Misty days in Seguin

We have had good rain in South Texas lately. Which is very nice, especially once summer rolls into fall b/c it might not rain for 2 months straight, as it can do sometimes here.

I have been enjoying the misty days the past several days. The yards are all so green and trees are budding, many have full leaves now and blooms of all sorts are popping up everywhere. This is one of two blooms coming out on a cactus in the backyard.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

I ran to the store the other day and as I left, I was struck by the image of so many Our Lady of Guadalupe figures, arranged like an army marching out. I liked it for some reason. I love the colors. People like to decorate their yards here in South Texas. And I have seen many Lady statutes around Seguin. She is rather tall, the statute, as you can see if you notice a customer lurking in the background. Maybe she bought one, I didn't stay to find out.

Lonely Kitty

I know this is not a problem unique to Seguin, but I am worried about the number of cats we have running around. They are everywhere. My little Smokey does run around outside but at least he has a home and he usually sticks around the house within a house or two.

Everywhere I walk or drive, I see so many homeless cats. Even at Starcke Park, there are always at least 3 or 4 that we see. My husband use to work for the City of Seguin and at one time early last year, he said there was a family of 14!! They just kept having babies. And people would just come and leave out food and water.

This cat was one of at least 3 grown cats that I saw in a vacant lot. She was not too frightened of me and let me photograph her but she didn't let me too near. All 3 were very curious about us and why we were there.

Bluebonnets in bloom

When I first came to Texas 12 years ago, I was awestruck by the sea of blue blooms along the highway as I commuted to work. The blue sea was created by the thousands of Bluebonnets, one of the most beautiful wildflowers I have ever seen. Blue flowers were not something I was use to at the time and I just fell in love with them. And I still am. Along College Street in town, there is a house and every year, they have these gorgeous flowers in their yard. This year is a good year b/c we received plenty of rain and enough cold weather so everyone is saying we should have some beautiful flowers. I didn't have to adjust the lighting and color on my shots and you can see how vibrant the blue is! For more photos of the Bluebonnets as well as a flowering Dogwood (a favorite from my home state, North Carolina), view my flickr set.

Thank you to those of you who have posted recently on the Seguin DP. Especially about the ZDT Amusement Center. I am glad you are enjoying the posts and I hope you keep visiting and posting comments. Perhaps I will visit the INSIDE of ZDT soon and then I will provide a follow-up posting. If you have any requests for entries, photos or whatever, let me know and I'll try and capture a piece of Seguin for you.

Amy & Kathy's

I don't get to lunch in town often so I always enjoy going local when I get a chance. My friend took me here and it was very nice. Had their shrimp & avocado cocktail and a panini sandwich. Very tasty and the price is not bad. I like the location of the sandwich shop --- on the square downtown. So if you're on jury duty, this is a great place to check out and then you can grab a cup of joe at Chiro Java along the same block.

King Ranger Theatres

The only first-run theatre in town. I have been there once but it's been open for several years now. It's just a little too young for me (teens) but it's nice for them to have a place to go in town. I do like their star logo.

Spring is in the air!

That's my cat Smokey relaxing on the grass. Now that it's warm in Seguin, he's spending more time outside. I spied him making friends with a new cat. I haven't seen her before. I think she's a she anyway. They were doing a funny follow-the-leader, slow walk around the yard. Very interesting to watch the animals (birds, squirrels, etc.) enjoying the change in weather.

Old Fire Station

This use to be a fire station. It is the American Bank of Texas and I just like the red brick of the building a lot. Makes me think of North Carolina where I use to live and still miss. We use lots of red brick there.

Ahoy mate!

I love this company we have in town. They are Waterworks Experts Inc. and I posted some frogs I first spotted last July. I pass the Experts everyday going to and from work and I find myself wondering what creature, vessel or other structure I will see. It's so fun! And what a cool thing to think Seguin is home to a group of people whose work is used in waterparks across the nation! I wish I knew where each piece will travel to and call home.

The Aumont

Per a request from an anonymous visitor, here is a shot of the Aumont Hotel. There is now a dance hall in there along with some office space and apartments. I think it would be neat to live there and to be near the center of town. We see more and more activities all the time downtown and the area is looking very nice.

The one story adjacent space is now a pool hall. Haven't checked it out yet but want to. It's immediate previous life was spent as a tattoo parlor. That didn't last long however.

New Year Money

For Lunar New Year, I like to give unusual currency for fun. We don't typically spend what we give each other. We like to keep it as a momento. I liked the $2 bills from my sister but I was so excited when I saw they had introduced a new dollar coin. I love coins and these have a wonderful feel to them. I'm going really try and circulate a ton.

Happy New Year!

According to the Lunar calendar, today is the first day of the new year. This year is the year of the pig in the Chinese zodiac. One of the things one does is to offer thanks to Buddha and also to your ancestors. And to ask for additional blessings in the new year. On the ceremonial table, you will find things such as water, coffee, cookies, candy, meat fill rice cakes, and other yummy treats.

Hagn House Retreat and Spa

I passed by this and was surprised to see it. I've been in Seguin for over 8 years and now all of a sudden, spas are popping up all over town. There's this one and another one, FX Spa or something. And then there's the medical spa, that's one on the fancy side so I'll swing by sometime and snap a shot.

I haven't tried any of these spas in town. I've only been to one and it was Patricia's in San Antonio. I get massages at the Hair Haus, where the staff educated me on how people have different meanings for "spa" and your spa experience at one place may be totally different from your spa experience at the next place. It was all very interesting.

Going back to the Hagn House, I'm curious if you can hear traffic and such since Kingsbury is a rather busy street right in front of the house.

Where's our veteran?

It was really cold that day but we wanted to see if the memorial brick for Calvin Williams had finally been placed. And we found it (thankfully) within about 20 seconds. Calvin was a Buffalo Soldier, was stationed at Fort McKavett (after marching hundreds of miles on foot) and settled in Seguin. He was also the grandfather of "Smokey" Joe Williams, who later was an amazing pitcher in the Negro Leagues. Joe was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999. I know all this b/c my husband has done extensive research on the Williams family.

Misty Guadalupe River

This was taken last week actually but I only have some time and a good connection for posting it. This was on one of our ice days and we got to play hooky from work. It was very nice that the City of SA decided to close rather than have employees try to make it to work.

I really liked the misty setting when I saw the river. It was about 29 or 30 degrees that day.

Arctic Blast!

I am sure you've seen our area on the news the past couple of days. It's not everyday we have arctic air blasting through here with ice, sleet and snow! Seguin didn't get any snow unfortunately but the icy conditions did give us an "ice day" which made me feel like I was in school again. A day off meant lots of knitting, watching news coverage of the big storm and lots of photos being taken, of course! To be near and below freezing for so many consecutive days is rare here in South Texas.

Mark was nice enough to scrap ice off the car and drive me around town in search of interesting things to photograph. I had several cool shots and it was hard for me to pick one but I decided on this light. Love all the icicles!

Update on the Memorial

You may recall I posted a shot of the Guadalupe County Veterans Memorial November 8. Well, every time I drive by, it appears that they have added another component to it. I thought it was completed already! Personally, I liked it as it was on Nov. 8. It seems a bit busy now though I do like the eagle. What do you think?

Mockingbird on Pecan

Happy new year everyone!

This one is for Annie of Little Rock. This is from my kitchen window looking up into the pecan tree in our backyard. The birds were very active this weekend. The weather has been gorgeous after the rain last weekend. Temperatures are in the upper 50s, lower 60s during the day. And as you can see, no clouds! It was gorgeous.

I also spied this cool woodpecker. There were two of them flying around and I wanted to practice with my new digicam. More pics of the backyard animals are on my Flickr page.

Cruella De Vil

I loved this car! It looked so coooool! Where are the dalmations?

Gingerbread House

I don't know how long ago their tradition started but in the 10 years I remember driving around Seguin, this home decorates for Christmas. It's a gigantic g-house! The little gingerbread people move -- the cowboy's lasso moves round and round, the decorators' arms move up and down with the strings of lights, etc. It's a pretty big job and lots of people stop by to admire the scene.

Fall finally arrives!

I was doing stuff in the kitchen and noticed that it finally looks like fall in Seguin. That's a crepe myrtle in my neighbor's yard. The pecan trees don't really turn color. They just somehow go from green leaves to brown leaves. Nothing in between. And then the leaves drop all around. And yes, we probably can use a rake...

Pool Company

I have always liked this cute little building! I love the color and the waves.

Toasty

Another shot of Hair Haus but this time it's inside...where you can get toasty with hot stones. I've had wonderful massages here but haven't tried the stones yet. Everyone have a great weekend!

Texas Theatre

I have posted the Theatre before but from a different angle and on this day, the lights were on, which I rarely see!

Christmas Lights

The square is now all lit up for the Christmas season. I took tons of pictures but none came out like I hoped or envisioned so I'm still working on it. Meanwhile, I'll at least post this one. I love Christmas time.

Hair Haus

This is my all time favorite place to get my hair cut. And that covers the places in North Carolina as well as the San Antonio places I have been in the past. The owner is named Audra and she opened her new building last year. She's a great stylist and the place is so cool, cute and super clean. For a small town, this is a real treasure. You can get your hair done and also do the nail pampering as well as super massages.

Unique Home

Such a cute little house. Not sure I want one for myself but I like driving by and looking at this one. I wonder what it's like inside and it is very small.

Pecans

It's that time of year again. No, not just Christmas! It's time to harvest pecans (or buy somebody else's harvested work). These were picked up from our front yard. There are lots of pecan trees in Seguin, as you may recall from an early post I had of our Big Pecan.

This year, the worms did not kill off the harvest but as usual the squirrels are doing their best at eating up anything they can get a hold of. What kills me is that they only eat 1/3 or 1/2 of the pecan and then they toss it down. Anyway, that's another story. I am not fond of our huge population of squirrelly squirrels.

I missed the PecanFest this year. Not sure when they had it down at the Pecan Bottom but it has not yet grown much beyond a display of pecans and printed info and occassionally some baked goods.

I will soon snap a shop of a great place to go for pecans and other gifts -- Pape's Pecan House, home to yet another "big pecan." There's a dispute over who has the right to claim this.

Downtown Building

Another one of the many old buildings you find near or on the square in downtown Seguin. Just posted a shot of a downtown building in San Antonio as well. Just a happy coincidence. The first level is not unique but the 2nd floor has possibilities I thought as I gazed at it while at a stop light. If you click on the pic and look at the details on the 2nd floor, it's pretty cool and has great potential. Looks like there used to be big windows up there, which would be consistent with other buildings along there. Might be fun to have an office or apartment near the square, especially during Christmas and other event times.

Doll House

This is the fanciest doll house in town. It is attached to a historical site so I'm not sure who the owner is or how it is used. It's an interesting find in a not-so-well-traveled part of town.

Guadalupe County Veterans Memorial

This memorial is not yet completed -- there are still many memorial bricks purchased that need to be cut and placed around but it still is very nice. This is located on the square, at the corner of Austin and Court Streets. The great pecan is close by, just beyond this memorial. It had to be moved in order to accommodate this new feature. Oh, this is also in front of our courthouse.

Cup of Joe

This is our only "real" coffeehouse in town. I really enjoy it and was so glad that we finally got our own place in town. It's on the square and there is a good selection of coffees, cold beverages and snacks. Last time I was there, there were also 2 computers with net access. Don't know if they have wireless yet. I'll check it out soon.

A lot of the downtown storefront properties seem to be owned by the Vivroux family (big name in town). I notice most of the buildings have two stories and the top floors are often not in use. I don't know if it's storage areas or what. It'd be cool to convert those into downtown apartments down on the square.

Big & Tall

It is hard to get a great picture of this place from a distance b/c buildings, power lines and other things get in the way. I have always thought it a bit creepy myself. I have been in Seguin about 9-10 years and this place has been out of commission the entire time. I am not sure who owns it but the properties near it have been, are being or will probably be soon redeveloped. I think it's a neat looking place, with the adjacent silos and all. Maybe they can develop something which incorporates the basic structure here. I'd love to be able to go up there to get a view from that height. Maybe.

Emu Oil

It was Trade Days in Seguin this past weekend. Lots of crafty stuff and then I saw this vendor. How funny. Who knew emu oil had so many uses for ailments! Have you used any before??

Breakfast tacos

This old filling station has been turned into a taqueria with a drive through for quick pick up. I love the potato and egg tacos the best. Yes, there was a bit of a line but it's worth the little wait. Yum.

Pumpkins Galore

Across from our home is the gigantic United Methodist Church and every year, they have their huge pumpkin patch set up for the entire month of October. I love looking at all the different shapes and sizes of pumpkins. Haven't had a chance to really inspect them up close yet but I will.

Last year I took the kids of a friend, set of triplets, to check out the patch. We had a blast. I was exhausted. Here are some shots of the fun you can when selecting pumpkins with young, energetic kids. Pumpkin Shopping.

Palace Theatre

I was driving past the Palace Theatre yesterday when I noticed they are actually going to show a few movies this month! What a treat. The owner runs movies from time to time but I am not sure when. I wish the theatre was open always! I love the place. I am going to try to catch Rear Window, it's one of my favorites.

La Paleteria

It may finally be a little chilly here now (low 80s daytime, upper 40s night time) but I can always go for a scoop of chocolate chip mint! I never see much traffic at the shop so I sure hope they make it and stick around. There a tons of flavors and it's a really nice treat.

Smokey Joe Williams

Doesn't he cut a fine figure? This photo is not mine but I have developed quite a fondness for it after looking at it so much over the years since Mark started researching him. Smokey Joe was born and raised in little old Seguin. He became one of the greatest pitchers in baseball. He only got to play in the Negro Leagues because baseball was not integrated. Smokey Joe was born in 1886 in Seguin and died 1951 in New York. We went to Cooperstown for his induction in 1999.

Police Headquarters

This is our new police headquarters. Very nice upgrade from what they had to work with up to now. For some reason, I really like the look of the place at night. I like the lighting and the way they did the name. Very cool.

First Sunday

We go to Second Baptist Church in Seguin and on the first Sunday, there is communion. The deacons of the church help the Pastor with it and here we have the deaconesses, members and wives of the deacons. I love to see them in their white. Currently I am trying to find out the significance of the white covering they have on their heads. Someone asked me about it but I didn't know either.

Is someone watching me?

Do you think these sensors really work? We are getting these installed all over our town of about 25,000. The gadgets are on top of street lights and should sense when vehicles approach and they are suppose to help traffic flow, keeping to a minimum long lines and pile ups. However, there are times, when I sit at a red light and there are no vehicles approaching from the other directions for miles and miles it seems. Does this ever happen to anyone else?? Oh, and of course it turns green right as I decide to snap the photo.

Price War

Wow, I can't remember the last time I saw fuel price dip down to $2.10! I shot this on the way in to work this morning so no one was there yet as it's Saturday morning. However, last night my husband and I saw many cars lined up at the station to fill their tanks.

Fountain

Currently I am fascinated by water as we were so dry the last few months. I liked the way the light hit the water or is it the other way around. Anyway, I love water.

Juan Seguin

One of the founding fathers of Seguin. I'd recite a history for you but it's very lengthy!

Please rain!

I like this picture a lot because I love water. Which is why it has been so hard lately here in TX. We are very dry and I'm not sure I remember what rain is like! Please rain soon!

Kind of Asiany

This now houses some businesses and just off the town square. I love the color and look of it. I took this as I sat in my car at a light. I got lots of looks as cars drove past me.

Laid Back

Life in Seguin is pretty nice and quiet, even for almost 25,000 people. I like being there b/c it is a slower pace, you can get most everywhere in 5 minutes, there are rarely traffic jams and it's got charm. Not everyone is as relaxed as my kitty Smokey, but almost.

Belated Portrait

Hi everyone, I am back from my NY-CT trip. Had a great time but am glad to get back home. Since I was traveling on the theme day, I hope you don't mind I post this belatedly. It's me and my honey during vacation. Have a great day!