The Picayune Magazine

12/19/2025

An old-fashioned, Texas fruitcake 🎄
A cake filled with pecans and candied fruit baked by his mother for over 50 years of holidays is a favorite Christmas memory for Frank Franklin, 97, of Marble Falls. Ottilie Pauline Giesecke Franklin (1890-1981) adapted the recipe from the Packsaddle Home Demonstration Club, of which she was a member, and an old family recipe.

The story is from the December Picayune Magazine, find it online here: https://www.dailytrib.com/2025/12/18/make-your-own-memories-with-this-80-year-old-texas-fruitcake-recipe/

12/18/2025

Highland Lakes residents spread joy each year.
Though they didn’t fly in on a sleigh, Michele and Garry Kesler of Horseshoe Bay do believe in the magic of Christmas, which is more than gifts beneath the tree. For them, the holiday is about spreading good cheer.
Read the story: https://www.dailytrib.com/2025/12/17/garry-and-michele-kesler-spread-joy-each-year-as-mr-and-mrs-claus/

12/15/2025

Happy 105 to this lovely birthday girl 🎂
Dortha Bittle is a feisty, Burnet County native born in 1920. She grew up in the Double Horn Creek community and currently resides in Spicewood. Ms Bittle will celebrate her 105th birthday on Dec. 19!
We would like to wish the happiest of birthdays to Ms Bittle. 🥰
Courtesy photo

12/12/2025

Include a return address to receive a letter from Santa.

12/12/2025

Joppa Christmas Village celebration is at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14. 🎄
The Joppa Bridge is no longer, but the community's Christmas celebration lives on. The Joppa Community will be celebrating the season with a hayride, hot cocoa, caroling, and a special guest on Dec. 14. Read about the history of the bridge and the community in the December issue of The Pic Mag or online here: https://www.dailytrib.com/2025/12/11/a-joppa-christmas/

About the photo:The Joppa Bridge lit up for Christmas in 2024. The 118-year-old bridge was washed away in the Fourth of July weekend flood the following summer. The community strung lights in an outline of the bridge entrance for Christmas 2025. Photo by Toni Schmid

12/11/2025

Marble Falls Mustang ACE program students at the middle school received a call from special visitors on Dec. 9. Marble Falls Police Department officers, Marble Falls Area EMS paramedics, and Marble Falls Fire Rescue crew members rolled up to the middle school and spent time showing the students in and around emergency vehicles. Staff photos by Stacee Hopkins

12/09/2025

See how early Burnet County settlers celebrated Christmas during Christmas at Old Fort Croghan on Sat., Dec. 13.

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗻, 𝗗𝗲𝗰. 𝟭𝟯 🕯
For a rich lesson in local history and an experience you won’t forget, check out Christmas at Old Fort Croghan on Saturday, Dec. 13. The free annual event offers visitors to the Fort Croghan Museum and Grounds a taste of the holidays in a 19th-century frontier town.
Read more about the event here https://101highlandlakes.com/christmas-at-old-fort-croghan-celebrates-holidays-pioneer-style/ -

12/07/2025

It’s officially Christmas in Marble Falls!
The Light Up Christmas Parade drew a large crowd to the sidewalks of downtown Main Street last night. Floats and boats all decked out for Christmas rolled through town bringing with it a sleigh full of Christmas cheer. Staff photos by David Bean.

12/05/2025

Adopt an Angel 🎄
The Kingsland Library still has 50 angels on their Angel Tree in need of adoption.

Thank you to all who have helped the children in our community have a Merry Christmas. We still have over 50 Angels in need of adoption. Please feel free to share this.
~Ms. April

12/05/2025

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style ..🎄
Three Meadowlakes residents strolling through Marble Falls on the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 2 took the time to pose for a photo in front of the city’s enormous Christmas tree in Harmony Park.

The trio, husband and wife Korrina and Terry Mohle (left), and their friend Jean Raygor, said that they visit Main Street every Tuesday for the Downtown Marble Falls Farmers Market and then head over to the Marble Falls VFW for $2 tacos. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey

12/02/2025

Full again..
Inks Lake is officially full again following a nearly two-month drawdown. The Lower Colorado River Authority lowered the lake by about 8 feet in October to allow for maintenance and cleanup along the shoreline following the July flooding that devastated the Highland Lakes.

The top image shows the lake as of Dec. 2 and the bottom image shows what the lake looked like when lowered on Oct. 7. The lake refill took place Nov. 24 - 28 per LCRA.
Staff photos by Dakota Morrissiey

11/22/2025

What is it?
A large, furry, aquatic creature was seen swimming in the Llano River at the Kingsland Slab on the morning of Friday, Nov. 21. There was some debate in the DailyTrib/PicMag office as to whether the animal was a beaver or a nutria. The photographer is firmly in the beaver camp. Comment with what you think it is? 😊
📷 DailyTrib/