May 6th, 2011

Gulf Coast Hideaway         Bolivar Ferry
Ever since my children were young our family has endeavored to have an annual beach week vacation on the Texas Gulf coast. At first it was just our immediate family. Then as the girls grew older, some of their friends were included in the [...]

March 11th, 2011

Several times a year we travel south into the Texas Hill Country. For Spring Break, we’re planning another short trip for a few days.

The Hill Country Theme · Willie Nelson · 1968
  Play the song.       Lyrics   (Read the lyrics while you listen to the track.)   [...]

March 7th, 2011

The first number one hit of 1956 was recorded by a singer who as a young man had held a wide variety of jobs. (Previously, he had been a gas station attendant, boxer, steel worker, coal miner, drugstore clerk, mill hand and blackjack dealer.)
But by the time this song hit the [...]

March 1st, 2011

Here in Texas we know that we are only a few weeks away from the bluebonnet highways, fields, pastures, and parks. In this state, a good family photographer could get rich just by taking pictures in April.

Between the Red and Rio Grande
This one is for my nephew and his family.
One lone star [...]

Today, two songs from two great Country artists that are written from the points-of-view of a woman and a man…

She thinks…
He may not be perfect, but…
He may not ever be a ladies’ man. Maybe his callused hands have been too long in the sun. But he will always be the one I love,’cause he [...]

I was lucky that she was my mother. She was there with me when I was born, and while I was growing up.

Elvis had been lucky with #1 hits. He had number 1 singles every year between 1956 and 1962. But Good Luck Charm was the the last one he would have for awhile. He had a lot more charted songs, but not another #1 on the Hot 100 until 1969.

England Dan wasn’t really from England. In fact, he was born in west Texas and moved to Dallas as a boy. “England Dan” was a childhood nickname he’d gained from his affected English accent and love of The Beatles.

In the 1950s a funny thing happened. A contemporary poem was lauded as wisdom from the past. That ancient wisdom turned out to be NOT so ancient after all…