Utah's Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

Magnolia

What's there not to like about a Magnolia?  Beautiful bloom and soft fragrance are appealing and soothing to just about anyone from the southern part of the United State.  However, in checking up on this one I found far to much information to try to catoragize it.  I actually took this in Cologne, Germany.  The tree was absolutely beautiful.  It was so thick with blooms that I mistook it for a tulip tree.

Galveston Texas Railroad Museum

My personal attachment to the Galveston Railroad Museum is through my great-grandfather.  Thomas E. Brazelton finished his illustrious 50 years of railroading as an industrial agent for the Santa Fe Railroad.  His last office before his retirement to Paris, Texas was located in the train station in Galveston that is now the museum. 

As a child growing up his daughters (my grandmother and two never married great-aunts) would entertain my brothers and me with interesting family lore about their parents’ adventures as their father went from being a telegraph operator to small station manager to metropolitan executive.  Stories included packing a pistol in the baby carriage as he and my great-grandmother would stroll to the bank with my grandmother and the cash deposits of the day from the train station he managed in Pecos, Texas.  Tales of standing on the rear platform as a train was travelling down the tracks and he lost his hat to the wind.  At the next station a message was telegraphed to the previous station for the next train to keep an eye out for it.  This train made a quick unscheduled pause to pick up the hat to return it to him.

He was caught on the island by a hurricane in 1916.  He apparently weathered the storm in his office above street level.  After the storm there was a shortage of fresh drinking water.  Steam engine locomotives, both wood and coal fired, were filled with fresh water to make the steam.  Several had apparently been left at the station and not removed from the island before the storm.  The family story says he organized a group of men and they systematically drained the large reservoirs of fresh water for distribution until a more permanent source became available. 

This venerable old building has taken a beating from the elements but still stands majestically at the top of The Strand, the historic street still lined with classic iron-fronted commercial buildings.  Now a museum with a lobby populated by ghosts of passengers past and tracks lined with classic railroad cars destined for nowhere, the hurricane of 2007 made its mark.  Perhaps the worst storm to hit the island since the devastating storm of 1900 that killed over 6,000 residents, Hurricane Ike filled the streets and buildings with several feet of water from the Gulf of Mexico.

The waiting room of the station took on an eerie air of composure as milky white plaster passengers were lifted by the rising water and began floated aimlessly.  These mannequins with life-like features are depictions of passengers going about the normal travel routines when the station was perhaps at its peak during the early years of the 20^th Century.     Most of these mannequins have been restored and are now back in position waiting to pick up a long lost conversation with fellow travelers and enjoy the excitement of travel on the rails.

The railroad cars on display received extensive damage for the storm.  Restoration is progressing but damage was so extensive that it will take years of volunteer help and fund-raising to restore those that are salvageable.  Many that were open before the storm remain closed.

While most railroad buffs will be saddened by the effects of Hurricane Ike, the museum still remains a viable relic to the colorful past of Galveston and the golden years of the railroads.  That said, donations are still needed to help support and rebuild the museum.

The museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and price of admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 years are older, and $4 for children (4 to 12 years).  The address is 2602 Santa Fe Place, Galveston, TX  77550.  The museum web site is www.galvestonmuseum.com.

Hotter 'n Hell...nope, Tour de Paris

The Weather Channel had the official recorded temperature at 100°F.  The heat index factoring in the humidity had to be in excess of 110°F by 12:00 noon.  It can get hot, very hot, in July in Northeast Texas.  And at the peak of this summer heat the City of Paris hosted its annual Tour de Paris Bicycle Ride through Lamar County and parts of Red River County.

I had a front row seat to watch the event.  My in-laws farm located in Atlas, Texas is on the route.  But, wimpy as I am, a few minutes watching these bicyclist struggle past was all the experience I needed.  I took time to make a few shots but moved back inside pretty darn quick. 

This was during the last leg of the 68 mile route from Love Civic Center in Southeast Paris.  This route meandered through Atlas, Howland, Ben Franklin, Pecan Gap and Roxton.  Three other routes, incrementally shorter, covered 21.3, 37 and 56 miles.

For more than 25 years this ride has meandered through the gently curving county roads and slightly undulating country side.  The event is organized by the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce and the Paris Visitors and Convention Council.  For more information go to www.tourdeparis.com.

People watching in Tiananmen Square.

We just happened to be in Beijing, China during their national celebration of Labor Day and just about every business in the city shut down and every government office was closed.  The subway system was working and the density of the crowd discouraged taking a taxi to Tienanmen Square.  Over 200,000 people were drawn here for the holiday ceremonies. 

What a great opportunity for people watching!  This was my first trip to China and it is a far cry from the China I had studied in college.  The dull gray clothing and bicycles have been replaced with Western style clothing and automobiles. 

My travel tip here is to make sure you are not planning to go to the to the Forbidden City on a national holiday celebration.  These site is located adjacent to the Square.  If you have booked through a tour group you will probably won't have a problem.  They have enough sense to know they can't get you past the traffic.  But just because you probably can't get into one of the most most popular sites in China doesn't mean you can't enjoy the atmosphere.  Just remember to take the subway.

By some quirk in Chinese culture, the government has since abolished Labor Day and replaced it with three additional holidays.

Horse Lubber Grasshopper (Romaleidae)

This photo was taken near the Costa Rica Volcano Arenal.  I think, but not positive, it is a horse lubber (Romaleidae) grasshopper; just one of about 660 species of grasshoppers found in North America according to BugGuide.  What ever it is about 20 of them were doing a heck of a job devouring this plant in a garden at the Rural Methodist Center in northern Costa Rica.

Scientists who study and classify grasshoppers break the families down further into separate genera, with lubbers comprising seven. Each genus has at least one species.

Horse lubber grasshoppers belong to the species eques of the genus Taeniopoda.  In the United States they inhabit the states of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas with their range continuing through Mexico to Costa Rica.  The bright lines on the sides of their head resemble a horse's head with a bridle thus explaining their name eques which is Latin for horse.  They feed on shrubs and weeds in mostly desert areas.

Dandelion (Taraxacum): Snap it and eat it!

I like Dandelions.  And they seem to grow just about everywhere.  This beautiful example was taken in Cologne, Germany on a bright April morning.  Why they are considered a weed I don't know.  This particular stand was growing next to a sidewalk near a small neighborhood park.

My photo tip on this one is to get as low to the ground as you can get.  With digital auto focus this is a lot simpler than laying on your stomach.  And you can keep snapping away until you get what you want.  Hold the camera down to bloom level (just 2-3 inches off the ground).  Composition will improve after a few practice shots.  This technique is also hand with taller blooms like tulips especially if there is an excellent blue sky with puffy white clouds.  Tilt the camera slightly higher to get bloom and sky.

Taraxacum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteracae. They are native to Eurasia and North America, and two species, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum and are found as weeds worldwide.  Both species are edible in their entirety.  The common name dandelion is given to members of the genus, and like other members of the Asteraceae family, they have very small flowers collected together into a composite flower head. Each single flower in a head is called a floret. Many Taraxacum species produce seeds asexually by apomixis, where the seeds are produced without pollination, resulting in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plant.^[3]

Multi-Color Costa Rica Grasshopper

Sheryl and I were hanging around an open air cafe in the mountains of Costa Rica when this colorful grasshopper literally jumped into my viewfinder.  It left almost as fast as it got there and I felt lucky to have even gotten this shot.  The mountain jungle became very thick just beyond the cafe railing and I wasn't going hunting for this guy. 

Seventy-five per cent of the acridomorph fauna of Costa Rica is confined to the wet forest environment. This habitat also has a disproportionately large proportion of species which are of restricted distribution within the country or are endemic to Costa Rica or are flightless. The grasshoppers of dry forest, grassland and swamp habitats have in general the reverse properties: they include relatively few species and most of these are capable of flight and are widely distributed both within and outside of Costa Rica. The major factor influencing the long-term survival (or, conversely, the extinction) of the major part of the grasshopper fauna of Costa Rica is likely to be the preservation (or destruction) of the wet forest habitat.

The Women of World War II Monument - London

London is one of those cities you can't get enough of its essence.  Its old, its new, its big, its vibrant, and it has something for everybody.  Even though I had not planned on watching the Royal Wedding extravaganza my insomnia happened to be in sinc with the Royal time table.  As the beaming new royal couple returned to the palace they passed what has become one of my favorite monuments in the City.  Its simple, to the point and very tasteful.  It deserves a hats off moment. 

The National Monument to the Women of World War II is a United Kingdom  war memorial sculpture situated in Whitehall, London to the north of the Cenotaph. It was sculpted by John W. Mills and dedicated by Queen Elizabeth II on July 9, 2005.

The Monument stands 22 feet (6.7 m) high, 16 feet (4.9 m) long and 6 feet (1.8 m) wide. The lettering on the sides replicates the typeface used on war time ration books. There are 17 individual sets of clothing and uniforms around the sides, symbolising the hundreds of different jobs women undertook in World War II and then gave back for the homecoming men at the end of the war.

Cicada Killer Wasp (Sphecius speciosus)

This photos was taken in Montgomery County, Texas.  Cicada killer wasps are large, solitary wasps  in the family Crabronidae  . The name may be applied to any species of crabronid which uses cicadas  as prey, though in North America  it is typically applied to a single species , Sphecius speciosus, often simply referred to as "the cicada killer". However, since there are multiple species of related wasps, it is more appropriate to call it the eastern cicada killer. This species occurs in the eastern and midwest U.S. and southwards intoMexico  and Central America . They are so named because they hunt cicadas  and provision their nests with them. In North America  they are sometimes called sand hornets, although they are not hornets, which belong to the family Vespidae.

Adult eastern cicada killer wasps are large, 1.5 to 5.0 centimetres (0.6 to 2.0 in) long, robust wasps with hairy, reddish and black areas on the thorax (middle part), and are black to reddish brown marked with light yellow stripes on the abdominal (rear) segments. The wings are brownish. Coloration may superficially resemble that of yellowjackets or hornets. The females are somewhat larger than the males, and both are among the largest wasps seen in the Eastern United States, their unusual size giving them a uniquely fearsome appearance.  European hornets (Vespa crabro)  are often mistaken for Eastern cicada killers.

Although cicada killers are large, female cicada killer wasps are not aggressive and rarely sting unless they are grasped roughly, stepped upon with bare feet, or caught in clothing, etc. One author who has been stung indicates that, for him, the stings are not much more than a "pinprick".  Males aggressively defend their perching areas on nesting sites against rival males but they have no sting. Although they appear to attack anything which moves near their territories, male cicada killers are actually investigating anything which might be a female cicada killer ready to mate. Such close inspection appears to many people to be an attack, but male and female cicada killers don't land on people and attempt to sting. If handled roughly females will sting, and males will jab with a sharp spine on the tip of their abdomen. Both sexes are well equipped to bite, as they have large jaws; however, they don't appear to grasp human skin and bite. They are non-aggressive towards humans and usually fly away when swatted at, instead of attacking. Cicada killers exert a natural control on cicada populations and thus may directly benefit the deciduous trees upon which their cicada prey feed.

Knocking around on Ol' McDonald's Farm and history

Looking at photos of the 2011 fires around the McDonald Observatory brought back some old and fond memories (I would like to claim this photo but it is not one of mine).

When I was entering the 1st grade in 1956 my parents bought a new home.  It was located on several acres just a few hundred yards outside of the eastern city limit sign of Paris, Texas on US Highway 271.

Next to the house was a cleared lot that I had been told was the location of a former owner’s house.  My two old maid great aunts said this was part of a farm that had belonged to one of Paris' most prominent citizens.  He was a banker.  But, in their word, he was a bit eccentric.

His name was McDonald and he had never married.  They told me he had accumulated a fortune for those days and had no direct heirs.  From there my imagination took over. 

In the late summer the rains are scarce in this part of Texas and the grass dies off leaving a hard, cracked and dusty surface.  One day I was playing in the lot when I discovered a rusty relic.  It was a tapered rectangle in shape with a thick and crude head.  It was a square nail about 3 inches long.  I kicked around some more and found others. 

This is the McDonald home and source of a treasure trove of square nails and other objects located on what is now Clarksville Street in Paris, Texas

I had found remians of McDonald’s house and somewhere near I envisioned a hoard of gold coins.  Too young to realize that bankers had other places to stash their cash I began my hunt for buried gold coins. 

So, as any treasure hunter would do, I got a hoe, shovel, and rake and went to work.   Pretty soon I had an old shoe box filled with small iron spikes.  I found some other rusty items I couldn’t identify and tossed them in my collection as it grew.  I even found some bricks mortared together that were part of the foundation of a pier and beam structure.  Off and on over the next few years my brothers joined me in this quest and each of us accumulated a collection of corroded objects such as door hardware and nails.

The dreams of finding this gold begin to diminish as I discovered in bits and pieces about the previous owner.    

William Johnson McDonald is immortalized today for a gift of $1,000,000.00 he bequeathed to the University of Texas upon his death in 1926 to study the stars.  As a result I have always felt a personal connection to the oddly shaped but aesthetically attractive McDonald Observatory structure located near Ft. Davis in far West Texas. 

And I understand why a couple of generations of my family might have found him eccentric.  His study of astronomy was a distant and obscure obsession that had few subscribers in Paris.  He by-passed his relatives and gave his fortune away unsolicited to The University of Texas.  The gift had come as a surprise to the University's president and governing board. 

He was born in 1844 at Howland near the future site of Paris and his family was among some of the earliest Anglo settlers in the state.  Even today a large swath of East Paris bears the unofficial name of Johnson Woods from his maternal side.  He father was a lawyer and wealthy enough to send him off to McKenzie College located at Clarksville, TX. 

McKenzie College was one of the largest, if not the largest, institute of higher learning in the state at the time.  It was founded by a local Methodist minister and was loosely associated with that denomination until it closed in 1868.  During college he left to join the Confederate Army and served for about a year while in his mid-teens.  He resumed his education after The Civil War.     

Credit Line: Archival Photographic Files, [apf6-04160], Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

 MCDONALD, WILLIAM JOHNSON (1844–1926). William Johnson McDonald, lawyer, banker, and philanthropist, eldest son of Henry Graham and Sarah (Johnson) McDonald, was born on a farm near Howland, Texas, on December 21, 1844. He attended McKenzie College, where Rev. John W.P. McKenzie was guardian of the orphaned William and his two brothers. McDonald left college in 1864 to join the Confederate Army but returned when the war ended and was graduated in 1867. He received a thorough classical training and developed a deep interest in astronomy, botany, zoology, and geology.

He supported himself for the next two or three years by teaching school and plying the printer's trade while studying law. He opened a law office in Clarksville in 1881 and became recognized as one of the best civil lawyers of Northeast Texas. He also prospered financially; from a small beginning as a moneylender, he advanced to the presidency of banks that he organized in Clarksville, Paris, and Cooper. On the establishment of the First National Paris bank in 1887, he moved to that city, where he lived for the rest of his life.

Frank Clark wrote a piece involving McDonald that appeared in the July/Aug 1997 issue of Paper Money on page 119. "In 1889 McDonald (1844-1926) was the original founder of The Delta County Bank. It was a private bank that operated out of a grocery store. In 1891 it was chartered as the First National Bank in Cooper, TX, charter number 4500. It is the oldest bank in Delta County."  Paper currency issued by the bank is some of the rarist to find. 

He died in Paris on February 8, 1926, leaving an estate of over a million dollars, the bulk of which he bequeathed to the University of Texas to establish an observatory. His heirs contested the will, and the university eventually made an out-of-court settlement by which it received $800,000. In 1939, the telescope of the University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory was dedicated.

The observatory is located on Mount Locke near Fort Davis.  The university, having no astronomy faculty, signed a thirty-year collaborative agreement with the University of Chicago in 1932, whereby Texas financed the telescope and Chicago provided the astronomers.

World War II severely restricted astronomical research in many parts of the world, but McDonald gained the services of several refugee European astronomers.

At the end of the war McDonald astronomers received many awards from American and European astronomical societies. Another telescope was added years later.  Construction of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope on Mount Fowlkes, adjacent to Mount Locke, began in 1994, and it became operational in 1999.

Text from McDonald Observatory Historical Marker

McDonald Observatory is one of the great observatories in the world. It was build in 1930, under terms of legacy from William Johnson McDonald (1844-1926) a Paris, Texas, banker interested in the stars. A well-educated man, McDonald lived frugally. As a hobby he read science books, and viewed the stars and planets through a small telescope. His will granted to the University of Texas $800,000 "to build an observatory and promote the study of astronomy."

The site of McDonald Observatory, situated on Mt. Locke in Jeff Davis County in West Texas, was selected because of its high ratio of clear nights, its 6,800 foot altitude, its distance from artificially-lighted cities, and its quite low latitude that permits observations of southern skies.

The observatory was operated for its first 25 years mainly by astronomers from the University of Chicago, more recently by astronomers from the University of Texas. Until 1948,  its 82-inch telescope was second largest in the world. Its fine work and site have resulted in the addition of other telescopes, including a 107-inch instrument sponsored jointly by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the University of Texas.

Discoveries have included interstellar polarization and the satellites of several planets.

The observatory's three largest instruments are the 362" Hobby-Eberly telescope on 6,600-foot Mount Fowlkes, and the 107" Harlan J. Smith and 82" Otto Struve telescopes located on 6,800-foot Mt. Locke. The observatory is located just 17 miles from Fort Davis on Texas Highway 118.

Operated by the University of Texas at Austin, the observatory has several large research telescopes and hosts astronomers from around the world. Self-guided tours are possible from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. Solar viewing sessions are conducted twice daily at 11:00 am and 2:00 p.m. Daily tours follow Solar Viewing Daily. A telescope equipped with a safe filter and camera provides dramatic views of our sun and its many features.

The observatory's evening Star Parties held on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays should not be missed. Beginning after sunset, the star party showcases interesting stars, planets, and other astronomical objects with live views through telescopes from 8 to 22 inches in size. A tour of the stars and constellations is presented by knowledgeable staffers, while equally interesting live presentations take place in the new Frank N. Bash Visitor Center's multimedia theater. The Star Party is a rare opportunity for the entire family to learn about the heavens from experts under one of the darkest skies in North America. Bring a jacket, since the mountain air cools quickly. The Observatory is closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year¹s Day.

A gift shop in the Frank N. Bash Visitor Center offers astronomy related merchandise, and the StarDate Cafe offers delicious snacks or full meals.

For more information please call (432) 426-3640 or Toll Free 1-877-984-7827
or visit their website at http://McDonaldObservatory.org

Accurate information for opening hours, tours can be found at http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/visitors/programs/

Read it, picture it!

Sometimes things happen when you are traveling that you can't control or actually record with a photo.  I got into the habit years ago of taking a photo of a newspaper, a sign, or anything that could explain events of the trip.  In this particular case I had been working a trade show in Dusseldorf, Germany in 2010 when an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland closed all of Europe's air space.  My return flight was cancelled and I was left scrambling for hotel space and my return flight.  I turned to a local German newspaper to help me remember.  I got home 5 days after my original scheduled flight.

Large Black & Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia)



Photo taken in Montgomery County near Porter, Texas. The Black and Yellow Argiope is a common orb web spider. Orb web means it spins a web like a circle.

Female spiders are much larger than males, growing almost an inch and a half long. Males grow about 3/4 inch long. Both spiders have a cephalothoraxes (small front body section) with silver hairs on it. The abdomen (large back section) is egg-shaped with black and yellow coloring.

Legs of these spiders are black with red or yellow bands. Each leg has three claws on the end.

Black and Yellow Argiopes live in fields and gardens. They can be found on shrubs, tall plants, and flowers.

The web of this spider spirals out from the center and can be two feet across. The female builds the large web, and a male will build a smaller web on the outer part of her web. The male's web is a thick zig-zag of white silk.

Its in the details.

Photo tip: The Transamerica Pyramid stands tall in the skyline of San Francisco.  At its base is a beautiful 19th century building with detail that starkly contrasts the tallest building in the city.  So why not show a little of the uniqueness of each.  Remember you won't be seeing the shorter building in any skyline photos to remind you of the fine old structures that contribute so much to California's color and history.

White-lipped Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax)

This photo was taken in Montgomery County, Texas. The Common Tree Frog, Four-lined Tree Frog, or White-lipped Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax) is a species of frog in the Rhacophoridae family. Its natural habitats are varied and it is found around the world.

Step up, look up!

Photo tip: Don't just step away from a building, try stepping up for a different perspective.  The Savannah, Georgia Independent Presbyterian Church is a beautiful structure. Savannah historian, Walter Hartridge speaks of the Independent Presbyterian Church as "Savannah's most notable building."  You can step across the street and get a "SSS" (sidewalk to steeple shot) and have a picture of a magnificent historic structure.  AND you can walk up the front step, point the camera straight up and get a very dramatic scene emphasizing the architectural excellence.

Why Not A Jefferson, Texas Weekender?

If You Have Two Nights or A Week,  Relax In This Small East Texas Town

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe trains travel the rails through Jefferson at all hours and their warning whistles are part of the “flavor” of the visit.

          It had been nearly 20 years since Sheryl and I had visited Jefferson, Texas and stayed at a small bed and breakfast.  At one time, during the early to mid 1800s this was one of the busiest commercial centers in Texas.  It has transitioned into one of the states most well preserved communities with an abundance of bed and breakfasts, antique shops and attractions.  On our first visit to Jefferson, as an amateur history buff, this part I knew.  What I didn’t know when we made the reservations and what I didn’t notice when we checked in were the parallel steel rails that were literally in the back yard.

            That night, after we had gone to bed but before either of us had gone to sleep we caught the faint blast of a train whistle.  It barely intruded on the relaxing quietness that had enveloped the town almost as soon as the sun had set.  I remembered a verse from Hank Williams’ song I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry that referred to a midnight night train whining low.

            In a few moments the train whistle was repeated, only this time it was obviously much closer.  Much, much closer!  And again a few minutes later it was repeated!  Only this time it was loud.  There was nothing distant about it.  Things in the house started vibrating.  The ancient windows of the 19^th century cottage began to rattle.  And one more blast on the horn by the apparently demonic engineer nearly blew us out of the bed.

            Shaken but not totally disturbed we figured we’d just file it away as another memorable bed and breakfast experience.  But after we had finally gotten to sleep for the evening the previous episode repeated itself.  And it repeated itself again, and again, and again.  We finally lost count.  We nicknamed this the “bed and breakfast from hell.”

            Don’t get me wrong.  All in all, the Jefferson experience was a good one.  And, we’ve come back again for more.  And we will probably come back again.  And I recommend it.

I thought that if I’d gone this many years between visits then Jefferson would have changed.  But that is one of the beauties of the place.  Change happens, oh, so very slowly (if at all).  Granted, the trains still come through with the determined rudeness only a train can interject into common everyday life.  But this time we made our accommodations at the Chez Lafayette, a 1930s era craftsman style house close enough to walk to everything in historic downtown Jefferson and far enough from the trains to blunt the strong blasts.

The Excelsior House pre-dates the Civil War and the hotel is currently owned and operated by the Jessie Allen Wise Garden Club.

          We used a Valentine’s Day get-away as our excuse to spend 3 nights here.  The Excelsior House, a hotel relic from the heady days of Jefferson’s prosperity as one of the largest cities in Texas, was hosting a Valentines Dinner and Dance.  That was as good of an excuse as any to drive 4 hours from our near-Houston residence.  The BYOB affair was a relaxed evening sitting at a table with 3 other very congenial couples who we had never met before.  The evening was highlighted with a better than average pianist/vocalist (a former local who is apparently well know in the Dallas entertainment circles) and dancing, an impromptu demonstration in ballroom dancing by two couples from our table, and an tasty selection food.

I think I can best compare Jefferson to a diverse and extensive of a buffet of experience from dining to shopping.  It has a lot to offer for a few short days at a relaxed pace.  Don’t try to hurry here because it won’t do you any good.  If you are used to city traffic you’ll wonder why in the world you are stopped at a red light when no traffic has come from any direction.  If you expect to use a credit card at one of the popular pie specialty shops in town, you’d be wrong.  And, here’s the train again, if you get caught on the wrong side of the track, there’s nothing you can do about it until the train passes.

Let’s start with dining.  If you want a good ol’ East Texas style menu try out Annie Skinner’s Bar.  The menu is loaded with things like chicken fried, mashed potatoes and a generous serving of fried okra.  But, fair warning, smoking is allowed and the crowd gets more rambunctious as the night goes on.  It was just the turn of luck that we were able to enjoy Friday’s karaoke night.  There was a table of revelers, must have been about 12 of them, that had come over from Bossier City, Louisiana and had started getting tanked up on either shots of vodka or tequila.  And they were here for karaoke.  What a surprise I had when I discovered that these guys and gals had excellent voices and were a far cry from the amateur singers I had expected.

Unusual wall decoration at the Jefferson Old Fashioned Hamburger Store includes walls adorned with personalized $1.00  bills.  The actual treasure here are the “Best Pies in Texas.”

          On the opposite end of the spectrum (opposite at least in Jefferson) is the Stillwater Inn.   This IS NOT East Texas cuisine.  Tops on the menu for me was the pecan encrusted trout which rated right up there with a serving I had in Charleston, South Carolina.  My wife had the pork medallions smothered in mushroom sauce.  Wow!  We probably could have used several more nights to work our way through the menu.

Quaint floor repairs with old State of Texas auto license plates patch holes in the floor of the Jefferson General Store.

          Or if you are after a sandwich, Jefferson is loaded with choices from hamburgers to BBQ to cold cuts.  And while you are trying one of these out, see if they specialize in some sort of dessert.  They probably do and you’ll be glad you asked.  Oh, yea, I couldn’t pass of the novelty of buying a nickel cup of coffee at the Jefferson General Store and its not a bad place to shop for gifts and novelties.  And if you look close enough you might find a license plate from your birth year patching an ancient hole in the wooden floor.

Time takes on a different meaning in Jefferson.  The owner of Fred’s Books on the Bayou posted a note on the front door that he had gone to lunch.  He posted his time that he left the shop at 1:45 p.m.  I came by about 2:30 p.m. and figured I wait him out checking out the Liz-Beth’s Antiques next door.  Here is a shop that mainly offers antique china and dinner ware, far out of my narrow collecting niche of war related artifacts.  But the owner was a good conversationalist and I passed the next 30 minutes discussing an array of topics before Fred showed up a little after 3:00 p.m.

Antique shops abound.  Most of the shops use the marketing ploy I like best in hunting for stuff.  Shelves and tables are loaded with “junque.”  Some of it is pretty good stuff.  I found a 1938 University of Texas yearbook with a picture of my father, a painting of a retired rear admiral, an abundance of hand tools, china, silver and dinnerware, and a myriad of choices from entertainment to home decorating.
           

The Jefferson Historical Museum isn’t bad either.  It houses a collection of items that has spanned hundreds of years donated by locals.  From a dress worn by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson (who was raised in nearby Karnack) to artifacts from the Civil War to a fairly extensive guns and weapons section, the self-guided tour is well worth it $5.00 admission fee.  The building is a retired old federal court house and post office built in the 1800s. 

What else is there to do in Jefferson besides shopping, eating and musing?  Plenty.  There are two dinner theaters, ghost walks, ghost train rides, old west train rides, historic walking tours, riverboat tours, Caddo Lake backwater tours, and many other seasonal selections of things to do.

Antique stores abound with collectables of all types from rare to not-so-rare and prices in some stores are negotiable if you find something you really want.

          If you are going to Jefferson for the first time or have been before, I suggest that early on in your trip you stop by the Marion County Chamber of Commerce.  Nearly every bed and breakfast in town as well as every attraction deposits their literature here.

If you want to plan ahead and make a reservation there are several services that let you make a reservation on line and the chamber has a list of bed & breakfast that have called them to say they have daily openings.  Our hostess at the Chez Lafayette uses the Jefferson Reservation Service at www.jeffersonreservationservice.com or telephone (903) 665-3145.  Another on line service is Classic Inn Reservations at www.classicinn.com or telephone 800.468.2627.  There are many other reservation services from which to choose so you are not locked in to these two alone.  While we were either walking or driving around town there were numerous bed and breakfasts that had posted vacancy signs.

Artifacts on display at the Jefferson Historical Museum trace the natural, Indian,  and pioneer heritage of the area for centuries as well as some examples of European masters included in the Moseley Art Gallery.

           If you only have a weekend, don’t get in a hurry.  Walking around is easy.  I walk further in the Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport every trip than I walked to the attractions in Jefferson.  If you have several days, still don’t get in a hurry.  Some stores are closed during the week.  One antique store I wanted to visit even had a scheduled weekly closing on Saturday. 

          And if it rains, as it did the long weekend we were there, may you have had the foresight to have reserved a bed and breakfast with a porch and rocker and come equipped with a good book to while away the time.Or find a deck of cards and head out to Annie Skinner’s and wait out the storms with a lively game of spades. 

The Chez Lafayette Bed and Breakfast offered a broad front porch with wicker rockers that provided a respite from rain and place to relax with a book or newspaper.

For information on what’s happening right now in Jefferson, check it out on-line with a visit the Marion County Chamber of Commerce web pages at www.jefferson-texas.com.  Write for information to the Marion County Chamber of Commerce, 118 N. Vale, Jefferson, TX  75657 or telephone (903) 665-2672.  Email address is jeffersonchamber@sbcglobal.net.

Big Bang & The Fourth Of July

Several years ago I flew into Houston and marvelled at a fireworks display going on below the plane as it was coming in for a landing.  I'm a sucker for a small, medium or large fireworks show and really enjoyed this elevated view.  But if you are grounded and find yourself in or near The Woodlands, Texas this July 4th you'll be in for a treat.  Thousands of spectators converge on Town Center to celebrate our nation's birthday in style with the Red, Hot & Blue Fireworks Extravaganza.  Tailgating isn't limited only to football games.  Come early and stake out a prime spot on top of one of the parking garages.  Or toss out a blanket at Town Green Park with a spread of snacks and beverages and wait for the first boom and enjoy over 20 minutes of pyrotechnics.  Patriotic music is simulcast on Sunny 99.1 radio.  See ya'll there.

Sit or zip?

My travel philosophy varies from passive to participation.  For example, I won't bunjee jump.  But zip lining I've got to rate as an participation travel experience.  Zip lining isn't for everyone and it can be an exhilarating experience.  Did I mention dangerous?  There is a certain amount of risk that could be fatal.  But who can resist wearing one of those funky looking helmets?  Costa Rica is a small country located in Central American between Panama and Nicaragua.  This small Spanish speaking tourist friendly country hosts some of the premier zip lines.  Its geography is well suited for the activity with several volcanoes and valleys.  No matter where you are staying in the country you are just a short ride from a zip line attraction.  Some offer better scenery than others so do some research.  Your hotel or travel agent will have at least one and probably many that they would recommend and make arrangements for you.

Water it, they'll come!

Photo tip: Bring the birds to you.  There is nothing like going for a swim on a hot summer day.  And birds like water too.  So set up an oscillating sprinkler near some brush, thick trees or shrubs and watch them come in for a shower.  They'll keep hanging around as long as you'll keep paying the water bill.

It helps if the bride is a bit of a ham!

Photo tip: If you are using a digital camera you should set the shutter speed to multiple shots per second.  This is usually a sport or action setting.  These photos were taken with natural light in Montgomery, Texas.  Normally I don't do wedding photography but cave in occasionally to arm twisting by friends and family.  Here I wasn't given much of a choice since the bride is my daughter.  It helps that she wanted her bridal portrait done outside and in several different types of poses and settings.  Mainly I just kept set the shutter on 3 frames per second and worked several angles.  And she has a bit of showmanship in her that lends itself to some great spontaneity.  I used a 70/300 mm zoom lens set on automatic.  Remember that quality and QUANTITY count here.  I took over 500 exposures to get what she wanted and called calf rope.