332/365

Abilene, Texas Christmas Tree

This Christmas Tree is located in front of City Hall.  It was just about dusk and the lights were already turned on which made for a nice photo.

My heart is happy that:

Even though we can celebrate Jesus everyday, we'll soon be officially celebrating His birthday

331/365

Mary & Baby Jesus

This is just an isolated section of the full creche scene that's on display in the yard of the church where the lighted angel is blowing her trumpet at the front door.  The entire scene is beautiful.  I don't usually post more than one pic each day, but this time I will just so you can see the context.

My heart is grateful for:

Jesus and His atoning work

 

330/365

Lighted Angel

I happened to be in town today right around dusk.  I was attracted to this church because it had colored lights on the steeple.  Once I got to the building, I saw this beautiful lighted angel, on the side of the main doors.  I had my tripod with me so even though it was a slow shutter-speed, it turned out sharp.  

My heart is grateful for:

the peaceful and productive day I had today

329/365

Curious Goat

While doing a session for "kids in a box", this goat had to see what was going on.  

My heart is grateful for:

curiosity

328/365

Christmas Parade

Every year Abilene holds their Christmas Parade the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.  This was huge one.  It lasted, from the first entry to the last, about 1 hour and 50 minutes.  It was very mild that night and there were a lot of people still there for the entire parade.

It's brutal taking pics with a real camera in the dark.  After about 7 tries, I put the camera away and just watched the parade. This is the only image I took that was even remotely worth posting.  I always wonder why the event planners think the parade is better in the dark.  

My heart is grateful for:

the moderate weather after the brutal summer we had

327/365

A larger version of the tiger's eyes, seen on a wall on a loading dock.

May heart is happy that:

my roommate, who is now my ex-roommate because she got married, will be back on Monday and will be taking her cat out of my home.

326/365

An Open Book Mural

This is a mural seen in the window area of a bookbinder in downtown Abilene, Texas.  The colors are beautiful and the implication of opening a book and being totally surprised is great.

My heart is happy for:

for my love of reading and all the good literature (and some not so good) that I've read in my life

325/365

Brick Wall  background

Not a very exciting image, but I thought it would make a wonderful background for text or a photo of some sort.  It's a wall on the outside of a business downtown and it looks pretty deliberated.

My heart is grateful for:

the leftover brisket I brought home from Thanksgiving dinner

324/365

White Home

This structure is referred to as the White House by the locals.  I've been here for 4.5 years and this is what it's looked like the entire time.  Rumor has it that a husband had this built for his wife, but they never lived there.  I don't know what the rest of the rumor is, I don't know why it hasn't been inhabited. Seems a shame though.

It's a bit more house than I'd want, but if I liked entertaining this would probably be just the place to do it.

My heart is happy that:

I don't have to pay the taxes on a "home" like this

323/365

Tiger Eyes

This is a portion of a wall mural I saw while walking around downtown today.  I don't know if it has anything to do with the business, but I think it's beautiful

322/365

Another Fire Escape

I've walked past this fire escape many times, but today it finally occurred to me that there's a little enclosure at the bottom, which I've never seen with a fire escape before.

My heart is happy because:

I finally remembered to dress for the weather when I went out looking for photo ops today

321/365

Downtown Business

This is one of the downtown business in town.  The lowest level is an office supply business and I'm not sure if the upper three levels contain any active businesses.  It sure is a beautiful building and it would make a great apartment building.

May heart is grateful that:

tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we're having brisket

320/365

Goldilocks & the Three Bears

Abilene, Texas is known as the Storybook Capital of America.  The town has the largest collection of Storybook Sculptures in America.  There are two different parks in town containing sculptures and descriptions.

 

This one is Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  (Goldilocks actually has two legs, the second leg just doesn't show in this image)

M heart is grateful for:

good children's literature

319/365

Building with Reflection

This is a downtown office building in late afternoon with a reflection of another building in the window.

I'm grateful for:

leftover pizza for dinner tonight

318/365

Alleyway Back Door

The back door of a business in Cisco, Texas.  It appears to be a loading area.

I'm grateful that:

my dil's first pregnancy is going well

317/365

Open Mailbox

Walking around Cisco, Texas I saw this open mailbox in front of an adorable house that's for sale.  No house number on the mailbox but a realtor sign in front of the house.

Wonder how long it will stay on the market???  I'm hearing that house sales around here have slowed down.  

I'm grateful that:

It's almost Thanksgiving and I think my sil will be making brisket

316/365

Walton Electric

It looks like once upon a time this building was Walton Electric.  Now, not so much.  

I'm grateful today that: 

I had a reason to spend some time outdoors in the beautiful weather

315/365

Coca-Cola

In a town where there are a lot of empty/abandoned buildings, this wall mural is amazingly well kept. I remember when a coke was almost this price.

When I would get sick as a child, sometimes my mother would go to the drug store and buy coke syrup over the counter.  I've heard there really was "coke" in the syrup.  I always got better and with  no side effects. 

My heart is grateful today:

that I visited and had dinner with my daughter, her husband and the grandkids

314/365

Church Steeple in Ohio

While visiting in Ada, Ohio for a couple of days I saw this beautiful church steeple and had to make an image of it.  I love when the trees are bare and you can see things through the branches.

My heart is grateful for:

the trip I was able to take to photograph a friend's wedding

313/365

Barrel Race

Another from my files.

Two summers ago, before we had to deal with the brutally hot summers we've had recently, these events (Playdays) took place mostly at Cowboy Church arenas on a Sat night.

My heart is grateful for:

God's creativity and the beautiful animals He created

312/365

Hat on Table

I was in a cowboy mood when I took this pic.  

This week has been crazy busy:  

getting ready for Election Day on Monday, 

working the polls on Tuesday, 

returning the election equipment on Wed,

 spending time finishing last minute details on Thurs before leaving for Ohio on Friday, 

photographing a rehearsal dinner Friday night, 

then the wedding on Sat, 

then traveling back on Sunday.  

Sheesh, I don't want to rush my life along, but I'll be glad when this week is done...

All good, fun things and this craziness is an anomaly in my life

I"m grateful that:

life changes on a dime sometimes and it's fun to just go with the flow

311/365

Hawaiian License Plate

I love vanity license plates.  I look for them everywhere I go.  Here in Texas, I guess people don't have so much imagination because in over 4 years I've only seen two or three.

So here's one from my files.

My heart is grateful for:

creativity

310/365

Tall Grasses

I read a book a number of years ago called "Tall Grasses".  It was about one of the internment camps in the United States during WWII.  It was a really good book...I should try to find it and read it again.

This image from my files made me think about it.

My heart is grateful that:

I got called to assist for a photo job, spur of the moment.

309/365

Comal County Courthouse

This beautiful limestone courthouse is located in New Braunfels, Texas, the county seat of Comal County.

New Braunfels is the largest city in Comal County.  It was settle by German immigrants and as of 2014 the population was 63,675.  The tower, seen in this photo, is 83 feet tall.

 308/365

Blanco County Courthouse, Texas

This incredibly beautiful courthouse is seen in the town square of Blanco, Texas.  The building was constructed in 1885-1886 by Austin Architect Ernst Ruffini.

It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

My heart is grateful for:

A good trip to New Braunfels, TX with some friends

307/365

The Skate Key

Look what I found! 

I've been looking for one of these for years and they're incredibly difficult to find.  I went into an amazing antique store in another town and he had, not one, not two, not three, but four of them.  I only needed one.

My heart is grateful for:

random trips with friends

306/365

I was at the coffee shop, A.G.A.I.N., yesterday and there was this pumpkin decorating the table with the faux fireplace in the background, so of course I had to get a photo of it.

My heart is grateful for:

changing seasons even though it's mostly summer here all the time

305/365

Three Blankets

Three ladies in my church are having babies within a month of each other at the beginning of the year.  I decided to crochet blankets for them and I wanted to be done with them so I wouldn't be scurrying around at the last minute to finish them.

There will be two girls and one boy.  

These are fun to make, but three right in a row....I'm glad to be done with them.

My heart is grateful for:

new life