Week 49 - Stained Glass Memories

My Memaw died this past month. She lived 89 years and is now the the Lord. She and my Pepaw made this stained glass and many others for their church. They are all quite incredible. It was great getting to see each one, to touch them, knowing she'd touched them too and put her sweat and hard work into making these. 

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Week 38 - On the streets of the city where I live

I live in San Angelo, TX. I spent the first 7 years here trying to get out. Until the day I realized I didn’t want to leave anymore. As if my soul had decided that this small-to-me town with its terrible allergies and penchant for being hot even in winter, had become home. But it had only become home because of those who I had come to love and who became my people. Now, before sunset, as often as possible, I takes walks on the streets of the city where I live, the city that is now my home. 

Week 37 - The Mountains are calling and I must go...again.

It's been two weeks ago. The air, the aspen trees, the clean water, the cold mornings, it was a dream. A dream that sadly had to end and I had to return the sweltering October heat of San Angelo. The mountains are calling and I must go...again!

Week 36 - The Aspen Tree

The Aspen Tree is by far my favorite tree in the whole wide world, and it doesn't grow where I live. They really only grow above 5000ft...I'm at 1800...so close. I spent an hour just walking under this grove of beautiful Aspen trees when I visited Colorado. The color change was amazing! The sun lit up the autumnal yellow of the leaves and I believed I could just lay there forever!! I love Aspen trees!

Week 35 - HEB

For those who live outside the great state of Texas, or sadly for those who live north and west of Abilene, I'm sorry you can't regularly know the gift that is HEB. HEB or Howard Edward Butt is arguable the BEST grocery store in the world (sorry Publix). Yet, what makes HEB the BEST grocery store in the world? Is it the produce that, when possible, is sourced locally? Is the eclectic selection of products that make every visit exciting? Maybe the great prices on meat and dairy? OR IS IT THE COUPONS THAT BLOW EVERYONE'S MIND?!?!?!!? People...it's all of the above! I will continue to pass Market Street on my way to HEB because HEB is Texas, HEB IS LIFE!!!

Week 34 - The Fragrance of Memory

I was making dinner for my guys. I wanted to make a dinner that tasted more like home, thus it would include bacon and turkey stock. There's a quick side dish I go to, simple, easy. A dish my Grandmother would make when I came over. It's canned green beans, with sliced potatoes and a few pieces of bacon. As the food came to boil the fragrance started to fill the kitchen, and that fragrance had more memories attached to it than I thought. I didn't fight those memories, but let them unfold, and I missed her.

Week 33 - Delight to my Soul

Last weekend my brother and nephew visited. My nephew makes coffee nervous, if you know what I mean. Yet, we kept him busy and it was an absolute delight to have my boys in the house. He's grown so much since that first time I held him nearly 6 years ago. His extrovert energy lights up the room and I have no idea how my brother and sister-in-law keep up with him. The visit left me with the mixed emotions of fulfillment and sadness at their parting. On Thursday, I received a letter with three drawings that I will likely keep forever and ever. These things, these reminders of love and experience sustain me through those dark days of loneliness. The knowing that there is a young boy who will become a man and that I get to be his uncle means the world to me.

Week 32 - Proverbs 27

My favorite proverb

  27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.
7 A sated man loathes honey,
But to a famished man any bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that wanders from her nest,
So is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
That I may reply to him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,
The naive proceed and pay the penalty.
13 Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;
And for an adulterous woman hold him in pledge.
14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be reckoned a curse to him.
15 A constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 He who would restrain her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens another.
18 He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit,
And he who cares for his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
So the heart of man reflects man.
20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.
21 The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And each is tested by the praise accorded him.
22 Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23 Know well the condition of your flocks,
And pay attention to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will be for your clothing,
And the goats will bring the price of a field,
27 And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your maidens.

Week 31 - Hell’s Front Porch

We’ve have nothing but 100° days for the past 15 days with no end in sight. The next few days are forecast to be 104-106°, with the coolest day (Wednesday forecast to be 101°. I hate this heat. Those who love summer should do a stint in West Texas before they go around boasting about how great it is *eyeroll.

So far this is the best description of the seasons of Texas I’ve ever come across.

Winter
Fool’s Spring
Second Winter
Spring of Deception
Third Winter
The Pollening
Actual Spring
Summer
Hell’s Front Porch (That’s where we are now)
False Fall
Second Summer
Actual Fall (This lasts about as long as it takes to order a Pumpkin Spiced Latte at Starbucks)

Week 30 - UGH! Summer

I hate the summer in Texas. Up until now, it has been rather mild, but as I've told everyone I come in contact with, August will have its revenge! We had a cold front come through and we were graced with a brisk 99 degrees, rather than 103. I hate summer!