...you were always on my mind-

Bud and I watched an older made for TV movie from way back in the '70s this week.  The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.  I read the book long ago when our kids were just toddlers and still in diapers....but even today, it's still just as poignant as it was back nearly 4 decades ago!!  The DVD was found at Walmart for $5.  I couldn't pass it up.  I remember to this day just how the movie ends, and still this time around, tears welled up to see her walking in the fields by her beloved, and ancient, mighty oak trees!  I found that you don't need to buy the DVD set, anyone can watch it for free on HULU.  Cicely Tyson starred as Miss Jane Pittman.  Of course, at the end of the movie, Bud and I had to discuss her a bit....wondering if she is still alive.   That she is...born in 1933.  So, I guess  that makes her  nearing or at the age of 80!!  She just made a movie, in post production according to IMBD --in 2013.  My goodness, more power to her!!  She always was one of my favorite actresses.

...let me ask y'all this: "Is it hot enough for you?" The last few days here in South Texas we're looking at the reminiscence of our desert dwelling days...by mid-afternoon, look up and see: the Arizona White-hot sky!! 'Bout now, I'm ready for Autumn. LOL

We did venture out last Saturday morning to the very first release of the Kemp Ridley Sea Turtle Babies!! But we left too late from home and by the time we got to the National Park's Gate, the line of traffic was way too long. Being the first release and it was held on a WEEKEND...the crowd was immense!! And, once we finally got within the park's boundaries to park the car at the release sight, we kinda figured we were too late for the beginning. Indeed we were...but I prevailed, and waded out to sea so I could turn around and get the last 'stragglers' trying to make it out into the Gulf waters. It's a bittersweet event. Knowing that they were 'saved' from harm on the beach by vehicles running over them...yet, all knowing that maybe one from a thousand will actually survive in the water to return next time to lay eggs. They're so cute!! It was worth trudging out to the sea; getting up to my waste in salt water, fighting the surf to remain upright while the sand beneath my feet gave way to the currents.. trying to zoom in on the little ones!! And yes, my clothes were soaked; luckily the camera didn't get wet...

...and being so hot outdoors these past few weeks with the humidity so high, I've kept myself busy somewhat...indoors, with the A/C running full speed, by sketching a caricature of a favorite Country Western Performer. We've been to his live concerts...and what a charmer he is...can you guess who it is?
The first steps of sketching to framing:

...the finished project:

And on the 22nd and 23rd we hoped beyond the miracle of nature that the coastline would be free of clouds to be able to witness the moonrise of the Summer's Super Moon. Of course, being summer and the evaporation of the bay waters, it's highly impossible to have a clear sky unmarred from the rising mist at the horizon. By the time we were actually able to see the full moon, the moon was into the skyline long after moonrise. But I did stick around and took some photos after sunset. Then, at 7:23AM on the 23rd, the actual full moon time frame, it was above our home! I took the camera outdoors and from the backyard I photographed it. I'm hoping to share some of the photos in a day or two. I have them off the camera SD Card, and on the computer, but once again, they need to be re-sized and readied for a blog post. The next time the moon is closest to earth will be August of 2014.

Okay, the dryer wasn't drying the denims well. It took two cycles to even get them partially damp!! The outside of the dryer's walls was extremely hot to the touch. I was afraid of an internal fire hazard. Bud pulled the dryer out, unclamped the air vent from the dryer and the outer wall ---guess what? A BIRD NEST was in the dryer vent hose!!! Everything is peachy-keen now. And a new cover was purchased for the outer brick ... to keep this from happening again.

On Wednesday, Bud and I went to the movie theater to see the newly released flick: A MAN of STEEL. Not bad; typical comic book hero movie tho...redundant in so many ways comparing it to the Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, etc. ---Same outcome, different effects and scenes. Quite a few 'oldies but goodies' starred in this with the new [and I may add eye candy] Superman. The likes of Diane Ladd [she never ages...what's her secret?], Crowe, Fishburn, and Costner. With Kevin Costner's scenes, his demeanor and style made me think perhaps in the corn fields, he'd go out and build a baseball diamond, but it never happened. The best part for me, the whole gist of the movie, it explained a lot of the home planet of Clark Kent, and his history of Kyrptonite, etc. I'd give it a Roger Ebert thumbs up, but save your money and get it on a DVD to watch later.

One more thing before I go...in the South there is a famous/popular fast food restaurant...in fact its origins are in Corpus Christi...the Whataburger. Yep, just like it's spelled...What a burger. I noticed about a month ago, the local chain store, H E B's had on their shelves, a new product...Whataburger's ketchup and mustard in a bottle. Now, this past week, another new product made it to the store...in conjunction with Whataburger...their french fries!! In a bag. [like chips] They're crunchy...you bite into them and you're expecting the hot soft, greasy, french fry and you're gonna be surprised. They're crispy. The taste is VERY close to the french fries you get in the restaurants, but for me...after trying them, they left an aftertaste I wasn't too 'crazy' about. I'd much rather drive to the bay and sit at the multi-level place and eat HOT food, with the view of the marina!!

Oh, and in case you were curious to where the sandpiper was 'hiding' in the photo I shared on my previous post, here it is outlined with pink arrow pointing to it. And the black necked stilt is 'highlighted' in pale blue tone to the top left.





Man of Steel image courtesy of Google Image Search [no copyright infringement intended]