Buddy, Buddy Bull...

Just got back. I know, you say another vacation. It's tough being this internets mogul, keeping this empire going, so I got to get out and have fun.

I just got back from the running of the bull. No I did not go to Spain. I ran the bull next door in my neighbors pasture. The bull did not seem to mind. In fact after the running I scratched his ears and I noticed that that excited him more than the running and the running excited me a lot. I don't think I did anything illegal, I don't mean exciting the bull, but in the fact that I slipped over in the neighbors pasture, another man's pasture with another man's bull and ran. I suppose I could have asked the neighbor, we are on good terms. He's a sheriff of some kind and I guess he could have arrested me for running the bull. I don't think you can arrest some one for asking to run your bull, I think you have to wait till after they have ran it.

I had to make this picture of the bull with my cell phone camera. I was afraid he would run off while I went to fetch the big camera.

These Aren't Catfish...

Spent a couple of hours trolling pilings on the 147 bridge yesterday after work. Cathy had some decent success. She caught 3 white bass and one largemouth and lost a couple at the boat when they threw the hook. As for me the fish acted like I was not even fishing.

We were using big crank baits with small road runner jig trailers. The big deep diver gets the little jig down to the fish depth and they take the trailer.

More Altura Musical...

Altura Muscial opened at Cuzco's for Pegasso this past weekend. Cuzco's is a restaurant and even though I have eaten there a couple of times I did not know it had a pretty nice dance hall in the back. Pegasso is a big name Hispanic band from the 80s or so. It was it explained to me that they are kind of like Led Zeppelin. That's what I understood, but it was dark, late and there was a language barrier.
From left, Beto, Gonzalo (partially hidden) Enrique, Miguel and Edwin.

Beto and Gonzalo.









I guess I don't understand why that "More Cowbell" skit was so funny. In East Texas, just as in New Orleans and other places round the world when they say more cowbell, they really mean it. I think accordions are cool also, used in Gypsy punk, check links on the side bar.
Miguel and Edwin.











I mentioned getting shook down earlier in the day on Saturday by security at the body scanners in the Bush Presidential Library. I know it kind of seems like a strange sci-fi/detective/crime/romance novel, but I got shook down again, this time manually going into this bar. I guess all those security folks read the blog and know how dangerous I am. Maybe all this was caught on security cameras or other people's blogs and somewhere in the world tonight someone is saying, "look, there's that guy again."

Visit to College Station...

Paid a visit to Morgan in College Station, met he and Ali Friday for a minor league baseball game, the Brazos Vally Bombers vs. the McKinney Marshalls. The Bombers won. Good summertime fun with a nice breeze blowing through the covered grandstand.

On Saturday we paid a visit to The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library on the campus of Texas A&M University. I had forgotten my big camera so here is a grainy cell phone photo of me outside. Search the blog, there is also a post about our visit to the Clinton Library.

Hard to tell from this photo, but my wife claimed that everyone could tell I was a Democrat because I had my shirt tail out. I say she was being subversive and tried to disguise herself as a Republican because she had recently shaved her legs. Anyway, I was asked to speak at the library during my visit. It was by two security guards after I had emptied my pockets of phone, keys, wallet and strolled through the metal detector. They said, "you got on a belt.?" I said "Yes sirs." This was not the only security check I endured on this day, but that's another blog post.

Very nice place with many ponds on the grounds. Bush actually has an apartment there where he stays when there is business at the conference center. He likes to fish in the ponds. Morgan says that if you hear he is in town it is also a good time to hit the ponds as you can count on them being freshly stocked. Executive privilege I guess.

Anyway I think Presidential Libraries are neat. I am headed to Austin in September, might try to squeeze in LBJ's while there. I'll also get around to Dubya's at SMU one day.

Cool Fun...

What are these girls up to? Katie looks like she is helping Mary get her bather bottoms pulled up.
Ok history lesson time. Is this the Churchill "V" for victory, the Nixon "I am not a crook" symbol, or happy 40th anniversary Woodstock everything is here, wish you were beautiful gesture.
Hair raising fun.
Splash! How many times do I have to tell you, don't pull so hard on the boat!

Altura Muscial...

Photos by Mary of Altura Musical, the band Miguel plays in at the Kaliente Club Saturday night. We get used to labels for Music. Rock, country, Gypsy punk, Altura Musical plays a variety of Hispanic music, some of which they call "durangensa" translated as the music that comes from Durango. We are used to pretty wild stuff around here and you can see that this involves midgets and everything.

Miguel plays percussion and flute.















They use a drum set up kind of like the New Orleans brass bands.
Miguel, flute under arm and Gonzalo.



I am a little jealous, last gig Miguel played with the State School Band went real well. He can't make this weeks gig because he and Mary must rehearse the dance steps for His sisters Quienceria. Dude, what about our bromance?

Rare Coming of Age Ritual Captured on Film...

Remember that Mary recently turned 18? hen the family got together at the lake we had the official ceremony. Here the central chief Mother paints the sacred secret power mud on the young one as old gray Dad chants sacred mumbo.

Good sacred words to say, imagine an Indian tom-tom beat are "no more bail money no more bail money no more bail money." They usually get the message after three or four chants.

They kick me out of house?













Wait, what's that rustling in the bushes?

Go my wild child, run free, I have passed all knowledge and wisdom. Use it well and be kind.






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Lake Pictures...

Here's Morgan and Ali. We have been a little deficient in getting Ali's picture up here. Her $39,000 was a little slow to come in.
Tube fun.
Here's dad, look out, is he hurting himself? He's ok, got on safety gear.
Now he's gone. Does he have on trousers?

People Pictures...

From Last weekend, Mary and Miguel. Someone said "good depth of field" In case you don't know, Miguel is the serious one.
Katie. Is it legal to carry that many fishing poles with you girl?
Rose and Juan. Juan is in the State Trooper Academy with graduation in October. He looks pretty relaxed here, but it takes a little doing for him to unwind. It's tough training, most say it's very similar, if not tougher than Navy SEAL school.
Me and Cathy.

Space does not permit more pictures, but will get Morgan and Ali up soon.

Scenic Views...

These photos, taken by Katie show shore and lake scenes around the lake house we rented last weekend.

The swampy look of lily pads and cypress makes you want to listen to some down home blues, zydeco or GoGol Bordello, grab a cane pole with a cork, fish for bream and then fire up an iron skillet to pan fry them up so you spend a nice slow evening gnawing the sweet meat from around their little bony backs.


I tried a little bass fishing in these pads with old hula poppers and those fancy new Ribit frogs, made right around here by the Stanley Bait Company, the ones with the little paddle feet but no luck but a couple of strikes.

Pads and flowers with seed pods spilling out the kernels of life. I am all poetic, I'll be mad when these babies choke a favorite fishing area like they sometimes do.

Fishing with Pop and Geneva...

Killed them today with Pop and Geneva, 35 fat channels. Nice cool breeze on the water, shade from the boat canopy with bite taking place right on the major solunar period, 9:20-11:30 am. They were in 28' feet of water, with some taken as the bite slowed about 5 cranks off the bottom. That's probably where the thermocline is located.
Cathy shows off a good one.
Me.
Pop takes one off the hook with flying catfish in the back ground. I marked that stump last summer on the GPS. Basically puts me in the area, we fished three different places 50 to 100 yards apart.

These fish are soon to swim in our bellies.

Sam Rayburn Lakehouse...

Spent the past weekend with family, a little belated anniversary get together celebration fro me and Cathy at a bed and breakfast call Sam Rayburn lake house. Here's the house we rented with Mary and Miguel outside. There is another building like this, the main house and a gym on the property. It's lake front way back in a cove we used to call Stanley Creek.

Here's Cathy, Katie, Rose, Juan and Morgan gearing up for a lake assault. Not pictured is Morgan's GF Ali but we will get her up on here before the week is out. Plenty of photos made of this crew. Not great on the fishing, too hot, but everyone got to tube or kneeboard.




With temps hovering around 100 degrees each day this summer, it's lucky this was not more common.

Happy Birthday Mary...

July 10th, Mary is 18 years old.

She gets kicked out of the house today, but only for a birthday road trip with Miguel down to the beach and a swing through Sweeney, Texas to pick up sister Rose and bring her back up here for the weekend.

Her parents actually are giving a little grace period until the fall semester starts to live at home, gather enough wits and supplies to survive the actual, real kicking out scheduled for then.

This photo was her high school yearbook shot.

Sign Seen in Arkansas...

On our recent trip to Little Rock I spotted this sign while driving one of the roads that runs parallel to the Arkansas River, just up river from the Markam Street/River Market area. Not bad for an off the cuff photo snap while driving, you can see one splotch on the wind shield.

I was a little jealous, I thought we were only supposed to have signs like this in Texas.

I will probably never own lake front or ocean front property and don't have that as a goal, but it might be cool to live in a city with a big river flowing through it or maybe that's just the Huck Finn in me talking this morning as I head off to work, a busy week in store with no boating on tap till at least Friday.

Night Fishing...

Still trying to catch up on pictures from the past week or so of activities. Had an extra day off from work on Tuesday so we decided to give my new Father's day gift, a green fishing light a try last Monday night. The green light attracts bait fish which is supposed to attract crappie.

I fished crappie and Cathy fished catfish. She had the only results with several nice channels like this. I was skunked. I think I lost one fish at the boat. Guess I have forgot how to fish for the crappie. The several locations we tried are old community hole type spots that my dad and his brothers used to fish and they have usually been good for a few fish, but not on this night. Anyway, the lake was nice at night, the green light pretty and with 100 degree temps we will try again.

We fished about 7 till midnight and on arriving home I just pulled the boat into the front yard to be backed into the stall in daylight. Mary arose for school, did not see the boat in the stall. I am peacefully sleeping and my cell phone rings. I answer and she says "Where are Ya'll?" I reply, "In my room, asleep."

It's tough around here on the last child left at home, keeping tabs on aging parents, making sure they come home, don't get lost on the lake, remember to dress appropriately, wear sunscreen and such.