Gray SA

I took this shot to show how gray and dreary it's been lately in San Antonio. On this day it was pretty cold and I was only wearing a short sleeve shirt when I stepped out onto the patio to take this shot. Across the way you can see the Compass Bank drive thru, which can lay claim to the loudest, but politest ATM I've ever come across. Right across the street from Compass is the Fox Tech high school campus. You can find quite a bit of their students hanging around the Central Library just about any time of day. Across from there is a day care center. You can see the kids out playing on good days. From this vantage point or there abouts you can usually spot the steeple of Our Lady of the Lake University, but I think this day was too overcast.

Graffiti be gone

Lately I've been seeing more graffiti popping up everywhere. A few days before I took this shot I was wondering how they would take it off of this type of surface. Well this day I got my answer. It appears as if the man in blue was using some kind of sander, at least I saw dust coming up off of it so I assume that's what it was doing, grinding away the surface. On the weekend I actually saw a young man in the midst of tagging one of those power boxes at a southside park. I told my sister look at that. I only which I had my camera more at the ready.

Around the Bend

I took this photo specifically for tanty and Kim, who when they saw the river drained requested a photo of it filled up once again. This is taken from the same vantage spot as the one I posted on January 2, specifically the bridge on Augusta street. When I took the photo of the empty river originally I thought it would be a good place to do some racing on, and when I saw these two boats, that's what it looked like they were doing so I couldn't resist getting a capture. This is a couple of days after the river was filled again (January 11), but it's the first time I remembered to get a snap of it. It was cold and misty this day I was worried my camera would get wet, but a request is a request. :D Enjoy ladies.

Freeman Printing Co.

This building is on McCullough I think. I'm not sure if it's still in operation, but I like the sign. I'm not sure if I've ever noticed it before. If I have I've never taken a pic so today I took my chance. I was in the car, hence the bit of blur.

Coming in for a Landing

Back in June of 2006 I took a photo of the AirLife helicopter on it's helipad. This shot is if it coming in for a landing. Not sure if they have a passenger or not, as I've never seen them flash lights like EMS, fire trucks or the police do when on an emergency run. It's heading for the helipad on top of the parking garage that is connected to Baptist Medical Center by a sky walk. To the right of the parking garage is the Southwest School of Art and Craft Navarro campus. The columns in the foreground belong to the Central Library in downtown San Antonio. The infamous Enchilada Red color of the library is not visible in this shot.

Just Another Brick in the Wall

Saw this the other day as I was going home. I wanted to get a pic of it, but I just kept missing it or it was too blurry. Finally got this shot as I was walking back from lunch. This is the Southwest Art and Craft Center Navarro campus. I blogged about it back in August. This spot is to the right of the entrance, pretty much on the corner of Navarro and Augusta. One of the reasons this caught my eye was because it reminded me of another blog I read Strange in San Antonio. He blogs about odd things that happen in San Antonio including cars crashing into houses. I can't be sure this is what happened here, but it could have been. Anyone know the story?

Oh and Happy 11th Abs. :)

The View Out the Window

This was the sight that greeted me as the elevator doors opened. It kind of makes you take a step back and go huh?! I can't climb too high because I get all vertigoy and I was trying to figure out how this guy was secured. I pretty much figured out that he wasn't tied down at all. He was just standing on the ledge and bending down and reaching up to clean the whole window. I don't know how he did it. I probably would have been splattered on the ground at my first attempt, either that or I would have been pretending to be a window cling. :D

This Way to the Bloodletting!

Today there was a blood drive at the Central Library. The City of San Antonio holds a few blood drives throughout the year, I think usually in the summer and the winter. This year there have been many blood drives throughout San Antonio. Maybe I haven't paid attention in the past but it seems as if there are blood drives almost every day now, and I know they are needed. The statistics for how much blood is needed any given day are staggering. I don't like giving blood because it scares me, but much like donating my hair its something I do because I can. The last couple of times I haven't been able to because my iron is too low, but I always at least try. I'm also registered as a marrow donor since I know minorities of which I am one are sorely needed on that list.

U.S. Army All-American Bowl

The Alamodome gets all gussied up for various events. I haven't seen too many of these or maybe I just haven't noticed, but when I do see them I try to get a pic. Since we're usually zooming along the highway with the windows up I have to contend with motion and the damn flash. I would have loved to get to the game or even the preshow to get some shots, but I had to settle for this pic. The US Army puts out some stuff around the dome so people can play weekend warrior. I think this year they had some fist person shooter games and they also were going to do recaps of how you performed. They also were going to have soldiers there to answer questions.

Draining of the River Walk

On January 2, the River Walk began it's yearly cleaning/maintenance cycle. They drain the river for three miles so they can inspect the walls, clear debris and do other task as required. Every year they find all sorts of stuff down there-on the news I saw a chair sitting on the bottom. The River Walk should be back to it's beautacious self by January 11th.

Texas A&M vs. Penn State

Today was the Houston Street Fair and Market. It usually happens on the last Saturday of the month, but because of the Alamo Bowl that was happening on that same day it was moved to Friday. I got a chance to walk further into downtown and check out the action. There was still quite a bit of people down there. I had always wanted to go to one, because they do Adopt a Pets right on the spot, but we gots a dog now, so no need for that anymore. Saw these big megaphones and figured they were put there as a photo op, and I guess they were because I saw some people posing in between them. I tried to get my coworker to pose but he wouldn't.

Riverwalk Mosaics

Back to work after having Christmas Day off. I needed a break so I took a walk with a coworker on the RiverWalk. It was a great day for it, a bit bracing, but I loved it-windy and and the sky scintillating blue.

This is the very beginning of the section of the RiverWalk on accessible off of Augusta. This little area is a bit of an alcove, with what looks like a small place to sit. It also looks like it might be lit at night, but I must admit I've never been down there at night to tell for sure.

All along this stretch of the River Walk you can find many a mosaic piece. Some of them appear to be you are here maps, while others show scenes of San Antonio. You can find more pics from my walk here.

Press Button to Walk

Saw this sticker as I was walking back from a jaunt to RiverCenter. I thought it was a funny play on words, "If you can't run with the big dogs, keep your ass on the porch." posted on a cross walk. I thought back to a few months ago when I saw some travelers with dogs walking in this same area-a blind man was asking for directions to Baptist, and they tried to help, but they weren't from San Antonio, so I pointed the way.

Lobby Christmas Tree

Saw this tree in the lobby of the City of San Antonio's tech support. I had never seen two ornaments wired together, but I reckon there's a first for everything. I was trying to figure out if there was a specific color scheme to the balls that were tied together but I couldn't see one. I like the snowflake on it. We are so obsessed with snow in SA, since we are lucky if we see any at all every 10 years or so. :D

Buildings in the Mist

It's been really foggy/misty in San Antonio and as we were going home from something or other I caught this capture. I like the look of the lit building in the middle. I've been trying to get a good shot of it, but I always miss it.

Central at Night

This is the first shot I've taken at night that I've been halfway satisfied with. Taking a bad photo of Central is kind of hard to do anyway, so it's nothing much to do with me. I really liked the softness of the photo and the colors.

A Carpet of Leaves

I just love how in the fall the ground is carpeted in leaves. I like the way they look and the way they sound. A couple of years ago, we moved into a house and the first night we were there I was rudely awoken from sleep as I heard footsteps coming up our drive. I jumped out of bed with my heart racing, when I realized it was dogs walking up and down our leave strown driveway. That house was really drafty I woke up a number of times thinking someone was trying to open a door when it was just the wind pushing at it.

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

Today was one of those days that was all misty and humid and such. I was either going or coming from breakfast and saw this building entombed in mist.

Sandwich Day

I love me the Thursdays. On Thursdays it's sandwich day at Baptist Hospital. I usually get the 6 inch on wheat with turkey and ham, mustard and mayo, lettuce, pickles and tomato. The only thing that could make it better would be some bacon. On Thursdays I'm usually torn because they also usually serve Chicken Pot Pie, which I'm partial too.

SAFD @ SAPL

Today the fine members of the San Antonio Fire Department made a stop at the Central Library. I was on the move in this shot, so it came out kind of blurry, but still. I love the red suspenders and how shiny the material is on the cuffs of his pant.