For “Travel Tuesday”: Some Events in TX:
Now that the weather has cooled down, Texans are ready to get outside and have some fun.
Marsh Mania
“GBF's Marsh Mania is the nationally-recognized, signature community-based wetlands restoration and education event of the Galveston Bay area. The goal of Marsh Mania is to involve local citizens in hands-on wetlands restoration activities while increasing their awareness and appreciation of wetland habitats and functions. The first Marsh Mania was held in 1999, that year known as "Marsh Bash." This one-day event set a national record when 1,500 volunteers planted nearly 70,000 stems of smooth cordgrass to create 14.5 acres of new habitat at 8 sites around the bay. In its thirteen years, Marsh Mania has involved more than 6,381 community volunteers in the restoration of over 195 acres of vital salt marsh habitat at 69 sites around Galveston Bay.
National Estuaries Day - Marsh Mania, September 2012
Celebrate National Estuaries Day and join the Galveston Bay Foundation for a wet and muddy morning of planting marsh grass! You will spend the morning restoring and maintaining our marshes along the shorelines of Galveston Bay. Grab your family, friends, and colleagues and have a fun morning outside and enjoy a few perks—free t-shirt and free lunch! Click the link to register.” From: http://galvbay.org/events_marsh.html
Enjoy photos from the past event: Marsh Mania, May 2012: ~229 volunteers~26,650 stems of smooth cordgrass planted~4 acres of habitat restored.
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Balloon Festivals in TX:
InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival, Plano.
September 21-23, www.planoballoonfest.org
Big Country Balloon Fest, Abilene.
September 28-30, http://bigcountryballoonfest.com/wp/ Phone: (325)795-0995 Includes hot-air balloons, children's games, silent auction, craft vendors and balloon glows Friday and Saturday nights. Hours are noon-10 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m.-noon Sunday. Red Bud Park, 3125 S. 32nd St.
RE/MAX Ballunar Liftoff Festival, Houston/Clear Lake.
September 28-30, www.ballunarfestival.com
Celina Balloon Festival, Celina.
October 26-27, http://www.celinaballoonfestival.com/
Pirates of the Canyon Balloon Festival, Amarillo/Palo Duro Canyon.
October 26-28, www.piratesofthecanyon.com
KLAQ International Balloon Festival, Anthony.
Memorial Day weekend, 915/544-9550
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PASADENA LIVESTOCK SHOW & RODEO
Site: www.pasadenarodeo.com
Date: Sept. 14-22
Location/Distance From Downtown Houston: 7601 Red Bluff Rd, Pasadena, 15 miles (southeast)
Entertainment: Kevin Fowler, Cory Morrow, Tracy Byrd, Chris Cagle, Mark Chesnutt. Other Stuff: Trail ride, parade, "little wrangler" rodeo
Why It's Awesome: It's close, and it's a rodeo. Kevin Fowler used to play in the great Texas hard-rock band Dangerous Toys, and now writes corn-fed country songs like "Beer, Bait and Ammo," "I Pulled a Hank Last Night" and "Don't Touch My Willie." Tracy Byrd, lest we forget, went "10 Rounds With Jose Cuervo." This is probably as close to Bud and Sissy's Urban Cowboy prison-rodeo honeymoon you can get this month.
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BRAZORIA COUNTY FAIR
Site: www.brazoriacountyfair.com
Location/Distance from Downtown Houston: Brazoria County Fair Association, 901 S. Downing Rd., Angleton, 50 miles (due south)
Date: October 12-13
Entertainment: Robert Earl Keen, Josh Abbott Band, Aaron Watson Band, John Conlee, separate Tejano concert with Eddie Gonzalez y Grupo Vida, David Olivarez and Ramiro "Ram" Herrera & the Outlaws. Other Stuff: Ag shows including cattle, poultry, sheep, goat and rabbits, plus agricultural and art auctions, calf scramble rice cookoff, bake show, scarecrow contest, tricycle races...
Why It's Awesome: The Brazoria County coastal prairie has a kind of bleak, unforgiving beauty that's always made it one of our favorite spots around the area. Robert Earl Keen is probably the wittiest Texas singer-songwriter of his generation, and the Josh Abbott Band is getting whiplash on its rise to the top of the Texas music scene. The Tejano show, tickets sold separately, is a good'un too.
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BOOGIE BLUES & BREWS
The one and only, Texas Johnny Brown, Photo by Jason Wolter
Site: www.boogiebluesandblues.com
Location/Distance from Downtown Houston: Walter Hall Park, 807 Texas Hwy. 3, League City, 26 miles (southeast) Date: September 21-23
Entertainment: Los Lonely Boys, Jimmie Vaughan & the Tilt-a-Whirl Band feat. Lou Ann Barton, Marcia Ball, Step Rideau & the Zydeco Outlaws, Grady Gaines & the Texas Upsetters, Texas Johnny Brown & the Quality Blues Band. Other Stuff: Gospel brunch; chili cookoff; $5 admission September 21 with donation to Galveston County Food Bank
Why It's Awesome: League City turns 50 years old this year, which seems odd to Rocks Off because neighboring Friendswood, where we grew up, has been around since the 19th century. But this brand-new festival sounds like a perfect way for the upstart municipality to celebrate its golden jubilee, with some of the Gulf Coast's best blues, R&B and zydeco acts (mostly from Houston), and probably the top next-generation Texican rock and roll band to close it all out.
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FORT BEND COUNTY FAIR & RODEO
Site: www.fortbendcountyfair.com
Location/Distance From Downtown Houston: Fort Bend County Fairgrounds, 4310 State Hwy. 36 S., Rosenberg, 41 miles (southwest)
Date: Sept. 28-Oct. 7
Entertainment: Pat Green, Kyle Park, Josh Abbott Band (again), Dustin Lynch, Todd Fritsch, Whiskey Myers, Granger Smith, Bellamy Brothers, Gary P. Nunn, Bri Bagwell. Other Stuff: PRCA rodeo (with mutton bustin'!), hay-hauling contest, "Grapes on the Brazos" wine tasting, junior livestock show, pig races, teen dance, crawfish boil (in October?)... and a "diaper derby." Whoa.
Why It's Awesome: Damn. Look at all that stuff. We even left out the lawn-tractor race. And that music lineup means someone spent some serious coin. Besides Green, Kyle Park, and Whiskey Myers, it's always good to see the Bellamy Brothers, and baritone Dustin Lynch is one of the hottest hunks on KILT right now with "Cowboys and Angels." We prefer "She Cranks My Tractor," and the line "she's ten pounds of sugar in a five-pound sack.".
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TEXAS GATORFEST (Oops, just missed this one, it’s over.)
Site: www.texasgatorfest.com
Date: September 13-16th. Location/Distance From Downtown Houston: Fort Anahuac Park, Anahuac, 50 miles (east)
Entertainment: Casey Donahew Band, Randy Rogers Band, Josh Abbott Band, Bri Bagwell, Wayne Toups, Chubby Carrier, Zydeco Dots, Buck Yeager Band, The Rankin Twins, Randy Marshall & the Law, Al White & Chaparral. Other Stuff: BBQ cookoff; beauty pageant; airboat rides; alligator education tent; alligator roundup to mark the opening of the season, with more than $4,000 at stake. 'Nuff said.
Why It's Awesome: If you love The History Channel's Swamp People (and we do), you better get your ass over to Anahuac. Donahew -- both one of the more pickled and thoughtful arrows in the current Texas country quiver -- heads up a stacked music lineup that includes all zydeco on Friday, and a Saturday-night sure thing with Abbott (again) and arguably the kings of the hill right now, Randy Rogers Band.
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FIVE MORE IF THAT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH TEXAS FOR YOU
Washington County Fair, Sept. 14-22, Brenham, www.washingtoncofair.com
Texas Rice Festival, Oct. 3-7, Winnie, www.texasricefestival.org
Katy Rice Harvest Festival, Katy, Oct. 13-14, www.katyriceharvestfestival.org
Lone Star Rally, Nov. 1-4, Galveston, www.lonestarrally.com
Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival
Friday, Oct 12 10:00am, at Downtown Conroe, Conroe, TX
The Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival is a premier outdoor fall event. A three-day event featuring a variety of quality arts and crafts, demonstrations, colorful exhibits, kids' activities, a carnival, a feast of foods, youth performances, and rich down home music. http://www.conroecajuncatfishfestival.com/#!home/mainPage
(From me: This in the next town, but I have never been to the festival. Looks too crowded for lil ole me, I’d get squished.)
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8TH Annual Conroe Cajun Catfish Tourney
It's that time of year again. The Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival and FishingAcrossTx.com are sponsoring its eighth annual Cajun Catfishing Contest. Prizes will be awarded for the largest three catfish submitted. Consolation prizes will be randomly given out by FishingAcrossTx.com via a drawing at the conclusion of the contest. Actual prizes as well as quantity of prizes will be based on donations made by local merchants.
Contest will begin on September 7th and end on October 7th at 8am. All catfish entered must be weighed and photographed (with angler), and documented. Anglers of the three largest catfish will be awarded the three top prizes by FishingAcrossTx.com. In addition to the three largest catfish awards random anglers will be selected via a drawing and awarded consolation prizes. Every catfish submitted over five pounds will get the angler an additional entry into the random drawing. See the prize list below and keep them catfish coming. More at: http://www.fishingacrosstx.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8448
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Dog Events in Texas
Mark your calendars! There are 18 upcoming events in Texas. Use the links to get details on each event, print directions, look at pictures, and even read reviews of last year's event. http://www.bringfido.com/event/state/texas/
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Current Events
From the Panhandle to the coast, El Paso to Texarkana, there’s always something going on in Texas. Check back often to keep up-to-date on our Upcoming Events.
- Sep 17, 2012 - Sep 17, 2012: Piccadilly Circus
- Oct 5, 2012 - Oct 7, 2012: International Gem and Jewelry Show
- Oct 6, 2012 - Oct 6, 2012: St. Judes Barbecue Cook-Off
- Oct 12, 2012 - Oct 13, 2012: Fall Frolic
- Oct 20, 2012 - Oct 20, 2012: Wild Hog Cook-Off
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More things to do:
Cuisine
From down-home to downright daring, Texas has the recipe for delicious. Learn More »
Family
Fun for all and all for fun! Texas has something for the whole family. Learn More »
Golf
Tee off for tournament fun, Lone Star style. Learn More »
Historic
From reenactments to museum exhibitions, find your portal to the Texas past. Learn More »
Outdoor
Biking, hiking, boating and more – see what’s so great about the great outdoors. Learn More »
Ranches and Rodeos
Find rodeos, chuck wagon races and tons more things to “yee-haw” about. Learn More »
Shopping
With so many shops, markets and bazaars, you’re sure to find a treasure in Texas. Learn More »
Sports
With sports events of all varieties, every fan has a reason to cheer for Texas. Learn More »
Texas Music
From classical to country to pop, Texas music is big. And the concerts are even bigger. Learn More »
From: http://www.traveltex.com/things-to-do/events
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On This Day:
Patty Hearst captured, Sep 18, 1975:
“Newspaper heiress and wanted fugitive Patty Hearst is captured in a San Francisco apartment and arrested for armed robbery.
On February 4, 1974, Patricia Hearst, the 19-year-old daughter of newspaper publisher Randolph Hearst, was kidnapped from her apartment in Berkeley, California, by two black men and a white woman, all three of whom were armed. Her fiancé, Stephen Weed, was beaten and tied up along with a neighbor who tried to help. Witnesses reported seeing a struggling Hearst being carried away blindfolded, and she was put in the trunk of a car. Neighbors who came out into the street were forced to take cover after the kidnappers fired their guns to cover their escape.
Three days later, the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), a small U.S. leftist group, announced in a letter to a Berkeley radio station that it was holding Hearst as a "prisoner of war." Four days later, the SLA demanded that the Hearst family give $70 in foodstuffs to every needy person from Santa Rosa to Los Angeles. This done, said the SLA, negotiations would begin for the return of Patricia Hearst. Randolph Hearst hesitantly gave away some $2 million worth of food. The SLA then called this inadequate and asked for $4 million more. The Hearst Corporation said it would donate the additional sum if the girl was released unharmed.
In April, however, the situation changed dramatically when Patty Hearst declared, in a tape sent to the authorities, that she was joining the SLA of her own free will. Later that month, a surveillance camera took a photo of her participating in an armed robbery of a San Francisco bank, and she was also spotted during the robbery of a Los Angeles store.
On May 17, police raided the SLA's secret headquarters in Los Angeles, killing six of the group's nine known members. Among the dead was the SLA's leader, Donald DeFreeze, an African American ex-convict who called himself General Field Marshal Cinque. Patty Hearst and two other SLA members wanted for the April bank robbery were not on the premises.
Finally, on September 18, 1975, after crisscrossing the country with her captors--or conspirators--for more than a year, Hearst, or "Tania," as she called herself, was captured in a San Francisco apartment and arrested for armed robbery. Despite her later claim that she had been brainwashed by the SLA, she was convicted on March 20, 1976, and sentenced to seven years in prison. Her prison sentence was commuted by President Jimmy Carter and she was released in February 1979. She later married her bodyguard. In 2001, she received a full pardon from President Bill Clinton.”
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Accidental poisoning in Brazil, Sep 18, 1987:
“On this day in 1987, cesium-137 is removed from an abandoned cancer-therapy machine in Brazil. Hundreds of people were eventually poisoned by radiation from the substance, highlighting the danger that even relatively small amounts of radiation can pose.
In 1985, the Goiania Institute of Radiotherapy moved to a new location and left behind an obsolete Cesium-137 teletherapy unit in their abandoned headquarters. The institute failed to inform the authorities of the existence of the outdated device and the machine sat in the building in downtown Goiania, 600 miles from Sao Paulo, for over a year before two criminally enterprising men removed the machine.
The men sold it to a local junkyard on September 13. Five days later, workers at the junkyard dismantled the machine, releasing the Cesium-137 that was still inside. Fascinated by the glowing blue stone and completely unaware of its dangers, they distributed pieces to friends, relatives and neighbors. The cesium was spread around so much that contamination was later found 100 miles away.
Days later, the junkyard owner's wife began noticing that her friends and relatives were getting sick. When she sought medical assistance, doctors found that they were suffering from acute radiation poisoning. Four people eventually died from exposure, including one child. Scores were hospitalized and more than 100,000 people in the city had to be monitored for contamination.
More than 40 homes in the city were found to have high levels of contamination and had to be demolished. The after-effects were also serious. Many of the citizens suffered psychologically from their fear of contamination. In fact, fear was so widespread that other cities shunned the people and products of Goiania following the incident.
Following this disaster, Brazil completely overhauled their laws regarding the storage of radiation sources.”
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Yesterday:
Misty and I drove down to get Jay, and we had our walk around that area.
When we brought Jay back here, he wasn’t really in the mood to work, as he said he didn’t want to get dirty before he went shopping with his mother. But I didn’t want him on the damp roof anyway. He was going to clean the gutters on my house, as the frequent rains had made the pine needles fall. I had some clean jobs to do, but he didn’t want to do them, so I took him home again.
I stopped at Sam’s to put the Revolution on Mikey, so that he won’t get fleas, mites, etc. Sam still couldn’t remember anything about Mikey’s ear medicine, so I will have to get some more from the vet. Now it looks like I will have to go by there every day to put it in Mikey’s ears, as Sam obviously is not capable.
Ray usually feeds Orange Glow on a coffee table in his patio area next to where my Puddle Jumper is parked, and I had noticed that his dish was not there the last few days.
Several years ago, when Orange Glow went to be neutered, we found out that he has Feline Leukemia, but we wanted to give him a good life, as long as it lasted. I was hoping that his time hadn’t come, as he has been getting skinny lately. I had mentioned this to Ray the other day. Then I found out that Ray had taken Orange Glow indoors, so that he could have special care for the end of his days. Ray’s indoor cat, ‘The Cat from Hell’, didn’t try to hurt Orange Glow, which surprised the dickens out of us. She will lash out and scratch anyone who goes in there. But she has accepted Orange Glow into ‘her’ home. That made my day.
2 comments:
It sounds to me like you take care of the whole neighbor hood, especially the animals.
Thanks for your comment, DD.
I try to make sure that the animals in my neighborhood are not suffering due to their owner's lack of care. "We are their voice"
"Saving just one pet won't change the world...But, surely, it will change the world for that one pet....."
Happy Tails and Trails, Penny
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