Teppsco Kingfisher

I spotted this Kingfisher in the Baytown Nature Center this weekend. I would of preferred it resting on a old tree in the water or somewhere else that hid the "hand of man", but he just wouldn't cooperate!

Cousins at Christmas Time

I couldn't resist this shot. While it's not great technically, I had to add it to my blog because everyone was having so much fun.

Armadillo Eggs 2

Another shot of our family Armadillo Egg making session on Christmas Eve.

Armadillo Eggs 1

A relatively new Christmas tradition for our family is getting together to make up a batch of Armadillo Eggs for the holidays. Armadillo Eggs are cheese stuffed jalapeno peppers covered in a sausage and Shake-N-Bake and baked until golden brown. This usually takes us about four hours to make up about 120 "eggs" most of which are passed out among Friends.

Merry Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!!!!

Urban Clutter

Something about this scene at the local grocery store last week caught my eye. One factor for sure was watching the "whatever" attitude of complacency that these "parking lot crows" develop to the proximity of people and clutter.

BNC Snowy Egret_2

A Snowy Egret from the Baytown Nature Center this weekend.

BNC Osprey Duo

This Osprey, photographed at the Baytown Nature Center this weekend, is proving to be a dependable subject.

BNC Spoonbill Takeoff

Another spoonbill shot taken at the Baytown Nature Center a couple of weekends ago.

BNC Foggy Morning_2

Another shot from a foggy Baytown Nature Center this past weekend. Converted to B&W using a conversion layer in PS3 and the "infrared" preset.

BNC Foggy Morning_1

Since we had lousy weather this weekend I thought I would take a drive through the Baytown Nature Center and see if I could shoot some images I would normally miss. Speaking of misses, the shot that got away was an Osprey flying two feet above a foggy mirror slick bay inlet with a fish in it's talons! Yikes, well you just can't get them all..

This shot was taken from my car window and was converted to B&W in PS3 using the a B&W layer in Maximum White mode.

Headache Ball and Block_2

I had a couple of comments about this shot being too dark so I'm posting this lighter version. I agree, definitely looks better.

Picture and a Poem

I work for a PVF master distributor in Houston at one of the companies eight branches. We are a small company overall, the Houston branch is one of the two largest with about twenty employees. Last Friday we had two great guys retire that had just over twenty years a piece with the company. It was quite an experience and, when you think about the odds, one that's not likely to be repeated. To commemorate the occasion I gleaned the following poem.

FAREWELL TO GEORGE AND JAMES

Here's to two men twenty years on the job
Working hard for Rene, Ron, and Rob.
They come in early, work hard, and stay late
Till beer-thirty calls and they have to vacate.

George works the inventory receiving freight at the dock
He counts it, corrects it, and puts it in stock.
And if he has time then two times a day
He feeds his pigeons and goes back on his way.

James guides the warehouse like a captain steers a ship
While he manages with a smile and a crack of the whip.
He's the go-to guy if your order needs a fix
And he'll always help you from his bag of tricks.

When both of them leave and 40 years hit the door
We'll miss there experience , but we'll miss much more.
Experience over time will return I told
But men like George and James are rarer than Gold.

Headache Ball and Block

Keeping with yesterday's industrial theme, I shot this headache ball and block on a mobile crane that was doing some work in Baytown a while back. I don't know why but I like the subject as a still life study.

Men at Work

Some number of months ago the Dairy Queen at the corner of Texas Avenue and Alexander Drive in Baytown was accidentally burned down while a new roof was being installed. I'm not sure how long the building had been there but I've lived in Baytown all my life and I remember it there at least as long as I've been driving. After sitting for a while reconstruction is now underway. It's always good to see businesses rebound after a setback like this, it makes you feel like it's springtime in the winter!

Triple Posterior Cervical Discectomy

Well here's the BEFORE and AFTER. Besides the obvious difference in quality between the MRI [top] and the X-RAY [bottom] there are other obvious differences. Chiefest among them is the addition of brand new shiny titanium plate and screws. Also visible, but less obvious, is the substitution of cadaver bones for the three included disc. In the X-RAY you can see that the fusion of old bone and new [so to speak] bone is underway. As of yesterday I am officially out of my cervical collar and back behind the wheel! It's all good....