§ "G"....It's a Favorite Day...Halloween!!!!

GHOSTS

Watching an episode of NCIS New Orleans, Dead Man Calling, it was so convincingly true that I had to do some research to see if the 'ghost' was real! [New Orleans has many ghost tours!!]  The synopsis:  In short, this particular show was about the history of an unsolved murder from 1867 all with a well-known New Orleans' family history...the Anderson family secret.  Well, using the public records, grave stones and burial records, and genealogy sites online, there is no listing of a certain Cornelius LaRue [the ghost].  Still, there happens to be a big "BUT" in this search....there are a lot of Anderson's listed in the state of Louisiana/Orleans Parish records!!  The eerie part of this is...there are many, many names listed with the surname Anderson that has the middle name of....yep....LaRue!!  Spooky.

ghost image courtesy of Google Images



A BIT GHOULISH
An Historic Cemetery
Nuecestown Texas [before Corpus Christi was established]



GRIM, GROSS GROWTH
The knotted burl of a tree in a city park [notice orange arrow]...
the remnant grows grossly!!

GRISLY





GHASTLY

Bud's Headless Horseman [our dining room centerpiece this year]



Taken last year - Port Aransas
A golf cart
[that may look like a pipe coming from the skeleton's mouth, but it's actually the car's antenna next to the cart.  And I'm pleased to say the skeleton was in the passenger seat instead of the driver's side!]

§ Five on Friday

one:  Y'all know by now if you read my blog much, that both Bud and I really like NCIS [and NCIS New Orleans]. Well, we've collected, over the years, the DVDs for both; having ALL seasons for them in sets. We watch them off and on, and a few weeks ago, we watched a couple of programs from the 11th season of NCIS. It's been a while and I had completely forgotten one episode entitled "Homesick". The short synopsis: several children are sick and hospitalized throughout the Navy and NCIS is there with their forensic scientist, Abby, to find a cure for those youngsters. And in the hospital lies a very sick, young, little girl*. She is the main child in question of the mysterious illness...anyway, long ago, when we first watched it, I told Bud "That looks just like me!" "When I was her age." The past week or so, I've been sorting through old photographs; some of which I shared here recently. I came upon my photo to show Bud how closely the two of us [the girl in the hospital on NCIS and me] resemble each other. You take a gander and see if you don't agree with me, Bud, and now that I sent it off to my sister, she too was flabbergasted at the closeness in looks and some features!

two:   Do We Look Alike?

Do We Look Alike?

Yes

No

survey maker

* photo of young girl from NCIS found with Google Search

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three:  I kept telling Erik that the Burgers at FIVE GUYS are the best! And this proves it. His favorite is Smashburger...well, I tellya now....Five Guys' burgers beat out Smashburger 'by a mile'!!!

photo source: Google Search



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four:  Once again, Colorado [my 'home' state] got bomb-blasted with a Spring Snow and Ice storm this week!! Power outages and other weather related traumas like broken trees and downed power lines. Here's a texted image of my sister's yard on May 18th...



...I am thankful Bud and I don't have to contend with this. I'll take the humidity and gripe all I want...I know it was our choice to get away from stuff like the above.

- - -

five:  I am definitely NOT naval jargon savvy! So, there is a supertanker supposedly coming into the Corpus Christi Ship Channel [at Port Aransas] to dock for the first time in its history at Ingleside, Texas. I wanna be there at the channel to watch it come in. Now, thing is, it's supposed to be here for a test run along the channel to see how everything goes on the 22nd of May....Monday. I was informed by the chamber of commerce in Ingleside that there is NO specific time frame ... it depends on tide and weather! Good grief. They're telling this novice in a round-about way that I need to read charts? Out to google I go! LOL What a riot...

Bud, being a Navy seaman long ago, told me that the ship will use 'high tide' to be able to make the run along the channel...the chart depicts high tide around NOON...that means I should be there anywhere from 7 am to infinity in my estimation! It's gonna be a long day. Just hope the weather is good on Monday

If this is successful testing, and all works well, Ingleside Texas will be the FIRST IN USA to have a supertanker dock area. Exciting.

Wish me luck...and hopefully if all goes according to plan, I just may get pictures.

photo source: Google Search

§ Haunting, the Dead, St. Nicholas...Thoughts of an Eclectic Nature

WANNA SNIFF?

I'm sure a lot of you bloggers have noticed a message in your comments from Jerry B. He has taken on a huge, time consuming, task. And it's worthy of giving it a look see!!! His new site, called SITE HOUND SNIFFS is a vast listing of blogs...all listed in categories!! I've been honored [both Hootin' Anni's and I'd Rather B Birdin'] to be added to the growing list. Check it out sometime soon...and take time to view some sites he has listed...don't forget to send along a note of thanks and appreciation for all his many hours of work!!  By the way, the image here is from the site...I hope I'm not infringing...I think it's adorable and needs to be seen more than just on Jerry's site.  After all, it's a valuable asset at our fingertips.

DAY OF THE DEAD - flowers too

...well, it isn't until October 31st thru November 2nd, but our city will begin celebrating with a street fair, parade and more on the 29th. Of course I'll be there, haunting. At least the craft booths, the wall of remembrance, and the parade. I have a room full of some of our Day of the Dead trinkets on display...

GHOST SHIP



In honor of Halloween...I write this:
The USS Lexington, an aircraft carrier from the 1940's is nicknamed the Blue Ghost for a reason...In our harbor, we have a real ghost ship! It's also a WWII museum. But there have actually been apparitions and odd things happening aboard!! Read about it HERE...from Haunted Places to go dot com.


TV - Online

I have yet to watch BULL online. According to the internet news, BULL is the #1 new show for the season. Of course, it's time slot is nestled between two of the most popular...what do you expect? I am ever so faithful of NCIS/NCIS New Orleans. Lots of new characters in each program. I'm not impressed with the two new agents on NCIS...hopefully they'll improve with time, but for now, it's wha, wha, wha....woe is me for the both of them [Torres and Quinn]. Then, watching NCIS New Orleans...I don't miss Agent Brody at all; she just didn't fit in to begin with in my opinion. Now we have a new agent on this program also...A supposedly temporary FBI agent that will most likely replace Agent Brody. As I watch tho, I get a bit of deja vu with her. This week, watching episode 3, it dawned on me...she looks a lot like Angelina Jolie! And I guess I'm not the only one who agrees...this split image was found on cheezburger.com's look-alikes. What do you think?

...then, Gregorio's FBI director, Agent Isler. He too looks like someone. And again, it dawned on me. Jeff Dunham's puppet...Peanut!!  [no disrespect here...I LOVE Peanut!!!]  You decide...

FIVE star BOOK REVIEW

Glenn Beck's The Immortal Nicholas. One word...awesome!! I know Mr. Beck is more popular as a radio talk show host, with a voiced opinionated political stance for the most part. I've always been a bit skeptical of picking up any of his published books. This one was on the dollar shelf at Half Price Books, and I figured you can't even buy gum for that price, if it's no good, it won't be a waste of money. LOL....

So, I bought it, brought it home, and truthfully, I don't want to put it down. Excellent. Mr. Beck brings the human touch of St. Nicholas, as a man, to life. Not as a rolly polly jolly ol' elf, but a regular man with a life as a guard to the three wise men on their way to Bethlehem. He meets the King of Kings and from there I haven't read beyond this as of this posting. I can't wait to see how it ends. I am totally impressed with this unique way of telling a fabled story of Santa Claus and joining it with the Biblical side of the meaning of Christmas.  From online reviews, the majority critics and 'common readers' rate this book FIVE stars!!!

"Before he was Father Christmas, he was a father"

§ I Have a Challenge for Y'all aka MISSION imPOSSIBLE

'Nother rainy day here in Bedrock. I am awaiting a return call from my cardiologist office in regards to a Rx question I had. My cardiologist is off for the week [he's probably on the beaches right now checking out the bikini-clad gals. Heck, he may even be checking out the Speedos?!! --kidding of course] Anyway I await a return call. It's nothing earth shattering important, so if the call doesn't come in today, that's okay. I know I'm not the only patient.

So, Bud and I checked out the new facility for birding enthusiasts that is being built from a city Bond Issue. I think it's supposed to be completed this year, but not sure on that. Anyway, Sunday morning, before the sky became gray again, we took a short walk. There was a slight chill in the breeze, but nothing bone-chilling. When we arrived, we 'sneaked' in to the unfinished area, and the paved parking lots...it was barricaded, but it was a Sunday; no workers!!  We then  left the car with our binoculars and me with my trusty Nikon in hand...and walked the short distance to the new building. By the looks of things, they haven't made much progress since we were there over a month ago [when I posted about the pink Caterpillar]. Of course, it's been so wet, soggy, and muddy, I can understand if the construction is at a stand still...delaying the opening. Oh well.

As we walked the grounds where we were able to walk without sinking in the mire, both of us heard a Bob-White Quail. Of course, being still in the winter-mode for most of the fields surrounding, a quail would be nigh-on to impossible to find. ....we tried tho. Nope. Just the call was heard. I think at one point we got mighty close to it tho, 'cause it became silent for the longest time. Once we headed in another direction, lo and behold, it began "Bob-Whiting" again. Behind, where we had just left. As we approached the back fields between the new facility and the distant subdivision, we found a flock of Sandhill Cranes!!! Before we left the area after watching more fly in, Bud had estimated 100 cranes!! I took pictures.

The wildflowers were gorgeous!! As you can tell from my most recent posts, lately, I LOVE wildflowers.

Okay, so back to today and awaiting the phone call....I grabbed my sketch pad and began drawing. I, long ago, planned on doing the entire NCIS crew. Well, the main ones anyway. Agents Tony DiNozzo, Magee, and Gibbs. Along with the M E - Dr. Mallard, and the Forensic Lab Technician, Abby. I finished "Ducky" ---[for those that don't watch NCIS, "Ducky" is the Medical Examiner, Dr. Mallard].

NOW THE CHALLENGE
if you choose to accept it
Can you hear the Mission Impossible Theme Song?

This won't self destruct tho ---

...I took the liberty of moving this section from a previous post here so it won't be lost in the mix of other blog posts... I spotted this "A" for Anni in the scrub-brush, wooded area and thought I'd challenge y'all!! If you have a camera, would you be willing to search high and low for your initial in any natural state - i.e., branch, shadow, water ripples, flower petal, a leaf...anything? For your first name? Like my "A". Can you see it?  The linking tool will close on March 31st!!!

Pass it on to get more involved!!!

§ Willy Nilly Ribbits plus one...

1]  Y'all know that I really like NCIS. Well, this season, a new spin-off from NCIS is NCIS New Orleans. I like this program also; so far. In fact the last time we watched it online, the episode "The Recruits", while Agent Pride [Bakula] was sitting with his daughter in the outdoor courtyard with his grandmother's piano ---that looked so very familiar! The fountain in the background. In fact a couple of screen shots from the exterior of their headquarters in New Orleans looks, again, familiar! The outside of the hotel. I can't find out for sure anywhere I've researched - for "on the set filming locations"...but, I would almost guarantee you it's filmed at the very hotel we always stay at when we go to New Orleans...near the French Quarter on Rampart Street!! I've sat way too many times in the courtyard to not see the familiarity in these set locations. The hotel used to be a girl's school and converted to a hotel. It's an historic landmark within walking distance to the Quarter....it's actually called the Landmark Hotel!! If you watch the program, when the sequence of the closing event on this particular program, in the background the open doors over his shoulders is the dining area of the hotel...

a couple of photos I share...from our last stay at the Landmark Hotel in N. O. and then, the same fountain/courtyard from the program...

Watch it online HERE By the way, my favorite character on this program so far is the 'Bama boy...Agent LaSalle

2] Got new rubbers¹ on our car this past week. Wow. Just practically glides over the asphalt now! But, oh the cost of tires¹...unbelievable. I can't complain tho, this business here in town is great with awesome customer service and courtesies and amenities for their patrons, I continue to go there and will as long as they're in business!!

3] After so long of being in a drought, I believe we're getting back to the sub-tropical weather that is 'normal' now. At least here of late. There was a storm a'brewin' in the west of the Gulf moving over Campeche Bay...it may or may not bring in a tropical storm/hurricane to our area, but I'm sure it'll bring us more rain. Once a drought ridden area, now it's flooding. One day this week, even the interstate highway was closed because of dangerous flooding. Go figure. I guess that's the way of nature. We've had so many days of constant warning alerts on our phones. On Monday this week, the power was completely off on NORTH Padre Island due to heavy storms, and the clouds were ominous/black and evil looking over there. Before, during, after, and the next morning...rain, sun and blue skies. The first larger photo is of an intersection through the windshield of our car - with an ambulance. But notice the dark clouds above that were building up before the flood gates opened and drenched this area of the city.  Then, the golden, scarlet thunderstorm clouds after the rain...

note: 
the smaller images are of the heavy rains that came to our yard...they can be enlarged by clicking on them
  





4]  The book I mentioned I was reading [Maplecroft] intrigued me from the back cover...but let me tell you, the blurb on the back cover was and IS a bit misleading:  "This evil cannot hide from me.  No matter what guise it assumes, I will be waiting for it.  With an axe."  Being that the book's theme is Lizzie Borden, I was hoping for a good murder mystery of some historical value.  Instead......I got BIZARRE.  It's more or less a science fiction work.  If you're into horror fantasy so to speak, this will be a good book to pick up and decipher it all yourself and on your own terms.  For me, it was quite mediocre, and disappointing for the fact it was utterly far-fetched and entirely unbelievable.  Yet, I kept reading to the end to see just how it ended....trying to keep an open mind and hoping all the time it'd get better.    Its outcome was poor and didn't get that much better.  There was closure somewhat, but I threw the book down after reading the last page and said "That was weird!" Now, I'm gonna try to get through the massive, non-fiction book, Team of Rivals [author on my sidebar].  All about Abraham Lincoln's historical era.

5] ...with heavy rainfall, out come the croaking frogs!




One More...#6....Lately, if I'm not logged into my Blogger account and visit others, I find word verification on blogs that normally don't have robot prevention!!  What's up with that?  Another glitch?  Did someone hack into Blogger servers and  it's now playing havoc with our blog comment forms?  FIX IT.  I detest word verifications.  lol