October 2021 to Ft Worth with the Botanical Gardens

 October 2021 to Ft Worth with the Botanical Gardens

Completely Forgot about October, did not realize until I started the Nov-Dec blog that I missed documenting an entire 30 days. The weight of 2021 tragedies were piling up and not until a fabulous story emerged in December could I even consider returning to the blog. Hence this is primarily a picture blog!

Google fiber finally arrives for the install.

The Scout is Still Liv'en

I got a leaf shredder, works great 4 bags = 1

Much better for the garden.

At first we thought they might be albino squirrels but 

UT biologist David Hillis reports that the “albino” squirrels on campus aren’t really albino, but rather one of a few white fox squirrels. “It’s a color variant, not a true albino,” said Hillis. “Albinism is a genetic anomaly in which an animal has a total or partial lack of pigment. It’s much more rare—occurring in one in 100,000 squirrels. Albino squirrels have red eyes, while white squirrels have brown eyes.”

The deer love October in West Austin

While it has been a pretty dry Fall here we occasionally got a few drops.

Common scene for the last 30 years in Windsor Park, old cast iron drains eventually has to be replaced

Still got the award even with the excavation!

I think it is for the xeriscaping which is highly promoted by the neighborhood association.

The Admiral planted lots of Milk weed which the Monarchs love. We have had them in the garden all the way through December! Record setting highs of course.

Wow someone in the neighborhood is going to rehab this old Mobil Scout travel trailer. I might have built the wall you are looking at! Worked at Mobile Scout in Arlington TX while attending UT Arlington 1969-1972

Face time Leggo Building with the Grands

Yep even here in Austin you can find a little fungus

A trip up to see Big Dave gave us time to check out Panther Island, a development still in development, they are going to dig a man made trench to actually create an Island in the Trinity River on the edge of Downtown Ft Worth.

Phyllis J Tilley a mover and shaker in Austin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_J._Tilley_Memorial_Bridge

Brought our kids here several times back in the day to feed the ducks and swans.
 

The Trinity River has lots of flood control levees along the banks, This one served as seating for  outdoor music, theater and other events. We remember this entire levy filled with Hippies at weekend music concerts back in the late 60's

Another spot to bring the family but much has changed since we last brought our kids here, bigger and better. 

No matter where you walk or drive, trees are falling or needing to be drastically pruned back due to the Winter freeze, this will take years to deal with.

Our neighbors The Mendoza's used to make and sell lots of homemade Tamales during the holidays. They are in their 90's now, their kids elect to import them from San Antonio! They taste really good!

I picked up Liv, Grandaughter #2 from work, she Loves Pink sunsets, she took this pic.

We drove on to catch the end of the sunset, great time together.

Stick With It! August-September 2021

 Stick With It! 

I was working in the yard and listening to 24 Hour Jazz on my phone/headphones. This Ray Bryant song came up "Stick With It". It was true medicine for the pandemic soul. The song and especially the title was right on. Listen: https://youtu.be/k-PL6Xe8rxU

While we have all developed a pandemic routine by now, the August and September crises around the US and the planet certainly add to the angst, California wildfires, Hurricane Ida, , floods, before, during and after Ida ( all driven by climate change), Afghanistan withdrawal, Earthquakes in Haiti and elsewhere, political upheaval domestic and around the world, and the devastating effects of the Delta Covid variant. Geeze! Immigration crises in several countries, At no time in any history can I imagine a greater need for humanity to come together as one to solve the crises that is so prevalent in every single humans lives, yet here in the USA we are more divided than ever. 

The perfect time to rely on our strengths and do our part to make our communities a contributing body to the pressing solutions of our cities, state, nation, and planet. No one person can even solve the pressing issues of a neighborhood, but one person can participate in positive solutions. Just being nice, considerate and compassionate for other will go a long way toward solutions for all of us. 

Old School Philosophy but it still applies today, Stick with it! Don't give up and if you can't help just get out of the way of others.

Big D and I made this emoji, Move forward with love and compassion. 

Shelby Ann  Allman, who is the Volunteer Coordinator at the Center For Wooden Boats on Lake Union in Seattle, built her own vessel and entered the Salish 100. 
See https://nwmaritime.org/salish100/

2/3 of the way to Port Townsend, Lots of Rowing and some incredible sailing! Shelby is a true example of the Pacific Northwest women.

As most of the garden winds down in the Texas summer heat, the Okra is in its prime.

Pan full of okra, tomatoes, onions, and Jalapano's

It has been a competition between us and the squirrels, I think they are winning this game.

Preparing for a 70th celebration

Liv, our almost 17 year old Granddaughter has excellent freehand.

Sporting Birthday gifts, Go Austin Verde FC!
Sounders till we Die but we Love having a Home Team to support!
See: https://youtu.be/y0bY01f149k

Big D has mastered the Big Bubbles.

See: https://youtu.be/AjOi8Q5CaiA

Another gift, a Crockett Student of mine reconnected, Chris was a Happy kid every day! He now has some incredible High Scholl aged children.

..

Using up the last of the pallets.

Two more tables, one for our patio and one for our nephew Josh!

Wood projects are always welcome, Lucky to have just enough spare wood to make a new door for the right side.

Nothing is better than Large Brush collection! It's almost Free!

We have all seen the commercials, but the first time to actually see it being installed, our neighborhood is in the throws of remodels on every street.

This machine takes that wide roll of tin and shpes it into exact lengths of Leaf Guard rain gutters.

During our daily  walks around our neighborhood we noticed so many homes getting new roofs. We did have a March hail storm. 

So we called our insurance company and sure nuff' Hail damage. So the old homestead got a new hat.

Never looked this good!

Big D and Clara raised a bunch of Monarchs so it was time for release, a Big Event!

So due to the music gods shining down on me yet another guitar was gifted an Ibanez hollow body on the left, my old 1970's J45 Gibson acoustic, and the main squeeze Marshall hollow body on loan from my son.

For the last year and 9 months I have completed practice after practice on GuitarTricks.com. I have learned a few songs during the fundamental courses but the last 9 months have all been Blues study. I just wanted to learn a song so they just happened to have one of mu favorite blues artist songs, John Lee Hookers Boom Boom. So I took a couple of weeks to learn that one, It stretched my abilities a bit but it also made the more advanced sections of the blues course a little more doable. The real fun is beginning.

I needed a couple of pedals to complement the sounds I needed to achieve and thanks to my musician nephew Zack, he helped guide me to the right tools for the job. An Ibanez Tube Screamer on the right for the just right distortion and the Hall of Fame 2 Reverb mini on the left. These two  mixed with my little Orange Crush 12 Watt Amp makes a pretty big sound possible. It will take some time to completely understand all the settings that are possible to achieve with this relatively small system.

A September 2021 Austin Sunset