5 lbs Sugar

We knew we were blessed with quite a few birds every year, but didn't appreciate our luck until hearing about my uncle's "one bird all summer experience."

Of coarse Tracie feeds the birds over 5 lbs. of sugar every week :^)

I pulled out the tripod and camera on the porch this evening. Wouldn't you know the lighting was not the best with the approaching tropical storm. The birds were still hungry. About 9 or 10 birds, but could only catch 5 max on digital.

These pictures are for H, Ally and the boys.

Damn Moscas

Granddad had us kids up at daylight. We'd gather around a old wooden picnic table in the backyard whimpering about having to get up so early and wiping sleepy-dust from our eyes.

The table was lined with day old newspapers, a HUGE butcher knife, a dulled aluminum salt shaker. In the middle of the table sat two huge green melons. A Black-Diamond red and a seedless yellow meat straight from the valley.

He must have gained much delight at having us younguns eating sweet melon before most people were even awake because he did that very thing every summer we stayed with him and Super Granny.

The sweet aroma of the melons aways attracted a pesky fly or two. Granddad always said "they wouldn't eat too much." I guess looking at their small size he was probably right about that.
If he was in a mood he'd say "DAMN MOSCAS go away!!!" moscas= fly in spanish. Spanish which he loved to speak fluently around us kids I might add.

Can't help to think of Granddad today while eating a sweet watermelon.

And the "damn moscas"....guessing this guy I photoed is still thinking of him.

Annual Migration

This time of year they always show up in numbers to steal the sweet nectar from the feeder. To fill up before making their annual migration.

Always fun to watch the one bird that fends off the others. There are 4 drinking flowers and one bird keeping all of the others away. It doesn't even have to be drinking.....just guarding.

Can't we ALL just get along!!!

watchout for the wasp!!!

The East Texas Train Ride

Ole No. 7 wasn't just a train, but a steam engine built around 1929.

It is mid July and the searing heat leaves little doubt that we are indeed in Texas.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife staff run the train rides between the Rusk and Palestine state parks. Built by prisoners and supervised by the state prison system the line was completed in 1909. The 25 mile track winds deeply through the East Texas woods . One train from Palestine to Rusk and back. The other train from Rusk to Palestine and back. They meet at mid track and pass(twice daily on wkends) at "the switch".

High game fences border the southern side of the tracks for several miles. I wonder what lies beyond. We pass by giant oak trees, cypress swamps, pine thickets and pastures. I'm wondering what's around the next corner.

The train chugs along at a hypnotic pace. Easy to think of a simper lifestyle when this engine was in it's heyday. The windows are half-down letting little breeze in as we pass high over the Neches river.

The bell tolls constantly and the whistle blows at every road crossing. People gather and wave like they've never saw the train before, we wave back like we've never saw people . Funny because the train runs this same route every Saturday and Sunday through summer......... although this is our first visit ever.

We snake our way toward the other depot. The Rusk station features a 15 acre lake. The small lake is covered in lilypads and cypress trees. It offers picnicing, paddle boats, and fishing. We opt for the picnic during this 1 1/2 hr. lay over plus a quick stoll along the lake shore and into the unique train gift shop.

Always wanted to make the train ride, but never found the time. Seems state park funding is low on the priority list as the state's purse strings are tightened. The Ole train may be a thing of the past soon.... as the story is being told.

Glad we made the journey...life is short!

Bones of Contension

If there is a issue which always causes tension and arguments, it is a bone of contention.

Step Daughter's discipline issues and somebody's smoking!

I'm not the type of person that says things for no reason.

Please take note.

Nymph to Dragonfly

The son and I eased out on to the highway, shortly after the sun had set. Our adventure was just beginning as we headed for the mysterious swamp filled Caddo Lake.

Though this journey isn't for the faint of heart, it is something we both enjoy. The thought of ideling through the darkened waters looking past the spotlight beam for glowing frog eyes keeps all but the hardiest of thrill seekers at bay. Unless you enjoy thousands of bugs hitting you in the face just at twilight....maybe you should stay home and pull the covers over your head too!


Weaving around fallen tree limbs and over unimaginable creatures (logs) that bump the bottom of the small craft as we travel farther into the swamp. The spanish moss swaying in the gentle breeze as the (almost) full moon peaks over the tree tops. It's gonna be a great night out!

The son has a new toy just for such a excursion. A MudBuddy motor and Weldbuilt boat that isn't afraid of the moss and lilypad choked skinny waters of Caddo Lake. I'm amazed and impressed at the ease of our travel after having fought a outboard motor thru this same jungle of vegetation for years. (sometimes one doesn't know what they've been missing until they find it)

After a few short minutes of travel he spots one of our targets. There just above the floating duckweed a pair of shinning yellow eyes. He motors us in closer and closer. Just as I'm ready to reach out and grab the frog, the son overcorrects the stearing....I hastily lash my hand out into the water only to come back empty handed. Atleast I touched the beast....shrugs and off to the next potential catch we go hoping not to miss the next one.

He kills the mudmotor.

We sit in silence except for the loud chorus of chirping tree frogs (almost deafing to those first trip frog seekers) Waiting patiently for the deep RRrrrrip RRrrrrip sound the big bull frogs make. Wes has always had fun making that sound while we wait in the dark. I get excited and say"did you hear that frog?" he will always laugh and say "yea it was me." Kids!!!!

We finally hear a loud RRrrrip (single note) Wes cranks the motor and we head in the direction of the croak. After a few seconds of seaching the muck, we see him up against the trunk of a giant cypress. We ease in and I GOT HIM THIS TIME....still grinning at my redemption. I ease him into the tow sack and we're off again.

Several frogs later and late into the night we spot the orange glowing eyes of a huge log. Yep your right....that aint no log!......... H U G E GATOR
We see gators from time to time, but usually they just slip back beneath the moss covered surface to await our passing. This gator swam around for a bit before departing. I'm not swimming here!

It's getting late now(3:30am) as we sit once again awaiting the call of yet another bull. I glance over at a nearby waterlily, admiring the white lotus bloom in the shadow of the full moon. I see a creature stirring on the waterlily stem. A dragonfly that is emerging from his crysalis, unable to fly until it's wings dried a bit.

Truely amazing....just to be a witness to God's Creations.

Seeing waterlilys that grow out of these muddy water that rise up to a beautiful white lotus bloom and emerging dragonflys.

This place is just awesome.

This beauty of the darkened swamp is what keeps us coming back for more.