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. 

The Glory of the Lord on a Texas Evening

Rain Lily Revisited

After my last post on rain lilies, I had a reader interested in getting some kind of idea of the size of these beautiful wild flowers. So, I am posting a couple more shots. As you can see above, the blooms are actually on the small size. Nonetheless, they are gorgeous.

Sunday Evening, Downtown Seguin

There are a few minutes each day where the possibility exists for what artists call "golden light." It can happen soon after the sun rises, or a little before the sun sets. If it happens, if it is not too hazy, if it is not overcast, if everything is just right, for just a few minutes, maybe ten or fifteen minutes, the sun bathes everything it touches with a luscious golden light. Photographers love it. So, as Rich and I were driving through downtown Seguin on Sunday evening, I became aware of the beautiful light hitting the buildings.

Sunday evening is an especially good time to photograph downtown because most of the business are closed and there is almost no traffic. That means I can stand in the middle of the street, if I so choose...and that is what I did. 

Tracking the Garden Anole...on Stucco

I do not know how many little anoles I have in my garden, but I would like to think this is the same one I have been photographing all summer. Oh well, here he is...sitting on the stucco next to the rose bushes. He says hello. Well, maybe he doesn't really care, but  I send greetings to each of you for him.

I hope you have had a wonderful weekend, and hope you have had some respite from the miserable heat (if you are one of my Texas readers). We are so tired of temperatures hitting the 100 degree mark and higher.

We still need rain.

Rest In Peace....Rural Texas Grave Markers

Down a small rural road, flanked by tall grasses and scrub trees on on side and small farms on the other, there sits a tiny cemetery filled with thirty or forty plots. The markers face the east, as is typical in many cemeteries, so the setting sun backlights the hand-made wooden crosses.

Sweet Pine Nuts...Advance Orders Taken Now

Well, the day has finally come. After working on this book for over a year, I have finished it. Yea!!!!

A rich gentleman moves to a small southern town and everyone wants to know why he has a shed full of squirrels. The four Sparks sisters befriend the wealthy bachelor and the fun begins. In the midst of squirrel capers, the congregants of Faith of Our Fathers Baptist Church realize that the doom and gloom of the days they live in will lead to either a  home in glory or eternal darkness. 

Follow the inhabitants of Sweet Pine as they deal with a squirrel whisperer up to no good.


   Advance orders are being taken for anyone interested in reading this funny and yet spiritually deep story. The book is 160 pages, cost is $12 plus shipping if you are not local to Seguin, Texas. 


Here is a little preview to whet your interest....


From the opening chapter:


 A large grey squirrel stared at a pile of sparkling rings and earrings, unsure of which one to choose. The squirrel was sitting on the surface of a honey-gold desk, piled with books, papers, a couple of pens and a treasure trove of jewelry. While it’s tail jerked back and forth every few seconds, it edged closer to the jewels, until it was close enough to stretch out its front paw to move one of the rings. Finally, it grabbed a magnificent emerald cut diamond ring encrusted with deep blue sapphires and stuffed it in its pouch. In a flash, it jumped off the desk and ran out of the room.
     Theodore Lancaster III grinned as he clicked the button on his stop-watch. SQ-22, or Barney, as Reginald had named him, had beaten his previous training time of three minutes and twenty-nine
seconds by almost a whole minute. It wouldn’t be long before Barney was ready for the big time. Theo followed the squirrel, which was trained to return to the special shed that had been built adjacent to the garage.
     Reginald, his long-time butler, personal assistant, and chief squirrel technician, met him as he entered the darkened shed. “He won’t give me the jewels, sir.” Reginald rolled his eyes and cocked his head toward the squirrel sitting on top the opened cage.
     “For goodness sake, Reggie, just open his mouth, reach in and take it.” Theo grinned. He knew how much Reginald loathed the squirrels. Reginald was a very proper British butler, from a long line of butlers, and he would have left Theodore long ago, but he was almost eighty years old, and Theo paid him very well. And, he admitted when asked, he enjoyed life with his boss.        
     Without waiting for a reply, Theodore put on a pair of heavy work gloves and picked up the squirrel. Pinching the squirrel’s nostrils shut forced the animal to open his mouth just wide enough for Theo to stick a finger in. Once that was done, it was easy to retrieve the ring.
He gave his butler a look that seemed to say, “See how easy that was?”
     Reginald muttered a few choice words as he grabbed the now empty squirrel. The little varmit wasn’t going to get any extra treats for this job. Not if he had anything to say about it. That’ll teach him, Reginald thought with a grunt of satisfaction. He shoved SQ-22 back into the cage, secured the opening, and wiped his hands on his white lab apron.    
     Theodore and Reginald had been working with squirrels for several years, now. They had started with a batch of retired military squirrels that had been used for covert missions to spy and gather intel in far away places, but the project had been disbanded when the Iranian government had publicly accused the United States of sending a group of fourteen spy squirrels to Tehran in the summer of 2007. The spy squirrels were never returned to the United States, and the remaining squirrels in the project had been adopted by Theodore. They were all dead now, after serving their country with honor, and they were buried in a deep hole on the other side of the peach trees.



Support your local writer by purchasing a copy of this book...I am sure you will get a blessing out of reading it! You can place an order by emailing me at nancykissiar@gmail.com. I think I am set up to take payment by paypal, or you can make other arrangements if that doesn't work for you.

Rain Lilies...No Worry Here

Cooperia drummondii Herbert

Evening rain lily, Evening star rain lily

I am so glad that God, in his infinite wisdom and matchless love, created a world of beauty and elegance. Some folks have a "green thumb" and create lovely gardens filled with beautiful blooms, but I generally rely on the wild flowers for my garden. Rain Lilies are one such bloom that pops up in my yard every so often, usually after it rains (hence the name 'rain lily') or after I have watered heavily.

You have probably seen them also, if you live in central Texas. They grow wild in fields and yards, but only when they have lots of water. So, in this drought, they are kind of scarce.

This variety of lily usually lasts between 2 to 4 days, turning a soft pink before it withers and disappears. It was named after a Scottish explorer and naturalist who travelled throughout America in the early  1800's. In 1830, he arrived in Velasco, Texas and began collecting plants. For almost two years, he travelled between Galveston Island, the Edwards Plateau, and along the Brazos, Colorado and Guadalupe Rivers.

When times are tough, or something weighs heavy on my mind, I remember the words of Jesus in Luke 12:27:

Consider the lilies how they grow: 

they toil not, they spin not; 

and yet I say unto you, 

that Solomon in all his glory 

was not arrayed like one of these.

Sweet Home Vocational and Agricultural School

Sweet Home, Texas is located about eight miles southwest of Seguin in Guadalupe county. It was settled by former slaves in 1877. Due to a fund set up by Julius Rosenwald, the president of Sears and Roebuck at the turn of the century, the little community build a four room school house in 1924, and the school operated classes until 1962. 

William Stein, "The Giver" donated the land for the school in 1906.

Henry Singletary, the foreman and builder of the school building in 1924. 

 Reverend E. L. Roach is honored as "The Preserver" as he and several church members raised the funds to purchase the school in 1963. It is now used for community functions, including the church homecomings.

When you stand in the school yard, you can see the remains of a small candy store that sold sweets to the students.

Inside the building you can see a couple of the old advertisements for the sweets.

Sweet Home is still a small community in the corner of Guadalupe county. It's history has never been written down in any detail, so there are many stories waiting to be told, I am sure.

Just a Quiet Texas Sunset

A Glimpse into Eternity

Some day, the sky will roll back like a scroll and suddenly, everything we thought we knew will change. God has been planning the triumphal return of his beloved Son, Jesus Christ and believers are told to look up, for our redemption draweth nigh.

This is just a shot of the sun, whose light is so bright, so strong that it has overpowered the camera's ability to capture it in any kind of detail. It makes me think of a doorway of heaven opened up, ready for Jesus to step through. It makes me what to keep looking up.

Wild About the Zoo...Forth Worth

August is not the best time to spend the day at a zoo. It is way too hot!  I visited the zoo in January...much nicer temperatures here in Texas. As I recall, it was cool enough to wear a sweater for a brief period in the morning. Then, it warmed up and it was very pleasant. 

Of course, I had my camera. The gorilla caught my eye as he sat contemplating a shoot of bamboo. 

Later on, he was up against the wall of his enclosure and he looked like he was having a bad day. I have looked at this picture several times, and at times I think he looks like a creature that knows he is serving a life sentence in prison, and at other times, he just looks really, really mad. Whatever his emotional state, there is no denying he is deep in some kind of attitude.

This crocodile was not very large, but I still would not advise swimming in the same pool as him.

Then I saw a lion who stood over his mate and displayed his royal roar for the crowd. She did not look very impressed. I guess she has heard that story more than once. Kind of like a lot of married couples, isn't it?

And for a couple of my friends who love zebra prints, this one is for you...the real thing!

Of course, you can never have too many pictures of flamingos. The colors are so over the top, and everything about them is photogenic.

This is a lizard. He jumped in the water while I was looking at him. I loved his mirror reflection. It makes for a kind of odd photo, but I like it.

Finally, the real reason I went to the zoo...This is a shot of my grandson, who was fascinated with the large aquarium exhibit.  I can't wait until we make another trip to the zoo.

The Scottish Rite Learning Center....San Antonio

Are you a Mason? Have you ever been inside a masonic temple?

Well, I am not a mason, but I have heard a lot about their secret signs and symbols. So, when I had the opportunity to go inside a masonic building, I was primed to look for art and architecture that is distinctly masonic.  There are two main branches of freemasonry, the York Rite and the Scottish Rite.  Yesterday, I attended a ceremony conferring United States citizenship upon a group of immigrants and it took place in an edifice built by members of the Scottish Rite branch of Freemasons.

The first thing that caught my eye was the sign announcing this chapter as the Albert  Pike chapter, the Order of De Molay, for these are two names of men who figure very prominently in masonic history.

 Albert Pike was the Grand Master of the Scottish Rite masons, a general for the Confederate Army during the civil war, and the author of what some claim is the Masonic Bible, Morals and Dogma, published in 1871.

Jacques DeMolay (1244-1314) was a member of the Knights Templar, and during this organization's 200 years of existence, he was possibly the most remembered Grand Master. Did you know there is a link between the legendary Knights Templar and Freemasons? Well, here is proof!

Over the entrance to the building, the latin phrase "SPES MEA IN DEO EST" is written, which means "My hope is in God". This sounds very Christian, yet  Albert Pike issued this statement to the 23 Supreme Councils of the World:

"That which we must say to the crowd is: We worship a God, but it is the God one adores without superstition. To you, Sovereign Grand Instructors General, we say this, that you may repeat it to the Brethren of the 32nd, 31st, and 30th degrees: The Masonic Religion should be, by all of us initiates of the high degrees, maintained in the purity of the Luciferian doctrine." 1


Freemasonry holds that "God" in whom they trust is a mix of both Lucifer and Jehovah, good and evil, light and dark. Here is a quote detailing how the organization of Freemasons view the Christian God (Jehovah) and Lucifer:

"...here it is in plain English who "The Great Architect Of The Universe" that Masons worship really is: "Lucifer is the equal of the Adonay, with Lucifer the god of light and goodness struggled for humanity against *Adonay the God of Darkness and Evil. Albert Pike had only specified and unveiled dogmas of the high grades of all other Masonry's, for in no matter what rite, the Great Architect of the Universe is not the God worshipped by the Christians."Quote from Domenico Margiotta, a 33rd Degree Mason; William Still, New World Order: The Ancient Plan of Secret Societies Page 123 "2


So, when you see such a motto in a Masonic setting, you might be justified in supposing that their God is not the same as the God worshipped by Christians. 


Notice that Lucifer is the god of light? There is much focus on light-bringing in Masonic doctrine. Here are some architectural features that I found that reflect that thought.

Finally, without making this blog too lengthy, I am including a couple of the mosaics I spotted. They are artistically beautiful, and full of symbolism, but that is for another blog....

Masonry has long been full of mystery and has a history that goes back hundreds, possibly even thousands of years. Many United States presidents have been Masons, including George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and both Bushes. Other famous people who are/were Masons include Billy Graham, Joseph Smith (founder of Mormonism), J. Edgar Hoover, and Walt Disney.3


I have been fascinated with the history and influence of Freemasonry for quite some time. So, when I was offered the chance to roam through the halls of a Masonic temple, I made sure I had my camera.  The architecture was magnificent, the art and decor was over-the-top impressive and beautiful. The organization, however, is filled with mystery, intrigue and hints of darkness, rather than light. 




1,2  August 5, 2011.  <http://www.religiouscounterfeits.org/ml_realgod.htm>
3     August 5, 2011. <http://www.whale.to/b/33.html>