Day Trip to the "Painted Churches" - Part 2

First, a darling picture of my DGS learning to brush his teeth like a big boy from his daddy...

     Back in June, we went on a Day Trip just west of Katy, TX where we live to see "The Painted Churches".  The 2nd one we visited is called the "Pink Church".  It is the 1918 St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Ammannsville, TX.  A Hurricane in 1909 leveled the original church but the current one is one of 20 Painted Churches in the State of Texas.

     We also visited the 1906 St. Mary's Catholic Church at High Hill, TX which also included some beautiful stained glass windows as well.  Much of it's interior was done by two San Antonio painters in 1912. 

     One of the things we found facinating was seeing some older painted areas waiting to be refreshed - it gives a sense of how much upkeep is required to keep these treasures so beautiful.



Here is the outside of the church and one of Mark in the entry way ringing the bell!  lol.

 

     We also visited the 1895 St. Mary's Catholic Church in Praha, TX which has the work of Swiss-born Gottfried Flurry who used a freehand Trompe L'oeil technique to paint this unique Gothic Revival Church.  I was really looking forward to seeing this church.  Unfortunately, the church was closed that day - it may have been because it was Memorial Day.  So we'll have to go back and visit it to see the inside.  We did get to visit the many shrines around the grounds to WWII Servicemen Members.  We really enjoyed finding such treasures so close to home.  It is a really fun day trip from the Houston or San Antonio or Austin areas.

 

 

 

     I was going through some old pictures and discovered several afghans I made in 2009 that I had not posted pictures.  These are some of my "Go To Patterns" when I want to make afghans.  First, the Lyn's Round Ripple Baby Afghan.  Here it is for Baby Samuel in Brite Green and Brite Blue using a "K" hook and Caron Simply Soft yarn and another in pale pink also using a "K" hook and "I Love This Yarn" (hard to find a pale French Pink...)for a new baby at my Mama's church.  This pattern is so fun and fast and the color combos are endless.

 

 

     The 3rd afghan was for my DSIL.  He is a big OU Sooner's fan (we have succeeded in getting him to be an OSU Alumni though!) so I made him an afghan called Simple Times in their "Crimson and Cream" that I had previously made for my son in Celtic colors.  This is a very beautiful stitched afghan and I especially like it in 2 striped colors.  I oversized it a bit since he is 6' 2".  I made it in Caron Simply Soft with a "K" hook.  It has a braided or cabled look and has worn and washed well.