Sunday, June 28, 2009

Pictures uncovered


We recently found these and other pictures of Lex and Lindsay. The first is our first clue to Lex becoming a mechanical engineer. The second is one of our yearly flower photos we took for the Grandmothers. Last shows Lex with a stringer of fish with Laura Wells, John and Peggy Mc Campbell's grandaughter. Yep, this was about the time that Lex got to where he could catch more fish than me.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Growing those antlers...

It is amazing to me how much more growth deer antlers make between my downloading of these game cameras. I pull the SD cards about every three days. The two deer shown are two of the younger deer. I'm guessing they are both three years old. It is always exciting to see what they end up with. I will have to wait until they finish to match them up with pictures from last year. From the third set of antlers on they keep most of the same characteristics.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Swierc twins, Zach and Josh, spend the day doing fun things with Uncle Fred.

Alligators come up for a close inspection.
Josh and Zach thought this was pretty cool.

Twin brothers checking them out...


This would make a neat place to camp out over night.



Josh catches a good one. It flopped around in the sand before we could get the hook out and got dirty.




Josh snags another bass.






The boys arranging their catfish catch for a picture.






Here they are folks, look what we did. I think these guys really had a good time. I know I did.






Julianne and Oliver Semmes get a ride through their ranch by brother Greg

Julianne, "Come on you guys, lets go".

Wait just a second, we're not quite ready.
Check these folks out, on the left, which one of these guys is the best rancher, and which is the best fisherman? On the right, Julianne telling Glenda, "Honey, trust me for taking care of my baby brother you are going straight to heaven".


Oliver and Julianne Semmes, these two are the glue that keeps the Poth family together. They come to Texas from their home in Florida once a year to make sure everything is still holding.



Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Cousin Jared Owens gets his fill of Texas Barbeque after South Texas Ranch tour.


Jared Owens, my cousin Ray Owens' favorite son is shown standing with another cousin, Tom Toman after eating some good old Texas style pork ribs at Mc Bees barbeque in Pleasanton, Texas. Jared traveled from Jacksonville Flordia with his Dad who is on bussiness in San Antonio. Tom Toman went by their hotel and took Jared on a day trip to Floresville to see his Great Grandparents homeplace and the County Jail where his Great Grandfather, Burt Carnes, and later Great Uncle, Don Carnes, both served as county sheriff. I'm thinking his Grandmother, Johnnie Carnes Owens, was probably born in the jail as they lived on the bottom floor of the two story building. After visiting Floresville they came to Atascosa Co. to do ranch things with me. Then later on to Pleasanton for barbeque and more sight seeing with Tom and finally arriving back at the hotel about ten o'clock in the evening.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Calling Quail... whistling them up.


















Calling quail falls under one of those... you can't believe it until you see it done. I learned how to do it years ago when in college at then Texas A&I University in Kingsville Tx. Nixon Dillard a good friend and then roommate brought it up one evening while a bunch of us were talking. He told of an old Mexican American man in Pearsall Tx. who could whistle up quail. We laughed and didn't believe him. I finally asked him to make the whistling sound, he said he couldn't but described how it sounded. Later we loaded up in one of our vehicles and out to the King Ranch Loop Road we went. Needless to say the rest is history. Three quail hunters from Jackson Mississippi watched with their eyes wide and their mouths open years ago while I demonstrated it to them. At the end of the calling I asked what they thought of what they had seen. The hunter seated next to me in the Chevy Blazer asked, "Can everyone in Texas call quail"? I answered, "No", he said, "It's a good thing because there wouldn't be any quail in Texas if they did". I've demonstrated and taught many how to do it since. Some now are better at it than me. One of my fondest memories was demonstrating it to Louis and Joyce Turcotte, parents of Katie May at the urging of Leonard and Katie May. Louis had been foreman of the vast Kenedy Ranch in Kenedy Co. Tx. He had forgotten things about wildlife at the time I was just learning. He was a great guy and enjoyed telling us tales. Anyway, maybe these pictures will help you see their reaction to the call.