Life on Newberry Drive

Happy 2011

2011-01-01T09:31:00.001-06:00

I hope 2011 is a good one for you. I certainly expect good things to come of it...

Rats...!

2010-12-13T15:04:00.016-06:00

Mice, actually. But they look like mini rats and have tails just as long.

We suddenly have a rodent problem. After 3 visits from 3 different "technicians" from Terminix (a complete wear-out), I think we're on the right track.

I'll spare you pictures (oh, I was tempted) and most of the details. But I will say, it's very unsettling to have rodents - even when they are confined to walls and attic. Mainly because we don't know why all of a sudden they've chosen to bunk with us. I know it's cold outside and the neighbors have been doing some work. We also may have a plumbing leak under our house which we are looking into....

It's also unsettling because these things are elusive as hell. I smashed a hole in a wall where I was certain to find a critter dead or dying based on sound evidence (see what I did, there?) only to find nothing (except for maybe some poops, but I'm not real sure). For awhile, I wasn't even certain what we were dealing with - mice, rats, or squirrels (or all of the above). Finally, it's unsettling because the thought of a rat in the nursery where my baby sleeps is enough for me to tear our house down to the studs. In fact, when we bought the house, it was the discovery of mouse droppings in a kitchen cabinet (in a house that had been vacant for 6 months, mind you) that led to this.

Anyway, the first Terminix dude came out and set 4 traps in our attic and never came back. A second guy came out and said he wasn't going to look for the traps (2 of which were nowhere to be found) or do anything more to help us. He thought he had been called out to spray for insects, which I let him do. He did tell me that it might help if I removed the clutter from our attic, which I already knew. He also spent a considerable amount of time criticizing the tactics deployed by the first guy and made sure that I knew the first guy was "of size" and not likely to have ventured very far back into our attic.

Unsatisfied with dude #2, I called Terminix again and they sent a third guy out. No one knows where Technician #1 set his traps, so everyone's a little weary about doing anything up there, but this third guy, he took a look around and told me he'd come back a day or two later. He told me to clear out the space best I could and I assured him I would.

I spent the day Saturday clearing every single thing out of our attic, leaving only an iMac G3 and and old Dell hard drive tower, placing everything else out for bulk trash. In doing so, I found the missing traps - attached to dead rats. They were smallish, which accounts for why they allowed themselves to get clipped by the tiny mouse traps left by technician #1 (Remember, technician #2 was critical of the first guy for good reason. He just wasn't going to do anything about it...). I have no doubt the other traps were sprung by larger specimens who got away with minor bumps/bruises. I believe this because they sound like freaking possums(opossums?) when we hear them above us.

I was skeptical about dude #3 returning. And though he was a full 2 hours late, he did, in fact, return on said day. I was ready to demand my money back (and in fact had requested a manager come out for that purpose)... but this new guy, Nate, says he's on it. He has a plan of attack. Together, working as a team, he says, we're going to knock this problem out. I believe him. He set up all kinds of traps. 3 or 4 different types. Actually baited them with cheese. I wanted to tell him that I thought that rats on Newberry Drive probably didn't follow stereotypes so closely, but decided to let them man work. He also put out poison, ~~which we are completely fine with. If our walls become tombs, I'm okay with that.~~ If one crawls up in a wall and dies and begins to stink, then we have a problem. But I'll just smash more holes in the walls until that problem gets solved.

I cannot tell you, though, how frustrating it's been working with Terminix. Once this little episode is over, I'm fairly confident I'll take my rats and business elsewhere. If I stay with them, it's all due to Nate the Warrior and the fact that we are not hearing any more pitter-patter in the night.

Developing...

UPDATE 12/23/10 - Confirmed body count: 07; Suspected Missing in Action: 4

UPDATE 01/10/11 Confirmed Dead now at 8, suspected KIA nearing 5-6. Prior to the holidays, I removed 4 from the attic. Made the mistake of tossing the traps with them. I should have reused those suckers. The little wooden mouse traps caught the most. One was caught in a big trap. One caught using the pad of really sticky stuff. That must have been a tough way to go out. Stuck. Cheese in front of your face. Man.

Anyway, the stench of the dead ones in our walls or attic buried in insulation is, well, pungent. It smells like rotting corpse. My wife - who had the nose of a bloodhound just 6 months ago while pregnant - says she can't smell them. That is good. She says I've suddenly developed extra sensitive olfactory glands or something. Trust me. That smell stays with you. Avoid rat/mice poison (often euphemistically called "bait").

Nate came back out after the holidays and set more traps. He moved the "bait" to the "perimeter" (outside near the fence). The smells have tapered off and the traps have been empty. Looks like we got it going our way.

Sorry, Buddha...

(Partial) Fall Harvest

2010-11-24T20:25:00.003-06:00

Some of my bounty on this day before Thanksgiving...

New Little Blog for a New Little Girl

2010-11-19T09:26:00.003-06:00

Me and the wife have set up a new blog for our squid:

http://hellomynameisviolet.blogspot.com/

Friends and family are invited to pop on over and see what Violet's been up to.

2010 World Series - Game 3

2010-11-01T11:40:00.007-05:00

If you click on the little thought bubble icon over on the lower left, you'll see the captions...

Dear Fellow Texas Rangers Fans,

2010-10-20T13:58:00.005-05:00

Dear Fellow Rangers Fans - Newcomers and and Lifers Alike,

Let's please not do anything to upset the Baseball Gods. Examples of this would be:

Making plans to meet the team plane at the airport
Planning parade routes
Disparaging the Yankees (who won 5 more games than us in the regular season)
Assuming that if the ALCS goes to a Game 7, Cliff Lee will get it done. (He has 9 losses since being acquired by TX)

These are just a few examples. Please... do your part.

...And perhaps the Baseball Gods will smile on us all..

Claw and Antlers,

J.D.

...And While We're on the Subject of Entomology...

2010-08-17T16:00:00.003-05:00

What the hell do you suppose these critters are? They are about the size of a small ant. Red. And appear to have recently emerged from the long, skinny thing attached to the curtain on our back patio.

Texas Yellow Jacket Colony

2010-08-17T14:49:00.011-05:00

It's always something over on Newberry Drive... Seems we have a large colony of Texas Yellow Jackets in a tree in our backyard. I don't know the extent yet, but it appears big. I actually stuck a stick in there and never felt the back of the tree (not recommended that you try this & Amanda if you're reading this, I'm just kidding... I would never do anything so foolish!). I've got our friendly Terminix guy, Alfredo, coming out tomorrow. Something tells me I'll be needing a 2nd opinion on this one...

Here's what our critters look like up close (now, imagine about a hundred buzzing around...):

This video I shot a lunchtime today illustrates how big of an issue this might turn out to be - it gets freakish beginning at around the :08 second mark.

A Case of Mistaken Identity, Newberry Drive & JFK

2010-08-16T09:51:00.003-05:00

We got a glimpse into the very real, very creepy JFK conspiracy theory culture by way of accidentally (?) opening mail addressed to the (now deceased) previous owner of our house (is that really a federal offense, btw?), Mrs. Ruth Paine. After a little research, we don't think our Ruth is the "jfk" Ruth.

I redacted the hand written phone number, just in case it's a scam - I don't want to be the reason someone has a $1,000 long distance phone bill. It's also worth noting the phone number is a cell phone. Registered to a user in Vacaville, CA - where there happens to be a prison that's held the likes of Charles Manson.

Return address on the envelope:

F. Vose
1000 Truth Way
Heaven, CA 77250 (zip code is in Houston)
postmarked Sacramento, CA

I'm pretty sure my Father-in-Law is going to call the number from a pay phone and screw with this guy... : )

CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO ENLARGE:

Violet Louise Whittenburg b. 07/07/10

2010-07-13T10:47:00.003-05:00

Slug

2010-07-05T15:56:00.003-05:00

We've (Finally) Had Lots of Rain

2010-07-03T19:04:00.004-05:00

(I'm NOT cooking up that mushroom...)

Evolution of Our Master Bathroom: Complete Renovation - Final Result (4 of 4)

2010-06-17T20:40:00.007-05:00

We're very happy with how it all turned out. Amanda and I did end up chasing all over town looking for the right granite, tile, etc. But no actual manual labor.

I guess "Final Result" isn't quite accurate... A. still has to put the finishing touches on everything: shower curtain, hand towels, set-em-outs, wall decor, etc.

(Contractor info below)

The contractor we worked with on this project was punctual, had a nice, well-mannered crew (who kept everything clean as they went along) and he was a good communicator. Crazy!

Riley Remodeling
Brad Riley
briley3@tx.rr.com
214-785-7452

Evolution of Our Master Bathroom: Complete Renovation - Demo (3 of 4)

2010-06-17T19:22:00.006-05:00

In the ultimate of all "nesting" moves (putting this to shame), we decided to rip out our bathroom and start from scratch. The thinking there, was: if we don't do it now, we may not ever get around to it. What made this time different, was that this would not be a DIY job. With 8 weeks until A.'s due date, a pro was called in. (We're currently 2 weeks out from the due date for those keeping score at home.)

The pictures below correspond to the ones in my previous post.

Evolution of Our Master Bathroom: Minor Renovation (2 of 4)

2010-06-17T19:04:00.004-05:00

After we took possession of our house, we did a few things, such as retile the floor (my first tile project), replace the toilet (American Standard, of course), switch out the hardware on the vanity, replace the faucets and replace the lights. All with the idea that one day we would rip it all out. The crack on the mirror started small and eventually grew to what you see pictured.

Evolution of Our Master Bathroom: Pre-Purchase (1 of 4)

2010-06-17T14:43:00.005-05:00

When we bought the house it looked like this ...notice the shell-shaped sink, wallpaper and saloon doors. The doors and wallpaper came off immediately.

We Bought a New Camera

2010-06-17T14:21:00.005-05:00

It even makes Pete cuter...

For those who are interested in cameras, it's the Canon Rebel XSi. Looking forward to learning all about it. So is she.

So much to update

2010-06-11T13:57:00.001-05:00

so little time. I'll get to it soon enough, I suppose.

'Nesting' Defined

2010-03-13T11:00:00.002-06:00

The payoff was a very well organized kitchen!

New Craft / Sewing Area for Loop+Lil

2010-03-12T10:22:00.001-06:00

The Loop and Lil World Headquarters are being relocated. Having been forced out of the previous space by a yet-to-come Johnny-come-lately, Loop and Lil needs somewhere to conduct business and continue manufacturing one-of-a-kind baby and toddler clothing. With a couple fo very high-volume shows coming up, this was a super-high priority.

Using one-half of our laundry room, I built a work space using cabinents and a countertop from Ikea that match our kitchen.

Before (I forgot to take pic before beginning to rip out baseboards):

After

The Other Side:

Our kitchen that it matches:

Next up: A dedicated music area for all my instruments, amps, cables, etc. that are stashed all over this house.

P.S. Did you notice how many hyphens were used in this post? Just curious...

New Life on LIfe on Newberry Drive

2010-03-11T10:11:00.000-06:00

I mentioned here that we were considering a move away from Newberry Drive. This affected several things around here - from not planting to not considering any major projects.

Because of lack of inventory (I know, sounds strange, but our neighborhood is very sought after for the schools...), we're staying put. This means lots of catching up to do and lots of preparation for what's to come.

I'll be documenting all of it here.

Spring And All...

2010-03-10T09:58:00.000-06:00

You know Spring is approaching...when new life springs forth from your compost bin...

I'm not sure what they are, but suspect one is an onion and the other may be strawberry (based on copious amounts of strawberries that have been consumed around here, lately).

I couldn't resist. I transplanted these suckers into what has become my very haphazard Spring garden (w/ lots of leftovers still from winter: see arugula, lettuce, Brussels sprouts that never sprouted but are now doing great, etc.)

Here they are in their new home (surrounded by onions):

Without Electricity Due to Record Snowfall? Cut Oncor Some Slack...

2010-02-13T13:16:00.005-06:00

For those of you without electricity, I'm sorry for what you are going through. But I'm seeing alot of misinformation and misplaced blame and feel I need to offer some insight.

How much you pay for electricity has to do with the plan you are on with your Retail Electric Provider. If you feel you are paying too much for electricity, go to www.powertochoose.org and switch.

Oncor is the regulated utility that delivers the electricity to your house, regardless of REP (assuming you live within the Oncor footprint). Oncor has nothing to go with the price paid per KwH. They receive a small, regulated charge for delivering electricity and maintaining the transmission and distribution lines. Often, this involves the trimming of trees back. People complain about how this is done or why this is done. It's done to percent outages in accordance with industry standards (available at www.oncor.com/vegetation). It is done to prevent outages cause by limbs weighed down by ice, snow or by wind blowing them into lines.

It is the customer's responsibility to maintain foliage on their property - from the pole to the house - and should really be done by a trained professional to avoid electrical shock. If you experience frequent outages, there are 2 possible reasons: 1) oncor has not trimmed our neighborhood in several years 2) your service drop needs to be cleared of foliage.

As far as restoration - this recent record snowfall is a significant event. Crews have been brought in from other cities to help with the restoration. Essential services are first priority - hospitals, fire stations, etc. Then they target the areas where they can bring the most people on at a time. This continues until everyone is restored. But as long as lines keep going down, the longer it takes. I just heard a transformer blow about an hour ago, so outages will continue as limbs lighten as snow melts and then come in contact with lines.

I've seen some complaints regarding "wealthy" areas and restoration preference. This has to do with what I stated above. Sort of. It just happens that "wealthy" areas happen to be in long established neighborhoods - ones with lots of big, mature trees. Therefore, they tend to experience more outages. Because there are more outages, there is a greater chance that targeting the areas with the most outages first will bring the most people back online.

Atmos Energy is the regulated gas company, similar to Oncor. Many people are confused as to who they are, so I thought I'd throw that in.

Those who know me, know that I am not by any means a corporate apologist. I'm also not insensitive to those without power - particularly those of you with kiddos. I just know there are lots of good, hard working folks out there busting their humps to get your power back on.

How about cutting Oncor some slack?

I Got Distracted

2010-02-04T09:30:00.004-06:00

I know I said I was going to update more often. But I got distracted. See if you can discern why from this post. We're considering a move away from Newberry Drive as the need for additional space has suddenly become an issue. That will be both sad and exciting.

Sale of the Week = Extra Insulation for Me!

2010-01-06T18:36:00.007-06:00

My boy, Travis, and his bride got themselves a nice little fixer-upper a few weeks back and they had their work cut out for them. I'm happy to report things are coming along swimmingly over there. Rumor has it, they're planning a This Young House-type blog if only they can come up with a name...

One day, I went over to lend a hand. We tore down a wall and added insulation before re-drywalling. I went back over there this weekend to find three garbage bags of extra insulation out with the trash.

Score!

I made sure none went to waste, covering all the insulation that I never replaced when I pulled out our soffit when remodelling our kitchen. (No need to alert me to the fact that it's wall insulation, not attic insulation...) All just in time for the approaching Arctic Blast.

Insulation

Our kitchen with the soffit ripped out (along with a little of the ceiling).

Our kitchen after the remodel.

Our White Christmas Eve or Friday Night Christmas Lights

2010-01-05T16:08:00.004-06:00

p.s. "Friday Night Christmas Lights" is a song by Travis Hopper.

Sled Dog?

2010-01-05T15:46:00.006-06:00

New dedication to blog means more pet pics. You know you love it.

We got a white Christmas in Dallas for the first since they started keeping records a hundred years ago (thus "climate change" rather than "global warming" ...Even the tropics aren't immune).

I didn't put Pete on a leash to go out, 'cause I thought that he would hate the snow and thus be quick about his business and then run towards the comfort and warmth of natural gas fueled HVAC.

Nope.

He took off, stopping occasionally to scoop up a mouthful of snow and make a confused look. It turned into a big, fun, wet game of chase for him.

Dinner Last Night

2010-01-05T15:29:00.005-06:00

Last night, my wife spent more time than one would think necessary making these very delicious potato skins from a recipe out of new book she received for Christmas by her blogger "friend", The Pioneer Woman (who is on a rocket ride to becomming a full-blown cottage industry...)

New Year, New Commitment to Blog

2010-01-04T13:34:00.000-06:00

I'm big into New Years Resolutions. I typically stick to them. I prefer ones that are measureable. One of mine which I just made (I tend to make throughout the month of January) is to recommit to this blog. I sense the need will arise in 2010 to connect with family and close friends and strangers alike using more than 140 characters (I completely blame Twitter for my ingoring this blog) But like I said, big things on the horizon. Fortune teller tells me this. Card Reader. Seriously.

A Fun Excercise - A Lifetime of Concerts

2009-12-07T18:36:00.009-06:00

My wife just came across this dude's blog where he listed every band he'd ever seen. I thought it might be fun to try to do the same. I certainlly won't remember all of them. And I know I won't remember the venues, much less the dates...

I think I'll keep this a running list. So with that:

Bruce Springsteen (solo)
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
The Who
John Fogerty
Tom Petty
John Mellencamp
U2
Willie Nelson

oy vey... I'm going to have to get systemic with this...

...developing...

There are several ways I could go about this - willy nilly, by genre, by year, by event (for festivals and such)... but I landed on alphabetical. So here goes... again:

Wait. Maybe just "national" acts, first... No, nevermind. Here's a patial list that is somewhat thin on the local acts I've seen over the years:

Adam Carroll
Alejandro Escovedo
Amos Lee
Arcade Fire
Asleep at the Wheel
B.B. King
Bad Livers
Beaver Nelson
Beck
Bela Fleck & The Flecktones
Ben Folds
Ben Harper
Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals
Ben Kweller
Big Head Todd and the Monsters
Billy Joe Shaver
Björk
Black Crowes
Blondie
Blues Traveler
Bo Diddley
Bob Dylan (solo)
Bob Dylan and his Band
Bobby Bare, Jr.
Bonnie Raitt
Booker T and the MGs
Bruce Robison
Bruce Springsteen (solo)
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Buddy Guy
Bukka Allen
Butch Hancock
Calexico
Carlos Santana
Centro-matic
Charlie Robison
Charlie Sexton
Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez
Clint Black
Cold War Kids
Cooder Graw
Cory Morrow
Counting Crows
Cowboys and Indians
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Darden Smith
Dave Mathews Band
David Allen Coe
David Byrne
Davíd Garza
David Hildago
Deadman
Devotchka
Doug Burr
Doyle Bramhall
Drive-By Truckers
Dwight Yoakum
Eastwood
Eleven Hundred Springs
Elkhart
Elvis Costello and The Imposters
Eric Clapton
Flaco Jimenez
Flatlanders
Four Mile Mule
Franz Ferdinand
Fred Eaglesmith
G. Love & Special Sauce
George Strait
George Winston
Gillian Welch
Great Divide
Guy Forsyth
Iron & Wine
J.T. Van Zandt
Jack Ingram
Jack Johnson
Jakob Dylan and the Gold Mountain Rebels
James McMurtry
James Taylor
Jason Boland and the Stragglers
Jay Farrar
Jeff Beck
Jeff Tweedy
Jerry Jeff Walker
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Jimmie Vaughan
Jimmy Lafave
Joe Ely
Joe Walsh
John Fogerty
John Ihms
Josh Ritter
Keb Mo
Kelly Willis
Kevin Fowler
Kings of Leon
Larry Joe Taylor
Leftover Salmon
Little Sister
Loose Diamonds
Los Lobos
Los Lonely Boys
Los Super Seven
Lucinda Williams
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band
M. Ward
Marah
Mark Chesnutt
Maroon 5
Mason Jennings
Mates of State
Max Stalling
Medeski, Martin & Wood
Mike McClure
Milton Mapes
Mo Robson
Modest Mouse
Monte Montgomery
My Morning Jacket
Nanci Griffith
Neil Diamond
Nickel Creek
North Mississippi Allstars
Old 97s
Pat Green
Patrice Pike
Paul Simon
Pete Yorn
Peter Bjorn and John
Phish
Polyphonic Spree
Porter Wagner
R.E.M.
Randy Rogers Band
Ray Lamontagne.
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Reba Mcentire
Reckless Kelly
Reverend Horton Heat
Rhett Miller
Robert Earl King
Rusty Wier
Ryan Adams
Salim Nourallah
Seth James
Sheryl Crow
Shooter Jennings
Slaid Cleaves
Slobberbone
Son Volt
Sorta
South Austin Jug Band
Split Lip Rayfield
Steve Earle
Steve Miller Band
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Terry Allen
The Blind Boys of Alabama
The Damnations
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Flaming Lips
The Gourds
The Hold Steady
The Killers
The Killers,
The National
The Pixies
The Raconteurs
The Ramones
The Robert Cray Band
The Swell Season
The Waco Brothers
The Wallflowers
The Who
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Tom Club
Townes Van Zandt
Trey Anastasio
Trout Fishing in America
U2
Vince Gill
W.C. Clark
Waylon Jennings
Wes Cunningham
Widespead Panic
Wilco
Willie Nelson
Ziggy Marley
ZZ Top

Garden Update

2009-10-27T09:19:00.006-05:00

It rained all night, so everything is a little soaked. Got lots of goodies in the garden right now. Peppers, lettuces, chives, dill, arugula, rogue beans, some tomatoes I transplanted from pots last week that weren't doing so hot, and my ever-hardy okra plants. I still have room for more...

This one contains a packet of beans planted in August that have been very productive along with 4 recently added broccoli transplants.

Below are the guys from the pots. One variety if actually called "patio". Here they can be seen before their decline:

How To Build A Simple, Expandable Clothes Rack

2009-09-24T16:04:00.015-05:00

This type of clothes rack can be as simple or as difficult to make as you want it to be. I added a level of difficulty because we need them to be portable and take up as little space as possible when in transport.

This is what we're going for:

Tools that will make your life simpler:

Skill saw or some sort of electric saw

Electric Drill

Drill bits (size dependent upon your bolt size)

Phillips head drill bit

Spade drill bit (size dependent upon your rod size)

Bolts, washers, nuts (I used wing nuts for assembly without tools)

Four 3" angle connector hardware (should look something like this.

Twelze 1.5" angle hardware connector. Same as this, but smaller. (HINT: the back of these packages will tell you what size of bolts to get. Make sure that they are longer than 2.5", as the bolts will be going through the 2"x2"...)
Two 2" x 2" boards. I cut mine to 5 feet tall. This will determine height of your rack

One 2" x 6" x 8' piece of lumber

wood screws that fit those 1.5" angle connectors

(I try to obtain all my lumber by dumpster diving at construction sites. Be sure to ask permission first...)

Instructions:

Start by cutting your 2"x6". This will be your base. Cut two pieces 22" long and four pieces that are 8" long.

You're going to connect these pieces using your wood screws and 1.5" angle connectors. To do this, I lined them up first on a flat surface and marked the eyes of the connectors with a sharpie. It's not an exact science, but you will want everything to be as square and level as possible.

You then attach the hardware to the top of the base. I used my vertical poles as a pattern to make sure everything was snug. I also used a triangle thingy to make sure I was in the center of the base.

Next, you place your vertical pole in between the brackets you just attached and mark your holes for drilling.

Then you drill your hole(s) for your cross bars. (We used cheap-ish curtain rods found at IKEA for our croass bars. The curtain rods, being explandable, are what makes this rack expandable...)

Finally, attached the vertical pole to the base. I did this using bolts and wing nuts so that power tools would not required to assemble/disassemble.

Repeat all of the above for your second stand.

Here is in action:

The Trick, Is to Make a Sign That's Unique

2009-09-23T11:22:00.001-05:00

Rotten Tomatoes

2009-09-23T10:41:00.004-05:00

I think 10 days of rain did this to my once tremendous-looking tomatoes:

Then these other ones got The Funk and so I just pulled those poor guys and sent them an early grave:

I replaced those with broccoli transplants I bought at NHG.

Clothes Rack

2009-09-18T23:15:00.002-05:00

Stay tuned... later this weekend, I'll show you how I made the pretty inexpensive, pretty portable, super expendable, potentially scalable clothes rack pictured below.

Chicago

2009-09-18T22:51:00.006-05:00

Last week, we traveled to Chicago for one of A.'s shows. I didn't get to see a lot of the town, but I'd certainly put forth that I met a ton of Chicagoans there in the Loop and Lil booth at Renegade and they were all super nice. You can read more about that over at http://loopandlil.blogspot.com

Here are some photos:

Excuse My Absense

2009-09-18T22:00:00.000-05:00

Twitter made me blog lazy. I've since rebounded.

My Poor Blog

2009-08-18T16:34:00.003-05:00

I promise you, poor, sad blog that one day soon many new words will be strung together to form new sentences and those will combine to create new paragraphs on your lonely pages. We truly have a love/hate ralationship - kinda like the relationship I had with my '81 Jeep Laredo (with the 8 track) back in the Nineties...

It's My One Year Anniversary!!!

2009-07-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hooray for Life on Newberry Drive and thanks to all those who post and/or lurk! Here's how it all began...

Been Taking a Little Break from the Blog...

2009-07-27T18:42:00.002-05:00

...but I'll be back soon... Swear! Until then, follow me at http://twitter.com/jdwhittenburg for the intricate details of my life...

It's Like Magic, but Really It's Just Nature

2009-07-15T10:30:00.003-05:00

This flower...

turned into this okra pod:

Corn Fail

2009-07-15T10:22:00.003-05:00

Well *sigh* my corn never came in. Despite my best attempts at plant husbandry, I don't think it ever pollinated. The plants themselves never reached full size, either... I pulled 'em and tossed them in the compost. I put in Fall tomatoes in their place a couple of weeks ago...

Not Peter Cotton Tail, More Like Jack Rabbit

2009-07-08T22:39:00.004-05:00

Tonight, as I was in the process of cooking breakfast for dinner, A. called me to the garage very emphatically. It sounded like something cool was going on. Turns out, a jack rabbit was in our driveway. I grabbed my camera and moved in for a closer shot. I sat a few feet away for a few minutes before I tired of it all (and remembered my bacon in the frying pan...!)

Jack better keep away from my carrots!

This is the Biggest Garage Sale. Ever.

2009-07-02T09:43:00.004-05:00

The lady across the street owns a shop on the square in downtown McKinney. They started setting up for this sale early yesterday. This pic does not do this sale justice. This was snapped at 8am and already there was a line at the cash register. Drive down Newberry Dr. - You'll see what I'm talking about!

This is Chicken Shit!

2009-06-26T15:54:00.003-05:00

http://eastdallasblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/06/city-chickens-flap.html

North Haven Gardens, which earlier this month took the unusual step of adding henkeeping supplies, housing and even juvenile hens to its gardening and landscaping inventory, has been told by the city the chicks must go.

North Haven Gardens is THE place for plants, garden supplies, books and inspiration. And Christmas Gifts for me. If Ms. Halleck says she got thenecessary permits and permissions, then she did. Anyone giving her and NHG shit for selling chicks ought to be tarred and feathered.

Return of Some Old Friends

2009-06-24T22:47:00.005-05:00

My little buddy is back. This time he's got a travelling companion. They let me get awfully close. I think they both had they're eyes on my drying onions.

Watching an owl fly is one of the coolest things. They don't make a sound.

Hey, Food, Inc. - Way Ahead of Ya!

2009-06-22T20:08:00.004-05:00

No, seriously, the books that inspired the movie inspired us as well... So, let's all go see it soon, ok?

I've got enough wood in the garage that I've plucked out of dumpsters to make a new garden. Maybe I will this weekend...

It's All Kinda Circular

2009-06-17T16:15:00.005-05:00

Visit Bona Fide Darling - http://bonafidedarling.blogspot.com to check out a nice little, low-fi cover of one of my songs by Travis... Then you can go to http://www.myspace.com/jdw to hear the original.

Good friend to BFD Travis Hopper, from local band Elkhart recorded his own take of local musician J.D. Whittenburg's "Secrets That You Keep." That song is one of my favorites off of J.D.'s album. Travis gives the song an more intimate more...

Bushes, Alleys, City Code and a Trash Truck Driver, Continued...

2009-06-13T16:10:00.004-05:00

Go here for the explanation. At some point, common sense should prevail. Unfortunately for my bushes, Richardson City Code prevails.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Porch Makeover

2009-06-12T20:56:00.007-05:00

For the last two weekends, we've been working on making our porch a nice place where we might actually want to hang out. Short of replacing the roof, we're there.

BEFORE:

(I forgot to take actual "before" pics the way we had it set up...)

DURING:

AFTER

Pete loves it!

Though it Took Some Coddling, Battered Corn and 'Maters Rebounded

2009-06-12T20:46:00.002-05:00

After much agonizing the other night, all garden inhabitants are doing better than ever. Mademe realize I needed to stake my tomatoes better.

And thanks to a little advice from GrowLively, my corn is back to standing straight and tall. I even see the beginnings of ears!

p.s. - the onions surrounding the corn are supposed to be falling over... that's what they do!

My Corn : (

2009-06-10T19:57:00.004-05:00

My corn before tonight's storm...

...and after:

It's now at about a 45° angle. Hopefully, if I stake them they'll straighten up...?

Burbia: "Living on the Edge... of the Patio"

2009-06-08T10:11:00.004-05:00

Maybe one day, Life on Newberry Drive will be this amusing... doubt it, though!

Check out http://www.burbia.com/, expecially the "Safari" section.

Today's offering kills me.

My Corn

2009-06-06T20:16:00.002-05:00

It's getting up there in size. It is called 'Early Sunglow Hybrid':

"You'll love this extra early, yellow corn's classic sweet corn flavor and texture. Early Sunglow's cold weather vigor (?) makes it ideal for the first planting of the season. It's ready to pick in 63 deays, yielding 7-inch ears from each 4-foot plant".

We'll see soon enough...

What I'm Really Into At This Moment in Time

2009-06-05T14:03:00.007-05:00

Sometimes you get an album, listen to it, like it, put it on your iPod and then kinda forget about it except for when a song comes on shuffle (even then, you know the artist, but not necessarily the album). A. and I go see Salim perform often enough, I think it's fair and safe to admit that I get my Salim fix without necessarily listening to the recordings as often as I should. Which is dumb, because he's a freaking great producer... So, of course, he's going to pull out all of the stops on his own records.

Anyway, Beautiful Noise on headphones is perfect.

After hearing him perform his new material on Wed., I need his new record, Constellation, stat...

Garden Update

2009-06-04T15:01:00.003-05:00

In case you weren't aware, I provide daily updates on my okra at http://twitter.com/dailyokra.

That said, check out the garden. I pulled all radishes and thus have 4 sq. feet with which to plant something. I just haven't decided what, yet. A lot of that may depend on those gigantic tomatoes. I intentionally planted them on the east side and have been pruning the bottoms and tying them to the stakes to make sure okra and others get sun.

Bushes, Alleys, City Code and a Trash Truck Driver

2009-06-04T11:07:00.008-05:00

UPDATE: new pics to illustrate the matter...

Photo taken on 06/04/09:

I receive periodic notices from our very nice code enforcement office to trim our bushes that line the back alley in our back yard. Unlike everyone else, we have these ancient bushes instead of a fence. I'm guessing that they were planted when the house was built 50 years ago. I go out and I trim them - while not completely one foot from the alley, as code requires. They always pass the inspection because our code enforcement officer realizes that to trim them back that much will mean removing all of the vegetation from that side of the plant. Below, you can see what they look like when are unruly (due to a couple of weeks of rain). The right has been trimmed, the left has not yet...

Apparently, the trash truck driver is too lazy or incompetent to make a turn in the back alley without going into our back neighbor's yard (see damage and an attempt at repair by the City, below). The driver blames our bushes. So now, they must get chopped. I will do the butchering, as paying someone else to do so will add insult to injury. Stay tuned for the before and after photos - they will be interesting. I fear this will shock and possibly have a devastating effect on the bushes. An ugly fence may be in our future... 4+ years in our house and this has never been an issue... so why now?!?!

It's Easy to Dump on Dallas, But Sometimes "They" Get It Right...

2009-05-29T10:24:00.007-05:00

...like the City of Dallas' Office of Cultural Affairs and Parks and Recreation's partnership with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra to produce the (free!) 2009 Parks Concert Series.

"The Dallas Symphony Orchestra Community Parks Concert Series is a series of free outdoor performances by the Symphony in Dallas-area parks held throughout the spring. Produced in conjunction with the City of Dallas' Office of Cultural Affairs and Parks and Recreation, these concerts attract more than 35,000 music enthusiasts."

As I was coming home from work on Wednesday, I noticed a handmade sign next to one of the Fretz Library/Park parking lots that said "Musician Parking Only". (Not knowing what it was for, I thought about pulling in a parking for a while, 'cause, well, you know...) Then I caught a glimpse of a banner that said something about the DSO.

When I got home, I had her do her fancy InterWebsGoogling Research and discovered a free concert was to occur later that night. So we went. And had a nice time. Looking around, it seemed we were the only ones who didn't know to bring our pooch and some hooch (wine, along with actual wine glasses, was a big player...).

There are three similar concerts scheduled in June:

Tuesday, June 2, 2009 Kidd Springs Park 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 Dallas Arboretum 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 Exall Park 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

p.s. I'm pretty proud of this photo!

He Was Coming to Shore to Check Out...

2009-05-27T11:52:00.007-05:00

One of today's stories featured on the CNN homepage made me miss Maui, whence we recently returned. Several items in the story illustrate why it's so 'missable' (aside from the obvious.)

1. "Well intended bystanders pushed it back into the sea."

2. "After a Hawaiian prayer, the whale was euthanized..."

3. and this quote from a NOAA scientist in Maui: "So, we think this was just a very old man whale and it was his time and he was coming to shore to check out," said Schofield.

The whales that 'Winter' off the coasts of Maui had left shortly before we arrived, though there was some word here and there of sitings and I'm almost certain I saw one in the bay driving from the airport on our first day there. I even mentioned it to A. at the time, saying, "I'm pretty sure aI see a whale or two out there." I hear they're a common sight in the Winter.

Congrats to Loop & Lil

2009-05-27T11:40:00.005-05:00

Loop & Lil was chosen to participate in Renegade Los Angeles!

She goes into more detail here.

Radishes Galore

2009-05-27T11:33:00.000-05:00

Want some?

Update

2009-05-27T11:28:00.002-05:00

Man, been away from the blog for awhile... I think with facebook, blog, twitter, etc., we're all in way over our heads!

Seriously, though, stay tuned for some home improvement projects (back porch/deck), landscaping stuff, gardening, home economics info, and more...

Today at the Richardson Public Library

2009-05-19T15:41:00.003-05:00

I scored the following:

Pete Seeger - Pete Seeger's Greatest Hits

Steve Earle - The Revolution Starts... Now

Jackson Browne - Lawyers in Love

The Beach Boys - The Warmth of the Sun

Blues Brothers - The Definitive Collection

About Those Onions...

2009-05-18T21:26:00.002-05:00

...How do I know when to pull 'em?!?! I have a feeling that they shouldn't be flowering. I don't know why. Many veggies flower before they are ready to eat (okra, tomatos, etc.). What do I do!?

Look Who Came Home Today

2009-05-18T21:24:00.003-05:00

He's been getting spoiled at grandma and grandpa's house...

What a Difference a Week Makes

2009-05-17T22:04:00.003-05:00

Yes, I've been away from Newberry Drive(and blog) for 8 days. While away, We've received about 3" of rain while away. I was still pretty surprised to discover that several onions (not pictured) have flowered (I don't know when to pull 'em!), I have a nice little jalepeño going, tomatoes have suddenly appeared and I actually harvested a few beans off of the earliest planted plants. I also have some HUGE radishes that likely have been left in the ground for too long (and will taste too hot and tart). Corn is ranging from 4" - 12"...

Check it out:

Greetings from Maui, HI

2009-05-13T01:19:00.003-05:00

Will return soon enough. Until then, follow me at www.twitter.com/dailyokra.

Re-Fi's, Appraisals and Property Taxes

2009-05-05T16:07:00.003-05:00

We're in the middle of re-financing our home. I just happened to begin the process just before low, low interest rates were being talked about all over the news. Reason being: we have one of the adjustable rate mortgages that has gotten alot of folks into trouble. But, we're responsible and, luckily, gainfully employed. The idea all along was, we'll either sell or re-fi within our first 5 years...

Lucky for us, we are indeed taking advantage of some low rates. I've planned on writing about the whole experience once the process is complete. It's been interesting. Things may be different now that re-financing is all the rage and lenders are overwhelmed. But, when I started the process, no one was borrowing (new mortgages or re-fi) because everyone was in panic mode.

Anyway, all that's to say... here's a little tidbit from my cohabitant : ) on Newberry Drive. She went and got her question published on Dallas Dirt:

http://dallasdirt.dmagazine.com/2009/05/05/the-tax-doctor-is-indcad-20k-over-our-recent-appraisal/#more-3058

What I'm Really Liking This Week

2009-05-04T15:41:00.004-05:00

If I had a band, this is what I'd want it to sound like...

Thanks to my wife for tipping me off:

i thought you might like these guys incorporation of piano. big dumb chords.

http://www.thebreakandrepairmethod.com/

they have tracks posted under Listen. I like You Won't be Able to be Sad.

Health Alert!

2009-05-01T11:05:00.002-05:00

Swine Flu has NOT been reported on Newberry Drive...

Your Plans Tomorrow Night and More...

2009-05-01T10:37:00.009-05:00

From my Eastwood band mate, Dave H.:

Eastwood is taking you downtown! This Saturday (May 2), we will playing City Tavern. City Tavern is a very cool live music venue located right in the heart of downtown Dallas. You'll definitely want to come check this place out... very cool venue with a big room upstairs for live music while looking out over Main St. Why not make a night of it? There are a lot of great restaurants in the surrounding couple of blocks. Come on out early, have some dinner, and join us for a great night of live music!

The music will start at 10pm with The Atoms. We played with these guys a few weeks back, and they bring the energy!

Eastwood will follow at 11pm. Come help break-in this new venue for us!

The headliner for the night will be 100 Damned Guns at midnight. As if the name alone is not enough, this award-winning band from Fort Worth brings a fusion of "old country, bluegrass, and honky tonk resurrection". They are can't miss!

The deets:

Saturday, May 2nd
City Tavern (www.citytaverndowntown.com)
1402 Main St
The Atoms - 10:00
Eastwood - 11:00
100 Damned Guns - 12:00

On another note, Eastwood is featured on yet another Dallas Observer "Poster of the Week" (I think that whole concept is pretty silly, by the way - there are enough critics of too many things in this town... at least this is (mostly) positive). Congrats to Lance, who is, in fact, very talented.

p.s. if you arrive early, bring ear plugs. IJS

Speaking of Lance L. and Bonda Fide Darling, I just noticed he recently posted up his thoughts about Elkhart's album, The Moon. I'd say it's the best (read: most accurate and thoughtful) review I've read of that album to date.

Your Plans Tonight

2009-04-29T09:14:00.003-05:00

Come out to The Listening Room (next to Club Dada). I'll be performing acoustically with my long-time friend, Bruce Johnson backing me up. We'll be followed by Camille Cortinas (formerly of Fishing for Comets) & Eric Neal and the evening will close with the great Billy Harvey who has a hilarious website.

Here's the lineup:

8pm - 8:30pm - Me
8:40pm - 9:20pm - Camille
9:30pm - 10:30pm - Billy

See you tongiht.

Pete Makes the Blog Rounds...

2009-04-27T11:55:00.006-05:00

A very funny picture of Pete at the end of a long, hot day at Funky Finds is found at www.funkyartqueen.blogspot.com.

I've Neglected to Mention Our Roses

2009-04-26T19:03:00.005-05:00

They are on the back end now of putting on a worthy performance, as are many more up and down Newberry Drive...

Baby Corn

2009-04-24T16:50:00.002-05:00

I have corn! I have corn! I counted 9 shoots that I just noticed for the first time today.

They range from about 1/4" to 1" tall. This is what it looks like:

If You Happen to be in Fort Worth, Texas Tomorrow...

2009-04-24T15:06:00.007-05:00

...and need cute little girls/baby clothes, check out Loop & Lil's booth (which I totally made) at this event:

What I'm Really Into...

2009-04-24T10:10:00.000-05:00

Burning through the entire series. I believe the first Season 4 disc just arrived in the mail (NetFlix)...

Your Plans Tonight...

2009-04-23T09:52:00.005-05:00

Thanks to Quick for the mention...

It's true... I'm dusting off the songbook with the band back in effect tonight at Lola's on 6th in Fort Worth. We follow the Spiral Sound and are followed by Eastwood (with whom I also play). Show starts @ 10pm.

This will be the first of several trips I'll be making to Fort Worth this weekend. More to come...

Oh, have you seen my okra!?!

p.s. - If you want to buy my record, search "j.d. whittenburg" on iTunes or amazon.com.

Swing Away, Wythe!

2009-04-23T08:07:00.002-05:00

My nephew's first (inside the park!) homerun!

Daily Okra on Twitter

2009-04-20T16:52:00.006-05:00

Objective: Document the daily growth of first okra plant to break the surface on Newberry Drive, Spring '09

http://twitter.com/dailyokra

Powered by:

Square Foot Garden Update

2009-04-20T15:53:00.020-05:00

My Garden a month ago:

My garden yesterday:

Here's what I've got going on in there (using the squares you see) from L-R, Top to Bottom:

Empty	Okra	Okra	Okra
Radishes (transplants)	Radishes	Radishes	Tomato
String Beans	Carrots	Carrots	Tomato
String Beans	String Beans	String Beans	Jalepeño

Sprouting but not seen in picture: several beans, two okras, lots of carrots...

When Lettuce Gets Crazy

2009-04-20T15:47:00.005-05:00

Awhile back, I transplanted lettuce and posted a picture here. Since then, I have not harvested anything from it and have just continued to water it and let it be. Now, it's 4 feet tall and flowering!

Weekend Wildlife

2009-04-20T15:36:00.007-05:00

In addition to hearing a chorus of Canadian geese for the first time this Spring, we had several other wildlife sitings on Newberry Drive this weekend:

Probably one of several coyotes:

Hat Tip to A. for being quick on the draw... (I was not in the car.)

One of our many red-bellied woodpeckers (seen here in our neighbor's "Hope" tree - as in "hope it doesn't fall into our house"...)

A vicious domestic canine:

First Harvest of 2009!

2009-04-18T13:00:00.004-05:00

If you've never grown anything, I recommend radishes... They are so easy. I have my first "harvest" of the year - 2 probably weren't quite ready, while the big guy was overdue. You can tell by the crack. That also means it will taste "hot".

Now, I'm gonna head on over to Burger House...

Your Plans Tonight

2009-04-17T10:39:00.003-05:00

Come down to Deep Ellum, Club Dada, specifically, and hear the gentle musings of Elkhart followed by the dreamy harmonies of Eastwood. or somesuch. Maybe just come to buy the really cool poster.

Easter Eggs

2009-04-12T20:53:00.009-05:00

UPDATE #2: Just ants! Whew...!

UPDATE: Found this article informative and encouraging (that they are only ants).

"The ants also have been a major factor in air conditioner failures. Service personnel in Texas have reported that fully one third of all summer repairs stem from ants shorting out terminal blocks. They also have been found to have set up housekeeping in televisions, well pump controls, telephone junction pedestals, airport runway lights, utility watthour meters, electrical plugs and lamp sockets, computers, and transformers-where they prefer to nest on the high-voltage side."

So, I'm laying in bed on Easter Sunday watching the 2nd hole of the Masters playoff when I hear, "Um... can you pause that? There's a really, really nasty bug situation in here..." I could tell by the sound of her voice this wasn't a cockroach who had succumbed and needed a proper burial from the Scoop and Flush Bros. Funeral Home.

No, I could tell this was going to be bad and likely somehow cost money to correct.

Deep inside the Loop and Lil Worldwide Headquarters and Sewing Studio, under the sewing table, lies a power strip where our printer and sewing machines get plugged. I thought it was weird that our printer hasn't been on in a few days but was always too lazy to fire it up. Turns out, I don't think it would.

Ants had created a huge breeding operation under the desk, mainly on the printer 12 volt adaptor. Hopefully, these are ants and not... ugh... I can't go there. That white stuff you see? Those are eggs. Totally gross, huh?

I quickly moved into action, removing everything from the area, but careful not to disturb the ant nursery. I wanted to catch them unaware. I then hit them full-on with the Raid. Followed by a thorough shop vac treatment, then more Raid, followed by a thorough washing of shop vac.

Tomorrow, I will call these guys. I kept specimens in a baggie (which I think the wife thought was bizarre, but I need to know that we're only dealing with ants!)

What a weird, gross experience.

Bruce in Tulsa

2009-04-11T15:39:00.004-05:00

Yes, I am Dancing In The Dark...

The E Street Band...

On stage and on the video screen:

Dr. Zoom. Our seats weren't the best but they reaffirmed that General Admission is the only was to see The Boss...

Downtown Tulsa - Cain's Ballroom

2009-04-11T15:32:00.003-05:00

While in Tulsa, OK to see Springsteen at the BOK Center, we wandered around downtown. One of the landmarks we came upon was Cain's Ballroom, one of the early homes to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.

This is the parking lot next door to Cain's where I snapped some random pics:

A Time To Sow

2009-04-10T18:55:00.003-05:00

After not having much luck with my plantings one month ago today, I decided it was time to try again. So, today I planted the remainder of my beans (about 15 plants worth), 3 okras and many more carrots. I will soak some squash seeds to plant in the morning.

No pics, cause I can't find the dern cable...

I'm Pretty Much Shut Down

2009-04-10T09:29:00.002-05:00

UPDATE: I squirrelled this away in my lunch sack with my tupperware dishes that needed to be washed...

Until I can find where this has been squirrelled away:

Yes. Yes, She Can...

2009-04-07T22:59:00.009-05:00

Update from Tulsa:

UPDATE: Here's the Backstreets.com breakdown and setlist.

Worst crowd ever. I mean LAME! (That's why General Admission is the only way to go...) But Rosie came out tonight. Completely undeserved. Shortest Springsteen show I've ever seen (under 2 hr. 30 min.) But, Rosalita made it a-ok. We had said midway through the show that if he didn't play Rosalita, we would go to Houston, tomorrow. By the end of the show, I was feeling pretty good about the prospects. Then, out of nowhere, after a freakishly short set (in Springsteen time), he busts out Rosalita in in the encore. Sorry, Austin - you deserved it more... but I'll take it anyway I can get it!

Freeze Warning!?!?

2009-04-06T21:02:00.005-05:00

There's a for-real freeze warning in effect tonight on Newberry Drive. Our average date of last frost was supposed to be March 16th! Climate change is seriously getting on my nerves. Everyone on Newberry Drive is scrambling to get their plants covered. I've got my veggies and potted plants covered, gonna leave my azaleas, irises and begonias to meet their fate. I just planted those damn begonias. Hopefully, the good soaking they just received along with new mulch will see them through...

In Case You Don't Know...

2009-04-06T20:55:00.002-05:00

...about Rosalita:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glcPJHm0yN0

This video is one of the all-time greats. It's on the official DVD, so it's not like rare footage, or anything, but something everyone should see.

No, Rosie Can Not...

2009-04-06T10:13:00.011-05:00

I don't know how many times I've seen The Boss. Certainly not as many as a lot of super fans. I chalk that up to my relatively young age (in E-Street years) - 34. That means I was only 10 during the Born in the USA tour. By the time I was old enough, the E-Street band was disbanded. And so I went, my first time to see the Boss, on his Lucky Town/Human Touch tour with his smelly "solo" band.

Fortunately, The Boss realised his folly and got the band back together... Since then, I've seen him every time he's come within 100 miles. Each time, hoping to hear my favorite all-time song, "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)". Early on, chances were pretty slim - he had shelved the anthem for, like, 20 years. Then, maybe on The Rising Tour it popped up. Last time he came to town, we missed out. The next night in Houston, he played it. So of course, his show previous to last night, in ~~Phoenix~~ Glendale, he delivers, leaving us wildly optimistic... only to have to settle for a very unpolished "I'm A Rocker".

Of course, it's not about seeing one song. Bruuuuuuce and the Band delivered 28 - yes, 28 - songs last night, which is really amazing. Looking back at previous sets so far to date, he opted to throw out some of the newer material for some tour "debuts" and requests.

All and all, it was a great show. First timers, may have been disappointed with no "Thunder Road" or "Backstreets" but they got an always awesome "Jungleland", off-the-cuff "Sherry Darling" and crowd-pleasing "Glory Days" (which I've never seen him do before). From www.backstreets.com:

Tour premieres outnumbered songs from the new album tonight, seven to five, starting with "Prove It All Night." Turning up in the Recession Arc was "Youngstown," with that killer solo from Nils. "Sherry Darling" was requested via sign -- via gum wrappers, actually -- and took the place of the setlisted "I'm on Fire." "She's the One" rocked, with Max in a mighty groove. An epic in the encore, the premiere of "Jungleland," and a couple songs later it was the very rare "I'm a Rocker" -- which, like "Sherry," was on the ragged side, but injected some real fun into the show. Finally, "Glory Days" closed the show post-"American Land," a major crowd-pleaser this night.

Check out "Seeds" from last night's show on his official site.

Here's the original setlist in his own hand. ~~(definitely created for the site after-the-fact.)~~

Hey, maybe we'll be treated to "Rosalita" tomorrow night in Tulsa. And if not, we may just have to buy last minutes tickets to the Houston show on Wed... Stay tuned.

Your Plans Tomorrow Night

2009-04-03T14:54:00.001-05:00

Again, too lazy to come up with something original (which in reality is all-too-right, being a sideman and all...), I give you Dave Heidle:

Saturday night at Prophet Bar (2548 Elm St, Dallas) local rock legends Quickserv Johnny will reunite for a one-time show! In the mid-late 90's, these guys were one of the biggest bands in Texas. I can still hear their song "Larry" being played on Q102, preceded by "Shiner Bock presents, Quickserv Johnny!" This reunion is a one-time only event, so you won't want to miss it. On top of that, they've asked little ole Eastwood to play the show with them... And as if that wasn't already enough, the proceeds from the show will go to benefit Southwest Youth Services, a cause near and dear to the QSJ boys. Here are the deets:

8pm - Whiskey Pants (great acoustic duo act) 9pm - Eastwood 10pm - Quickserv Johnny --Minimum $10 donation at the door--

So, let's review: One-time-only legendary rock band reunion show... check. Live, in-yo-face Eastwood tunage... check. Getting to help a great youth organization... check.

What I'm Really Liking This Week

2009-04-03T07:58:00.005-05:00

UPDATE: An interesting article about this artist appeared on April 14 on the A.V.Club site...

(formerly "Friday Wax", "Weekend Wax", etc.)

Thanks again to Travis for the recommendation...

This one took a long time to grow on me. I really didn't think it ever would.

An album that seems primarily devoted to middle-aged infidelity, it comes off catchy yet somewhat haphazardly. (There are some crazy illicit lyrics in a couple of songs buried beneath the all quiet, sincere folksiness.)

Always behind the times, Bonnie "Prince" Billy's Ease Down the Road (2001) has accompanied me all week...

Something Rare Happened in Dallas Last Night

2009-04-02T11:11:00.003-05:00

A new venue opened up in Deep Ellum! That's right. You heard me correctly.

Salim has it covered over here.

I can't wait to play there later this month on Wednesday the 29th!

Short of a Jackhammer, Transplants Do The Trick

2009-04-02T10:31:00.007-05:00

Over on GrowLively, Ms. Halleck mentioned she "...transplanted a bunch of Iris pallida from the backyard to camouflage the concrete retaining wall on the edge of my yard."

I also have Irises that are haphazardly placed next to our driveway in an ill-conceived (and neglected) bed that happens to be located right where I often get out of my car (rain=mud).

I also happen to have a remnant of an old concrete retaining wall in the front edge of my yard that needed concealing, so thanks to GrowLively, I also transplanted a few of the Irises. I also added some annual color and mixed in some freshly minted compost of my own making. If those Irises do okay, I'll likely transplant the remaining ones and figure out something to do with the above bed (sod!?!).

Now all that's left is spreading some mulch and traying to figure out what I can do to hide our foundation (see photo, above!)...

P.S. Did you know the plural of Iris is iris·es also iri·des?

Mississippi Delta from a 737

2009-03-30T13:24:00.004-05:00

Recap of NOLA trip to follow...

Weekend Wax

2009-03-27T11:14:00.003-05:00

Weekend wax is still stupid title to a post, but I'm lazy and uncreative. I'm not really even digging anything in particular music-wise. What I'm digging is this:

I'm off to N.O., LA this weekend with a bunch of college buddies. I plan to pack light. This damn thing may be too thick to make my modest space limitations, wheras my iPod with movies and music will fit neartly into my pocket. Plus, I don't know that I'll be reading much...