Talent contest at Church

This was a while back.My friends Michael and Jim,danced while I sang 'Man of Constant Sorrow'.
The version from the movie "Oh Brother where art thou".
We had a blast and so did the crowd!
After that 'act',I played my guitar,and sang "She'll be Coming 'round the Mountain".
P.S.I wore my regular church clothes,and they bought outfits.

My Grands!

Patrick and his big sister Kaili Ella,enjoying a warm day in the hammock last week.
With loli-pops.

Patrick apparently letting me know,"Please no more pictures Paw Paw!"

Well I'll be baking a ham tomorrow,God willing,and starting the turkey Wednesday night.
If I don't get back on for a bit, !!!!!!!"Merry Christmas Everyone"!!!!!!!!!

Old Man

My wife,Wanda,snapped this picure of an old fella in our backyard this past Monday night.
It's ok though,he's perfectly harmless!

one of my nights out

On one of my nights out,in the yard,I found 'Cammie' up a tree.
Sorry ahead of time,but there is something I just have to say!
"Hello. Is any-birdie home?"
I made the house out of scraps,and my Daughter-in-law(Toni) did the painting.
I must have 5 or 6 of these in my trees.

Not actually related,but a thought I would like to share.
"A lot of alliteration"
Sometimes,I selfishly seek serenity in solitude.
I seldom succeed.

Cold night,hot stove

Well these pictures sure aren't in the right order!but,the reason my oak fire in the shed stove is rare,is because I can't bring myself to burn some of that beautiful firewood! I have turned some of it into treasures for me. That little wire Jet with Ed in front is for one of my dead buddies,Ed Jet!One of my dearest friends ever!

A cold night in the 'shed'. We sauteed some small scallops over coals.With garlic,lemon,and butter,of course.

We had a "rare" oakwood fire,in my stove made from an old water heater.

That old G.I. tool box,(left) is from my Daddy's days in the Army Air Corps.

My neighbor Tom,took this photo with his phone,I think. It was so cold that night,must have been in the 30's.

Buddy and Spooky at 4 A.M.

I just figured out that you can click on the images to see more details! Spooky,basking in the warmth of my workbench lights.I left them on just for him.

Buddy smiling knowingly at my (vices) vises!

Boiled shrimp and crab night at Mark and Jenny's place.

Marcus (Jenny's fella), Me, and Carl Jr.

Me,trying not to see double!

My beautiful daughters!

VOTE ! please

This starts with a fairly loud gust of wind.

I thought this post appropriate for November fourth 2008.

Oh and this is above my front porch.

My wild cat,and his daddy.

My wild buddy,staying dry.^
His totally wild daddy,on my canoe under the bamboo last summer.
Daddy cat had a 'nub' tail.Wild buddy has absolutely no tail,
and he is my great friend!

Cat,Eats,Bench

Cammie. She is difficult for me to focus on. And she can hide in plain sight. Blue bench is recycled pine and cypress,and is around 20 years old.

haiku

On the morning that I got this butterfly with my cell-phone,I was inspired to put these three images together. This is how I felt that beautiful morning.

Happy Birthday U.S.A.!!!

Today I enjoyed Freedom, Family,Friends,Fried Chicken,and Fireworks!
Oh yeah,and beer too.

fish pond before

I hope to have a nice 'after' shot at some point.But for now this incarnation of my pond is the most satisfying to date. It is about 12 ft long and 3 ft deep. I have about everything I need for a waterfall,except maybe motivation.
Watching an open fire has a peaceful effect on us,watching fish has the same kind of effect,and I do believe that watching and listening to the running water will be that comforting as well.

50 years

Thank you Mama,for the gift of fifty years on earth.Thank you for teaching me to listen to my conscience,for knowing right from wrong,how to say a Hail Mary,

for teaching me to 'make do',money does NOT equal happiness,

don't believe everything you read,369 the goose drank the wine the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line,row row row your boat,

doodle bug doodle bug come out and get your dinner,..........

This would be a very long list if I didn't just leave at this for now!

My Genes , My Morals , My Heritage(Happy Father's Day)

My Daddy's Mama and Daddy;Anna and Charles
My Mama's Daddy and Mama;Shorty(Lamar)and Ruby
My Mama and Daddy ! Betty and Frank !

Happy Father's Day and a belated Mother's Day Too!!
Thank You All for making me who I am. God Bless You!

my shed,circa 95?

There have been many fine,or at least fun,concerts in there.
Very often folks would have to listen from outside,but that was OK.
I usually had a little bon-fire going. And some meat,and vegetables from the garden,on the grill. I think on the best night we had about 35 people here. more shed stuff later,hopefully. Thanks for reading.

My old turtle buddy ready for a snake dinner.

I forgot I had this shot of him.This is only a small snake 12-16 inches.
I have seen him gulp down a three foot long Water Moccasin.
As I write this,I have a nice piece of Hog-Jowl thawing.It is for when he gives me that look that I know means "What do you have for me tonight?".

My Chickens Past

The first shot is downstairs,looking out the back window of my 'study'.

(re:study-It was supposed to be my room for privacy,peace,and contemplation.As usual God had a better plan than me!My study is often filled with people that love me.And they talk and talk,change my channel,take over my computer,grandson fusses if he is not being fed,grand-daughter scatters toys and spills drinks,etc.etc. Then when they leave me to my quiet and lonely study,I am sad and I miss all the commotion!)

Oh yes,the chickens.You can just make them out sitting on the rail I made around my little garden.And in the second shot they are pecking around between my home and my shed....My poor,tired,old shed.A whole 'nother story there....... I had been wanting chickens for ten or fifteen years.My wife,Wanda,wasn't at all thrilled at the prospect.But when five fairly small chickens flew into my yard from out of the woods,Wanda said "Carl I think God sent those chickens to you." Five fine roosters they turned out to be,and since I fed them they stayed with me for about two years.I really enjoyed feeding them,talking to them,and just watching them carry on like roosters will.

Grandpa Sunday and his pet rooster

My grandpa "Shorty"Sunday.What a man,hunting,trapping,fishing,farming,and more!Wish I could have been old enough to learn more from him.But what I did learn has inspired me since I was a little boy.And inspired me to embrace the kind of wisdom that can be found in such folks...Hey I just noticed his scuppernong arbor in the background.That was such an earthy,shady,and almost magical place to play.

Taste the air

You can see and taste the air, in Birmingham Alabama,but the hills or mountains are awesome!

Bad Day

Big bad bumper bashes bird,in Birmingham!