Week 48 - Christmas Caroling & The Trail of Lights

Week 48 - Christmas Caroling & The Trail of Lights

You may know the Trail of Lights in Austin. It's magnificent and ends with an enormous Christmas Tree made solely of strings of lights. This is not that Trail of Lights, this is ours. You have to lower your expectations when you come to a town that is roughly a tenth of the size of Austin. Yet, I enjoy the Tour of Lights in San Angelo far more than I have EVER enjoyed Austin's, because this is MY town, and these are MY people. It's small and quaint, and it's all San Angelo. I remember the Christmas of 2015 vividly. It was my first Christmas with my new Bible Study community and this Bible Study goes caroling every year to elder couples and widows. It moved my heart to sing to these souls that have seen so much life, and so much pain, and still follow Christ. After we finish caroling we head over to the Central Post office, load up in a flatbed trailer decorated with twinkle lights. My friend Stephen pulled us through the lights, the sound of Christmas music playing on the portable radio. We wrapped ourselves in blankets and wished everyone we saw a Merry Christmas, and I didn't want to leave, ever. This was my town now and I wasn't going anywhere!

Week 47 - Checkers

Week 47 - Checkers

Checkers, now certainly my mom's cat, was adopted by our family back in 2003. She was the only short hair brown American tabby in a litter full of long-haired cats. She has a bunch of spots on her stomach and that's how she got the name Checkers. She doesn't like to be held but definitely enjoys a good petting and some treats, thank you very much. She's still with us and as entitled as ever, but sweet and quite affectionate to my mom.

Week 46 - Meteorology

Week 46 - Meteorology

I don't know where this Taylor Temperature Barometer originated, and the barometer doesn't work, but I love this little piece of decor. Sometimes I forget how much I enjoy seeing a cold front on its way or bands of snow moving across the area, dropping delicate snowflakes across West Central Texas. It affects me on an emotional level. If you know me, you know I love the cold and should really be living in Colorado, but here we are. So, when the heat returns, because it always does, even in December, I look at this little temperature/barometer and remember the few times when crisp, cold wind blows through the city, bringing the scent of the north, stirring up the remaining leaves left from the fall.

Week 45 - Downtown Photo Walk (San Angelo, TX)

Week 45 - Downtown Photo Walk (San Angelo, TX)

When you live in a town that doesn't have a highway and isn't naturally beautiful (like the way the Texas Hill Country is beautiful) you have to hunt a little harder. I enjoy walking downtown San Angelo because the architecture still has some of that old character. I'm not sure what this building was or even if it's still in use, but I thought those old mailboxes next to the stairs looked really cool. 

Week 44 - Snail Mail

Week 44 - Snail Mail

When was the last time you sent a letter? Not a Birthday card or Get Well Soon card, but an honest to goodness"how are you doing, here's what's up in my life" letter? I can't remember the last time I did. Email has all but wiped out mailing letters. I think I'll send one before the year is up.

Week 43 - Trimming the tree

Week 43 - Trimming the tree

Putting the Christmas tree up every year is one of my favorite activities, but it wouldn't be half as special if I didn't force my friends to help. Whether they enjoy themselves or not, I do and that's what's important, right?!

Week 42 - Simplicity

Week 42 - Simplicity

How often do we get caught up in making things complicated, when they could be quite simple? 

Week 41 - Street Photography

Week 41 - Street Photography

I didn't hear about street photography until I stumbled upon a YouTube video about Vivian Maier, a street photographer back in the 1950s. All of her photos must have seemed rather dull at the time, but looking back at them now they are fascinating. I'd like my photos to fascinate someone 50 years from now too.

Week 40 - Walking

Week 40 - Walking

I take walks. At least when it's cool enough to do so. I'm sure I could walk when its 90+ degrees, but why would anyone want to? Cooler is better, cold is best. Thankfully the air has turned cold, though these small daisy-looking flowers seemed to survive.

Week 39 - Camping

Week 39 - Camping

Camping is something I love to do, especially when it's cold. In fact, if the low temperature doesn't dip into the low 60s I'm not interested.  It's even better when you can share those experiences with friends!