August 2009

Interactive Games On Road Trips

August 31, 2009

The last time we went on a road trip with our teenager in tow, he sat in the back seat with his eyes closed. He rocked his head from side to side; occasionally he twisted and jerked. All the while, his long slender fingers beat an indiscernible rhythm on the car seat. Most of the [...]

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Haunted House in Black and White

August 30, 2009

It’s probably not haunted — maybe. It certainly looked like it could be. We found it driving around in Boyd, Texas (which is another of those small towns in Wise County). Of course, I screamed, “Stop! It’s a Photo-Op!” I wanted to wander through that old house, but it might have fallen down on me. [...]

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A Good Sanctuary For Exotic Animals

August 28, 2009

Perhaps a big cat in a “cage” doesn’t seem at first like a “good” thing … at least not for the cat (although, trust me, you want a barrier). At the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary there are sixty rescued cats enclosed, along with twelve bears. It is a VERY good thing. It’s not a zoo [...]

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Disjointed Photo Album

August 26, 2009

While editing photos for the parade I told you about yesterday, I got distracted looking at some of the photographs that we have taken. They are the ones that never became a post — but I liked them. That’s about the only thing they have in common. It’s “disjointed,” I know. But, it’s the way [...]

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North Texas State Fair Parade

August 25, 2009

A parade! I love parades, and this Saturday in Denton we had one to kick off the 2009 North Texas State Fair and Rodeo. No, that would not be the same thing as The State Fair of Texas, which is at Fair Park in Dallas and has Big Tex. And, no, the parade was nothing [...]

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It Doesn’t Work For Me: Rollip.com

August 24, 2009

I had some extra photos from my forays into Wise County, Texas. They didn’t fit into any posts, but I wanted to do something with them. I was contacted by a man at Rollip.com who said: “We at Rollip.com have developed a new site that lets you give any digital photo the classic look and [...]

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Alien Buried at Aurora?

August 23, 2009

When I performed at the Newark Public Library, I met a woman who had grown up in Wise County. She looked pretty smart, so I asked her, “Is there anything nearby notable enough to photograph?” “Well,” she said. “Let me think a minute … have you seen the alien cemetery at Aurora?” “Say whut?” I [...]

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Sweetie Pie’s Ribeyes In Decatur Has The World’s Best Baked ‘Tater

August 22, 2009

Maybe that generalization is a little sweeping, but the baked potatoes at Sweetie Pie’s are darned good! Now, doesn’t that make your mouth water? But, wait! You don’t know how they cook them. That’s the part that fascinated me. See, they have these two enormous vats, with racks to hold the baked potatoes. Chris, one [...]

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2-1-1. It’s A Good Call.

August 21, 2009

If the sagging economy is hitting you right where it hurts, these three numbers might be the best ones you have ever dialed: “2-1-1.” OK, I know that you don’t have a rotary phone. Punch the number, then (punch it hard — it might make you feel better). But, if you need help, make the [...]

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Armed-a-dillo

August 19, 2009

Nobody tells this guy to “stuff it.” Although, he does have a thick skin and can probably take the insults. This poor stuffed armadillo presides over the general store at a small town in the Texas Hill Country. It’s an ignominious end for that little old critter, and I confess that I was a little [...]

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Ain’t Nobody Feelin’ No Pain

August 18, 2009

Have y’all ever spent any time sprawled on the bed while trying to recuperate from a back injury? That’s what I’ve been doing for several days now, and I’m darned sick and tired of reclining. I should be spending my time trying to discern the proper usage of the words “lie” and “lay,” but instead [...]

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Up In Smoke

August 17, 2009

Steve’s Barbecue, in Denton, was a colorful little place. You can tell that from the picture, even after the devastating fire that destroyed it. We fell in love with it on our wedding day. Oh, we had known it was there — Steve had been in business for twenty-three years, after all. The little shack [...]

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Roaming Around Rhome

August 15, 2009

I told y’all not too long ago that “all roads lead to Rhome.” I was talking about the tiny hamlet of Rhome, Texas. Whenever I get lost, I wind up there. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to tell stories at the Rhome Public Library (through a grant generously given by The Texas Women for the [...]

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Changes In Only The Good

August 14, 2009

I tried to infect people with a virus. Yes I did. I wanted folks on the internet to succumb to an optimism virus. Since last fall, I have been posting each Friday about “good” stuff. Sometimes, I talked about really inspiring things. Other times, I was just plain silly, or talked about my day. It [...]

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Vertigo Hats Gave Me Balance

August 13, 2009

I was in Austin, Texas without a hat! I confess that I felt nekkid — I was out of balance. From the window of our fourth floor (haunted) room at the Driskill, we could see a hat shop called “Vertigo.” We took a break from our ghost hunt and headed over there to shop. We [...]

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Ghost Hunt at The Driskill Hotel. Part 2.

August 12, 2009

We continued traipsing through the halls of the Driskill in our search for some kind of ghostly presence. In the bar, the leering steer hanging on the wall was a bit frightening. I’m not fond of hanging dead critters on the wall, but then I guess the management had to prove that this is Texas [...]

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Ghost Hunt at The Driskill Hotel. Part 1.

August 11, 2009

They told me our room was a “haunted room.” Supposedly the Driskill Hotel has a lot of ghosts walking its hallways. We went to Austin, Texas to try to see one. Actually, we went to see the bat colony take flight from under the Congress Avenue Bridge, but staying at the Driskill was an added [...]

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The Haunted Driskill Hotel in Black and White

August 10, 2009

On our recent trip to Austin to view the bat flight at Congress Avenue bridge, we stayed at a landmark hotel. The Driskill Hotel is located on Brazos Street in the heart of downtown Austin. It was built in 1886 by a fellow named Jesse Driskill, who was not only a cattle baron, but had [...]

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Proximidade Blogging Award

August 9, 2009

Don’t y’all just hate it when your body won’t cooperate? If you haven’t had that experience, you haven’t gotten as old as I am … yet. It’ll happen, if you are lucky. I despise getting old, until I consider the alternative. My back went all wonky on me last week. I’m pretty sure that my [...]

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Spinning Out Of Control

August 7, 2009

At one time, my spinning was out of control! Did I tell y’all that I “spin yarns” both figuratively and literally? Yes, spinning yarn on a spinning wheel is a hobby of mine, and it’s what led to me becoming a storyteller, or “spinner of yarns.” Twenty-seven years ago, I was demonstrating spinning yarn for [...]

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