Susan Strickland's Garden

Thanks for asking me to bring my camera over... What a treasure you have!

Simona McKey

Texas Wildflowers

My husband and I went hunting for bluebonnets this past weekend.  We found a beautiful field of these wildflowers...
Simona McKey

Mission Concepcion - San Antonio, TX

More than a church, Mission Concepcion was also a village, fort, school, farm, and ranch.  At the mission the Franciscans gathered the native people together, converted them to Catholicism, taught them Spanish culture, and sought to establish Spanish control of the Texas frontier (c. 1731).

Mission San Jose - San Antonio, TX #2

Mission San Jose and its surrounding fields sustained a thriving community of Indians and Spaniards.  Within the walls Indians lived, worshipped, and attended classes.  They learned to blacksmith, to weave European looms, to cut stone, and to make shoes and cotton clothes.  Outside the walls, the mission Indians tended fields, orchards, and livestocks (c. 1782).

Mission San Jose - San Antonio, TX

Hondo's Flowers

Here is another picture I took with my iPhone using Instagram to make it fun!
Simona McKey

Wine Barrels

This is a picture from this past weekend.  My husband and I took a trip to the Hill Country and found these wine barrels at Wimberley Valley Winery... We decided to take one home with us!  I took this picture with my iPhone and used Instagram to add a different effect.
Simona McKey

Instagram

One of my friends told me about the iPhone app called Instagram (it's FREE)... If you have it, look me up (simonamckey) and follow me... I'll be posting a ton of my pictures on there!  Hope you're having a great day!

around our neighborhood...

Holding On

I took this picture of a friend who went hiking with us in Big Bend.  She is a bit scared of heights, so she had to lay down to look over the edge once we reached the top of the mountain.  Here is a shot I took of that... 2011
Simona McKey

Pretty Bird

Mexican Horse

During our Second Annual Big Bend trip, we stopped at a hot springs.  While exploring the area we ran into a few horses just across the Rio Grande (Mexico is directly on the other side).  We were thinking about crossing but thought that maybe it wasn't a good idea.  2011
Simona McKey

Hiking

We took another trip to Big Bend National Park... that's right, I hiked for 7 hours straight 3 months pregnant (I don't recommend that) but it was worth it.  I absolutely love this place.  This picture was taken about 1 hour into the hike.  2011

Simona McKey

Coming Soon...

I know I haven't posted any snapshots in a while; it has been a very busy month!  We're headed on another trip pretty soon, so I'll definitely have more pictures to share.  Thanks for your emails and kind words!

Lost Maples

I realize the sky is a bit bleached out, but I couldn't help myself from posting this picture.  My husband and I go camping at Lost Maples at least once a year.  We love the hike and serenity.  We set up camp for a night or two right near this lake.  We can't wait to go back this Fall.  October 2010
Simona McKey

Grape Harvest

I was telling you about our neighborhood vineyard in one of my previous posts... Here is a picture I took from the grape picking festivities last weekend.  We picked enough grapes to make 1100-1200 bottles of wine.  July 2011
Simona McKey

Zachary

I have recently ventured away from landscapes and am becoming increasingly interested in photographing people.  Here are a few pictures I shot of a friend's newborn.  June 2011
Simona McKey

Pink Rose

If I could describe the new area we moved to a few months ago, it would go something like this... 
a quaint neighborhood, outside of the city, nestled in between hundred-year-old trees, next to a vineyard and beautiful gardens of assorted plants and flowers... 
I'm not a writer, so try to use your imagination with that description haha! I took this photograph of a pink rose from one of those gardens.  A picture of the vineyard is yet to come...
April 2011
Simona McKey

Lake Michigan

My husband and I took a trip up to Michigan to visit family and friends a few weeks ago.  We couldn't leave without seeing Lake Michigan.  We miss it so much.  I took this snapshot while walking on the pier in Holland, Michigan.  May 2011

Simona McKey

Aspen Trees

We flew to Aspen, Colorado to go skiing with some friends.  It was a perfect, sunny (yet cold) day, and the sun was slowly setting when I took this picture.  January 2010

Simona McKey

Sand Formation

Wind and sand made this beautiful, rare formation!  This is another picture from my White Sands National Park collection.  I'll say it one more time and that's it... promise...  GO VISIT WHITE SANDS.  It's just gorgeous.
Simona McKey

Sun Dog

Not everyday do you see something like this... It's a rainbow (some call it a halo) around the sun... a full circle.  Meteorologists call it a 23.5 Degree Halo or Sun Dog.  They say it happens when light travels through high Cirrus clouds made of ice crystals.  As soon as I saw it I grabbed my camera.  I sent my picture to a local news station, and it made the evening news.  How exciting.
Simona McKey

Devil's Bridge

Devil's Bridge in Arizona
March 2009
Simona McKey

From my Flower Collection...

This photograph is from my flower collection.  My mother-in-law sent us newly planted flowers in a pot for Christmas 2009, and this is what came of it after a month of TLC.  I took this picture with the lights off in our then apartment and let the sunlight shine on the flowers.  February 2010
Simona McKey

Through the Clouds

I'm thinking about sending this snapshot to Southwest Airlines just for fun.  I took it on our way back from a friend's wedding in Sonoma Valley, California.  June 2010
Simona McKey

Florida's Night Sky

Here's a picture from 2006.  I took a trip to Key West, Florida and witnessed this amazing sunset!
Simona McKey

Metal Flowers

For our one year anniversary my husband surprised me by taking me to a bed and breakfast in Wimberley, Texas.  The decor was so adorable... This metal arrangement was just outside the little cottage we rented.  July 2010
Simona McKey

Guadalupe River

A group of us went tubing down the Guadalupe River in Austin, Texas.  I didn't want to bring my camera along for the wet ride, so I bought a disposable camera for $7.00... I was a little bummed since I knew the scenery was going to be beautiful, but after I developed the pictures, I was pleased with the results...
Simona McKey

Grand Canyon Squirrel

Here is another Grand Canyon snapshot.  The squirrels there are very friendly... as long as you have food to share!

Simona McKey

Grand Canyon Mules

Westward Movement?  Nope... this snapshot was taken while walking down the Grand Canyon in Arizona.  March 2010
Simona McKey

Big Bend National Park

Here is another photograph taken at Big Bend National Park.  We were half way up the moutain, and the views alone were great... but add the changing colors of the fall leaves... spectacular.  November 2009
Simona McKey

White Sands

White Sands National Monument has stunning pure-white sand dunes!  Take a look at the back sand dune... you can see someone's footprints embedded in the sand.  I recommend everyone visit this place... you won't see anything like it anywhere else in the United States.  March 2010
Simona McKey

Castle

Romania isn’t known as a touristy destination, however when my husband and I travel there, we find it to be beautiful.  And just like Romania, Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle, has some beautiful areas.  This is one of them.  August 2010
Simona McKey

Rock Tower

I didn’t put this rock tower together, but I want to thank whoever did.  What a powerful looking photo.  July 2010
Simona McKey

Raindrops on Flowers

This picture was taken on a trip to San Francisco.  We were riding our bikes through the city (by the way, those San Fran hills are treacherous) when it started raining.  The storm left these purple flowers looking beautiful.  November 2010
Simona McKey

Take a Seat

This colorful bench can be found in the quaint little town of Mesilla, New Mexico.  March 2010
Simona McKey

Downtown Houston

The Houston skyline is something I used to fall asleep to and wake up to everyday.  I couldn’t wait to see the reflection of the sunset on the downtown buildings.  July 2010
Simona McKey

Butterfly on Leaf

Here is another butterfly picture from my collection.  I took this during a trip to the butterfly exhibit at a local museum.  August 2010 
Simona McKey

The Promise of Love

My husband and I received the ”Promise” Willow Tree sculpture for our one year anniversary.  I placed it on our hammered copper table and made sure to get our blue painted wall in the background.  The colors contrast nicely.  “Hold dear the promise of love.”  July 2010 
Simona McKey

Butterfly on Flower

This is one of my favorite snapshot from my butterfly collection.  If you look closely you can see a moth that snuck in the picture.  He placed himself right in the middle of the purple flower.  November 2009
Simona McKey

Big Bend Sunset

My husband and I decided to take a road trip, a rather long road trip, to Big Bend National Park.  We drove from Houston to the other side of Texas to tackle the 6 mile hike uphill to the “South Rim”.  It took several hours, but the view was well worth it… I was able to capture a moment where my husband was watching the sun set over the Rio Grande.  November 2009
Simona McKey

The Beginning

This is the picture that started it all… July 2009… Zihuatanejo, Mexico.  My husband and I were on our honeymoon when I saw “El Hombre” as I call him.  He was walking on the beach with his musical instrument, and he just stopped right in front of me… perfect shot, I thought… I grabbed my camera, and this is what came of it… so begins this little project of mine…
Simona McKey