Sunday, April 25, 2010

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - 4/25/10

It's time for my weekly look back at the week gone by in photographs I've taken and in words. This week will be more photographs than words as I know I'm showing a lot of images! I was on vacation in San Antonio, Texas, with a group of wonderful blog friends. Who says you can't meet fine people on the Internet? It all depends on where you hang out. If you're in sketchy places, you meet sketchy people. If you're on Jackie's TV Blog, you meet a fantastic array of fine folks!

Vincent made it through his boarding with flying colors. They loved him! They said he was one of the friendliest and sweetest cats they've ever had boarded there. He seems no worse for the wear and behaved well both coming and going.

I'm tired and a bit lame from my trip and need a vacation to get over it. I took way too many photos. I'm in the process of creating albums on my Photobucket account for them, breaking them down into categories. From there, a slideshow can be created. I have the feeling you'll be dealing with Texas in bits and pieces over the next bunch o' off topic Sundays.

Here we go, in kind of a random order -- clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window:


Airport Security

Yes, I set off alarms with the knee replacement and had to go through extensive screening. They used that body scan thing on me once, then went on to wand and pat me down. It took an extra five minutes or so beyond "normal" people to get through. It was interesting and I always gave myself plenty of time. I have no issues with the TSA folks, but think if someone were to be determined, they'd get through anyway.


The Pool

This is the pool with the waterfall at the estate we rented. It was too cold to swim. The pool was unheated and needed cleaning. But it still was a focal point and really cool.


Water Lily

I took this at Wildseed Farms


Bobcat!

This huge Siamese cat was always hanging around outside the house. He had to be more than 20 pounds.


Use Cars - Sale

A building in one of the towns.


To the pool at the house


Fiesta Real Life vs. "Art"


Sunset over the wing above the clouds

I told you these are in random order!


Oh, deer

The place is infested with deer. But they're so beautiful I had to stalk and shoot them ... with my camera, of course.


Doe, a deer, a female deer


It's an illusion

The "tallest building in San Antonio" is merely a facade.


Ghost Signs



ED Mill in Johnson City

Note the pink armadillo. I wish we had spent more time here. We just passed through.


Alamo Fish Market


Faces

We were told the faces on the building in San Antonio were to ward off evil spirits.


Don't sit on the donkey



Another deer



Eek! A crowd!

I can't breathe! Help! Fiesta Week in the Marketplace is like a combination of Mardi Gras meets New Year's Eve in Times Square. SO not my scene. Help!


Cactus



Mom and fawn



Another bobcat

Dang, these Texas hills cats are HUGE.


Abandoned Chinese Restaurant

I like the seedy and decrepit. What can I say?


Where have all the cowboys gone?



Indigenous to Texas, we have camels

They must be. They were there. Well, along with cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, and horses.


Pretty, but will poke you



Butterfly

Wildseed Farms


Another butterfly



BEER

Fiesta Week in San Antonio, edited to keep people in color.


Rainy Baltimore layover


Remember the Alamo

I'll be getting more of the photos categorized and such, but need to get this up!

Slideshow of the house --



How was your week?

17 comments:

Laurie said...

Good morning, Jackie. The pictures are so wonderful. You made even the mundane look like a work of art. So glad you got away for a bit and were able to bring back beauty and humor for the rest of us!

meb said...

Jackie... I cannot believe these pictures... especially the ones of the house. I looked at some and wondered where you had been, cause I didn't see any thing that looked like that.

As the slides continued, I realized that I really don't pay attention to detail. You have captured the house beautifully, and the surrounding areas. Obviously Texas is where the saying, "fat cats" comes from.

I loved seeing the deer as we drove down the road and there they were. No armadillos though. Only Laurie saw one of them.

RBennie saw horses, lots of them, even tho they were sheep and llamas, but don't tell her. I think she recognized the camel.

Enjoyed the trip and look forward to many more, and can't wait to see the pictures you took of the rest of the trip. Understand you took like 1600 of them. Whew!

Nana in the NW said...

Loved the pictures!! You have such an eye for nature and details. Sorry to hear about your fall and airport delays but it sounds like the vacation was great. Wish I could have joined all of you.....maybe next time. I'm sure Vincent was very happy to get you back home. Enjoy your week and try to recuperate.

Margo said...

OMG - Antonio and I are famous!!! We made it on Jackie's blog. Yee Haw!!!
Margo

Delee said...

Where to start? Had to make notes as I looked thru these. With digital camera's so easy to point and shoot! I love that feature vs film as costs less and can take multiple shots of the same thing. I shake from my nerves and cervical crap pressing on them to my arms. So having that option of shoot shoot shoot is great.

? I wonder if a note from the doctor would facillate going through airport security. I asked mine after the plate was put in my neck and he said it was too small to be detected but a knee is a different story!

Real Life vs art was a shot that you caught in the exact moment...

I am with you about crowds...the only place I want to endure them would be Disneyworld and not really even there.

Seedy and decrepit pictures are the best have more character than new and modern!

"Where have all the cowboys gone?" Apparently to pot!!! AR tonight YEAH!!!

Your pictures of the butterflies are exquisite MORE MORE MORE. Would love to have a suite of them to hang on my wall!!!

Slideshow....pool-falls repeat LOL Who ever decorated the house sure loved tile...too me too much...overkill! Maybe you had to be there to appreciate it.

Can not wait until next weeks OT.

Donna in Alabama said...

Wonderful pictures as usual Jackie! Seeing these and hearing all the stories just makes me wish I did not have to cancel my plans of being there :( I look forward to seeing more slide shows and posted pictures!
So sorry about your layover and late arrival home. I am sure Vincent was glad to get back home with you and you with him!

joy n said...

That house looked wonderful but the grounds are gorgeous. Looking forward to seeing more of your pix. They say everything is bigger in Texas and I guess that applies to their cats too!

Glad that Vincent made it through. He must have been thrilled to see you walk thru the door when you picked him up.

Sounds like you all had a great time.

Sydney said...

OMG so MANY great photos Jackie -- Love the one at the festival of the wooden man and the guy in front doing the same thing. What are the odds of snapping in that exact moment? The pool looks fantastic. Love the palm tree and the two faces. Could go on and on. The butterfly ones have such color and clarity they are leaping off the page and all the buildings are so well framed, and so interesting. I think you need to start entering more contests and share it with the world.

Becky said...

Jackie, you out did yourself with the pictures! DH wants to know what kind of camera you have. He loved all of the pictures and was impressed with your photography skills. I haven't downloaded mine yet and he wanted to see the house -- and cats. We saw the Siamese and it was hugh! I bet it weighed more than 20 pounds. It was tall too. Either Momma or Daddy cat was not dinner for some bob cat would be my guess.

It was fun meeting you. What a great personality. Glad you could visit my state.

Jackie S. said...

Thank you, everyone, for the kind words!

Delee - A doctor's note or card can be easily forged, so not acceptable. As long as enough time is planned, it wasn't bad at all. Some of the TSA people even have a sense of humor!

Becky - I have a run of the mill inexpensive Canon PowerShot with only 7.1 megapixels. It's not fancy. Some day I'd love to buy real camera equipment!

PDX Granny said...

Loved, loved, loved your pics, Jackie! A couple of mine came out almost as good as yours, but only those that were very obviously good shots where the subject stood still. You have such a great eye for seeing things in way that most of us don't. I can hardly wait to see more!

Meeting you, and spending time with the others was so great! We had a wonderful time. The house was unique and the sights were great, but the very best part of the entire trip was the company!

Delee said...

Jackie I swiped your butterfly pictures. If you do not want me to have them let me know...I will delete them.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful Jackie and I will love seeing more of them. I am glad you had fun and that you and Vincent are back home together.

Laurie said...

Delee, you are right. There was way too much tile but the owner of the house is an artist and she makes the tiles. Every room had tile and there was plenty outside too!

Becky said...

Thanks, Jackie. What kind of edit program do you have? And you do have an unique eye.

RBennie said...

First let me make it clear that I do know the difference between a horse and a cow, sheep, camel, llama, etc. I was simply trying to make you guys laugh (you believe me right?)

Great pictures Jackie. I hope mine turned out even half as good.

It was a great trip and having you there made it that much better. I just have to remember to never pick you up at the airport again, LOL.

Bob - the internet TV guy said...

Hi Jackie, found your blog while searching for more internet TV software for mac as I am totally hooked. It was a refreshing break looking about your beautiful photos. I totally agree with you about Idol by the way.