The annual scarecrow making contest in the Plum Creek Neighborhood happened this last Saturday. The Claes4 made one, a vampire with a trash-can for a head and we WON for scariest. Sweet.

There were a bunch of great ones this year. Love seeing what kids from Negley Elementary and residents of Plum Creek come up with. Here's a few of my favorites.

First.. ours.

Count Trashcula (Winner for Spookiest)

Jack The Pumpkin King (Winner for Best Overall)

Lovely Lola (Winner for Prettiest)

Disco Doug

Find Your Center
Center St. & I35

Kyle Fire Department Annual Fish Fry
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

I caught Kerry Urbanowicz (Director of the Kyle Parks and Rec Dept.) getting a refill on his fried catfish at the annual Kyle Fire Department's Fish Fry on 10/09/10. I really can't blame him, I look forward to their fish fry every year. It's pretty much the only time I enjoy catfish.

Oh.. and letting the kids climb around the Fire Trucks (which I had to climb inside to... you know.. for the kids) was awesome too.

Summer's End
3rd St.

This is Elvira and Destiny.. aka Ronald and the Hamburgler... at the Plum Creek Dog Fair today. (their humans run the Driftwood Kennels) It was just one of the awesome things going on in Plum Creek. I'll share more. The dog fair was awesome. Great booths, lots of four-legged friends... and really entertaining performers. Woot!

Service Unavailable.
Kyle Flea Market

The Motley Menagerie bathroom guest
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

If you visit the bathroom inside the Motley Menagerie (602 West Center Street) in Kyle you'll be greeted by this pink-haired beauty. I went on a Friday with the kiddos for dessert (I had an AMAZING bread pudding and the kids shared a mountain of chocolate cake) and was also treated to some great Americana/Bluegrass music. More about that in another photo... instead I'll share this story.

My 3 year old had to use the restroom and she went in there... sat down and about a minute later was calling for me. When I went in there.. she said "I can't go potty.... that lady is freaking me out." So I stood in front of her so she didn't have to be watched by the martini-in-the-tub gal.

Good times.

For more on the Motley Menagerie Tea Room, visit - Their Website.

Driving down I-35 I saw this semi (OK I couldn't miss it.. I was in stopped traffic and it was in front of me). What drew me in was the red splotch on the door in the middle of the photo. It took a while to be able to read it... when I realized it was upside down it helped... it says "Awesome God." Sometimes you don't have to say anything to say a lot.

On another note... Happy Anniversary to my wife Jodie today. We were married 9 years ago today (right about the time I posted this actually).

"Her color rose reluctantly and duskily"
Burleson Rd, sunset

The Annual Claiborne Kyle Log House Fried Chicken Dinner was fun this year. We had some great chicken, visited with some fine friends, and enjoyed the original home of Kyle's namesake. Here's a few shots from the day, which was 9/25/10. For more information on the house, visit - http://www.kylechamber.org/KylesRecreationAttractions.php

Beauty Shop
Kyle Flea Market
101 Sunrise Drive

Public Works Building Series

The Emerald City Goes to Seed
Tobias Elementary, Hwy 150

I have been waiting for her to build her egg sac. She's been with us for five months. The morning of the cold front I found her like this.
Atlantis, Kyle, Texas

Superdonuts!
Hwy 150 & Lehmann Rd.

Next harvest should keep Kyle in dental floss for a year.
I35 & Goforth Rd

I am the welcoming committee.
Conoco parking lot, I35 Frontage

Grounded
I35 Frontage Rd.

Resound
Conoco Parking Lot, I35

Southbound Santa Fe
Hwy 81 & Miller

Revenant
Masonwood Dr & Goforth Rd

Harbinger
I35 & Burleson

Opulence
Tobias Elementary, 7 AM

Ghost of the textile industry.
I35 & Goforth Road

Kyle United Methodist Church

Kyle United Methodist Church
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

This is where I'll be this morning.

Kyle United Methodist Church
408 W. Lockhart Street
Kyle, TX 78640

http://www.kyleumc.com

Where do you attend services on Sunday?

Candles

DSCF4650.JPG
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

I shot a wedding on Wednesday at the Kyle United Methodist Church. These candles were lining the alter.

Pizza Classic's Lunch Buffet
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

I put a hurtin' on these pizzas yesterday.

The one on the top is a peperoni, the middle is a meat lovers and the closest one in a veggie. Really good pizza. Really good conversation.

The lunch buffet comes in just under $6.50 after tax. Totally worth the price too.

Pizza Classics
200 W. Center, Kyle, TX 78640
(512) 268-1979
http://www.pizzaclassicskyle.com/

I don't think this was meant to be lawn art.

Barrel Jumping Lane!

So... they made a bike lane on Spring Branch Road in Kyle. There are signs.. and they spraypainted this on the road (I turned this shot 90-degrees so you can make out the image). I think it's supposed to be a bicyclist... bus as soon as I saw it I decided to call the lane the "It's OK to jump barrels here" lane. If I were that stick figure I'd have gone for two though...

I walked my daughter to the neighbors before school today and on the way home I saw this wasp nest in the bush between our homes. I think the wasp in the middle was watching me. He probably knows I destroyed the nest he tried to build on my back porch.

Train tracks in Kyle, Texas

Train tracks in Kyle, Texas
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Just a fun little photo of train tracks in Kyle. If you live in town... you meet the trains quite often.

This is Pastor Dave Dillon of the Kyle United Methodist Church. He's nobody.

His sermon today was about Faith. In a nutshell his point was the fact that your actions are greater than you. If you are doing God's work, it's Him you are serving and to Him all the good that comes of it. People will not remember you per se... but will remember the act of kindness. You are nobody.
(At least that's what I took from it).

DSCF3770.JPG
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

There is a posted rule at The Jumpy Place, an indoor bounce house in Kyle, that there are NO ADULTS allowed on the rides. Yes.. that's me sliding down the BIG slide.

For the record I got permission to help my 6 year old go down. She only had to do it once with me there and she was a slidin' fool.

The Jumpy Place
http://www.thejumpyplacetx.com/

You can own this Quilt... for $1

DSCF4255.JPG
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

A local club of artisans known as the "Kyle Quilters" have made this large quilt (It's like 6'x6') to raffle off in their annual quilt raffle. The were selling tickets at Market Days this past Saturday. I bought 6 tickets for $5 (you can also buy 1 ticket for $1). About 4 years ago I won the quilt they were raffling so I really like participating in this raffle. I think they'll be at the next Market Days which will be held October 2, 2010. Then they'll be raffling this off at the Kyle Fair and Music Festival (which runs from October 14-17 with the bulk of the events on Friday/Saturday).

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GROUP
Kyle Quilters are made up of a group of spirited, local women and one man who love quilting. They are one of Kyle Area Senior Zone's most popular groups and meet monthly on the second Monday, 6:30pm and the third Saturday, 8am - 4:30 pm. Visitors are welcome. For more information, call Kathy Gilson at 449-6565 or email gilsonk@hayscisd.net. (From: http://www.kasz.org/community.htm)

Milt's Pit BBQ was rocking (well... acoustically anyway) as Kyle Lehnhoff and Chris Brown played a set of great americana, rock, and blues covers. I took the little girls and between songs Harper (age 3) started strumming Chris' guitar and he asked if she wanted to sing.. he handed her the mic and she rocked out "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to rave reviews by the dozens of folks in attendence.

 

I didn't catch THAT on video.. but I did get a couple of others. Here ya go:

 

"Gnat House" (mini-birdhouse)

"Gnat House" (mini-birdhouse)
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Yesterday was Kyle Market Days in town and the family went to check it out. We came across a booth that was selling mini-birdhouses... but they called it a "Gnat House." The thing is about 2" x 2" in size. They were selling tiny ones for $1 and "mosquito houses" for $2.

We ended up buying 5 of them... Can you say Christmas Stocking Stuffers?

Here's the info from the business card I picked up:

Soco Rustics - Functional ART
512-243-9615
Bill Ashmore - billdu@copper.net

Home in Kyle, Texas

Classic-looking home in Kyle, Texas
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

This is a home that is located in Old Town Kyle (that's not an official name.. but it's the area in town that existed before the big growth of the last decade).

This home is beautiful... and I like the decor in the yard as well.

My fence needs a window ( in Kyle, Texas)

My fence needs a window ( in Kyle, Texas)
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

I don't think I've ever seen this before... but what a great idea. This fence has a window. It reminds me of a bad joke I once heard...

"Joe Smith" was walking next to 15-foot concrete wall one day and he heard a bunch of people on the other side chanting "fifteen...fifteen...fifteen." He kept walking and he came upon a small hole in the fence.. he heard again "fifteen...fifteen...fifteen" so his curiosity got the best of him and he knelt down and looked through the hole in the wall to see what was happening.

Suddenly someone on the other side poked him in the eye... and everyone cheered and started chanting.. SIXTEEN...SIXTEEN SIXTEEN.

:) Have a nice day.

The Intimidators - Summer 2010 Champs
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Just in case you're out of the loop... Kyle Texas has become the home of an AWESOME adult kickball league that is organized by the Kyle Parks and Recreation Department. This year there were 8 female teams and 16 Co-Ed teams. This past Saturday was the Co-Ed Tournament. The tourney started at 9:00a.m. and ended just about 10:45pm. This photo is of the first place winners, THE INTIMIDATORS. If they look tired.. it's probably because they had to play their first (of 5 games I believe) game at 9:00a.m.

I play on a team formed through my church (the Kyle United Methodist Church) called PRAY BALL. We took 11th place.. and it was a place well earned.

I'm looking forward to coaching next season for Pray Ball.. and to playing The Intimidators. They are our kickball BFFs. A great group of folks who know sportsmanship and healthy competition...

If interested here's the rest of the tourney photos I took:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seanclaes/sets/72157624717470601/

If you're in Kyle... and you want to play kickball, the next season will start in November. Check here for details - http://www.cityofkyle.com/parks/adultkickballleague.php