Rural Seguin Daily Photo

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

Go here for more wordlessness.

Fireworks 2009

2009-07-06T07:02:00.002-05:00

Every 4th of July I try to get some pictures of the fireworks from the public display in Starcke Park. They always do a great job!

...and the grand finale:

Happy Birthday America!

2009-07-05T17:00:00.004-05:00

These were my favorite patriotic photos taken during Seguin's "Biggest Small Town 4th of July Parade." To see more photos of the parade, visit my other blog.

Skywatch Friday

2009-05-28T20:54:00.000-05:00

Check out other Skywatchers here.

Crane Enjoying the River

2009-05-24T16:34:00.003-05:00

After skiing and boat riding with friends Saturday morning, we decided (well, the kids decided) it was time to take a break for a snack. While we were sitting on the patio munching, Billy noticed a crane across the river. I was too engrossed in my chips to notice the photo op so he asked me if I had my zoom lens. I quickly forgot my potato chips and headed down to the dock with my camera and got a few shots before he flew away.

Skywatch Friday

2009-05-22T07:21:00.004-05:00

View other skywatchers here.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T06:53:00.003-05:00

Summer in Seguin!

Skywatch Friday

2009-05-07T13:00:00.000-05:00

We had just taken our daughter's boyfriend home Sunday night and were on our way to meet friends for ice cream. Although the local Dairy Queen was calling our names, when we saw this sunset my husband knew I'd want to stop for pictures! He's such a great sport! Our friends already had their ice cream when we arrived at Dairy Queen, but maybe once they've seen these photos they'll understand why we took so long!

Be sure to check out other skywatchers here.

Skywatch Friday

2009-05-01T07:07:00.003-05:00

My friend Nancy and I visited a salvage yard yesterday and this is one of the photos I captured there.

Be sure to check out other Skywatchers Here!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-29T06:42:00.000-05:00

Biggest Tree Ornament I Ever Saw!

2009-04-22T22:06:00.005-05:00

Sunday, as I was driving Heather's friend Hunter home I noticed something very unusual in someone's yard. I did not have my camera with me at the time (horror of horrors I know!) but made a mental note to have it with me next time!

Hunter wanted to go to church with us again tonight so I made sure I had my camera with me so I could make a stop. This is the unusual sight that caught my attention earlier in the week:

I don't believe I have ever seen a car hanging in a tree before. Whatever the owner's reason for hanging the bug in the tree...they certainly got my attention. And I'm still not sure it got my attention because of the obvious...it's a car in a tree....or simply because it's a bug and I have always loved VW Bugs!

Upon closer inspection I realized it even had Christmas lights around it! I'm going to have to remember to go check it out again at Christmas and get pictures of it lit up!

After posting this it has come to my attention that my friend Thien stumbled upon this same car and photographed it and posted it back in February. Go check out her blog to see her post here.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-15T07:44:00.001-05:00

Downtown Seguin: Colorful Trade Days

2009-03-31T18:23:00.003-05:00

As my friend Nancy and I wondered around downtown Saturday capturing photos, I took many closeups of the colorful windchimes in one of the booths.

Downtown Seguin: Magnolia Hotel

2009-03-30T20:47:00.006-05:00

My friend Nancy and I spent all of Saturday morning wondering around downtown and browsing the booths of Trade Days for photos. I'll be posting several of the photos I took over the next few days. This post contains photos of one of the historical buildings in Seguin: the Magnolia Hotel. It is one of the stops along the "True Women" tour. For those of you unfamiliar with "True Women," it is the story of the women of the Alamo and the title of the book by Janice Woods-Windle. Check out the True Women website for more information about the tour and the other historical sites of Seguin.

The Magnolia Hotel was built in 1842 and was one of the first structures in Seguin to use concrete.

Nancy and I challenged one another in our photography venture Saturday. One of those challenges was to depict the passage of time without photographing a clock. For my passage of time photo I chose to take pictures of the Magnolia Hotel:

Downtown Stroll

2009-03-20T07:48:00.003-05:00

Last night I met a friend downtown for coffee. Afterward we, along with our daughters, went for a stroll. This is just one of the photos I shot during our walk.

Skywatch Friday

2009-03-06T06:46:00.003-06:00

Port Aransas, TX

To check out other skywatchers, go here.

In My Daughters Eyes

2009-03-02T07:00:00.003-06:00

Heather

2009-02-23T07:45:00.003-06:00

My husband and I drove to Austin Saturday to watch the Seguin Starsteppers Dance Team compete at the Lone Star Sr State Championship. The team did wonderful. You can see more photos on my other blog here.

While Heather and 3 of her team mates were practicing in a hallway I snapped this photo of her and love it!

Skywatch Friday

2009-02-19T21:11:00.002-06:00

Here's one I dug out of the archives, that was taken just up the hill from the entrance to the subdivision where I live.

Check out other skywatchers here.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-18T22:38:00.002-06:00

well...not completely wordless. Remember when you were a kid...or maybe you still do it now...and you'd lie in the soft green grass and just stare up at the sky, making shapes of the clouds? I hope this image brings back such carefree memories for you.

Footprints

2009-02-16T21:43:00.002-06:00

A child leaves footprints upon your heart and you are never the same again.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-11T00:01:00.001-06:00

Be Patient...

2009-01-22T07:40:00.002-06:00

I'm still blogging....just having some temporary (hopefully) computer issues. Keep checking back.

Skywatch Friday

2009-01-16T22:32:00.001-06:00

Be sure to visit other skywatchers here.

Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice

2009-01-10T21:47:00.003-06:00

There's just something about little girls in pink tutus! Can you imagine anything sweeter? I had a photoshoot today for my friend Lisa. Her daughter Chandler is about to turn 3 and wants a ballerina princess birthday party. Photos are needed for the invitations so I was asked to help. I'm honored to have been asked! Here are a couple of the photos. For more, see my other blog or Lisa's blog. Ballerina Chandler is everywhere! :0)

My Favorite Ornaments

2008-12-27T06:45:00.002-06:00

Christmas Ornaments

2008-12-19T07:27:00.002-06:00

My friend Nancy and I went to nearby Bracken Village last week and again last night to photograph Christmas lights there. These are a couple of photos of some ornaments on one of the trees outside one of the shops there.

O Christmas Tree

2008-12-16T07:14:00.002-06:00

I still have much decorating to do, but the Christmas tree is finally up.

Santa's Ranch

2008-12-07T21:51:00.003-06:00

Last night after an evening with family at San Marcos' "Sounds and Lights of Christmas" we went to dinner then drove through "Santa's Ranch" to see the awesome light displays there. We've gone every year for the past several years and they add a few new displays each year. The price has almost doubled since we first began, but still we enjoy taking a carload through and seeing the lights. Most trips find me sitting half in and half out of the car snapping pictures because you aren't allowed to get out of your cars.

Here are some of the many displays seen there:

The entrance

I love the "tunnels" of lights we drive through!

I'm pretty partial to the Noah's Ark scene.

These crosses are set up on a slight hill about midway through the displays, on one end. They are impressive.

The 2nd tunnel, in all blue lights.

None of us can remember seeing the Eskimo and sled dogs on previous visits so I'm pretty sure this is a new display this year.

Of course my favorite is still the carousel.

New Braunfels Square in Lights

2008-12-06T11:11:00.003-06:00

Last night after the Holiday Stroll in Seguin, we went to New Braunfels for dinner and to see the lights I'd heard so much about adorning the square and courthouse there. It was so cold, but we enjoyed seeing all the lights anyway. Heather was worn out after performing dances in Seguin, so she opted to sleep in the car under blankets while Marty and his parents joined me in wondering around downtown New Braunfels.

The New Braunfels Square

The gazebo (also pictured above) was stunning!

Looking straight up into the lights of the center of the gazebo

Freddie, Billie (my inlaws), and me and Marty

The court house is beautiful in only white lights covering it. Notice the star near the top.

Even the waterpark Schlitterbahn is all decked out for Christmas!

Skywatch Friday

2008-12-05T06:22:00.002-06:00

It seems from now through Christmas everyone's eyes will be turned toward the tops of trees for sights such as these:

These were all taken last night at the lighting ceremony in Central Park in Seguin. Each year after the Holiday Stroll Parade the mayor counts down and the lights are all lit and the high school and middle school bands play Christmas carols. I love watching the lights come on for the first time each season every year.

Check out more skywatchers here.

The Many Faces of Renaissance

2008-12-02T20:46:00.004-06:00

Friday Marty, Heather and I (along with my inlaws), attended the Texas Renaissance Festival near Plantersville, TX. I found myself snapping away photos left and right all day long! These are just a few of the faces we encountered at the festival. To see more of our day go here and here.

Riverwalk Lit up for Christmas

2008-11-30T14:34:00.003-06:00

After photographing a wedding in San Antonio on the Riverwalk Saturday night, Marty, Heather and I walked around enjoying the many light displays. I've often said "there's nothing like the Riverwalk at Christmas." See for yourself:

I think the highlight of Heather's evening was when upon pulling up to the booth to pay our parking garage fee Marty looked up and saw 3 teenagers walking into the parking garage. He said, "hey Heather, isn't that your friend Daniel?" Sure enough, it was Daniel and he was accompanied by her friend Samantha as well. Both were band buddies of Heather's who graduated last year. She was so excited to see them but only had time for a brief hug for each because there were cars lining up behind us to pay their fees as well.

Central Park at Night

2008-11-22T20:51:00.004-06:00

I just love downtown Seguin at night, especially Central Park with the colorful fountain in its center. I highly recommend the next time you're at the coffee shop, take your cup and walk out the door and across the street and just sit on a nearby bench watching the changing colors. Very relaxing and meditative. Sort of like sitting and staring into a fire. Mesmerizing.

Signs of Christmas are just beginning to pop up here and there downtown too:

Skywatch Friday

2008-11-20T20:49:00.002-06:00

Thursday night I managed to be out and about at the time the sky was spectacular! I was unable to pull over at the precise time it was the most captivating, but pulled over at the first opportune moment and this was the result. The photo doesn't even come close to doing justice for what it looked like in person!

To check out other skywatchers go here.

Autumn Sunset

2008-11-19T21:11:00.001-06:00

As Heather and I raced down the highway to get to church tonight, we stopped quickly to snap some photos of the gorgeous pink sky. By the time I got to a good stopping point, the sky wasn't nearly as pretty anymore.

Colorful Autumn

2008-11-11T05:59:00.002-06:00

In the (almost) 8 years I've lived in South Texas I've never seen the autumn colors like they are this year. They still aren't very vibrant around here, but we took a road trip to Lost Maples Saturday to see more and they are much better there. Even though the colors are awesome by Texas standards....they still don't stack up to the colorful falls in the Missouri and Arkansas Ozark Hills.

I always get homesick for Missouri in the fall and it's because I love the fall colors and the activities that always came with fall: hayrides, bonfires, etc., so it was great to see a glimpse of color this weekend.

Skywatch Friday

2008-11-07T06:11:00.003-06:00

This was a photo of the sky taken from my backyard one winter a few years ago. As the leaves keep falling, this is how the trees will soon look again.

Be sure to visit other skywatchers here.

Matador Band

2008-11-01T12:05:00.004-05:00

We traveled to Schertz last night to watch our beloved Matadors get stomped again. This is the final away football game and next week is the last game of the season. See my other blog for photos I took of Heather in the "retro" uniform the dancers chose to wear in honor of Halloween.

Here are the photos I snapped of Heather while she marched with the band.

I Went, I Saw, I Drooled

2008-10-29T20:30:00.003-05:00

Saturday Heather and I were downtown helping man a booth for a booster club for one of her school organizations. Heather, bored of sitting in the booth with me wondered around the Trade Days and over to a nearby car show. While at the car show she called me to tell me there was a Vette I just had to come see. Now, Heather is not the fan of Corvettes that her mama is so I was intrigued to see just what this Vette looked like that had her attention. She, like her Daddy, much prefers old Camaros and Firebirds, not that either of those are bad at all...I'd happily drive any of the above. When my shift in the booth ended Heather and I looked around the other vendors' booths downtown and on to the car show to see the Vette, a 1965 Split Window. It was an awesome car, but of all the Vettes the split windows are my least favorite. Now don't go throwing spit balls at me, etc., I do like that car, just not as well as all the other years that I find much sleeker than those.

'65 Vette

We roamed around drooling over the Camaros and admired a cute little MG and I kept thinking Marty would love to be here! Unfortunately Marty had to work and missed all the "eye candy."

It was the wrong time of day to get great photos of the cars, but here they are anyway for the rest of you who enjoy this sort of thing.

OOOOHHHH, my dream car parked next to Marty's dream car!

I don't know what kind of car this one is but it looked fun and very cute!

I even like all the old roadsters.

Doesn't this GTO make you start singing a song???

And for the part of cars that I could care less about, but seems to interest Marty the most...this photo's for him.

And what's not to love about a convertible Camaro???

I've been told by female friends that it is odd that I like these old muscle cars but what can I say? When in school in Arizona I met Marty and all his automotive school buddies and became interested in the muscle cars we all drove back then. Mine was a 1967 Firebird that was so much fun to drive, even if it did need a little work to LOOK more appealing. The car had to go when it became a money pit and there were diapers to buy, etc. I think a part of Marty's heart broke the day we left it behind in Wyoming for a whopping $400 (yes, $400....that just KILLS us now!) and I'm not sure that part of his heart will heal again until he's in another muscle car of his own. So, until then, we'll just have to admire (and yes drool over) muscle cars that belong to others such as these.

Fall is Definitely Here!

2008-10-27T06:30:00.000-05:00

To continue Thien's theme, here are my pumpkin photos. My daughter Heather has decided she wants to carve a pumpkin after talking to Erica about a technique she uses for fine details. So Saturday Heather and I headed to the Pumpkin Patch downtown to choose the perfect pumpkin. We accomplished our mission and took several photos while we were there. The pumpkin still sits on the kitchen counter waiting for Heather to have time to carve it. I'll post those pictures if she ever accomplishes that!

Heather at the Pumpkin Patch

Happy Halloween!

Mighty Matador Marching Band

2008-10-25T23:29:00.007-05:00

Friday night we headed to Boerne to attend the football game. Seguin lost but we always enjoy supporting our Matadors! Here are some of the photos I snapped of the band during the half time show.

Moon

2008-10-19T07:04:00.002-05:00

Driving home from the pep rally Thursday night, I pulled over to take some photos of the awesome moon that night.

Skywatch Friday

2008-10-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

Be sure to check out other skywatchers here.

A Closer Look

2008-10-16T07:23:00.002-05:00

I decided to take a closer look at the photos of the County Fair.

The Kamikaze:

This flag flew over the Tornado.

Kamikaze: Ok, once upon a time this might have been fun for me but I think now it would just make me hurl!

The Kiddie Ferris Wheel

October Sky

2008-10-14T23:27:00.002-05:00

I witnessed a beautiful sunset as I drove into town to pick up my daughter from her after school activities. Of course I had to stop the car and get out to take some photos before continuing the drive to the school!

Half Time Under the Friday Night Lights

2008-10-12T23:26:00.002-05:00

Friday night found us at another football game cheering on the Seguin Matadors. Unfortunately the Mats lost but we still enjoy attending the games.

I took many photos during the band and dance team's half time show.

I love our flags, but I'm sure the flag runners are worn out after each game, running these flags from one end of the field to the other after each touch down.

One of the dance team officers, Ashley.

Although my favorite instrument is of course the french horn my daughter plays, I also really enjoy the sounds of the sax.

My daughter Heather, playing the mellophone (when she isn't marching she plays a french horn).

One of the tuba players.

Mellos. Heather marches in her dance team uniform at the football games because she performs with both dance and band. This makes her very easy to spot on the field! When I attend a band contest and she's in her band uniform I can never find her! Then they all look alike from the stands!!!

Go Mats Go!

Around the Guadalupe County Fair

2008-10-11T22:58:00.003-05:00

This afternoon was spent just roaming around the county fair, looking at the exhibits and taking photos. Marty got off work early and Heather was at a band contest so we invited my mother in law and father in law to go with us and headed to the fair. I had several free tickets for admission and we enjoyed our afternoon of browsing, walking and visiting.

The brilliant blue sky was the perfect backdrop for the bold colors found at the fair.

It seems no matter the variety of rides found in each fair, all fairs have at least this one thing in common: there's always a carousel.

Skywatch Friday

2008-10-11T02:09:00.002-05:00

As we drove into San Antonio for a football game Friday night, this is the sunset view we had from Interstate 35!

Be sure to check out other skywatchers here!

Friday's sunrise

2008-10-06T20:17:00.002-05:00

I was up very early every morning last week so I could drop Marty off at work and Heather off at school. By early, I mean we left the house before sunrise. Friday morning after dropping Marty off at work we got a view of a bright red sun rising over an empty field. Of course the photos don't show the sun as being red, but it was a very vibrant red. I played with the aperture and shutter speeds to tweak the picture some but still couldn't capture the redness.

Foggy Sunrise

2008-10-04T10:05:00.005-05:00

Ok, so getting up at 6 am on a Saturday morning can have its benefits. I had to get up early to drive Marty to work so I could keep the car. I didn't wake early enough to make coffee before leaving and my favorite coffee shop doesn't open early on weekends. My morning was not looking too great.....until I got out from behind all these trees that surround me and I could see that it was going to be a great sunrise! My disposition changed immediately.

Just after dropping Marty off at the shop on the outskirts of town, I was driving in the fog and even through the fog the colors of the sunrise looked pretty cool.

Just outside of town as I was passing the airfield I loved how the sunrise reflected on the morning's fog.

This was taken as I was nearing closer to home at the end of the highway on which I live.

Matador Stadium

2008-10-03T23:59:00.000-05:00

We saw some storm clouds rolling in just as we headed to the football game. As we were sitting down, we saw some lightning, but the storm went right around us and didn't disrupt the game at all.

Skywatch Friday

2008-10-02T21:18:00.004-05:00

Sunset on Lake Placid last Sunday evening.

Be sure to check out other skywatchers here.

The County Fair is Coming

2008-09-30T22:12:00.003-05:00

The Guadalupe County Fair and Rodeo will be here next week. The parade will kick off the festivities this Saturday afternoon. This will be the first year since Heather's been in band that the band will not perform in the fair parade. This year it conflicts with a band contest. With all that's going on next week, there surely will be many photo ops at every turn....

This photo was taken during last year's fair.

Starsteppers

2008-09-30T07:29:00.001-05:00

Seguin High School Starsteppers Dance Team

These are more photos I took during half time of Friday night's football game at Canyon High.

Mighty Matador Marching Band

2008-09-28T15:37:00.003-05:00

More photos of the half time show from Friday night's football game.

This young man did a fabulous job on his trumpet solo.

Friday Night Lights

2008-09-27T01:23:00.002-05:00

I finally made it to a football game. My daughter Heather is on the dance team but due to a sprained ankle was unable to dance tonight. She did march with the band and is hoping to be back to dancing again soon. Here are a few shots I took of the events of the evening. More photos can be found on my other blog.

The Friday Night Lights against a setting sun.

I always wonder if it intimidates the other schools' bands when our band pulls up in so many buses, followed by their own, custom painted semi which holds all the instruments.

Sitting right on the edge of the field gives me opportunities for some close ups of the band.

One of the football players in action.

Skywatch Friday

2008-09-25T19:59:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I did not take these photos...my husband Marty did. And, they were not taken anywhere near Seguin. He took them while on one of his many flights homeward from a recent mission trip to Brazil. But, hey, they are of the sky!!!

Be sure to visit other skywathers here.

For more about Marty's mission trip, go here.

Almost

2008-09-23T20:39:00.003-05:00

I'm still digging up stuff from the archives to post as I'm still not out and about much lately. I'm not sure what kind of flower this is. It's not blooming but I liked how the photo turned out anyway. If I remember correctly I took this in my mother in law's yard.

Skywatch Friday

2008-09-19T05:31:00.003-05:00

I apologize for the long delay in posts here. I still haven't been up to being up and about taking pictures so this one's from the archives and is a sunrise I captured in the mirror of my car one morning last summer.

Be sure to check out more skywatchers here.

Skywatch Friday

2008-08-29T05:00:00.000-05:00

A view of the sky from Interstate 10 on Monday night.

Check out more skywatchers here.

Over the Rainbow

2008-08-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

When we arrived in San Antonio Monday night we saw this rainbow as we headed into a restaurant. I stopped to take a photo of it and was interrupted by the hundreds of fire ants on my foot who all seemed to bite at once. After Marty helped brush them off my jeans, feet, and shoes, I found another location and attempted once more to capture the rainbow.

Through the Windshield

2008-08-27T05:00:00.002-05:00

I took these photos of storm clouds as we traveled along Interstate 10 toward San Antonio Monday night.

My Head's Back in the Clouds Again

2008-08-26T07:36:00.003-05:00

This is what the sky looked like Sunday night as we drove into town for dinner after church. I took these through the windshield of the moving car.

Stained Glass

2008-08-25T06:37:00.001-05:00

This is the stained glass behind the baptistry at the church I attend.

Fire-Gazing

2008-08-24T00:08:00.004-05:00

Who doesn't love to sit and gaze into a campfire or fire in a fireplace? Are there many things more relaxing and peaceful? And can you smell the marshmallows roasting?

Despite the smoke that gets in your eyes, the smell of smoke that lingers far too long on your clothes, the intense heat when it's mid-summer, it's nice just sitting and doing nothing but watching the flames dance before your eyes.

Skywatch Friday

2008-08-22T06:24:00.003-05:00

These are just a few more sky photos of the sunset I watched on Tuesday.

Be sure to visit other skywatchers here!

To check out the local bloggers' social, go to my other blog here.

Where I Wish I Was Right Now

2008-08-21T07:09:00.004-05:00

I know, I know..this is not a photo of Seguin. There will be plenty of those to come. Summer's coming to an end and I wish I could take one more trip to the beach! It is not meant to be, so we'll just visit it again in photos:

Ok, So I'm Just Continuing the Pattern Here...

2008-08-19T21:48:00.004-05:00

Erica noted on the last blog that I seem to have a pattern going since the last several posts have been sunsets and sunrises. I can't help it, that's just what's been photo-worthy lately. And today that proved to be true as well. I've decided Heather should get out of school at 8:00 every night if that means I can watch the sunset on the way to pick her up!!! I was late picking her up tonight because I stopped at least 6 times to get out and take more photos on the way to town. Poor Marty was with me and although he was a good sport about all the stops he did say once that maybe he should have just stayed home! :0)

I noticed the sky right away as we headed into town tonight and waited for the first opportunity to pull over to get a good picture. I stayed there snapping away for quite a while before heading on. The closer I got to town the more spectacular the sky became:

The first thing that caught my eye with this sky are the glowing edges of the clouds.

The longer I watched, the more pink began to show through the clouds and the more they seemed to glow.

Right after I got back in the car for a 2nd time I noticed the sun peeking through and had to stop again. Sorry Marty, it's just what I do.

On the opposite side of the sky from the above clouds, this is what it looked like:

We've had so much rain in the last couple of days we even have a few mud puddles in the sand hills! I walked a little way up the road to capture the sky's reflection in this puddle. Thankfully Marty just pulled the car on up and followed me. :0)

This is what those clouds looked like just before I got into town:

A Quickly Setting Sun

2008-08-19T02:22:00.003-05:00

I guess there is one advantage to having to be the one to go pick Heather up from band at school at night. I drove into town just as the sun was setting. It sure was quick tonight with all the clouds and rain but I pulled along side the road to capture it while it lasted.

When Heather got in the car she said, "Well the sky WAS pretty..." I told her I saw it and even got pictures and she pouted because by the time band was over for her she missed getting any photos of the sunset for herself.

Sunrise Over Lake Travis

2008-08-17T07:46:00.002-05:00

More photos of the sunrise I watched one morning at camp.

Be watching for details for local bloggers to meet soon over coffee at Chiro Java. I know Thien of Seguin Daily Photo will be there, as well as Erica over at Thru My Eyes. How about you? Stay tuned...

Skywatch Friday

2008-08-15T22:44:00.004-05:00

I saw this sunset from I-10 as I was driving to San Antonio to pick up my niece to come spend the weekend with me. I got off the interstate as quickly as I could before the sun disappeared altogether and the sky changed.

As I returned to the car, this is the view of the sky over the interstate in the opposite direction:

Check out other skywatchers here.

Persistence

2008-08-13T22:13:00.005-05:00

I've been away at camp as a counselor for the preteens at our church.

Each morning I woke very early (between 5:30 and 6:00 each day) to get ready for the day (before the bathroom became too cramped with the 30+girls sharing our dorm!) I'd then head to the dining hall to have my morning cup of coffee and enjoy the peace and quiet of each morning before most of the campers had even awakened. I took my camera with me every morning hoping to snap some sunrise photos before time to wake my girls and join the boys for our Bible study time at 7:00. Monday and Tuesday mornings were disappointing as the sky was too cloudy to see the sunrise at all. Tuesday night I was kept up very late with a sick camper and was later than normal getting up because I kept hitting the snooze button on my alarm! I did manage to have time for a quick cup of coffee and not knowing whether it would do any good I grabbed my camera and headed out. The sunrise was awesome! I hurried to get my coffee and walked down behind the campground's tabernacle where there are 3 crosses standing. These are the photos I captured early this morning. My persistence paid off!

Stained Glass

2008-08-10T18:00:00.000-05:00

I attended a wedding this weekend at a small church in Marion and photographed some of the stained glass inside.

(I am away as a counselor at preteen camp. This is the only post I had time to pre-post so it will be later in the week before I have something new up)

Skywatch Friday (late again)

2008-08-08T23:59:00.003-05:00

I don't have any skywatch photos from this week so I'm posting an old one I took back in November of last year.

(This is straight out of the camera, with no photoshop enhancements at all)

Be sure to go check out other skywatchers here.

Hummingbirds

2008-08-07T22:03:00.002-05:00

Tonight as Marty and I relaxed on the deck we watched several hummingbirds fly back and forth between this feeder and the trees.

I thought this one looked pretty regal sitting on his perch.

Anticipation

2008-08-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

I first posted this on my other blog last year, here. I think it's time for a repost and it fits this time of year once again! Who's ready for some football???

The school supplies are purchased, the clothing bought. With the start of school, also comes...

FOOTBALL!!!

The season tickets are purchased, the seat cushion's been found. Past the empty stadium can you see it? Can you feel it? There's a rumbling in the air, louder, louder still...stomp, stomp, clap. Stomp, stomp, clap. Another roar off in the distance....gets louder as more catch on. Can you hear it? "Defense. Defense. Defense." Can you feel the excitement of the first home touchdown of the game? Can you smell the popcorn and peanuts? Hear the cheers from the squad, the notes from the band?

It's with great anticipation we await the Friday Night Lights.

Photo "Adjustments"

2008-08-05T21:27:00.002-05:00

I didn't post anything new last night because I was working on another photo project. I've begun to upload photos to a website called RedBubble where artists and photographers can upload their work to sell as prints, cards, tshirts, etc. I don't know that any prints will sell but it's free and it's worth a shot, right? My husband will be heading off to Brazil this fall with 7 other church members on a mission trip and the whole team has been working hard to raise the funds to go. If you're interested in helping out, head on over to my other blog to see how.

Some of the photos I've uploaded to RedBubble have been "tweaked" before uploading. I've been playing in Photoshop. You've seen this shot recently here, straight out of the camera (2nd photo on that post). I did some tweaking of the colors for that post and removed the power lines. For my RedBubble upload I made some major adjustments as you can see here:

Straight out of the camera:

Here's another I posted recently on my other blog that I changed in Photoshop:

Straight out of the camera:

If you want to check out my RedBubble uploads go here.

Another Sunset on the Guadalupe River

2008-08-03T22:55:00.002-05:00

Our pastor and his wife live on Lake Placid on the Guadalupe River. We enjoyed a nice time of fellowship at their home after church tonight and while we were there I snapped several shots of the sunset and clouds.

Campfire

2008-08-02T20:26:00.003-05:00

There's just something about a campfire that evokes stories from those gathered round it. This was the case in our backyard last night while we relaxed with friends and roasted hot dogs for dinner. Even though it was a hot summer night, we still found ourselves drawn to the benches around the fire as we visited and laughed the evening away.

Skywatch Friday

2008-08-01T17:15:00.001-05:00

This was taken on Hwy 46 between Seguin and New Braunfels last night when Marty and I went for a motorcycle ride. I removed the power lines and bumped up the saturation just a bit in photoshop. The straight out of the camera shot is below.

Check out more Skywatchers here.

Purple Flowers

2008-07-31T23:44:00.000-05:00

I don't know what these are and I'd never seen them before tonight. My husband and I went for a motorcycle ride and I found these in a field near where we broke down. Anyone know what they are?

Deer in My Yard

2008-07-30T21:16:00.004-05:00

As I drove home tonight I was hoping for a colorful sunset to photograph. I made it home before the sun set so I took no photos. But, as I drove down my driveway there were deer right in front of my house. I see them regularly and sometimes they are close enough to photograph. I took these photos from the window of my car. Marty drove up behind me on the motorcycle and they ran away. Maybe tomorrow I'll have better luck with photographs. I've been promised a sunset ride on the motorcycle just to to take pictures!

Sunflowers

2008-07-29T22:09:00.004-05:00

It's summertime and everywhere you look the sunflowers are in bloom, especially in rural areas around Seguin.

The Pond

2008-07-28T20:18:00.002-05:00

This is the pond in the subdivision where I live. Well....I do live in South Texas so I guess I should get the jargon right. Here a pond is referred to as a tank. Where I come from a tank is a very large container that holds water. A pond is a hole in the ground that holds water. I was hoping to catch the sun setting over the pond tonight but due to earlier mishaps that you can read about on my other blog, after taking these photos I was ready to go home. :0)

Playing with Fire

2008-07-27T21:49:00.002-05:00

I got a new lens for my camera yesterday (woo hoo!). Last night while I sat on the back deck visiting with friends I snapped some weird photos of all the citronella candles and torches Marty had lit in an attempt to keep the mosquitos away. Weird or not, I like the way the subtle colors dance around the flames against the black night.

Skywatch Friday (a little late)

2008-07-26T07:25:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, as Hurricane Dolly pummelled the gulf coast, these are the storm clouds she sent our way. Although Seguin was getting rained on when I took these, out here in the country we didn't get any rain until about 2:00 am Thursday morning.

Birthday Cake

2008-07-25T07:26:00.002-05:00

Last night we celebrated Marty's 38th birthday with his twin brother Mike.

Happy Birthday, Guys!!!

Majesty

2008-07-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

Some trees are just made for climbing! Don't you just want to reach up and grab hold of that lowest branch and heave yourself up and just keep going?!

More Colorful Umbrellas

2008-07-23T06:57:00.001-05:00

Colorful Rocks

2008-07-21T19:22:00.001-05:00

I seem to have a rather colorful theme going this week. This is another photo taken at Wonderworld in nearby San Marcos. I saw this display of colorful rocks for sale and couldn't resist photographing them in all their splendor!

Koosh Balls

2008-07-20T21:44:00.002-05:00

I warned you yesterday that I'd taken some unusual photos of things that caught my eye while we wondered around the gift shop at Wonderworld in San Marcos. These colorful Koosh balls are among some of those photos.

Colorful Umbrella

2008-07-19T23:04:00.003-05:00

While we were traipsing about in nearby San Marcos today, I found myself drawn to many unique, intersting things that made great photos. I'll be posting them in the days to come. This one is a colorful umbrella that caught my eye. I didn't notice when I first took the photo that the colors are even reflected in the pole.

Skywatch Friday

2008-07-18T20:59:00.002-05:00

As we were leaving San Antonio this evening to head back to Seguin, this is what the sky looked like!

Check out other Skywatchers!

Sunset View from a Sky Trac

2008-07-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

My husband had some construction equipment at home tonight so he offered to send me up in the air to get a view of the sky. Our property has lots of trees so views of sunsets, etc., are very limited here. I know I should save these shots for "Skywatch Friday," but I am not a patient person and I do have lots of sky photos to choose from for the next Friday post.

The Aftermath of Art Can Still be Art

2008-07-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

I've posted these photos before on my other blog. They are still among some of my favorites, even though my daughter originally thought they were just weird. I attend church in the country, and we host VBS every year for the kids in the area. I usually teach the crafts class. Last year, after a day of painting with the kids I took all the brushes to the kitchen sink to clean them. When I put all those brushes in the stainless steel sink and saw all those colors, and the reflections of all those colors I had to run back to my class and grab my camera. I don't know that any other photos I've taken have ever been this vivid.

Morning Fog

2008-07-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

Early morning fog in rural Seguin.

There's nothing quite so peaceful as a foggy morning. It brings to my mind a stroll in the stillness, as I enjoy my morning coffee and indulge in enjoying a quiet morning.

Kayaking

2008-07-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

My daughter Heather, kayaking on the Guadalupe River in Seguin.

Lake Placid

2008-07-13T00:38:00.000-05:00

Sunset on Lake Placid on the Guadalupe River in Seguin

Chiro Java

2008-07-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

Chiro Java in downtown Seguin. The best place for coffee here.

I haven't been into Chiro in over 3 weeks for coffee. I'm sure Amanda and Jerry think I must have left town! Do you think they'll still remember what I always order when I return? But, coffee and even Dr. Pepper have not tasted good since I've been sick. Thankfully my tastebuds seem to be getting back to normal and I'm ready to try coffee again. Thien and Erica, I'm ready to set our coffee date!!!

PS I know this isn't a rural shot either, but I promise to focus on some rural shots too! Besides, we like coffee in the country too!