Thanksgiving Fish...

Rose and Juan came today for a quick trip to the lake. Some folks look a little cold in this picture.
The cold had no effect on these boys. They were quite frisky. Final total was 25 cats. They will swim in our bellies tomorrow.

First things first, the flies it dies club has a meeting over at Big Slough at daylight.

Happy Thanksgiving...

Deep in Davy Crockett National Forest Big Slough Wilderness area it was a misty morning. Lots to be thankful for, a hunt with my son Morgan and plenty of game to see. Wood ducks flew early and I got a couple of shots but no luck. More water than I expected, has not been that much rain has it, so ducks have lots of choices where to land. At this spot here the slough is usually wadeable this time of the year. Don't think I'll try today, the creek bank is where you see the big trees. I saw 4 ducks swimming, two squirrels (no way to get them if I took a shot) and a beaver swam in front of me. I slowly reached to my pouch for my camera and the "pop" of the snap was enough to make him slap the water angrily and dive out of sight.

Are these good to eat?

One woody for Morgan, he also had a stare down with a doe at 20 yards.

Looks like Rose and Juan will be here Saturday and I know Cathy expects a fishing trip sometime this weekend.

So the Deer Says...

"Glad that man is in the fence, he looks dangerous."

"I saw a bigfoot!"

This a photo I made yesterday morning right across from my drive way of a doe feeding on acorns from a tree by the fence. She was hungey on a frosty morn. I guess these deer get their pictures made a lot. I was taking a walk down the farm road a few days ago when a couple of hundred yards in front of me a pickup pulls over, I see a camera flash and then they drive away.

Cathy reports she had brake for a wild deer driving home from work this weekend.

Odds and Ends Again...

Well the Panthers season came to an end last night against Cy Ridge. Lucky I had to work and could not go, hate to see them Panthers beat.

Couple of changes of note to the side bar on the links. Check out the St. Patrick's Catholic Church Christan Initiation and Renewal Blog. It's my other blog, me Cathy and Mary are team memebers of this ministery at church. Maybe see some updates about once a week, schedules, news and such. I don't see it as such use to the folks that come to the sessions, they get this info each week but I would like the rest of the Parish to use it to know what's going on in around the church.

Also there is a changed address, Reesie's Place is formerly Raggedy Resa's. She has up a bunch of new pictures of the Boliver ferries up and running and some beach erosion along highway 87. Looks like we won't have to cast so far out in the Boliver Pocket to catch those big reds when they run.

And then just for fun, I won't clutter up my side bar with this link just yet, but here is a band in College Station that Morgan plays drums with:
http://strange-breed.com/
When the last picture loads on the photo page, you can see Mo in the background. Some of the info is a little dated, got to be current for a listing here, but drift over there, give them some page loads, something to get excited about.

Happy Wedding Anniversary...

Rose and Juan mark their 5th wedding anniversary today. They are in New York, New York to celebrate with a little vacation.

Check more online photos from their wedding day at:

http://www.pbase.com/wallace_6/wallace_photos

I need to add to the online photo album, it was the first one I ever made and as I look back there are some good pictures I have that for some reason or other did not make the cut.

I think that is what I like about pictures. I make them, save them and then look back later and say,man what a good picture. Seems like they get better with time, or may be I am just having one of those sensitive moments this morning.

I Make Photos Everywhere I go...

Catching up on a back log of photos that I haven't had time to post.

Here is some of the fire works from the Lufkin High School Bands Honor America Night recognizing our Veterans. Thanks guys.








This is from a little vacation I took to a nearby red gas giant star. people always ask me why I like to take vacations to places like this. I don't know what to tell them. Seems that they should already know the answer.

It was a lot of trouble but I made this picture behind my eye ball. I am not sure if the camera is pointing out or in, it was such a tight spot to be working in. I just kind of poked it, got my finger on the button and fired away. As you may have guessed, the flash made me blink.

Great Day Fishing...

A brilliant sunny day on the lake with Pop and Geneva. Here I am climbing up in the boat on our return home. I am about to open the live well for the count.
The victory march, across the yard carrying the tub to the cleaning station.

Final total was 38 channel cats. They made over 8 lbs of fillets.











Cathy holds up a couple of good ones. Some now swim in our bellies, some went to the freezer and I made a nice dish of blackened over rice to carry to a pot luck at work today.

Playoffs...

Lufkin won an exciting game in the last 15 seconds, beating a very tough Klein to advance onward to next week's game at Kyle Field against Cy Ridge.

The game yesteday was at home, here's senior drummer Mary's last march in around the track. What are we going to make pictures of next fall if we don't have a kid in band?




Mary is in the middle, smiling for her cheering parents.

Brilliant sunny dat at Abe Martin Stadium, the band strung of against the end zone Lufkin.

October was PT Month...

Picture of our Physical Therapy Staff from the Lufkin Daily News this week. October was Physical Therapy Month.

Check the links at the side bar for info on our in patient services as well as a new link I added to our out patient clinic.

Don't forget our other staff, we have occupational therapists and speech therapist too. They each have their own month.

She Could Have Her Own Fishing Show...

Cathy was hot to go fishing today. Not busy at my work so I took a PTO day. The rain and lightening chased us off the lake once. Here's a photo from the boat ramp, a little zoomed up, but can you make out the far looming shore line through the rain, that's where they bite.

She could have her own fishing show. Of course they would have to bleep out all the cussing.

Can you say "Academy Gift Card" for Christmas?






Total take home was 18 fish. We threw back two keepers the first time the storm chased us off the lake so actually 20 keepers were boated today.


Now we are talking fishing. Cathy learns to fillet.

Busy Weekend...

Played music for David and Rebekah's wedding this weekend at Millard's Crossing in Doches. Here's the bride and groom flanked by David's cousins the Vasquez sisters, left to right Sylvia, Monica and Isabel. Monica and Isabel sing in our choir and along with us, Angela and Miguel were musicians for the wedding. David used to sing with us until he graduated from college, moved away got a job and started doing all this adult stuff like getting married.

Lots of old buildings at Millard's Crossing, me and Cathy tried to do the cute couple against an old paint peeling wall. We got the cute couple effect, but somehow the wall should have looked better.

Same wall, a little bluer, we crowded the flute player into a self portrait.









Mary could not join us to sing at the wedding gig, she had her own thing for the High School Band's Honor America night. Here's Mary and Grandma Bessie outside the drum room. I think they are grinning because they are up to something. I know that drum room is the site of many hijinks and mischief. Look out Grandma, don't get in trouble.

Keep an Eye on the Drums...

These drummers look up to something. They are lined up, band and drill team, creating an aisle for the team to re-enter the field after half time. You know the big production, the team runs out the big purple helmet and through the banner.

This time as the team ran past the drum line took after them and followed them on through. I think Mary had something to do with that. I only got this snap shot just before they ran and could only stand laughing, not able to get a good picture.

Check this youtube link for the band marching to "On You Panthers" and then making their exit mob band style.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=theolderyouwillget&view=videos

The Panthers clinched a share of the district title last night. The first play off game is next Saturday, here in Lufkin.

I Look So Good in Soft Red Light...

No, the bands name was not "Soft Red Light" but I will keep that in mind.

Just a few more pictures from last weekends gig at the First Street Arts Center.
This little group was called El Camino Real.
Good mix of bluegrass, old time swing and jug band with a few Irish tunes thrown in. Really great song selection. Note the banjo ukulele on the stand behind the fiddler.

I heard they were looking for a bass player. Be real tempting, but I bet they would prefer a stand up bass, not laying down like I play.

Check this site for more pictures from the weekend:
http://www.pbase.com/wallace_6/first_street_arts_anniversity

I also added a link to Travis Kitchen's Stone Wall Studio, located in Groveton Texas and also headquarters for his band the Stone Wall Rockers. Visit the site and click on "Clients Comments" for the first place I was ever mentioned on the Internet.

So I Get Home From Work and the Boat is Gone...

Cathy shows up a little later, having hooked up, pulled to lake, launched, caught 11 catfish, loaded and pulled home to back in the garage all by herself.

I got those fish cleaned and cooked for her fast as I could. Maybe she will take me next time.

First Street Arts Center 2nd Anniversary...

Lufkin First Street Arts Center 2nd Anniversary party. Quite a nice evening, good venue the inside of an old building, maybe an old Ben Franklin store across the alley from the old Pines Theater. The building has been gutted, open to the sky with the outside done in a style that has made it come to be referred to as the Alamo. Across the street you could browse the Arts Center, with the work of local artists, musicians and authors for sale.

Left to right, Brandon on guitar, Mike on drums, me on harp, Jerry vocals and Travis on bass.

Elvis performed a set.

Close up on the harp. All pictures by Don Miguel.















Jim Morrison of the Doors also appeared. Note Susan on keyboards, she was hidden on the other picture.

Really good gig, be nice to have more stuff like this downtown.

I'll try to get an on line photo album up soon of all pictures.

Look at these Weirdos...

Only thing I can figure is that the Obama supporters are lining up at the polls early. You can kind of spot them.
"MaryLyn Monroe."

Happy Birthday Pop...

Happy Birthday to Cathy's dad, Bill. No last names, you know the rule, would not want your boss, you priest or the current administration googling your activities and find out you knew people here.

Anyway this is just one of the many customs we celebrate, holding up a piece of fried fish on your birthday. It means you are special and that the older you will get...