Images of Christmas

Is it just me, or did December really take the record for the fastest month of 2013? 

The best Christmas present I received was having my mother agree to move closer to me...which meant I was able to share the holiday with her, my husband, and all of my kids. 

Just what I wanted.

Here are a few images I captured over the month that I don't think I've shared with you yet...

My neighbor decorated a juniper tree on our dirt road. It was covered in vintage ornaments.

Naturally, I had to stop and snap some photos.

Door prizes were given at our church Christmas party. 

I didn't win one, but I did bring home this collection of sparkling bokeh.

In honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, our church had a tamale dinner following Mass, with yummy, colorful pan dulce. 

I'm becoming more of a minimalist when it comes to decorating my house. 

But these pewter plates Tom gave me will always be pulled from the box and put on display.

I did a lot of baking this year. 

My Texas-shaped gingerbread and pumpkin bread were big hits.

I came within a jingle bell of being one of those elves. 

That is my spiral hat, though.

Homes on tour were decked out for the holidays. I admit what I like best about the first one below is the painting of the old blue truck.

A dear friend and his wife sent these ornaments with their Christmas cards. It hangs in a place of honor right beside the photo of my parents. 

(Yes, my tree is still up!)

Wishing all of you much peace!

A Day in Fredericksburg, Texas (Part 1 - On the Street)

I jumped on a bus with a bunch of other Keller Williams agents this past Thursday for a trip into the hill country...

...specifically, to Fredericksburg, a quaint little German-heritage Texas town just an hour or so west of Austin, known for shopping, wine, peaches, and lavender, depending on the season.

Thursday it was cold and windy, but the shops were warm and cozy, all decked out in Christmas color and bling. 

Grab some hot chocolate and follow me along the sidewalks...

So creative!

All decked out for Christmas.

(I had the Reuben. Yum!)

See those people down there? We weren't the only crazy ones exploring the town that day!

I love the architecture...and do you see the figures along the wall to the right?

The Salvation Army bell ringer braved the cold to bring in donations.

The Art Deco touches on this building caught my eye.

A little tequila would have warmed us up!

Who can resist Betty Boop?

Our bus parked near this church. While waiting on the rest of the group, I jumped out and took some photos. Surprised? I didn't think so.

This old home is right across the street from the church. I'd love to know how old it really is. 

Wasn't that fun? 

Join me tomorrow...or Monday or Wednesday...for Day 2, wherein I take you into the shops and restaurants with me!

Black Birds

For Christmas, 
I was given the sight of red-winged blackbirds once again fluttering around my Daddy's backyard bird feeder...

...and grackles enjoying the bird bath.

I wonder what they keep looking at up there in the pecan trees?

For Christmas, the black birds received a sleepy cat, 
dozing on the deck, 
oblivious to the parties going on around him.

I hope some of your Christmas wishes have come true as well!

Following a Trail of Lights

Almost every year since 1965

a section of Austin has come alive with

Christmas magic

in the form of

light.

In all the years I've lived here,

I had never seen the Trail of Lights with my own eyes

until Monday night

and then I wondered... 

why did I wait so long?

In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.  

~Aaron Rose

Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby. ~Ruth E. Renkel

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.  

~Anthony J. D'Angelo

No matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it.  

~Terry Pratchett

  

I will love the light for it shows me the way.  

Yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.  

~Og Mandino

See the moon hiding in the star?

Your path is illuminated by the light

Yet darkness lets the stars shine bright. 

~J.L.W. Brooks

In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.  

~Blaise Pascal 

We all walk in the dark and each of us must learn to turn on his or her own light.  

~Earl Nightingale

You can't have a light without a dark to stick it in.  

~Arlo Guthrie

In the beginning there was nothing.  God said, "Let there be light!"  And there was light.  There was still nothing, but you could see it a whole lot better.  

~Ellen DeGeneres

The lights forming the tree below are strung from one of the original Moonlight Towers, constructed in 1894 after a Jack-the-Ripper type murderer terrorized the city. 
Actually, some think it really was Jack the Ripper who committed the crimes and then fled to London.

Ahem. 
Anyway... back to Christmas joy...

Moonlight is sculpture.  

~Nathaniel Hawthorne

(See the moon hiding in the tree now?)

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas, full of light and love! 

I'm grateful for each and every one of you!

Back to Georgetown

 A small town square decked out for Christmas + lots of friends + my camera =

my idea of fun!

For some reason, taking photos of things I love is almost as good as buying them. 

And much cheaper!

For instance, I'm a sucker for children's chairs, like the one above and especially, the one below. 

There's just something about these little festive painted chairs... 

...but I already have two, 

so I was satisfied with a photo of this one.
(Especially after seeing the price tag!)

When I was small, we had an aluminum tree.

I didn't like it, and longed for a real tree.

So why do I love these now?

I'm Texan, but this purse is plain creepy!

This photo below turned out a little blurry, but I decided I really like it and had lots of fun playing with it.

I love old glass ornaments, but my tree is over-saturated as it is.

Sigh.

I took this one for my friend Mary Kay. 

She loves buttons and making things. 

(And I have lots of wine corks!)

I tried to take different photos this time, but I just can't resist a repeat of this metal stairway.

Sculptures dot the square.  

Here are just a couple.

This little girl posed for me on the turtle. 

I have one of me trying to imitate it, but you're not going to see that one.
You'd have nightmares.

But I'll share this one of all of us. 

I love good wine, but good friends are priceless!

P.S. I did buy something.

This square picnic basket was just $3!!!