Mary Strat Kat...

Dan the drummer call in sick and the Strat Kats were invited back to play another AA dance. Lucky we were able to get a sub. Here Mary sits in on drums with Danny in the back ground on guitar. Mary really bailed us out, she has never played with us before and did a fine job off the cuff. Even had her own drums.









Miguel slobbers in a flute, sweats down a microphone.















The beat goes on. Good thing about playing with old guys is that we were through by 10pm. Plenty of time for another gig.

Is That What I Think It Is...

Sometimes a guy just likes cake. I mean really ape shat crazy likes it. And that's all he likes.

I know his mouth did not get that way playing a flute.

The Eagle Has Landed...

Our fishing guest this past weekend, Myron, spotted this guy right away as he flew across the lake. As the eagle I mean, not Myron flew across the lake. Later while fishing we saw this great bird perched in a nearby tree.






We moved in as close as possible for photos. After all we are competing for the same meal out here. We might could share a tip or two.











Eagle gets a little nervous, he says, "you crowd me, I'll fish somewhere else."

Therapy Services Fish Off...

Good day on the lake with Cathy and Myron, a traveling occupational therapist from Florida who is in our hospital on a rotation for 13 weeks. He likes to fish. We caught 31 cat fish, all now swimming in our bellies.
"Sir, could you please turn down that music?" Always someone who thinks you are having too much fun.









Myron gets in on the famous tub shot. Not to much to write home about size wise, but looks like with the warming late winter days we might be back on the fish.

So You Think Musicians Are So Cool...

My gear packed up in the back the back of the car after last night's Mardi Gras dance at the Lufkin State Supported Living Center. Bought that hat at the Jazz Fest one time in New Orleans, those beads on there were caught off parade floats in the late 80s, old string beads, coming apart from rot and breaking while I played last night.

So for all you couch players thinking this is so cool, if you count these monthly dances and the church gigs each week, plus funerals and weddings that's 64 plus set ups and take downs a year. Might be more prep time than play time. Also keep in mind we were missing our flute section last night. He had to babysit his sisters and study for a physics test. This really is science when life don't get in the way.

All on a Mardi Gras Day...

On Fat Tuesday the big bass drum leads the big parade. Round here we take our Mardi Gras serious, lots of preparation requiring holy cleanliness.








Also special hair styling is important. When mister throws the beads, it can land around the spike.

Few More Snow Pictures...

Me and my buddy Miguel were bromancing the other day, listening to an old crazy record, "A Wizard, a True Star" trying to take away something useful from those early brave explorers and to quote the record, "There's always more." In this case more snow pictures.

Here's the BVM in the grotto that sits secure in a bed of Chinese juniper by our deck. When Rose and Katie were little there is a picture they always looked at, bound to be made late winter 1960, Cathy is in a baby carriage in the old front yard of Raton St. pushed by her mom. The girls would aways say, "Dad when are we going to move somewhere where it snows a lot, like Houston." Actually I could not establish the exact date of that snow fall, I think the picture is in an album at Pop's house but I did find it has only snow in Houston 30 times since 1895.

Our House this week.











Afternoon of the great 2010 snowfall, mostly gone and the elk in the pasture next door say, "Does that man have range cubes?" Note that they are in the process of shedding antlers, some have, some don't.

Snow Day...

So if you live much north of here you are not going to be much impressed, kind of like if I presented my birth certificate to Glenn Beck. He would only peruse it and deny Angelia County as my place of birth.

Anyway, nice soft snow fall, I slept all the way through it and only noticed at first light. Here Cathy arrives home with a hood full of snow transported from the hospital parking lot and makes a modest snow man.



A snowy backyard scene. Seems like only a few days ago I sat out here with no shirt last summer.



Was that track there before I came out? I mean outside, not like I really came out.
















Oleanders in my yard. They have taken a beating this winter, be interesting to see if they come back.

I Was Outed Today...

For your info I need to preface this tale with making known the fact that I don't watch TV. Can't even receive a signal since the advent of the requirement of some sort of digital box turned a perfectly good 19" TV/VCR combo into junk as far a the watching a major network thing is concerned. Oh yes I watch DVD movies, sent in from netflixs, obscure foreign cinema verdes that I use as sleep aids. This fact also reveals the joke behind the big screen give aways. I sure have no need for them. I also have no cable TV. Was not here in the boonies when I moved into this location, might can get it now, for a fee of course.

To continue with my outing, I was in my professional capacity, speaking with someone, where it is my custom to only give an opinion on the weather or the cat fishing, pretty non controversial subjects. It's either raining or not, they are biting or not biting. In the background a TV was playing a news channel softly and I was paying it no mind. The person I was speaking with who we will call ___, said "Do you ever watch him?" indicting the man on TV.

I said, "I don't know who that is." Should have said, no, I don't.

___ knew if I did not know the man on TV, I must be one of them, a subversive of sorts. Pretty sharp, that ___, and called me on it. We had a good laugh, it won't be a deal breaker for us and even though we weren't for the same team on TV right that moment we were both glad the Saints won the Super Bowl.

So I guess I got to watch more TV, if I want to know who the movers and shakers are, maybe I won't be so easily outed next time and can play my cards close to the vest like I do on these pages.

I don't have a good picture of an outing, just this picture of leaves that Mary took in her high school photo class.

Everybody Needs a Buddy...

Some bird photos made at the lake this week on a cold winter day. It's been a boring winter around here, about ready for the spring time and there is not even a blizzard to give us really live cabin fever in these parts. I guess maybe boredom is why these guys are all friendly and palling around. That's a big blue heron escorted by a smaller gull.

They landed near us, the big blue perched on an almost submerged stick up and gull swimming nearby. I know those blue herons can get pretty territorial when approached by the old white cranes cawing and fussing mightily. Maybe he figures if a snack comes along the little bird won't eat too much and there will be plenty to share.

Old Winter Day...

Made it out to the lake today, cold winter gray as seen in this photo and I guess you just have go by the old wisdom that time spent fishing is time not counted against your life. We caught four catfish, enough for dinner, but no great haul. Got home and got them cleaned just as the rain started so at least our weather timing is good.

Cathy caught the biggest but did not want to hold it for a picture. She said she wanted to sew grand baby stuff and did not want the smell of a catfish trip to permeate the items. I took this opportunity to mention soap, baths stuff like that. She quoted Mary to drive home her point, "Showers are for the weak"

So I held the fish for a picture. I quote singer songwriter Todd Snider, "Give me money, complements, publicity."

In fact looking at the my fish holding technique and my bass guitar technique, they are the same. I think I have said this before, everything is everything.

Go Saints...

Made this photo on a 2007 visit to New Orleans. This tuba player was part of a small combo playing for tips in Jackson Square.

Bet business is good for him this weekend with all the Super Bowl parties.

Who has a party scheduled around here?

It's Super Bowl Week...

Despite my long affiliation with the city of New Orleans some one names their dog after the opposing quarterback, Peyton Manning. So happens the little crumb hustler, seen here taking a big ugly nap, has an Indianapolis Colts horseshoe (it's just aft of the white spot that looks like bird poo) right on top of his head.

Get thee to ebay fast before the Colts lose and the dog dies from eating too much steak.

Go Saints.

Almost Missed This Birthday...

Happy birthday to Ali, Morgan's girlfriend. It was the 24th, I did the right thing, posted on her facebook page, finely remembered to get her photo up here.

This photo dates from Christmas, opening presents at my mother's house.

H