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.

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.

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.

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.

Where the "boys go out at night"...

Here is a group of bucks all about the same age and stage.

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.

Bucks

Check the different rates of progress on these deer's antler growth. I bet it doesn't look like much difference to you but it does to me.

Bryan comes all the way from Tennesee to go ranching.

Wynn Wright's grandson, Bryan, is taking his grandfather for a spin. It looks like Grandpa is mighty proud.

Wynn keeps a watchful eye on these two four foot alligators who act like they are ready to pounce on their big toes. Note the protective stance Grandpa takes with shovel in hand. Bryan looks like he feels safe.

You just never know what the game cameras will capture...

Here is a young buck in his "boxing" posture. All the while a racoon gobbles up feed.

Here is a doe giving a racoon the "mal ojo" or evil eye to this racoon that has come to this feeder wanting to steal a bite.

Here is a cardinal caught in mid-flight early one morning.

Gifts for the Baby Shower

Getting ready to go to the baby shower for Kristi and Lex's Baby GIRL was SO much fun for Grammy Sandra---she decided to do a pretty floral wreath in the colors of the baby's room. At the shower, Kristi thought that they might take the wreath to hang on her door at the hospital. And, it can go on the front door at home to announce her arrival or it can go on her room door or on her room wall---so many options!

Grammy Sandra also got creative with a simple 8-frame collage frame for 4 x 6 pictures---each frame has a coordinated ribbon or rick-rack trim in pinks, sage green and brown with little pink and white buttons to add that extra 'pink touch'! Hmmmm.....I imagine there will be lots of pictures can go in the frames when Baby Girl Poth comes!

Here is the darling musical mobile that Nanny Swierc sent to the shower with Sandra. Little pink and brown flowers plus a little lady bug will float above the crib for entertaining times!

This pretty photo album is for Lex to store some of the many pictures we know he will take of his baby girl! Imagine finding a chocolate, pink and sage green suede cover!! What luck! Sandra forgot to take a picture of the "camo" baby set she decorated: a one-sie with a cute pink bow at the neck; a bib and burp pad with pink rick-rack; a pair of little booties; and a baby bottle ALL in camo material decorated with touches of pink for our baby girl!

Shower for Baby Girl Poth

Here are "The Kilgore Girls": Cindy Fleharty (Kristi's older sister); Kristi (with Baby Girl Poth); Channing Kilgore (Kristi and Cindy's cousin) and Taylor Kilgore (also Kristi and Cindy's cousin) posing right before opening all the presents when the shower got underway!

Sandra attended a lovely baby shower held at Valarie Kilgore's house in Haslet on Sunday May 24, 2009. It was a great event with a ton of ladies attending and Baby Girl Poth (attending with her Mother!). Here is Kristi holding up the darling cake her very talented cousin Mylynka made for the "Ice Cream and Pickles" Baby Shower!

Look at all the goodies on the refreshment table! No one could say they left hungry!

The 'drink center' with lovely pale pinks and greens in balloons and all the rest!

What little cuties Kristi and Lex were when they were little! Who could have guessed they would find each other and now are bringing a baby into their lives soon?

Kristi and Taylor are checking out the cutest 'diaper cake' make of tiny diapers and all sorts of little baby items----a soft hair brush, pacifier, toothbrush, teething ring and so much more---so clever!

Cindy did a super job of arranging a lot of the baby presents up and down the stairs---what a lovely assortment of goodies for Baby Girl Poth! Our thanks to Valarie and the other hostesses for having this wonderful event for Kristi, Lex and their soon-to-be precious Baby Girl Poth!

Mother's 99th Birthday Party

Ninety-nine years and still counting. When we talk about the ninety-nine years she says, "Oh, that's only one from a hundred, am I that old"?

Pretty flowers that Lindsay and Greg, who live in Singapore, sent for her birthday.

Here she is about to read from a sheet that listed many things that were current the year she was born, May 24, 1910.

Coyote slipping by a feed trough...

The cameras are quick, but not quick enough to get all of the coyote in this picture.

Deer Update

The main beams and browtines are pushing out. Soon it will be a chore to match them with last years pictures. After they get about three years old they are easy to follow because their antlers keep the same characteristics.

El Rancho estan muy seco.

As you can see by looking at these two stock ponds we really need a good rain to run some water. It looks green around them but that is about the only place it is green.

Antlers are growing

It is fun for me everytime I download my game camera pictures to see what progress the bucks' antlers are making. As you can see by these pictures not all are progressing at the same rate.