Parades are for Heroes

Out in front of the parade, just behind the Grand Master and the color guards, the heros begin to appear. First come the fire fighters and first responders, marching proudly in their hot dress uniforms, followed by several spotlessly clean, gleaming firetrucks. I have seen this same group of firefighters at more than one Fourth of July parade. It must be a tradition with them to lead the pack.

This is the same group, photo taken in 2008, as they wait for the parade to begin. I look forward to seeing them again in 2011!

A Study in Contrasts....Parade Bikers at the Stop Light

One of the reasons we love parades is because we love to people watch....so, here are a couple of guys on their bikes riding the parade route before it is shut off to through traffic. I just love the contrast between these two as they wait for the light to change. 

1947 Buick Roadmaster Decked for Parade

Countdown....only six days until Seguin's Fourth of July Freedom Fiesta Parade. After the bands and the color guards, after the fire trucks and cheerleaders, the vintage automobiles make their appearance. I can hardly wait until the next parade. I love the old cars!

The Golden Years

Happy 50th Anniversary 

to my dear friends,

Skip and Rita

(If you are interested in having a romantic silhouette portrait of you and your sweetheart, let me know. This is something you will treasure for a lifetime!)

Early in the Garden on Sunday Morning

I Come To The Garden Alone

I come to the garden alone,

While the dew is still on the roses.

And the voice  I hear, 

Falling on my ear,

The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me,

And He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own.

And the joy we share 

As we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

This timeless hymn was written by C. Austin Miles in April, 1912. He writes that his Bible was open to John 20, and he read the story of Mary coming to the tomb of Jesus in the early hours of the morning, where she met her risen Savior. So, I share this rose covered with tiny dew drops on this Sunday morning, and rejoice that we can meet with God early in the morning, for sweet fellowship and communion. We serve a risen Savior!

Seguin Landmarks...Saffold Dam

One of the picturesque landmarks of Seguin is Saffold Dam, located near where Austin Street crosses the Guadalupe River. The orange-red brick of the dam reflects beautifully in the river on a sunny day and the sparkling water, as it rushes over the dam provides a stunning accent to the scenic spot.

Despite it's idyllic beauty, I have a hard time capturing what I see when I photograph it.  For some reason, the colors never come out as true, the light is never just right, or the building is crooked...you name it, I find something not to like in my photo. 

Nonetheless, I keep trying. This is yesterday's attempt to photograph the dam. 

Notice the two ducks at the edge of the waterfall? They add just a touch of interest to the scene. The mallard even stood tall and displayed his beautiful colors while drying his wings.

At the bottom of the dam, there is a great fishing site, though fishing is officially banned from that area. That doesn't stop everyone from fishing there, though. It is not unusually to spot someone in waders from venturing below the rocks, and I have spotted folks with little coolers sitting in the shade of these  trees.

Thank God for Men of Faith

In these dark times, when our society embraces every form of evil and when degradation and perversion are paraded as funny and desirable, when honor and nobility seem scarce, I am thankful for Godly men...men of faith, honorable and true. There are still such men around, men who live their lives facing the cross squarely, striving to follow the example of Jesus Christ, who said that the greatest command was to love God with all of one's heart, soul and mind, and who added that the second greatest command is to love others as much as a person loves themself. If more folks would follow just these two commandments, there would be no need for armies, no need for soldiers....what a world that would be.

Yea! Rain Falls on Seguin

After months and months of cloudless skies and drought, rain finally started to fall in the early hours of the morning. While it was still dark, before the alarm clock went off, thunder woke us up to announce the blessing of water for the crops and animals.

It was not a heavy rain, just gentle and steady...

Even our concrete alligator appreciated the rain.

Now, we will wait for the next shower, and hope it will be very soon. It will take more than one shower to fill the ponds and the aquifer.

It May Be Hot, But the Roses are Doing Fine

I am so thankful for the beauty of God's creation.

The wonder of an ocean of waves tinged with golden rays of the sun as it sets,

The majesty of a tree, gnarled and bent with age, yet standing tall,

The sweetness of a baby's smile as she gazes intently into the eyes of her mother,

The look of love a husband gives his wife, filled with wonder and joy,

The radiance of the moon, reflecting the light of the sun on a crystal clear night,

The elegant loveliness of an opened rose...

God's handiwork testifies of the nature of the Almighty, and I am in awe of his greatness.

There are six rose bushes in my garden, each a different variety, and they bloom  at different times, so there are always a few roses for me to enjoy. One is a climbing white variety....

One is a deep yellow,

Three are pinks,

And one, not blooming right now, is a rich burgundy.

Water Restrictions Apply for Drought-stricken Seguin

It is so hot, here in central Texas, with temperatures hitting the one hundred mark for the past several days. The heat is terrible, and when combined with the lack of rain, the conditions for animals and crops is horrendous. We are in such need of relief.

I have been watering the grass so that we do not lose our yard. I know grass is a luxury, and I want to make sure that it doesn't turn brown and brittle. So, I turn on the sprinklers. The city of Seguin instituted watering restrictions, though. Folks are only allowed to water between 8 pm and 10 am with sprinklers, and we are still allowed to water at any time if we are holding the hose. I can either get up and outside very early, or stay up late to get it all done. 

I think that the local animals have all found out when I water, because my yard becomes  the local bathhouse for all the birds, and the squirrels have found spots where they can get wet, too.

The weather report says that there is a 40% chance for some rain on Wednesday. Oh, how I hope it rains!

When was it built? Date Stone Cartouches of Seguin

Texas has its own special history, separate and distinct from the other 49 states. At different times, it has flown six different flags, including its own flag when it was the Republic of Texas. Seguin, the town I have lived in for the last thirty years, was chartered in 1838. As the years passed, the business leaders built stores and hotels, the railroad came to town, and eventually, there was even a beautiful riverwalk park developed. 

One way to track the history of a town like Seguin is to look at the roofs of businesses for a date stone cartouche. You know, the decorative inset with the date of the construction of the building inscribed on it. One morning, while walking around downtown, I snapped some pictures of some of the more obvious buildings. Do you recognize the buildings from these shots? 

The C. E. Tips building is at the corner of Court Street and Austin Street, across from the courthouse. 

The C. F. Schultz building is located on the 100 block of North Austin Street.

The Ed Nolte building is the home of Starcke furniture, on South Austin Street.

 This building is located on South River Street, across from the courthouse.

I read somewhere that there was a fire that destroyed several buildings in the downtown area around the turn of the century, which would explain why I did not find any date stone cartouches dating before 1890. I think I might like to do some research and find out a little more about the history of downtown Seguin.

Where's the Rain?

I was talking to a local gentleman who has a place on the river, with a stand of pecan trees and fields of cattle. He says that he has never seen it this bad, unless you possibly count a time in the 1950s when even the mesquite trees were showing signs of hurt due to lack of rain. It is terrible, here in central Texas. No rain, not even a drop for the poor animals and the trees and grasses are under a terrible strain.
Where's the rain?
Up north, folks are suffering from the results of massive snowfall, this past winter. Some say it was the worst winter they can recall. Added to the melting snow running off into the streams and rivers, they have had horrendous storm systems hit their land, dropping huge amounts of water and generating unbelievable tornados.
It makes me think a little philosophically. Which is worse? A quick, unexpected catastrophe or a slowly developing, but long lasting one? Floods or drought? I have no answer because I do not know how much worse it will get before the windows of heaven open and pour precious water on our land.
My prayer is that no matter how bad it gets, we will still praise the Almighty God, praise Him for who he is, not just praise Him when he blesses us with an abundance of our wants and needs. May we stand firm in our faith, and trust God to see us through these days of woe.

The Sun Sets Near Belmont, Texas

Every sunset and every sunrise is a unique expression of the artistic handiwork of God Almighty. There are never two sunsets that are exactly alike, and when you drive to one of your favorite spots to witness a sunrise or sunset, you never know what you are going to get. Sometimes, there may be clouds in the sky an hour before sunset, and then they all disappear when the sun gets close to the horizon. You just never know.

Last night, Richard and I drove east, toward Gonzales, and parked on the side of the road just before the bustling metropolis of Belmont. We waited, watching the sun fall, and suddenly, one lone cloud appeared right in the path of the sun. It wasn't much, but it added a little texture to the evening sky. It's kind of hard to spot in this shot, but if you look closely, you can see it right below the sun.

Sometimes, Richard asks me if I have enough shots of the sun as it sets or rises. I just raise my eyebrows slightly and shake my head. "No, not yet." I always tell him. The best one is yet to come, I am sure.

The End of the Day, Texas Style

There are a few minutes when the sun begins to set when the light is simply golden. Photographers love golden light. It doesn't happen every sunset, though it happens often in Texas, where the sky is blue and the sun is hot. Sometimes, when the light is just right, the camera picks up the golden glow at the end of a long day. This was such a day on a farm just east of Seguin. Lovely, isn't it?

Texas Birds That Visit My Yard...the Tufted Titmouse

Today, dear readers, I would like to introduce you to the Tufted Titmouse  (Baeolophous bicolor) , a common bird in central Texas. Titmice (titmouses???) love bird feeders. They swoop in, pick out a seed, preferably a sunflower seed, then take off to sit on a tree branch, where they crack it open. They look like they are praying when they work on cracking the seed because they grasp it between their claws while holding it down on a branch, then they bounce their head up and down, the beak pounding on the seed until they get it open. 

Here's a couple of interesting facts about titmice...a collection of titmice is called a 'banditry' and you can have a 'dissimulation' of titmice. In Cherokee lore, the titmouse is regarded as a messenger.

Sitting on my custom bird-feeder (built specifically to allow me to photograph birds) this lovely fella decides which seed he is going to have for lunch.

Of course, he chose the sunflower seed. Sunflower seeds rock!

This titmouse is perched on the branch of an oleander bush, enjoying a bath from the Kissiar yard sprinkler. 

Digging through Antique Stores...Gonzales, Texas Treasures

Settlers began arriving in the land we know as Texas in the early 1800s from Mexico and the United States, from Germany and Poland, and who knows how many other places. After fighting for their independence, Texas became a republic, and finally was admitted to the Union in 1845. Many cities and small towns in Texas were formed during this period, including the town of Gonzales, which is about 25 miles east of Seguin.

So, you can see that the families that live in most Texas towns have arrived within the last 150 years or so. They travelled with what they could pack in a covered wagon, or in later years, they freighted their treasures by rail. Texans don't have a lot of antiques much older than the towns they settled. Most antique shops in small towns are more like second-hand shops, filled with odds and ends that people have parted with over the years. 

If you have never had the chance to spend some time exploring the treasures and trash in a typical small town antique store, Texas style, let me show you some of the finds I came across  one morning while shopping with my mother in Gonzales, Texas.

 Here's a pair of ceramic Siamese Cats from the 1940s or 50s. Mom had a similar piece that sat on a table top in our living room when I was a little girl.

How about a emerald-green velvet gown, or a second-hand wedding dress? If that doesn't strike your fancy, I spy an old flag and remains of a fake Christmas tree in the background.

If you like old pressed glass, or 33 1/3 Long Playing vinyl records, this is for you.

 Kids don't have a clue when it comes to listening to music like we did when we were young....

Now, this shelf made out of deer legs would not go well in a modern apartment full of shiny gadgets and Ikea furniture, but it would look great in a hill country retreat or a hunting lodge.

Since Richard collects Coca Cola memorabilia, I had to include this old vending machine, sitting outside on the sidewalk. One of the tips to successful antique shopping is to look down low, under tables, and up high, because there is never enough room to display everything at eye level.

If I had not looked up, I would have missed Santa peeking out the window!

Red, White and Blue...Americana Deep in the Heart of Texas

As we approach July 4, I think back to some of my favorite times of the whole year. I love the fireworks, I love the barbeque, and I love the small town parades. Since I featured the Texas red, white and blue incorporated into the Lone Star flag, I thought I would go all-American today. Here are a few photos of the way Texans display pride in the United States of America...

I must add that I do not know any of these folks, but you might...this is my tribute to the wonderful way Seguinites shows their pride in our country, proudly displaying red, white and blue with verve and style.

I Love Texas...The Lone Star Flag Tribute

There's a bumper sticker that says, " I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could."

Folks in the Lone Star State have a tendency to take as much pride in being a Texas as they do in being an American. So, it should come as no surprise that Texans love their flag with the single white star on a background as blue as the Texas skies, with the two bands of red and white forming the remainder of the banner. I don't know of any other state flag that is as much beloved, both as a flag, and as a designer decoration. Here are a few of my favorite shots of the Lone Star flag...

A metal roof on a barn

The American Legion Color Guard

A Fourth of July participant in Seguin's Fiesta Fiesta Parade

A sparkling white pick-up truck sporting both the Lone Star Flag and Old Glory

The Sheriff's Posse in Seguin's Freedom Fiesta Fourth of July Parade

A cowboy boot decorated with the Lone Star, then used as a Christmas tree topper

Our brave soldiers carry the flags proudly.

The miniature train at Landa Park, New Braunfels

Willie Nelson's store has both the Lone Star flag and a Big Red football...how Texas can you get???

A decorative windmill

The Lone Star flag....long may she wave!