Tag: Views of the Neighborhood

Views of the Neighborhood

~ John W. Howell ~ 56 Comments

Yesterday was extremely foggy here on the coast. I was planning on getting out early to take some photos of a few more houses and finish off the feature that I began last week. I did finally get out after the fog burned off, but the sun was low in the sky and made a few of the photos impossible. I did pick up a few interesting ones and hope you like them.

The first three are of tiny homes that I missed last week. This one is a yard barn and is complete to the last detail. The building is no more than ten feet long by six feet wide.

P.A Homes

The next is a tiny office building or house. I would say this one is thirty feet by eight feet.

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This home is about twenty feet by eight feet, and the little shed is six by four. There are model homes and buildings, and They were not open so I could not get any particulars like pricing. They are cute but a little small for my taste. Also what looks like a smudge in the upper left-hand corner is the last of the fog burning off. The next picture was taken about ten minutes later and you can see the blue sky again.

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Back in the sixty’s (When most of your were toddlers), the geodome was a big item. It was supposed to be energy-efficient and better for the planet. Here is the only one in town.

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Another unique style is the octagon shaped house. Here are a number which make up a neighborhood. They are all on stilts and have eight sides. I can’t imagine what the insides look like.

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Here is a closer shot of the two on the end in the photo above. I like that peaked roof.

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Here is a photo of another pair. Notice the sun flair on the left. The sun was right behind that palm tree, and I was hoping I would avoid it. As you can see, I didn’t.

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Those blue signs on the railing indicate that the home is available for rent by the day or month. This is not a neighborhood in which you would want to be a permanent resident

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I hope you enjoyed the tour and this wraps up the home view of the neighborhood

 

Views of the Neighborhood

~ John W. Howell ~ 62 Comments

This week I thought it would be interesting to give you an idea of the kinds of houses we have in Port Aransas. I ran out yesterday and took some shots of the various architecture types that one would find here.

The first was taken in what is referred to as “old town,” which is the original settlement.

Port A Houses

As you can see plenty of wires. House up off the ground. Pretty typical. You will also find some unique houses. Here is one.

P.A. Houses

You can also see some houses that have shack-like quality

P.A. Houses

Notice the boat is bigger than the house. This next one is very unusual. I swear I could hear a wolf call when I stepped out of the car.P.A.Houses

Moving away from old town but still near the water, the houses take on a distinct “stilt” flavor. This was the type of construction recognizing the effects of hurricane sea surge. The idea is to let the water run under the house.

P.A. Houses

Notice the Santa still there. The next is an example of the style of home built away from the water and in more like a subdivision.

P.A. Homes

This one could be in any city in America. The next is a home right on the beach. This one was built in the seventies, and very few homes are being constructed on the beach anymore.

P.A.Houses

The newer homes in Port Aransas take on a more palatial tone.P.A Houses

Yes, this is one house. The new architecture is more creative and reflects the southern tropical tradition. Here is a shot of a street in a new development.

P.A. Houses

Here is an older development but you can see the same influence

P.A.Houses

I hope you enjoyed the little tour. Last week I ran a poll to see which of five photos should be placed in the header. The winner with over 44% of the vote is candidate number three, the thunderstorm in the Gulf. It is now the header till spring. Here it is again

 

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Header Picture

Thank you all for voting.

 

Views of the Neighborhood

~ John W. Howell ~ 52 Comments

It is time to change my header on Fiction Favorites. I have some photos that could be in contention for the job. Rather than me making the selection, I thought it might be fun to show you the candidates and let you choose the most favored. There is a poll at the bottom for you to use to record your choice. So here they are. One thing that struck me as I lined these photos up was how different the same position on the beach (looking East) is in reality

The first is a long shot of a stormy day. Candidate #1

Header picture

This is a shot of the sun breaking through the clouds. Candidate #2

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A picture of an isolated thunderstorm. Candidate #3

Header Picture

The sunrise in late fall.Candidate #4

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A cold day with blowing sand Candidate #5

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As always, thank you for your help. The winner will be posted on the header next week.

Views of the Neighborhood

~ John W. Howell ~ 53 Comments

This week’s walk in the neighborhood took two separate visits to Paradise Pond. The first was during the Thanksgiving holiday and the second yesterday. The reason I had to make two visits was I wanted to get a photo of the resident ducks and so waiting until I received a new lens for Christmas was a must. I could never get close enough to capture them before. I hope you enjoy the visit.

Paridise Pond

Paradise Pond is located near the downtown area and is a bird sanctuary supported by gifts from the Holt family.

This Photo will give you an idea of the walkway constructed so that interested parties can walk back to the pond

Paradise Pond

The walkway leads to the pond which you can see in the background

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Here we are. Notice the algae and the unkempt appearance? This pond is to remain natural, so this good growth is healthy. (The sky was much prettier on the first visit)

Paradise Pond

Here is another shot with some ducks coming on the scene

Paridise Pond

Here is the reason I returned. This family of ducks has a lunch and bath time.

Paradise pond

I also managed to score a chickadee in a tree (excuse the alliteration)

Paradise Pond

This board is in place so that bird and nature watchers can provide each other with sightings. I noticed some idiot wrote a sighting of Fiction Favorites. (I made the idiot erase the graffiti before we left)

Paradise Pond

This sign indicates that the pond is undergoing some new plantings.

Paradise Pond

Here is an example of some of the work. The tree has a support and you can see little red flags by the new seedlings. I think they will try to save the tree otherwise they would have cut it down.

Paradise Pond

I hope you enjoyed this little stroll. Happy New Year

 

 

Views of the Neighborhood – Christmas Day Luminaria

~ John W. Howell ~ 42 Comments

We have a neighborhood in Part Aransas which is known as Channel Vista. This subdivision decided to get together and put out luminaria for the Christmas season A luminaria is a small paper lantern (commonly a candle set in some sand inside a paper bag) which is of significance in New Mexico and the Southwest at Christmas time. The hope among the faithful is that the lights will guide the spirit of the Christ child to one’s home.

I was on hand for the event and took some photos.

The first photo is a boat that the owner decorated for the on water boat luminaria which unfortunately was canceled due to the weather. The boat owner towed his boat around town and parked it so it would be the first set of lights in Channel Vista. You can also see Santa taking it easy.

Luninaria

The next photo is pretty typical for the home decorations. Most put the luminaria on the street and also lit their homes.

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The next photo shows some beautiful tall palms that have are decorated from top to bottom.

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Here is a close up of the palms.

Luminaria

Another home with multicolored lights casting a warm purple glow.

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This house placed lights on their fence as well as under the eaves.

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An elaborate display

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I thought this tree is well decorated. The lights reached the very end of the branches.

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You can tell we live in a fishing area. Here is a display featuring a sailfish.

Luminaria

The last photo is cute in that there is a family of penguins playing with a fish. (let’s just call it playing)

Luminaria

There were much more, but we will stop here. I wish you and your family a very Happy Holiday season.

 

Views of the Neighborhood

~ John W. Howell ~ 55 Comments

This week’s views wraps up a look at Port Aransas parks.

Roberts Point Park

Roberts Point Park in Port Aransas is home to waterfront family fun. Built through volunteer efforts and a Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Recreation grant, this 50-acre park is located on a peninsula of land that juts into the Corpus Christi Ship Channel and forms a safe harbor for the municipal harbor that has 250 boat slips for permanent and transient vessels.

Here is an areal view of the park

Robert's Point Park

The red-roofed structure to the left is the harbor master building and also the Patsy Jones Amphitheater.
The amphitheater serves as a music venue for monthly concerts that are presented to the public free of charge on the 2nd Friday of each month from April through October. The amphitheater is located along the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, just north of the soccer field which hosts local league matches and pick-up games.

Here is a close up picture of the amphitheater. That boat to the right is the Polly Anna a shrimp boat and the harbor is to the right.

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On the green there is a Christmas tree and some snowmen. You can see Santa’s sleigh waiting for his arrival. When he gets here children and pets can have their picture taken. That tower in the background is the observation tower which gives an excellent view of the area. The roofed structure behind the Christmas tree is one of several pavilions that can be reserved for picnics. This time of year you pretty much have our choice of time.

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The park also has a play area for kids with plenty of room for family outings

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There is a jetty running around the park and a perfect spot to fish. There is also a lighted fishing dock that is just behind the observation tower.

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While I was taking photos a ship came through the channel and I managed to catch a dolphin bow surfing. This is a very common sight but never fails to amaze me when I see it. The greenish tone of the photo is because I had the zoom on full. I’m hoping Santa brings me a new lens so that I can capture these kinds of scenes more naturally.

Dolphin

I hope you enjoyed our little tour

Views of the Neighborhood

~ John W. Howell ~ 46 Comments

Yesterday the town held its annual Golf Cart Holiday parade to benefit the Port Aransas EMS Toy Roundup. I tried to get to the front of the line to snap photos as the parade wound its way through town. Unfortunately,  I couldn’t get there so had to be satisfied with taking some shots of some of the entries after the finish. The idea for the parade is to dress up your golf cart (yes there is judging) and join in the fun. An unwrapped toy is the entry fee.

These carts do not look like your typical golf course variety. The suspension is built up and tires supersized so that maneuvering in the sand is not a problem.

Here are some of the entries.

The first is a riff on a boat

Golf cart parade

This one looks like it was painted for the holiday

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This one came with an elf

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Tons of presents ( and back side of the elf)

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Looks like this one hit a doll. You can see it on the windshield. (another Elf and Santa helper)

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Here is a cart that has all-weather side curtains. Must be from Minnesota.

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Here is a cute riff on Hula skirt. Cute little reindeer too!

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Now this Land Rover was a nice addition. Came all the way from Australia (kidding)

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The sign reads “Random Acts of Friends” which pretty well sums up the spirit of Port Aransas

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Now that is a strange golf cart. Yes, the police took part as well as the firefighters.

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I hope you enjoyed the tour.

 

Views of the Neighborhood

~ John W. Howell ~ 41 Comments

Last week I was able to cover one of the parks in Port Aransas. This week continues the park introduction with a view of I.B. Magee Beach Park.

I.B.Magee Park

I. B. Magee Beach Park is a 167-acre park offering camping, a bathhouse, observation deck, convenience store, electrical and sanitary hook-ups. There is also a primitive camping site. The park is named for I.B.Magee Jr. a Port Aransas resident who was known for his community support.

Let’s take a look at the central headquarters of the park.

I.B. Magee

This is a three-story structure located right on the beach.  The two structures in the foreground are cold water showers and used to rinse off sand and salt water once coming off the beach. The warm water showers which are for campers are located in the structure. There are other shower locations in the park where four quarters will get you four minutes of hot water.

This next photo is of the rear of the structure. I want you to see the stairs up to the observation deck where we will be going next.

I.B. Magee

So here we are on the observation deck, and as you can see, there is a lot of Gulf out there. Yesterday was a bit stormy and overcast.  This first view is of the beach area where the primitive camping takes place.(Off to the left)

I.B.Magee

Those covered structures are tables. The next shot shows a couple of kiteboarders at play.

I.B.Magee

I managed to catch a freighter moving toward the jetty. You can see the waves hitting the jetty.

I.B.Magee

One of the kiteboarders moved into the shot of the freighter, and I thought it was interesting.

I.B. Magee

Here is a shot down the beach toward the Horace Caldwell Pier. The close in tiles are part of the roof of the headquarters building. The pier is off int the distance.  That little blue building is one of the coin-op showers I mentioned. We’ll go to the pier next.

I.B.Magee

Here is the pier.

I.B.Magee

From this pier, you can fish, grab a meal, rent equipment. and drink beer. This is the kind of place you would expect to see a number of old timers sharing stories. Of course, the weather has to be good. I mean temperatures in the low 70’s can get to your bones.

Well, that is the I.B.Magee Beach Park. Next week we will wrap up the park views.

Views of the Neighborhood

~ John W. Howell ~ 45 Comments

This week I went out yesterday to get some shots of the various parks in Port Aransas. I have to admit I have too many photos for one post. I will continue next week. Today I’m going to concentrate on one of the main parks in the city. The Community Park

Port Aransas Parks

This photo is of a softball field.

Port A parks

And a basketball court.

Port A parks

Now to step it up a notch it  is the baseball field house

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And the field. Yes, that little yellow sign says 352 feet.

Port A Parks

There is also a skate park. (It is the mother of skate parks)

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Here is the favorite of Lucy And Bailey.

Port A Parks

Here are Lucy and Bailey doing their cow imitation

Lucy and Bailey

Now to action

Bailey and Lucy

Back to rest

Bailey and Lucy

There is a pool. (Water is a little chilly)

Port A Parks

Photo of the pool was difficult since it doesn’t open until noon. I managed one before the police arrived..

Port A Parks

 

 

Views of the Neighborhood

~ John W. Howell ~ 68 Comments

South Jetty

Our local paper The Port Aransas South Jetty summed up the amount of alcohol consumed on the island last year. To quote “Drinkers at bars and restaurants in Port Aransas downed $11.4 million worth of adult beverages during the past year. According to the Texas State Comptroller’s Office, that figure is up 1 percent from the $11.3 million during the same period the previous year.” If we didn’t have help from the tourists it would mean every man, woman and child would have consumed $2,850 worth of adult beverages, and that does not include takeout. (Of course, my analysis is flawed)

So here’s the deal. Our island has been described as a”Drinking village with a fishing problem.” It is no wonder then that the numbers are increasing. The population has a job to do to keep the reputation alive.

Today I want to give you a little flavor of the salty side of Port Aransas. There is no better way than to show you some of the boats moored in the marina.

Here are two boats used for fishing excursions in the Gulf

Port Aransas

This photo shows a couple of boats that are privately owned and docked outside the owner’s condo. The one on the right is clearly a fishing boat. The one on the left is a large catamaran. Pretty convenient I’d say.

Port Aransas

here is a boat that could be a condo unto itself, but it too is parked outside the owner’s condo.

Port Aransas

Now for a couple of shots of the boats that you see the most of here. There are some fishing boats and sailboats scattered together.

Port Aransas

This shot shows more fishing than sail.

Port Aransas

There are boats here that are just for fun.

Port Aransas

Yes, that is a pirate ship. Next to it is a boat used for Dolphin tours. The fun part comes when the dolphin tour boat gets attacked by the pirate ship. They tell me the kids get pretty excited.

I hope you enjoyed the brief tour of the marina.