Train's a comin'! Stop please!

Sometimes, you have to stop jogging in Zilker Park so the small train can cross the path. 

I wish they'd read these and act on them

Austin now has bikes for public use at various places downtown. These instructions are on the handlebars. Too bad they rarely get followed. We are constantly having to share the sidewalk with bike riders and on several occasions we have almost been injured.

Rocking the Farmer's Market

This spirited couple was doing their thing at Farmer's Market the other day. They were singing original tunes and sounded great.

Life is good

I'm relaxing in style at the Four Seasons pool. The tennis game got rain delayed, so I decided to come soak up a few rays.

Towers of power

It's Austin City Limits concert time again. That means more towers for cell phones in Zilker Park are needed. Here are two being erected. 

Staycation in style

We had a great staycation at the Four Seasons on a recent Sunday and Linda and I got to watch the final game of the US Open while lounging in our bed.

Library is booking it

Lots of progress on the Austin Public Library's new flagship downtown location. I took this shot from one of the balconies on our building. We can't wait for it to be completed.

En Plein Air

This gentleman was painting a Congress Avenue scene the other day.

Second Street Bridge

It's getting built. This bridge spans Shoal Creek in what will be a new auto and pedestrian extension of Second Street.

Janis

This mural on a pillar along the 'drag' (Guadalupe near UT) always takes me by surprise.

And a sunrise

Our view is eastward so here's a recent sunrise. As more and more buildings get built our view is a little restricted.

Ok, one more sunset.

No one gets tired of them, do they? This one was taken at a moment when the colors were reflected in the lake. Good job, Jackie.

Sunset

Jackie and her husband normally sit on their balcony of an evening and enjoy the sunset. This one was taken back in May, I believe, but we've been having a few clouds lately so I bet they are seeing some more dramatic ones.

Oh, yeah, that ADA thing

On this street leading to the newly opened Walter Seaholm Drive there were no curb cuts for the sidewalk. Our friend Jackie took this picture as they worked on correcting this. If I'm not mistaken this street was recently done when the apartments nearby went up, but I don't suppose doing things right the first time was a priority.Our friend who uses a wheelchair will find the trip up to Third Street much less harrowing now.

High rises in our town

I love seeing different angles on the buildings in our neighborhood. The two on the left were built since we have been down here.

Deconstructed muffuleta

One of our favorite restaurants in our neighborhood is now serving this scrumptious muffuletta sans bread.

Lost license

Someone found a driver's license on the trail and was trying to return it. I hope they had success. 

How Much is That Kitty in the Window?

We saw this little 'good luck' cat in the Window of Toy Joy over on Second Street the other day. FFP immediately went inside to buy one. But all the others were sold so he bought this exact one in the window. (For less than ten bucks, I think.) It has a little solar cell and waves its paw when it gets some light.

Selena and the Lotteria

This mural on East Cesar Chavez was the subject of some controversy when it was painted over (with permission) by some SXSWthing last year. I remember the old Lotteria mural being faded and not surreal with the hands and if Selena was there I'd forgotten that. In any case, the mural has been recreated much to the satisfaction of the neighborhoold. As East Austin gentrifies so many great old murals are lost.

Camoflague

We were plodding along the trail, slower than the runners and bicyclists. I always try to look around for wildlife. And I spotted this lizard which almost but not quite blended with the log where he was sunning. His camoflague hopefully didn't fail him against his predators and he lived to snag a bug or two another day.

Ode to Stevie Ray

I saw this poem to Stevie Ray Vaughan under his statue-- placed there on the day of his death.

A few tributes

Stevie Ray's statue got more than the usual attention on the anniversary of his death.

Chocolate wisdom

The chocolate booth at the Farmers' Market often has pithy wisdom to dispense. 

Focus! Focus!

Lots of people use the top of the parking garage across from us for shoots. This couple was using the waning sunlight not long ago to snap a few photos.

Looming large

The huge Seaholm project is still underway, just southwest of where we live. I took this shot the other day while on my exercise walk. It's fun for me to contrast all of these large buildings with the Austin of my youth. 

Hard to argue with that!

This local restaurant/bar sums it up pretty well. 

When they say wood-fired . . .

they mean it! This firewood was stacked outside of Odd Duck, one of Austin's favorite restaurants last night, ready for use. And the food we had was amazingly good. 

Gear tableau

A group of guys were exercising in the park a few Saturdays ago. This batch of stuff they left out for rehydration made a nice composition.

Lost and found! Well, still lost!

This cute little bear was perched out on a strut under the MoPac Bridge one Saturday when I walked past. Two days later it was on the lost and found pillar near the north end of the path. I wonder what someone went through to retrieve it!

Mount Austin

We were busy dining out and shopping for books at the end of the day on August 21, but Jackie and her husband were alert to the Austin skies and saw this cloud bank doing an imitation of a snow-capped moutain. She says:

[my husband] alerted me that we could see Mt Kilamanjaro from our kitchen window, so I snapped this shot. Soon after, the cloud bank drifted west and "melted."

Today is the first of the month and therefore theme day at City Daily Photo. The theme is curiosities. We were thinking of a picture of odd junk at our favorite junk and antique shop, but we saw this and thought it would be perfect for the theme. Click here to see other interpretations of this month's theme.