Canoe Trip To Red Hills Lake...

We headed out yesterday to Red Hills Lake in the Sabine National Forest for a little canoe and swim action. I recall we might have made a trip here when the kids were little. Seems I remember fly casting while keeping an eye on the kids in the swimming area and catching some funky looking carp on flies that might have been the results of someone dumping an unwanted aquarium in the lake. I also recall a Parks and Wildlife electro shock boat on the lake so maybe good fish have been stocked since then. 

Red Hills is a Civilian Conservation Corps build from FDR's New Deal Programs of the 1930s. This lake was built in 1940.  If you recall during the depression there was not much work so the government came up with the jobs building lakes, parks, school gyms and other facilities that as well as the benefit of the jobs they could also raise the general quality of life. Now a days things are a bit different. If ya got a job building something you might not be able to afford to go or shop there once it's done. I went here for the price of a $30 Forest service parking permit I bought last summer and have used again and again at the lakes and woods in this area. 

Cathy joined me on the trip. She is not much for paddling being squarely in the power boat camp. I paddled her around like to think I am getting some exercise doing this which was probably canceled out by the trip later the Fisherman's Galley on nearby Toledo Bend Lake. I had the grilled catfish topped with etouffee.    

The spill way. It was gently overflowing making a nice lapping water sound as we drifted past. Looks like it was designed to have a man climb up there from a boat and open or close it but from the looks of the rusted machine that might not have happened in a while. The hooks, line and sinkers hung in the grate are sad endings to what mush have been heroic casts from the nearby earthen dam.

I caught one small bass so I don't think we can expect a off the beaten path fishery here. I might try again sometime in the fall or spring as it was a very peaceful place, quiet other than the few kids in the swimming area. 

Not swimming in my belly. 

We changed out of our wet swim suits standing by the car in the shade of the forest with no one else around. Rest rooms were pit, but clean with plenty of toilet paper. No electric camping hook ups. I did note this sign after we were finished canoeing and swimming.  

Street Band Tuba Players...

After a brief interlude of writing about the lake, swimming and grandchildren here we are back to the giant Mardi Gras float in the room and that's the discussion of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, tubas, banjos, why anyone would go see the Eagles or music where you can't feel the clave. 

Clave, a rhythm brought to the New World by sub Saharan people who ended up on these shores even though they really did not want to be and is the Spanish word for code and that might seem like what we are using  here, a code to throw the less than hip off the trail. In fact in addition to talking code I am on a kind of trail, a shining path if you will and that's to make a photo of as many tuba players as possible.

On trips to New Orleans I think I have photographed as many as 40 tuba players in a single trip. I don't think I did quite that well this time only seeing about 20. This has turned into what looks like a life's work as I have a big facebook photo album that I post them to. As this has gone on for years now through a few computer crashes the online version of some of these photos are the only ones that exist.

Today I'll post photos of the underdogs, not the big time dudes on stage in front of hundreds or maybe thousands but the street bands that were stationed up and down the neighborhoods around the fairgrounds playing for tips. From the looks of the tip jars they were doing ok.

There may be a handsome dude on lead guitar but you know all the butts are shaking to the bass guitar. In this case the tuba causing the shaking. 

A man after my own heart. Guy was too good not to take several photos. 

Something going on here drawing a crowd and it's tuba. 

Must not be playing jazz. There's girls there. In fact there are a lot of girls at a brass band show. 

No tuba players were harmed in the taking of these photos. All bands compensated in the tip jar for non profit use of photos. 

  

Introducing the Boat Paddle Guitar...

Ok, search the internet. It's not near the only boat paddle guitar in the world and it is certainty not the most expensive one. I think it might be the most aesthetically pleasing, especially if you are an East Texas fisherman. 

Thanks to Pat, who requested one of these for her husband Lanny's birthday for the challenge f making one of these.  I used to play in the old Back Porch Band with Lanny so I was glad to oblige. She said it could be just a wall hanger and not really have to be a player but it's pretty much as easy to make on play as not.  He has not got his present yet but in not on social media so ya'll keep a secret ya hear? 

I made the first one from stuff in my tackle box but not wanting to use up a life times stock of Devil's Horse topwater baits I visited Heritage Antiques in Downtown Lufkin and found a few lures down there. Antique lures can be expensive. I am looking for mass produced not collectible hopefully colorful lures.  

Eric at Sound Techs music store bought the Heddon Zara Spook topwater on the left. 

I must confess I posted a video on facebook of me playing these guitars and people liked it a lot. Lot of compliments on the sound. I must confess, these guitars are acoustic instruments and while they do sound pretty good in the video I used a stick on piezo pick up, a contact pickup like you might stick on a uke or mandolin to electrify it in a pinch. Playing it though a battery powered Fly 3 Black Cat amp got a huge sound. The paddle was really resonant. 

I guess this brings up a point I have stressed again and again to folks and that's that three strings are not necessarily easier to play than six. On the fretless neck you got to have a developed ear, a little knowledge of theory and the willingness to hook up some electric gadgets in a way no one else wants to. 

Don't try this at home unless you are mudbelly. 

   

Astros Win...

We caught the Astros Vs. White Sox earlier this year while in Chicago. It was a slug fest as the Astros score 10 runs. It was a little tighter last night against Tampa Bay as the hometown boys waited till the 9th inning to score the winning run for their 12th straight win.

Cathy poses for a photo outside the hometown digs. I always liked the Dome, I've seen the Astros play at Wrigley and after a couple of games in a row at Cominsky Park, which is about as non descript as I have seen in a baseball field Minute Maid is a fine place to see a game.

I don't know if they somehow vented the AC outside or if it was just a perfectly designed green space but outside the park with a little sprinkle it was pleasantly cool in the public gathering places under the cypress trees. 

We met John and Mari for the game. They scored great seats at a reduced price on Grupon. I decided my wife must have had some input on the seats as we were down first base line. She likes the guy that plays first with the pineapple haircut. She was sad later in the game when one of the strategic moves had him across the field playing third.  

Reminder to self, some of the eye black stuff due to the lights glare sitting down on the field. 

Celebrate a good win. 

Parking tip. Looks like you can get parking for 10-35 bucks depending on the lot you choose with some street parking available at the meters if you get there early enough. We paid $10 to park in the parking lot at a restaurant called Irma's. When you exit the lot the North 59 ramp is right there and you are headed home. As a plus they had a Beto for Senate  sign at the door. 

   

Sights on the Lake...

We launched at Sandy Creek on Saturday for a cruise around the big end of the lake. It's a bit of an out of the way boat ramp but looks like it sees good fishing traffic. This part of the lake is a little different from the areas we usually hang out. 

Powell Park kid play area. I wanted to but noted no one my age on the inflatable water attractions so I took the high road and just anchored the boat offshore and swam on my own. 

From the sign sign everywhere a sign department. Must be something Trump put up. 

Actually it's a sign warning boaters to stay away from the dam. I would think such was not needed but I think there was an incident on an East Texas lake this spring where a boat ran over a concrete spill way so I guess it's a good idea. 

Lot of water held back by a lot of concrete. 

The mode of operation on this end of the lake seems to be find a beach, and there are plenty of them usually located below big wash out cliffs like this and pull your boat up for a swim. I would have to reimagine my catfish tactics. There are no stumps to tie up to around here. 

Just outside of the boat ramp cove at Sandy Creek we saw these old junk concrete culvert material piled up in a way that would make a good fish attractor if it was in the water. That may have been the original intent but the lake needs to be about 15' higher. I tried to figure out how these got here. I don't see any road access so I kind of expect they have been there awhile. Back in the day we used to find old roads that ran into the lake and they were great fishing structures. Erosion and tree growth have hidden all these type places. 

This tree fell in a perfect place to enhance this structure as a fishing spot. Probably loose a lot of lures. I hoped as I motored past there was not anymore of these things in the deeper water where I might find it with the foot of my outboard.

Cathy thought this cloud looked like a dragon. 

Canoe Afternoon...

I took the canoe out yesterday afternoon. It's what I do when Cathy is busy with something else. Occasionally I catch fish but canoeing is kind of a health plan for me. The exercise of paddling, the quietness compared to the noise of an outboard and the strengthening of lifting and loading the boat. At this age there might be only so many times I am able to do that left in my life.  

I put in and paddled around the cove at Caney Creek Park. I got this photo of a blue heron sitting and trying to look like a dead pine limb. If you recall one of the hurricanes, as it moved up through East Texas came right through this park. Lots of trees were knocked down, it was closed for a while and one camping loop looks like it will never open again. That's too bad as there was built a nice concessions building that is closed and I think there used to be a pretty fair swimming area. There is still a good boat ramp and parking lot and if you like tent camping you will like it here. The dead tree this bird is in was probably drowned by the high water from several years ago. There is probably a blog post with us paddling around picnic tables catching fish.  

I did not catch a bunch of fish today. I caught three brim and I mainly fished for bass just to see if I could still do it. This one liked a plastic frog. I like a plastic frog also. You cast it out and as you reel in in the little feet flap the water. I missed several strikes and finely hooked this guy. 

I think I left the house about 2:30. It's been a bit windy on the lake in the afternoons and I did not really start getting hits till it calmed down. I'll try not to be so excited to go early next time. That way I won't be tired from paddling and my arms won't be fatigued from thrashing the water to a froth. As I say, might not be too many trips left to go. 

I Have Occasionally Felt Pregnant While Playing a Gig...

Yeah, you stand up there your back to the drum riser ready to make a stand. Live music and the possibility feels endless. Something is fixing to happen, creativity born this transcendental moment and sounds never before heard in the world are loosened. Then some other dude in the band kicks off "Margaritaville" or "Roadhouse Blues" and suddenly you find yourself playing that same old white boy crap that has always been played, usually badly in jam sessions and gigs all across the land. I guess I have never been pregnant on  stage but Leyla McCalla sure was when we saw her at Jazz Fest. 

Leyla McCalla is a Haitian American musician living in New Orleans. Formerly a member of the string band The Carolina Chocolate Drops she sings in French, Haitian Creole and English.  She plays cello, tenor banjo and guitar. I like her music a lot. 

Leyla is eight months pregnant with twins in this photo. She played two gigs this day on the Heritage stage and in the Lagniappe tent. It was her last gig before taking time off. The twins were born May 23rd and named Zade and Zaya. Leyla resumes playing in September. 

Good backing band. 

I did not get the fiddle players name. 

Check out some music with possibility. 

Leaving Them Old Blues Myths Behind...

Used to be a terrible rumor, an old wives tale maybe among the old blues players that if you got sober you lost your chops. You just would not have it anymore and probably should hang your ax up. Here's a couple of guys we saw at Jazz Fest, Anders Osbourne and Jason Isbell that are showing the lie in that old myth every time they take the stage. 

Both these guys are from the same breed. They are singer songwriters with serious guitar chops. Anders has had his songs recorded by an array of diverse artists as well as had them appear on movie sound tracks. While he calls New Orleans home he was born in Sweden. He got here as fast as he could. 

After overcoming his own demons Anders founded Send Me a Friend. This organization is for the working musician that finds his or herself back in the bars where the trouble started but is trying to plug away at the music job newly sober. It's either that or drive a cab so Send Me a Friend helps make a buffer and a safe haven for the musician to protect from the temptations of the road.  

I think I have at least four of his cds. 

What more can we say about the success of Jason Isbell? Started out in the Drive By Truckers but he parted ways with them. We saw him in Chicago in a small bar and it was a demonstration of rock and roll excess. He swilled from a fifth of whiskey on stage and was a looking fat, bloated and sweaty. Still a good show but from my meager show business experience you could sense things running off the road. He soon got sober, married a fine singer songwriter/instrumentalist Amanda Shires and we saw a great show with them opening for Todd Snider.

Since then it's back on track with great recordings that win Americana Music Awards. Nothing gets you good songs like almost going down. Thing is you gotta get it together to write those songs.   

Band is called the 400 Unit. Don't know what that means but it's good. 

If you think you might loose your chops if you make a change stop and think again. I prefer the long arc of creativity myself instead of the burn it out school. 

Makes Me Want to Listen to Some Jack Whte...

An older gentleman I know, in accordance with the older you will get gospel told me recently he wanted me to check out a tenor banjo he owned. When I got a chance I did this and it was a very nice instrument, an S.S. Stewart Universal Favorite. It was a gift he received from his father in law. I know how that is as Bill Cooney makes sure I stay stocked with tenor banjos. I am guessing this is pretty old. Seems that when Stewart died in 1898 the name was sold here and there and ended up being owned by a company called Buegeleisen and Jacobson, a distributor in New York from 1915 until the company closed in the 70s but not before trying to take on the electric guitar craze with some really cool Italian electric imports. Anyway as I was playing the banjo for the old guy a passer by stopped and said "That Makes me want to listen to some Jack White." That was an unusual comment since we saw Jack White at the jazz fest less than a month ago and while he did not play the banjo he is sort of famous for the screaming budget 1960s electric guitar thing. 

Here's the old banjo:

Here's Jack White. Jack is kind of a guy that while he mangles the blues and other early American musics into something that new and primitive at the same time he also preserves the weird old America kind of ways like recording on original early recording technology. Cathy had to jog my memory that most people who saw the movie "Cold Mountain" saw Jack White play a banjo as he covered the role of a traveling minstrel musician.  I play banjo by making up a cheater tuning that is not really tenor but allows me to carry on the way I do.   

Jack is definitely a play a cool guitar guy. 

My view of the stage was from an angle so I could never see the whole band but the big screen was right in front of me and this was a great bass and drum section with cool equipment. Good interplay on Jack's every move. 

Jack with an old Kay guitar he uses for slide. You can see this guitar in a lot of the White Stripes videos. Onstage also was the old Sears Silvertone amp Jack made famous. It's just like the one you learned to play guitar through in the 60s and wish you still had. 

Click this link to see photos I made of Jack and the Dead Weather at the 2010 Jazz Fest LINK

Jack closed the show with "you have been a great audience, I've been Jack White." I'll use that line sometime wheather I have been playing banjo or a cheap slide guitar. Thanks, Jack.