May Your New Year Start Swimmingly


If you need to find me tomorrow between 1 and 3p.m. I'll be in the pool.
POLAR BEAR TIME!

Happy New Year everyone! Be safe and have a fantastic time tonight!
We're having a few neighbors over for sausage, black eyed peas, and tamales.

What is your New Year's tradition?
(We have black eyed peas for good luck)

Many parts of the U.S. celebrate the new year by consuming black-eyed peas. These legumes are typically accompanied by either hog jowls or ham. Black-eyed peas and other legumes have been considered good luck in many cultures. The hog, and thus its meat, is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity. Cabbage is another "good luck" vegetable that is consumed on New Year's Day by many. Cabbage leaves are also considered a sign of prosperity, being representative of paper currency. In some regions, rice is a lucky food that is eaten on New Year's Day.
(From: http://wilstar.com/holidays/newyear.htm)

Windmills of Change

Welcome to the day before New Year's Eve. Here's another of my 2003 shots I found. I used to drive by this windmill almost every day. I just love the way it looks and the fact that you'd never know that across the street is houses... and it's about 1/4 mile from the golf course...

Well.. happy pre-New Years Eve!

Classic II

This year seems like it's going out like a lamb... or sheep... or mountain goat... (I'm trying here)... hopefully 2007 will come in like a lion!

I took this shot back in 2003... If I remember correctly I snapped this shot at a field that now has a home on top of it. I doubt the house is as interesting as these animals.

Happy Friday!

Classic Shots


I was going through some of my old photos on my computer and I came across a few shots from 2003 that I took... so in the interest of the upcoming new year... the next few days I'll post the "out with the old... in with the new."

Here is one of my favorite homes in Kyle... more to the point I really love the way the old wire fence (I'm guessing more ornamental than actually useful" is rusted but the owners have decided to leave it be. Something that I think many people do without thinking... replace something when it gets a little old when the truth is... the beauty is in the rust.

Happy Thursday.

This was the scene


This was the scene in Kyle City Square on Christmas Day. I was looking for something to let me know just what the city thought about the holidays... you know.. I was looking for a hint... maybe even a sign.

I found this sign. Yea.
Happy Wednesday.

My wife as a Christmas Ornament


I was sitting on the couch working on the computer the other day and my wife was talking to me... I realized that her head was perfectly aligned between all of the Holiday decor we have up on our "breakfast bar" between our living room and kitchen.

Of course I then had to ask her to move a little to the left...a little to the right... until I had the perfect Kyle Daily Photo shot.
Happy Day After Christmas AKA Happy Return Gift Day!

In "keepers news" Yesterday my wife gave me a raquetball racket and a membership to the gym in San Marcos (about 5 miles south of Kyle). I'm really excited about it.. I have not played raquetball in about 3 years...and I love the game.

What was the best gift you received?

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus!


This was the scene yesterday morning at Church as the church was letting out. The church was still set up from the children's Christmas play from the day before and the tree was all lit up. The band struck up a great rendition of Feliz Navidad.


Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero año y Felicidad

I want to wish you a Merry Christmas
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart



Here it is live... and by Jose Feliciano

Tomorrow is Christmas!


I haven't decided weather I really like this display or think it's entirely too much. I like the way each bush is a different color... I like the polar bear looking at a disco ball... all together I'm not sure though...

I'm very excited tonight because we're starting a new family tradition tonight... Christmas Eve, after getting home from Christmas Eve service at church, we're going to pop some popcorn and settle down to watch my favorite Christmas move... Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas!



I know.. it isn't "The Grinch" or "Frosty The Snowman" or "Ruldolph" but this is the one I recall growing up watching. I'm not sure how many others will recal this one. We actually had to hit 3 places before we found it (Best Buy..no...Target..no...Hastings...YES!). I looked it up on Amazon when I looked the photo up and there's none available...

I've got one now!
Woo-Hoo!
Merry Christmas Eve!


What does your family traditionally do on Christmas Eve?

Two For Saturday

(Here's what yesterday's SHOULD have been had I taken the time to download photos from my camera...)


This is one of the coolest houses in town that puts up a grand Christmas display. I think it's the parsonage for the Baptist Church across the street. I really like the fact that they have a huge sign that remins "Jesus is the reason for the season" but I also laugh a little when I see Santa at the other end of the yard.

I took this this shot in 3 pieces so I could get it all... and I pieced it together.
Happy Saturdayl.... DECEMBER 23!

What is the coolest card you've gotten so far?

Time is Dragon


Three days until Christmas..... Whoa.

Only FOUR Days until Christmas!



I figure now is the time to dedicate the photo blog to Christmas decor... so I'll do that. This house has a big sign that says "Merry TEXmas Y'all." I thought that was a pretty unique way to look at it.

Four more days!!! Woo-Hoo!
Have you sent your cards and gifts yet?

Santa Claus..I KNOW HIM...I KNOW HIM!



The old song goes "Santa Claus is coming to town" but he came by our neighborhood a little early this year... you know.. in order to survey the children to see what they truly want for Jesus' Birthday. This shot is actually my daughter. She's 2 and a half and this is the first time she had no fear of Santa. She had already had her "staged photo" and when there was a lull in the line, she walked up to him to talk a little. She decided to give Santa a little peck on the cheek. I caught it with my camera.

For the record, when asked what she wants for Christmas the answer was toys and books. What kind of toys? Pink toys daddy... pink ones.

Five Days Until Christmas!

We Get A New ROAD for Christmas!

Christmastime in Texas

Swim At Your Own Risk

Fly

Near...far



One of these days I'm going to count all of the water towers in this town... this is the second one I've featured on Kyle, Texas Daily Photo...

The first was on August 8, 2006.

I've not featured the "signature" tower yet... the one in the center of downtown Kyle. I'll do that one soon.
Happy Friday!

Nail biter...



In the interest of close-up photos... I took this one of a tire. Hmmm... wonder what caused this flat?
This wasn't my car... it was at a tire shop (I put a photo up of the shop a few days ago)

Happy Thursday!

What Wood You Do If I Sang Out Of Tune...



It's getting cold out there... I brought the wood pile... the rest is up to you.

I thought this angle reminded me of one of those puzzles in "Games" magazine where they do an extreme close-up and you have to guess what it is....
Maybe it's just me.

You can Totally See The Bottom Of The River From Here!



This beautiful house is on a hill overlooking the Brazos River... when there's not a drought and the Brazos River is actually there.... The dirt you see at the bottom of the photo is the Brazos River. Click the photo to see what it looks like with water...