Bible Verse of the Day

Monday, December 31, 2007

Picture A Day Challenge for 12/30/07

We went to New Braunfels after church to rehearse with the band for the New Year's Eve gig that DH and I are playing in. He's been with this band for over 30 years and I've sat in with them a couple of times. The first time we rehearsed this year it was playing 2nd Alto Sax, but the second time (Sunday) I played Baritone Sax and sang. This will be my first non church-related singing. I'm afraid it's not going to sound too good because I was sight singing and sight reading a lot of stuff. Oh well, it's at the Senior Citizens Center, so maybe they won't notice.

On the way up, the weather was beautifully clear and sunny. I remember when I was little, my father's company would always hold their company picnic at Landa Park in New Braunfels. We would always swim in the Comal River right below the power plant that his company owned. The plant was a hydro-electric plant that I believe was idle, even then. (This was in the early- to mid-70's.) We also rode paddle boats, swam in the natural spring pool (COLD!!!!), ride bikes in the park, play miniature golf, play on the playground. It was a very busy day for us kids!

Since Daddy had access to the plant, we would use the showers there to get cleaned up for dinner and dancing later in the evening. You know how you have a favorite landmark that defines a particular place for you? I've talked about the Tower Life Building in San Antonio in previous posts. For New Braunfels, it was always the old power plant that towered over the city. You could see it for miles. It was sad for me when I didn't get to visit it anymore.

Now the whole area has been renovated. The river bank we used to swim on is now covered with concrete and sidewalks with stairs down into the water for small craft (like canoes and such), the park is more developed and most of it is owned by either Schlitterbahn or the Wurstfest Association. But the power plant has been converted into condos. Of all things! Who would have thought there would be industrial housing in little old New Braunfels? So today's picture is of the renovated and repurposed LCRA Hydroelectric Generating Plant.


Even though the brick isn't red any more, she's still beautiful, isn't she?

1 comment:

Lisa said...

what a cute little scenic shot!