West Texas

[Scratch]

http://player.vimeo.com/video/22132017? ... portrait=0

 

[killdeer43]

Mighty fine photography, and a big subject, too!

Thanks, Ken.
Joe

 

[Graham]

Fantastic!! Looks like we have a few more miles before we've seen the whole state huh? :shock:

 

[taabru45]

WOW....brilliant....felt like I was there....thank you so much...Ken.... Steffan

 

[davismanLV]

That was beautiful.... to look at and to listen to..... Thanks!

 

[Brad Little]

a big subject, too!

Yes. Several years ago the Boston Globe had an article about some Harvard students. One of them was from El Paso. When he drove home, he was only 2/3 of the way there when he hit the Texas border. Some great images.
Brad

 

[killdeer43]

After all the state's been through this year, let's hear it for Tejas!

The Lone Star flag, somewhere in the Hill Country

Yep, lived there for 10 years, I did! 8)

Joe

 

[ladytexan]

The Lone Star flag, somewhere in the Hill Country

Joe

Joe,

I think that is a view of the State of Texas flag from Scratch's front porch looking to the southeast toward Canyon Lake.

 

[West R Lee]

Well thank you guys, we've actually gotten a couple of nice rains the past couple of weeks.......bout 2" total. Not much, but it has made the rye grass nice and green. Stock tanks have a little water too.

How about down there Scratchley?

West

 

[killdeer43]

I think that is a view of the State of Texas flag from Scratch's front porch looking to the southeast toward Canyon Lake.

Truth be known, Toni, I took that photo in October of 2010.
Small world, ain't it? 8)

Joe

 

[ladytexan]

Ken,

Very nice video. Thanks for posting it. It reminds of some of things I've learned about Texas since I've lived here:

1. Big has a whole different meaning here........the state is 1,000 miles wide and 1,000 miles deep. It takes near almost 5 hours to get out-of-the state driving from anywhere (unless you live near the state line somewhere). Mexico is closer to me than Dallas or Houston.

2. From the piney woods of east Texas to the Little Grand Canyon in northern Texas to the Gulf of Mexico to the stockyards in Fort Worth.....there are some very friendly folks here. Lots of hospitality...and, the children are taught to answer "Yes, Ma'am" and "No, Sir". Gotta love that!

3. The weather is more unpredictable than just about anywhere I've been. But, I guess everyone feels that way today. We've had some pretty weird weather this year.....all over.

4. Football (from Pee-Wee to Pro levels) is more than a game.

5. Barbecue(ing) and frying a turkey aren't considered 'cooking'......they are an art form.

6. Texas music...isn't country, folk, rock, jazz, blues, classical....it's all of them with a bit of something it's hard to describe...but, I like it...bunches.

7. Texans drive fast...and, tailgate.

8. I HEART <3 TEXAS.

 

[coastie99]

Just plain great Ken, both visually and aurally ! 8)

I have to find some more of that guy's stuff.

Thank you.

 

[zulu]

That was enjoyable. Showing my ignorance here, but I was suprised to see snow. I always envisioned TX as a big furnace.

 

[Scratch]

Joe: Thought you would enjoy the photography. And thanks for taking that pic last year when you and Cindy visited!

Graham: Lots more to see my friend; maybe we'll get out of this drought and the wildflowers will be in bloom next time. Nothing prettier. Some day I'd love to get up your way to see faaaaar north Tejas... Oh yes: Tejas cow pattie coming... :lol:

Steffan & Tom: Glad ya'll liked it. Ya'll need to see it first hand to really appreciate it. C'mon down...

Brad: At church last Sunday, one of my friends's daughter was home for Thanksgiving. Drew is a huge rancher who played offensive tackle for TCU and had a brief two-year NFL stint before injuring his back. One of the nicest, humblest, friendliest God-fearing, gun-toting Texans you'd ever want to meet. Their daughter is in her second year at Amherst which I understand is up there near you somewhere. I asked her if she had yet picked up Boston accent and she replied that she's kept her's and is introducing classmates to Texas cuisine. They seem to enjoy BBQ Brisket and Tex-Mex. :wink:

West: We've been blessed with almost three inches of rain is the past month. Rocks are growing nicely... :lol: We need about 16 inches to get back to normal. Glad you all have had some rain too.

Toni: I love the fact that you, too, are a mid-western Texas convert. Ain't it great? And you're so right-on about Texas music. How do you describe it? Close as I can come is Americana because most of it comes from the roots. Hard to find a restaurant or hill country bar without a picker perched in the corner with an ole acoustic guitar and half full tip jar. This is probably the only state in the union where people are nice enough to smile and clap their hands even if you're as bad as I can be. :roll: Troubadour Texas is fast becoming one of my favorite shows. Have you watched it? http://troubadourtx.com/

Gary: Always wanted to meet you since I joined up here nearly five years ago. Why don't you come on up from faaaaar south Texas and visit? Longneck or ice tea on the front porch and if we happen to catch the full moon, we'll have a stogie, glass of Texas red and listen to the coyotes howl as we pick a few tunes... :wink:

Glad ya'll enjoyed that. Originally from Columbus, Ohio where I left to go into the service in 1967. There was a pride about Texans I considered arrogant when I was growing up and after basic traininig and OTS here, my memories were not all that fond. That all changed when we were stationed here in 1985 and I started studying all i could to see why Texans were the way they were.

I read Michener's 'Texas' cover to cover and that started it all. I subsequently read everything I could get my hands on and asked question after question of native Texans to see what made them tick. I discovered that with perhaps the most intriquing history of all US states (IMO) there was a darn good reason Texans take unreal pride in the Lone Star State. It was an easy decision to settle here after the military retirement.

I may be worse than anyone now in terms of arrogant pride, but I truly love this state as I could love none other. It has been our adopted home now for 23 years and I have two native born granddaughters. Eight-year old Maddie is darn near as eat up with Texas pride as I am.

Still love my Buckeyes, but I've become a Texas and Texas A&M fan as well. Wasn't born here, but one day I'll rest here not far from the Alamo at Fort Sam Houston's Nat'l Cemetary along side some other proud Texians.

God bless Texas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbH60wCO-Yw

 

[davismanLV]

That was enjoyable. Showing my ignorance here, but I was suprised to see snow. I always envisioned TX as a big furnace.

People think that about Las Vegas, too. They think it's BLAZING HOT here all the time! Two years ago we had a white Christmas, or at least the two weeks before Christmas. On my way driving into work, I can tell all the people who live in the outlying or higher areas as they all have snow on their cars. It's WAY colder here than Southern California ever was. Of course, in the mountains around us there's snow.... and skiing and snow boarding. Deserts have extremes of weather.....

 

[Scratch]

That was enjoyable. Showing my ignorance here, but I was suprised to see snow. I always envisioned TX as a big furnace.

I think the coldest I've ever been was in Amarillo on a cold, windy, snowy February day. You can suffer a blizzard in Dalhart and enjoy the Gulf beaches in south Texas on the same day. It's a fer piece to get there though... :lol:

 

[coastie99]

Gary: Always wanted to meet you since I joined up here nearly five years ago. Why don't you come on up from faaaaar south Texas and visit? Longneck or ice tea on the front porch and if we happen to catch the full moon, we'll have a stogie, glass of Texas red and listen to the coyotes howl as we pick a few tunes... :wink:

A Texas Road Trip !

Visit you, West, Harry, Toni, Ridge and others. I can't tell you how much I'd love to do that. Regretfully though, I never will.

 

[Scratch]

Gary: Always wanted to meet you since I joined up here nearly five years ago. Why don't you come on up from faaaaar south Texas and visit? Longneck or ice tea on the front porch and if we happen to catch the full moon, we'll have a stogie, glass of Texas red and listen to the coyotes howl as we pick a few tunes... :wink:

A Texas Road Trip !

Visit you, West, Harry, Toni, Ridge and others. I can't tell you how much I'd love to do that. Regretfully though, I never will.

Fun to think about it though... 8)

 

[killdeer43]

When I get back down your way, Ken, I'd like to try some of that Texas red, listen to the coyotes howl, and pick a few tunes....but I'll pass on the stogie. Might stunt my growth. :wink: :lol:

Joe

 

[Scratch]

When I get back down your way, Ken, I'd like to try some of that Texas red, listen to the coyotes howl, and pick a few tunes....but I'll pass on the stogie. Might stunt my growth. :wink: :lol:

Joe

Yer on... :wink: