Friday, February 25, 2011

Foto Friday

Happy Friday everyone! The sun is out and they are calling for a high of 75 today and tomorrow with a high of 79 on Sunday! Time to get out the garden gloves . . .

This week has gone by pretty quickly and I'm really looking forward to the weekend and the chance for some excitement with my camera. I went to lunch with my husband this week to find I wish I had brought my camera along. I almost always do, but who would have thought that I would have seen the Texas Trail Riders going through the restaurant parking lot on their way to the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show? Unfortunately unlike a parade there were no clowns with shovels following them, which made for quite the mess they left behind. Did I mention there were a lot of horses? (insert smiley face)



This first picture is that of the doors that lead into the Grace Episcopal Church in Galveston, Texas. It's a beautiful Gothic style church that was designed by the famous architect Nicholas Clayton and was consecrated in 1895.

It's a survivor of the 1900 storm as well as the more recent hurricane Ike from 2008. After the 1900 storm, they spent years raising the grade of the entire island and building the Galveston Seawall. By way of a completely brilliant system of hand turned jacks the church was raised four and a half feet and not one of the stones was cracked in the process. They pumped in a slurry of sand and water to fill in where the buildings were raised and of course had to wait for the water to drain off. Over 2,100 buildings were raised in this manner and it took them over 7 years!  The more I learn about the island the more fascinated I am by Galveston and it's people. They really are survivors . . .













After breakfast last weekend we walked across the street and I took this outside in a garden area of the Hotel Galvez, again on Galveston Island. A hotel of the elegant Victorian era that had guests such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Howard Hughes, and Frank Sinatra. We met and talked with a security officer who is also a historian for the island who enjoyed sharing as much as we did receiving all of his interesting historical information. This is a place that I will be re-visiting, looking for that historian with my journal in hand next time. He was like a walking history book only with animation.

They were just setting up brunch when we took a peek inside . . . yep we'll be back for that too!










Okay, next to the Pelican I think the Roseate Spoonbill would be my other favorite bird. They reach about 32" high with a wingspan of 50", and they have the most extraordinary red eyes and their feathers are PINK.   Because they eat foods rich in carotenoids, the more they eat the pinker they become. I was thrilled to get these photos since it's hard to get close enough (unless you own multi-million dollar lenses,ha) without spooking them. I was lucky as we had pulled off to the shoulder for some egret shots and in he flew!








And just yesterday I visited a chain garden center to find a plethora of plants to make any gardener
drool with the anticipation of spring planting! The first two pictures are Osteomums and the last one
is a Hydrangea. I also spotted my first two Monarch butterflies but couldn't talk either one of them into a photo. (insert sad face)










Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Love,
Kim XO

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful, beautiful shots Kim!!!
Kisses and happy weekend.

Katherine said...

Since that spoonbill walked into your egret shots, he/she (the spoonbill) seems to be quite the diva.

Love the photos. Cannot even pick a favorite this week, although hydrangeas are my favorite flower.

Honey from the Bee said...

I would love to visit the church that has those fabulous doors AND that hotel! I love good story tellers and he sounds like he's got lots of great material to draw on.

All that color in the bird and flowers is welcome as we are wet and grey and apparently in for some possible snow this evening! (at sea level in Santa Cruz!)

Ellen said...

Ooooh Kim, I think you outdid yourself this week. Now I think THIS week is my favorite. I love them all, but of course it's fun to choose faves, and I'd have to say the fountain and the purple flower. The focus on that one is outstanding. I really like Galveston. I'm glad you get to take picture there.

Kim Stevens said...

You picked my favorites too! I think I will probably use the purple one for my P52 flickr project. I am really enjoying getting to know and learn more about Galveston and of course with the weather getting warmer, I'm sure some (okay alot) of my pictures will turn to the beach....ahhhh!!

Thanks everyone!

Anonymous said...

So happy you have a blog too! I love it-so beautiful...I will be able to check up on you more now:)

Kim Stevens said...

Yes, I'm so glad you put your blog on your picture this week! I love making new friends, welcome!

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