Wish I had a photo for this one

We were walking the trail this morning and Glynda stopped suddenly and pointed ahead.  About 20-30 yards ahead was a big buck (deer) probably an 8-10 pointer.  We stared at each other for a minute or so then he raised his tail and trotted off.

(Shadow was with us but had dropped away at the time.  We'd been at the Treehouse and she'd gained access to it by climbing a small tree beside it and then jumping over to it. When we got back to the house she still had not rejoined us and the last I'd heard of her sounded like distress.  So I hopped on the lawn tractor and drove back to the Treehouse and she came walking down the steps to see me.  I petted her a bit and since she was OK I got on the tractor to go back to the house - and Shadow ran over to the same small tree, climbed it, and jumped over to the Treehouse again. I guess she wanted to stay there awhile?) 

Blast from the past!

Someone posted this on FB the other day and it reminds you what a special place the old Rubaiyat in Dallas was. It was THE place in Dallas for listening to this kind of music - this kind being in the folk genre.  This is the calendar for March 1971.  Almost all of these guys eventually succeeded in music to one degree or another and several made it to the international stage. The first guy on the list is Jimmy Johnson played blues for many years but, with the very common name, it's been hard to find anything current.  The second act is Uncle Mike and Micky Mouth.  Mickey is Mickey Raphael and he's been in Willis Nelson's band for year playing harmonica. Allen Damron ran the Chequered Flag night club in Austin for many years and was second in command at Kerrville. One of our favorites from him is "Is There a Heaven fro Balloons".  John Vandiver stayed on the Texas scene until his death (about 1979 I believe) - here's a 2010 tribute to him by Shake Russell. .  England Dan and John Ford Colley  England Dan is Dan Seals of Seals & Croft, Summer Breeze, etc. Mike Murphy is Michael Martin Murphy, Wildfire.  Mike Williams was another successful Texas musician and is now a pastor.  I could find almost nothing on Karen Oznick.  Frummox was Steve Fromholtx (The Man in the Big Hat, written by Steve, recorded by Jerry Jeff) and Dan McCrimmon - both successful Texas musicians and Steve is still making music.  Three Faces West was Ray Wylie Hubbard's first group.  It was him and Rick Fowler and Wayne Kidd.  Ray has had some national success (Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother also recorder by Jerry Jeff) but is still a music maker on the Texas scene (and will be in Winnsboro later this year).    And that was one month at the Rubaiyat.  (It was fun reading the FB comments from other people that remembered it.)

You know you're old and in a small town when

you say "Look, Jeff moved his car".

The pub, which is part of but behind Brewbaker's restaurant, opens onto Market Street.  The restaurant opens onto Main Street.  Jeff is the owner of both. We were going to lunch down Market Street and saw Jeff's car parked outside the pub - it's a yellow BMW convertible so at least it's a special car.  A hour and a half later on our way home from the library we were driving back down Main Street and noticed his car in front of the restaurant.  So I said "Look, Jeff moved his car". I guess small things get noticed when there aren't that many big things happening.

If you love our country you should check out this 2009 video!

Antique Car Parade - One of the "Funnest" Days of the Year in Winnsboro

Yep - that says "Willis" on there!

Lots of folks having a good time, lots of old cars!  More cars than you can take pictures of.  I said I'd do just a few this year so I only took 47 pictures!

Lindsey Gail at the JamFest

They had to remove the video of Lindsey from Youtube so the link we had here doesn't work anymore - but check out her website.  She was our headliner act.

See her website at Lindsey Gail.com

Wildernest Treehouse JamFest



Gus and the blues band

Jack "Scruffy" Ainsworth

Ty Lenius

Amy Haid

Tami Hix

Kent Gooding

KMG - Kevin, Mia and Gus (with a little help from some friends)

Lindsey Gail

Alex and Kent

Lee Ann Mitchell



It had to be a cool Saturday evening when the moon is full (or close to it) and the hint of Fall is in the air.  The woods can be dark but moonlight makes it inviting.   Place was important because a stage in the woods at a tree house seemed to touch the imagination of audience and performer alike – and they all came. And our listeners were just right in number (about 100) and their appreciation for what they were listening to was there.  Our lineup of talent was still growing just a few days before.

The performers – Jack “Scruffy” Ainsworth, Ty Lenius, Amy Haid, Tami Hix, Kent Gooding, Lee Ann and her group, KMG (Kevin, Mia, and Gus), Lindsey Gayle, Alex and Kent, Gus and the blues band.  That’s ten acts – and they all came just to share music – and thanked us for inviting them.  And there were a bunch of back-up guys too; Jim and Greg on bass, Limbo on mouth harp, Alex O., on guitar, Allen on percussion and the back-up guys with the others.

Gus Gustafson

Several of us worked very hard to try to make this thing come out right but it would have happened anyway without our efforts.  But Gus is the man that pulled it all together organizing equipment, booking the performers, and much more - and we're really thankful to him.  We're proud to say that the Wildernest Treehouse JamFest was a Gus Gustafson Production!!!

WilderNest Treehouse JamFest

I'm getting a little scared - every time I go to town I hear someone talking about the "Wildernest Treehouse JamFest"!!  Looks like it's the hottest ticket in town! Such a little stage for so much notoriety!  There will be Gus Gustafson with a blues band that will be the anchor act with sets from Jack Ainsworth, KMG, Tami Hix, and Kent Gooding of Slightly Tilted.  Folks just seem to really like the idea of music in the woods at the Treehouse.

We really don't know how many are coming but a few businesses in Winnsboro are planning on closing as soon as they can to get out here.  I think the mayor is coming?  AND - It's the second evening of the "Autumn Trails" celebration in Winnsboro.  Folks are already talking about the "Second Annual ---"   Facebook event for Crossroads Music Company and Listening Room.