Archive for
West Texas High School Baseball ~ Alpine Fightin’ Bucks
Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813
Alpine, Texas, West Texas to be correct.
Home of a piece of living history: Kokernot Field.
The Alpine Independent School District currently owns the field once called the ‘Yankee Stadium of Texas’. 
The Alpine Cowboys played semi-pro or minor league ball back in the day and as of four years ago they are back on the field again as a part of Pecos League baseball.
The stadium was constructed in 1947 by Big Bend rancher Herbert Lee Kokernot Jr. for his semi-professional baseball team.
Satchel Paige pitched at Kokernot Field. Norm Cash and Gaylord Perry both played ball here as well.
A chilly windy night blew me away after three innings with the Alpine Fightin’ Bucks firmly in control of the game and score over the visiting team from Crane, Texas.
Eve’s Garden : Marathon : HWY 90 West Texas
Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813
Strong independent women with a vision making it happen in the west Texas Chihuahuan desert.
Kate Thayer of the Dublin, NH Thayers followed brother ‘Talkin’ Ted’ Thayer (then) of Terlingua to Marathon, Texas. She and her son Noble and daughter-in-law, daughter-in-spirit Alaine have created and are creating an ever evolving garden, eco-system and people centered bed and breakfast on their corner block of the small west Texas town of Marathon.
Very welcoming, very positive and very inclusive, both the people and the place.
Gracious and engaging hosts.
Excellent cooks worthy of this excellent kitchen.
Wonderful home cooked meals.
Relaxing and engaging conversation.
We will return.
Thank you Kate and Alaine!
Previous Blog Entries
Burnt Biscuit Bakery ~ Don Knows Baking! ~ 2012
Stucco Over Adobe ~ Juan Carradsco ~ Marathon 2013
Marathon, Texas
Slaid Cleaves ~ Fischer Haus Cantina
Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813
After touring his latest CD : Still Fighting the War this time last year, Slaid Cleaves found his way back to the Fischer Haus Cantina in Fischer, Texas in the Hill Country somehwere between Wimberely and Blanco.
His musical chops earned and dues well paid : Not SXSW and not Not SXSW as well.
Accompanied by Chojo Jacques of Dripping Springs on fiddle and mandolin.
A tip of the hat to both musicians: balance and interplay, mutual respect for one another’s talents and skills.
Slaid has honed his craft well.
Great musicianship, stagecraft, songs and story telling.
Slaid and Chojo owned the Fischer audience:
Many were Hill Country Texans who related immediately and directly to Slaid’s stories, remembrances and song lyrics.
The Fischer Haus Cantina is a laid back open air venue, wonderful for the type of music presented here.
Expressive music played and voiced expressively.
A ‘Mainiac’ of a Texas Singer-Songwriter: great music and the perfect end to our Austin live music experience. 
Greune Hall Texas ~ Outside & In
Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813
Gruene Hall in the Historic District of Gruene that has been subsumed, consumed by the town of New Braunfels.
Built in 1878, Gruene Hall (pronounced ‘Green’) is Texas’ oldest continually operating dance hall: it is worth a look and a listen.
Gruene is a former town in Comal County in the U.S. state of Texas. Once a significant cotton-producing community along the Guadalupe River, the economy is now supported primarily by tourism. Gruene is now a district within the city limits of New Braunfels, and much of it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Inside of Gruene Hall we found the Austin-based bluegrass band : Wood & Wire.
Wood & Wire did a nice job of packing the Gruene Hall house for the 5 – 9 PM show.
Tight three-part harmonies, banjo, mandolin, bluegrass guitar and stand-up bass were featured. Wood & Wire treated the crowd to some finely crafted original bluegrass music, as well as the bluegrass standards.
Good musicians, a good show!!
Wood & Wire at Gruene Hall!!
Try ’em both some time soon.
Inside & Out ~ Whole Foods Market ATX
Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813
Outside of Whole Foods Market ATX.
Austin Texas (even during spring Break and SXSW) is my idea of good clean fun!!
Inside Whole Foods Market ATX.
😉
Mardi Gras Music Jams
Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813
Two way-popular cajun country music jams: Savoy Music Center (Eunice) & Tom’s Fiddle & Bow (Arnaudville).
Extremely well attended; at one the listening crowd well out-numbered the musicians and made so much noise that the music was hard to hear..
Too close for photography without being a bother.
My best attempts.
Tom’s Fiddle & Bow ~ Arnaudville, Louisiana on Bayou Fuselier
The store-front opens up inside onto a front room, workshop rooms, a long combined kitchen work space all extend back to a screened porch along the ever eroding bank of the bayou.
Slow getting started the monthly jam emphasizes excellent potluck food along with Cajun and Old-Time music circles; most everyone in attendance was a musician.
Lots of folk, by the time we had to leave an additional music circle was on the sidewalk out front.
Joel Breaux
Savoy’s Weekly Cajun Music Jam ~ Eunice, Louisiana
Mardi Gras weekend saw fewer musicians and a larger crowd, lots of hangers-on coming and going; sadly too much chatter to appreciate the moment.
Mr Harry Lafleur
Mr Coswell Fontenot
Mr Freddie Hanks
Links To Other Cajun Music Posts Of Note
Cajun Campground Jam (2014)
Milton Vanicor & Zachery Fuselier Gallery
Savoy Music Center – Saturday AM Jam (2014)
Saturday Morning Jam ~ Savoy Music Center (2012)
Savoys’ Music Center ~ Saturday Jam (2011)
Basile Mardi Gras Association 2014
Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813
Basile Mardi Gras Association
Mardi Gras Season ~ 2014
The Saturday evening immediately prior to Mardi Gras in the town of Eunice in St Landry Parish out on the Cajun Prairie of southwestern Louisiana the Jambalaya Cajun Band and the Basile Mardi Gras Association descend on the Liberty Theater for some music, dancing, history and Mardi Gras shenanigans.
Mardi Gras in the small towns of Acadiana is still a traditional family affair deeply rooted in one’s Catholic religion and heritage, the Cajun music, and the history of one’s Cajun community .
The final celebration of friends, community, music & dance and food prior to the start of Lent.
The Cajun communities of Acadiana introduce their children and youth to the history, culture and ways of Mardi Gras at a young age. The Cajun culture: language, food, music & dance and history are passed down and along by word.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Crawfishin’ With Michael Brown
Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813
Around the perimeter of 14 acres of low-lying-flooded southwestern Louisiana farmland moves the weekend crawfishermen pushes his floating harvesting rig.
Seeing the guy with the camera he hollers questioningly: “Reporter?”
The negative reply and he responds knowingly: (unvoiced but implicit: HA!) “Tourist!”
This met with voiced laughter from the guy with the camera.
Michael Brown of Eunice, Louisiana in St Landry Parish ‘schools’ the ‘guy with the camera’ in a gentle fashion on crawfishin’, crawfish, Lent and Mardi Gras. 
Lineage and bonafides are established: Brown of original German settler descent.
Thoughts and views are shared on Louisiana public education & parental responsibilities.
Stories are told of Louisiana politics and the politically adept uncle.
Crawfish slides under the Catholic Lenten prohibition on eating meat so the Cajuns chow down and a seasonal market exists.
The crawfish harvest season so far has been challenging: unsettled, cold. Like all farming crawfishing turns on the weather.
This season the per pound cost for crawfish is high – over $3.00.
