Got Wood?

Another shot I took while driving (I'm becoming increasingly good at that although I was once told by a photographer friend that anything worth taking a photo of is worth stopping for). This is the fireplace wood for sale. These guys have the best BBQ smells coming from here on Saturdays.

They once had a benefit yard sale and I stopped and had a little BBQ plate. yum.
Wonder where they get their mesquite?

Beauty


All of the kiddos who participated in the dance recital were very excited to see Belle from Beauty and the Beast after the performance. I was kind of amazed I found my daughter in the melee of confusion. Sadly she wasn't in this photo... I took it thinking I'd get a great candid shot of her... instead I got a cool candid shot of the performers. I'll take it.

Theme Song from Beauty and the Beast
From Youtube.com

Thriller!

So on Mother's Day weekend my 3-year-old daughter had her first dance recital. She was awesome as expected. She danced to "Little Bitty Pretty One." I'm still kind of creeped out by the theme... it was celebrating the music of Michael Jackon. Kids were dancing to songs like "Ben," "ABC," "You Are Not Alone," and this photo comes from their interpretation of "Thriller."
It was a really nice recital in all... you should've been there. But since you're not, at least I got a photo.

Oh... here's the lyrics to Thriller by Michael Jackson:


1st verse
Its close to midnight and something evils lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes,
Youre paralyzed
Chorus
cause this is thriller, thriller night
And no ones gonna save you from the beast about strike
You know its thriller, thriller night
Youre fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight

2nd verse
You hear the door slam and realize theres nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand and wonder if youll ever see the sun
You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination
But all the while you hear the creature creepin up behind
Youre out of time

Chorus
cause this is thriller, thriller night
There aint no second chance against the thing with forty eyes
You know its thriller, thriller night
Youre fighting for your life inside of killer, thriller tonight

Bridge
Night creatures call
And the dead start to walk in their masquerade
Theres no escapin the jaws of the alien this time
(theyre open wide)
This is the end of your life

3rd verse
Theyre out to get you, theres demons closing in on every side
They will possess you unless you change the number on your dial
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together
All thru the night Ill save you from the terror on the screen,
Ill make you see
Chorus
That this is thriller, thriller night
cause I can thrill you more than any ghost would dare to try
Girl, this is thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, diller, chiller
Thriller here tonight

(rap performed by vincent price)
Darkness falls across the land
The midnite hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize yawls neighbourhood
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpses shell
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grizzy ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller

From: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/m/michael+jackson/thriller_20092727.html

Put 'er Up


I didn't realize until my wife saw a "Mother's Buffet" sign in front of the restaurant that we've got a new place to eat in town. In the place of a teahouse, the Rally Round Bakehouse has opened. Enjoyed the food... and they've got a special karaoke night next week that I think we're going to take the family to (family karaoke!). What does this have to do with this photo? Well, this gun-shaped barbecue pit was parked in the back area of the restaurant. Pretty cool indeed.

TRAIN!!


Just to remind you... we are living in Kyle, Texas. Trains are just something to live with. If you survive a week without getting caught by a train, you've been home sick for those days. So...I hope you feel better.

Happy Saturday.

If you're in Kyle tonight come by for free music and beverages! I took both of these photos.... because I RULE!

Texas Roots

Yes... at the new HEB (not open yet by the way) their' outdoors area is called Texas Backyard.

Flowers?

Just in case you didn't realize where those flowers I posted a few days ago came from... here's a wider view.

A Sign


Yes... I took this photo while driving... no I shouldn't have... but how many times do you get the chance to shoot the installation of a sign? This is the HEB Plus sign... I commented on it last Tuesday... Click this photo to watch the HEB deconstruct (or watch it construct from the beginning)

Happy Mother's Day

Here's my two wonderful kids... Happy Mother's Day.

Beauty Hurts Sometimes


Sometimes the most beautiful of flowers come from the unlikeliest of places.

Storage Tower = TANK


Back on April 2, I posted a photo that was a "storage tower" that I saw on the side of the road... well... it's grown up a little and is a water tower today. Neat. I took this shot last week, and I passed by it yesterday and it seems like it'll be painted green.... as evidenced by the green paint I saw on it.

I'm smart... yup.
Oh.. click the photo to ge back to the 4/2 shot... if you like.

HEB Plus Part V


It's getting near! Click the photo (any of them) to see the last post.. a month ago.

You've been served!

This is Full Service. A great group of dudes... and a really darned good band.
I'd highly recommend clicking the photo and checking out their page.

They were cool enough to come down to Kyle and play Plum Creek Music Fest!
Whoop!

Tattoo You

Probably my favorite booth at Front Porch Days is the "airbrush tattoo." My little girl fell in love with the happy-face sun... actually she picked out a tattoo foe me too. I am still sporting my pink happy face. Hooray me.

I owe you 3 days of photos... so here are 3 photos. If you click on the photos you'll go to the page of the person who is featured in the photo.

Terry Carolan

4/29 - Terry Carolan plays the Lucky Cup Stage.

Tina Mitchell Wilkins

Tina Mitchell Wilkins was an amazing performer at the Haupt Park stage.

A photo opportunity

The official photographer of the event was Jay West. He's a great photog if you ever need anyone. He's in the photo... I think he's taking a photo of my daughter...who is behind the kiddo in the yellow shirt in this shot.

Front Porch Days


These are the Biscuit Brothers.. They were awesome performers. It was also my new daughter's first concert (I know... I waited a whole week and a half!)

I'm still hot, sweaty and dirty from a day of running around listening to live music. I'll share the shots as I get to them... in the meantime... here's a shot of my oldest daughter running in the background of my wildflower shots. I think she makes the shot.

Happy Sunday.

Today's Photo is from a concert I shot in the Plum Creek neighborhood in Kyle. This is Spencer Thomas (right) and Harry Bodine(left). They played a Happy Hour at the Lucky Cup Coffee House.

So... as long as I'm doing this, I'll make the pitch... Tomorrow Plum Creek is having the 6th Annual Front Porch Days and between myself and Bravado Touring Artists we've put together the 2nd Annual Plum Creek Music Festival. So... if you're in the area, come on by.... here's the poster and the musical line-up:





Second Annual Plum Creek Music Festival April 29, 2007 12-9p.m.



This year, Front Porch Days in Kyle, Texas' Plum Creek Neighborhood will have something for every musical palate strewn throughout the neighborhood. Yes, it’s time for the Second Annual Plum Creek Music Festival.



Second Annual Plum Creek Music Festival

April 29 (Sunday), 2007
Kyle, Texas
Click here to: Visit Plum Creek Online for Directions.

Here's the line-up. Click each name to hear them...or learn more.

Haupt Park Stage - The Plum Creek Music Stage
12:00 - 1:00 - The Biscuit Brothers
1:15 - 2:15 - Adam Donmoyer
2:30 - 3:30 - Jenny Hollub
3:45 - 4:45 - Tina Mitchell Wilkins


McNaughton Park Stage - The Austin Indie Alliance Stage
12:00 - 1:00 - Phoenix Saga
1:15 - 2:15: - Full Service
2:30 - 3:30 : The Nematoads
3:45 - 4:45 85 Decibles


Lucky Cup Stage - Bravado Touring Artists Stage

2:00p.m. Harry Bodine

2:30p.m. Terry Carolan

3:00p.m. Mark Jungers

4:00p.m. Michael O’Connor

5:00p.m. Hellapeno

6:00p.m. Marc Utter and the Blackland

7:00p.m. Susan Gibson

8:00p.m. Spencer Thomas

9:00p.m. Plank

Weed or Wildflower?


I think wildflower... but it may be a milkweed. Anyone know?

Things are looking up in Kyle... along with many, many subivision popping up.. we've got some nice apartment complex's going in as well. Someone from Ohio e-mailed me and let me know they were about to relocate and while looking for apartments rad about these in Kyle, Saddle Creek, but there were no photos.

So.. now here's a photo.

Do you have any requests? I'm pretty easy.
Happy Monday!

Sunday, April 22
This is the nursery section of the Claiborne Kyle Log House. They had an open house last week.
Claiborne and Lucy Bugg Kyle married in 1829 in Tennessee and moved to Texas in 1844. In 1850, they built this massive log house on a bluff overlooking the Blanco River where they, their eight children and one adopted son lived. Built of huge cedar logs, the four-pen, linear dog -trot house has four rooms, each about 16 feet square lined up, two on either side of the dog trot. The home has been restored and furnished by the Kyle Log House Commission. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places. On County Rd. 136 southwest of Kyle. - Text from http://www.traveltex.com


Saturday, April 21
Not only was this week HUGE for us for the birth of baby Harper... it was also our Marlee's 3rd birthday today. She is an amazing kiddo..and is shaping up to be a phenomenal big sister as well.



Friday, April 20
This littl fly was ready for its close-up... and I was only too happy to oblige.

Had a baby it's a....


Harper Ellen Claes was born on 4:08p.m. on 4/18/07. She was 7 pounds, 1 ounce and 20" long.
Mommy and baby are doing AWESOME.
Daddy and big sister are doing phenomenal.



4/18
Wildflower photo for Wednesday, April 18.



4/17
Wildflower photo for Tuesday, April 17.

Proceed With Caution

Today's wildflower is a yellow one. I'm no expert but I think it's called a Texas Squaw Weed or Ragwort. All I know is it's in Kyle and it's cool.

Wildflowers ROCK


Wildflowers... and rock.
That's all...
Happy Sunday.

Redbonnet?

Again.. it's wildflower season! I wonder... is it still called a bluebonnet when it's red? Why yes... it's the Texas Red Bluebonnet.
Pretty cool..
Happy Saturday!

HEB Plus - Part IV





When last we left our building of the HEB Plus... it was moving along nicely.
Well.. last week we got some signs up. The top shot is the "far away" shot I've been doing for the last few posts... the bottom is the "Pharmacy" sign that went up. The actual HEB sign is up now... but I've not been by to snap that photo.

Yeah.. we're coming along well!

If you wish to check the progress in photos... you can click either shot and go to part III... which links to part II and part I.

Can't wait... looking forward to this. Finally I won't have to drive to another city to get my groceries.

Happy Thursday.

I owe You 3 Days
I have an excuse... My wife and I are having our second child next Wednesday (4/18) and we're making all the preparations.... that and I'm going gangbusters on 2 big projects, a Compilation CD titled "This is INsite Austin Music" that will be released on 4/21 (myspace.com/insiteaustin and a music festival I created that will take place in Kyle on 4/29 (myspace.com/plumcreektx)

So... I've been bad about daily photo. SOrry.
Here's a few...this will be my Easter post. Hope you all had a fantastic Easter. Hey... is this holiday celebrated everywhere or just the US?

How did you celebrate Easter?

Saturday - The Easter Egg Hunt NOT called on account of rain.
Picture about 4,000 easter eggs (plastic and filled with candy) strewn across a park... and because of cold weather and drizzle... only about 25 kids to gather them. Yes... it was easy to be picky this year.


Easter Dress
My daughter in her Easter dress just before church on Sunday. Yes.. the sun had risen.. we didn't make the sunrise service. We made the 11:00a.m. one.



A View From A Pew
We had a wonderful musical service at Kyle United Methodist Church. You should come by when you're in the area.


No bees... just bonnets
Aren't the little ones dressed up for Easter just so precious? How do they keep those bonnets on though?


OK... I owed you 3 days... so I have 4 photos here. I like to make up with more than anticipated.
I hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday... no matter what you believe.

Happy Wednesday.

What the Easter Bunny Might see


This is the view from the Easter Bunny....
Happy Saturday.

Weekend!

It's Easter weekend... so I thought I'd share a few of the Wildflower photos I've taken over the last few days. In Texas we're lucky to have a wide variety of wildflowers... bluebonnets, indian paintbrush, mexican hats... all sorts of funny names. We even have the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (http://www.wildflower.org/) in Austin.

The next few days... be prepared to be dazzled by the colors.

It's a Blur

Ever wondered what Kyle looked like at 70 miles-per-hour?
Well... wonder no more.
Happy Thursday.

LOLOMGBBQ!


There are a few things that I found funny about this situation...which is why I took the photo.

1. Yes, that's a Kyle Police Car.
2. Yes, it's driving south on an east/west road...pulling into a restaurant.
3. Yes, the cop just pulled through an intersection where there's an entrance to the BBA place... about 50 feet back.
4. Yes, it caused a line of cars to stop.
5. No, there was no turn signal.

OK.. maybe I'm just being picky.
Happy Wednesday.

Sunrise

Who'd have thought when I woke up this morning to such a wonderful sunrise that my day would be so darned difficult?
Not I.... enjoy the moment of Zen.

I'm counting this as Monday!


Its 1:00a.m. on Tuesday... I've not gone to sleep so it's still Monday. I thought this was a cool shot... someone is building a little storage tower right next to an overpass in Kyle... it's just down the way from the new HEB I depicted the other day...

Happy Monday.

One of these things is not like the other one... one of these things don't fit....
You sing the rest...

Happy Sunday