Drone mishap

They might be boring to the general audience, or they might be fun.  I can’t call it, but we figured we might as well give it a shot… We will post our drone mishaps here… at least the ones we catch on “film.”  If not for cheap entertainment, then maybe at least for lessons to others flying drones on what not to do (that is, if we even know what we did wrong… because we had some mishaps where we have no idea what went wrong)

This mini-crash (itsy bitsy, barely a blip on the radar) was at the old Tom Sawyer Chapel… Lesson learned, never have liftoff when a canopy of trees is slightly above you.  The drone was fine… just lost a propeller or two.

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Program for the dedication of the original Pendleton Bridge

ats pb1I came across this gem at the Sabine Parish Library… It is a program, published by The Sabine Index of Many, Louisiana, for the 1937 dedication of the Pendleton Bridge over the Sabine River.

This truss bridge crossing the Sabine River came thirty years before there was a Toledo Bend Lake.  For the time, it was considered a spectacular bridge… and one that essentially carved out a much needed road across the Sabine River at Pendleton between Louisiana and Texas.  Before the bridge, the Pendleton Gaines Ferry was used for travelers to get across the Sabine between Texas and Louisiana.

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Goodbye to the Hills, once Toro and later Emerald

Postcard for Toro Hills Motel
Postcard for Toro Hills Motel

First, it was Hodges Gardens Motor Inn, just across the highway from the magnificent Hodges Gardens.  It was created and designed specifically to complement Hodges Gardens… which in the 60s was such a heavy tourist attraction that a nearby hotel (okay, motel) and restaurant was needed.

Not just wanted, but needed.

And an accompanying golf course was perfect for the men who might tend to be bored with the Gardens.

Continue reading “Goodbye to the Hills, once Toro and later Emerald”

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Revisiting a towering monument; and remembering to not forget

Monument to the memory of New London School explosion and to all of its victims
Monument to the memory of New London School explosion and to all of its victims

Usually, I have a very curious mind.  Usually, I look around, at my surroundings.  I observe.  Usually, I wonder.  Usually, I explore.  I observe more.  I ask questions.  I look for answers.  I look for meaning.  Usually.

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New bridge now open over Sabine River, between Logansport, Louisiana and Joaquin, Texas

At left, the new bridge between Logansport, Louisiana and Joaquin, Texas is now open to traffic. It is shown at the far left. The old bridge, shown at center, is closed and will eventually be demolished.
At left, the new bridge between Logansport, Louisiana and Joaquin, Texas is now open to traffic. It is shown at the far left. The old bridge, shown at center, is closed and will eventually be demolished.
Photo taken Dec. 1, 2015 shows the new bridge under construction. This bridge is now fully complete
Photo taken Dec. 1, 2015 shows the new bridge under construction. This bridge is now fully complete

A brand new bridge which crosses the Sabine River from Logansport, Louisiana to Joaquin, Texas is now open to traffic.

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Gray Ghosts’ founding member honored in tremendous procession

We had the honor of capturing footage of the funeral procession of John Franklin Lewis, one of the founding members of the Gray Ghosts Motorcycle Club.  Lewis was laid to rest in Many, Louisiana on Saturday, Jan. 15.

It was difficult not to be awed and taken aback by the show of respect and honor Mr. Lewis earned from his friends and fellow motorcycle club riders, as well as riders from all over the state and beyond.  In all, close to 500 motorcycles participated in the procession in some way or another.

The procession began on South Capitol Street at Warren Meadows Funeral Home and continued south to Hwy. 171, traveling to San Antonio Avenue where it continued on through downtown Many and on to St. John’s Catholic Church.

We used multiple cameras at several vantage points in our attempt to do justice to this awesome procession.  The 8 minute video we put together for Mr. Franklin’s family, extended family, friends and motorcycle is within this post

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Story of Noble, Louisiana brilliant recluse takes me by storm and leaves me reeling

Sometimes, the crazy old man in the town you were raised in… wasn’t.

That very sentence hooked me and reeled me in to one of the better non-fiction books I have ever read.
 
“Smokey” is a book about a local character who plenty of locals seemed to have been aware of but who no one really knew.  Herbert Glen Irwin lived 32 years of his unique and what could easily be called incredible 84 years of life in the tiny community of Noble, Louisiana, located in northern Sabine Parish.

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A wooden train car; a bit of ignorance; shrugging Atlas; and stories to be told

kirbytrain

A good photograph  can say a thousand words.

“Wooden passenger car the day the lots were sold,” is written on the back of this photograph, supposedly the first excursion train in Kirbyville, Texas.

Continue reading “A wooden train car; a bit of ignorance; shrugging Atlas; and stories to be told”

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Events of the Evening

Time lapse segment on Toledo Bend Lake, on a nice December evening of 2015.  Captured straight consecutive exposures for about an hour and a half, but could not use almost the entire last half of the exposures because my lens had completely fogged up due to high humidity in the area and a wildfire a few miles away.

My camera was set up at the foot of the Pendleton Bridge, on the Louisiana side, looking towards Texas.

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