottom line is that these "chem-trails" (so called because some people say that chemicals are being sprayed) do not act like the water vapor contrails that I have seen all my life. I do not know what they are, or why they are in the sky. I just know they are there.

Even a Single Rose Adds Beauty

I am not much of a gardener. The space is there, the soil is ready, and the seeds got planted. How is it that nothing came up? It is a good thing the rose bushes are already established. I don't have to do much besides making sure they have water. Each and every bloom is appreciated.

My Green Lizard Up Close and Personal

Yesterday, I introduced my dear readers to the green anole who lives in my garden. He is such a marvel, a tiny bit of God's creation. 

I am in awe as I study the details of this little anole. Look at the incredible pattern of his covering, the colors that God chose when he made this creature. The turquoise shade beneath his eyes, the creamy eggshell white on his underside...

As the anole raises his head, the neck pouch is barely visible, yet with a few contractions of very specialized muscles, he displays a bubblegum pink pouch that lures insects in for a closer look.  What a wonder he is, this little green anole. Created by the will of God, not a random accident of millions of years of evolution.

Anole in the Garden

Meet the green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis) who lives in my garden.

Today, he decided he wanted to be a model. How can you tell, you ask me? Well, I figure he has the entire garden to roam freely in, so when he chooses to post on the ornamental fence, I assume he wants attention. 

Look, he even inflated his pink neck pouch to get my attention. It worked. I took several photos of him. 

Later, I found him in a new spot. He wanted to say something to me, but I couldn't quite make it out. Maybe he wanted his cut for posing, or maybe he just wanted a little privacy so he could catch his lunch.

Finally...Some Butterfly Shots

The Texas drought has affected so much. Normally, during the spring, butterflies abound. However, they have had a hard time around here. Yesterday, a Giant Swallowtail  discovered the bright pink blooms on the mimosa tree, and even though the blooms are past their prime, the Swallowtail fed on the nectar long enough for me to get a few photos. 

A Good Thunderstorm Brings Welcome Rain

It has been a long time since it has rained in Seguin. The wildflowers didn't bloom hardly at all this year, the grass is brown, and trees are suffering. So, when the storm clouds rolled in, yesterday morning, I got out my camera and waiting for the rain to fall. 

First, the thunderclouds blocked the sun and the sky got so dark that streetlights came back on and people turned on lights in their homes....

 Then the wind started to blow and the rain began to fall. Heavy rain, big drops, and lots of them fell and the water started to flow down the street.

 The sound of the heavy rain hitting the metal roof was deafening, but I loved hearing it. Water ran off like a waterfall.

Our faux alligator suddenly found himself swimming in what kind of looked like a moat....

All in all, it was a good storm. The wind was not too strong, the rain did not cause flooding, and the lightening did not hit our house. That's the kind of thunderstorm I love.