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Courtesy ronjhall
Jim
Here is a picture of you working.
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Courtesy ronjhall
Here is you a picture of everyone working, except for the one taking pictures.
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Courtesy ronjhall
John
Here is a picture from the picnic site overlooking the lake.
The weather was a topic yesterday. But it looks like all we will have to worry about is some wind.
Hope you brought your tractor back from up north. You may need it to plow snow tomorrow.
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Courtesy Bird
And here's some of the boats that were available for those who wanted to fish, or just play. That blue one is the one txdon and I used.
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Courtesy Bird
( Bird tried to fish yesterday )
Yep, try was all I did, but today, using txdon for trolling power, I caught a largemouth bass. I didn't measure it but I'm confident that it was at least near 6" in length.
And while I'm sure some better photographers than I will post some pictures, here's fishman launching his boat to do a lake survey. Very interesting to watch.
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Courtesy Bird
And here's just one of the fish that fishman, assisted by mikim, caught during the survey.
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The day started off much cooler than expected (about 46F) with a strong north wind, and since the picnic area was on a hill overlooking the lake, it took a bit of ingenuity on the part of some TBNers to build windbreaks to protect the deep fryers for cooking fish, but they worked well.
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courtesy Bird
I think everyone had a great time, we have some fine cooks, and plenty to eat. If I didn't overlook anyone, I think we had 35 people there. Jinman was a great host for this get together.
Actually I should have said Jinman (Jim) and Cathy, but then I remembered that I don't know whether she spells her name with a "C" or a "K".
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Courtesy RedRocker
Here are a few shots.
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Courtesy RedRocker
#2
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Courtesy RedRocker
The Bird man himself.
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Courtesy Alan L
Wow, what a wonderful day of fellowship. Beautiful place and great company. And awesome food.
Here is Mrs. Alan L. selecting "her" stone. She wanted this pic just for Harv. She selected my stone which is proudly displayed in the front yard. Hers stayed on the hill......
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Courtesy Alan L
Our gracious hosts.
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Courtesy Alan L
Is that the best part of Harv in the bluebonnets?
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Courtesy Jinman
I just want to make one post tonight to say how much I enjoyed everyone coming up, pitching in, and making this a tremendous success. Bird was right when he said Jim and Kathy. Without her help, this would have been impossible.
As a matter of fact, special thanks goes out to my neighbor Chuck Smith and his wife Sandy who both pitched in to help as if they were fellow TBNers.
Also, what can I say about the Ron and Betty Hall that isn't too little? What SUPER people. We'd keep them here in Texas if we could.
And Lawrence, you and Angie "sneaked" out without my getting to tell you 'bye. Thanks so much for coming. I hope you know you are welcome back any time you are in the area.
Did I fail to say how grateful I am to Fishman and his lovely family for being so gracious as to come and do the lake survey? Your "special" boat was a terrific hit. . . for more than the fish.
I know I could go on and on, and maybe tomorrow after I get a little rest, I'll have a better memory of everything I need to thank folks for. I just want to post one picture of our TBN "shrine" for this get-together and say how very proud I am to be a small part of TBN and a member of this very special group of people.
More photos tomorrow.
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Courtesty ronjhall
Thanks to everyone for this very special stop on our western trip.
Especially Jim & Kathy who put so much into making this get together work.
The one special picture that I want to add to this collection is one that includes a tractor.
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Courtesy ronjhall
I never saw the fish Bird caught. But I did catch him and Don pedaling.
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Courtesy ronjhall
What would a Texas get together be without a picture of Lucy and Harv. Thanks for the memory stone. Will post a picture when we get home and place it in its special place near our garden pond.
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Courtesy bgoodman
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http://gallery.bg-1.com/04232005
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Courtesy txdon
Jim and Kathy did Texas and TBN proud this weekend. They are the perfect hosts with the perfect setting. They are a great team. Here is a picture of this dream team working together. Kathy is busy transporting people in her mule and Jim if goofing off, I mean working hard, on the tractor.
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Courtesy txdon
Here is another picture of doing the next best thing after tractoring - eating good food with good friends. The spot Jim cleared for the occasion was beautiful. It was really great seeing all the TBNer's again and meeting the new members!
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Courtesy txdon
This picture was taken Friday. Bird and Kathy are holding the canopy so the wind doesn't blow it away. Jim (not in picture) is grabbing some rope to tie it to the oak tree.
(This picture was taken after Birds hat was blown into the lake. Bird you can delete this post if it is too revealing)
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Courtesy txdon
-Kathy and her mule giving the wifes a spectacular bluebonnet tour-
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Courtesy txdon
TBN's Star Bird fishing Saturday.
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Courtesy txdon
I never saw the fish Bird caught. - ronjhall
Ron this picture is for you.
If it wouldn't be for the license plate you could fit right in with this Texas bunch.
To the far left Fish - to the far right Bird
Really the fish is there, look real hard!!!
(The fish is actually very large it is just far far away)
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Courtesy txdon
Here is a picture of the Fishman working on a Saturday doing what he does best - giving the fish a shocking experience.
Fishman, I did not hear the final fish count can you explain how you did it?
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Courtesy txdon
-Anxious spectators on the shore waiting to see Fishman's catch-
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Courtesy txdon
-Fishman and daughter counting and documenting the fish count-
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Courtesy jinman
Can you believe it? It's raining in Sunset.
Eddie Walker and his family just rolled out in their "castle on wheels" about two hours ago and now it's raining pretty darn good here. Was that perfect timing or what?
For lunch today we just had to fry up the rest of the catfish I had left over and with Eddie's fries, we had us a repeat performance of yesterday. YUM!
Everything is cleaned up and back in it's place. Chuck and Sandy came over and got their raft just as it started to sprinkle and the only thing getting washed off are the memory stones that are still laying in the "TBN rock garden" Harv created. RedRocker and UncleBuck257, you will just have to stop back by and pick up your stones sometime. At least you guys are in the local area. Shipping a heavy stone by UPS can be expensive. Harv can attest to that.
Kathy and I have been talking all day about how much fun all this was and how much we enjoyed seeing everyone have a good time. What a thrill it is to have been able to host something that turned out so good. Thanks to everyone for your kind words. It was a joy to have you as our guests.
I've got a few pictures to post, so I'll get started. The first is the TBN rock garden (or "stones of a feather flock together").
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Courtesy txdon
-The kids were fascinated and Fishman let then touch the fish before releasing them-
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Courtesy jinman
On Friday afternoon as we were setting up, there was a branch from a tree in the way and TxDon reached up with a stick to try and break it off. A couple of moments later, Bird just walked up to the tree and gave it a shove, easily pushing the whole darn thing over. So I gotta say, "Bird don't need no stinkin' tractor. Bird is a tractor."
The tree is the one just behind Don who is showing off his sexy belly in this picture.
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Courtesy jinman
So, here we were on Saturday just before noon when I heard a mighty roar and looked up to see Lucy coming around the bend on my pond dam. Folks, that'a a 10' drop on the left side and water a couple of feet on the other, but Lucy was not about to be stopped. . . well, except for that willow tree limb that I quickly eliminated with the help of my new Stihl. ...couldn't have anything smudging up Lucy's pretty red face, could we?
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Courtesy Alan L
Here's Ron checking out the scenery from the back of the Mule driven by Kathy. Mrs. Alan L. and I shared the back with Ron.
Sure was nice visiting with you, Ron. You reall didn't have that much of an accent at all. I'm sure we all sounded just like Michiganders to you too
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Courtesy jinman
Now lest you think that Lucy and Harvey were the only brave ones around, I want you to check out the angle of Fishman's truck. He bravely backed that boat trailer down the hill with great skill and safely made his launch and recovery look easy. Here is the crowd of people watching as Fishman did the survey.
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Courtesy jinman
Watching a lake survey can sure make you hungry, so we adjourned to the hilltop to see if we could cook up some "vittles."
From the expressions on our faces, I had to put a caption with this picture. I call it "I thought you were bringing the fish!"
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Courtesy jinman
BBTX, Harv, and I made quite a team on cooking fish and fries.
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Courtesy jinman
Here are my neighbors, Chuck and Sandy, cookin' the best darn hushpuppies I ever tasted. They were so light a fluffy I had to eat at least a half-dozen before I believed how good they were.
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Courtesy jinman
. . . and wouldn't you know it!? We had a cat (fish) burgler. But he was caught in the act and we have proof of his identity. Bobby, you've been BUSTED!
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Courtesy jinman
Betty Hall and Margaret Senter handled the fish batter chores. The Drakes Mix Ron and Betty brought was terrific. They even brought bottles of homemade wine that were some of the best I've ever tasted.
S-P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R !
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Courtesy jinman
Here is Fishman and his family enjoying their fish . . . but where is Mrs. Fishman?
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It turns out she was by the drink table retrieving drinks.
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Courtesy jinman
Here is AlanL, Bird, and my neighbor Mike getting ready to "shovel down" some more chow.
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Courtesy jinman
Here is Mrs. TxDon and Mrs. MF1455v discussing food selection. ...or some other light-hearted topic.
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Courtesy jinman
And finally. . .
Here are Mr. & Mrs. AlanL sitting in the bluebonnets. Is this a great picture or what?
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Courtesy txdon
Give her a couple extra scoops from all of us - she deserves it!
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