Pull Tight

Some of you might not identify this if you came across it just south of downtown Hico.  Others will recognize it as an old loading chute for loading or unloading livestock into or out of trucks.  To me it is a time machine back to the  1950s. Drove past this recently and was immediately 8 years old again.  Every Wednesday in the 50s and into the 60s this chute was where livestock were loaded or unloaded for the auction that day.  There were dozens of adjoining pens and a barn.   The barn was set up with a pen (auction ring) for herding livestock in one gate and out another.  There was a raised semi enclosed area for an auctioner on one side of the ring and about 3 rows of bleachers on the other side for the buyers and sellers. On sale day when had stock to be sold, my dad and sometimes my grandfather would load up a few head of calves into a two wheel trailer or the back of a the pick up truck which had cattle frames. At this time many of the small farms and ranches only had a

Praying Mantis having a snack. Some sort of small flies there to dine also.

To all who are needing or wanting to take off a few extra pounds, you might want to try cancer.   It seems to work pretty well for getting off a few pounds.  I'm down 8-10 pounds without too much effort.

With my diagnosis and beginning of radiation therapy, a mostly vegetarian diet was begun along with more frequent trips to the gym.  While I am losing weight, it is not at the rate anticipated.  Many mornings on my way home from treatment a stop is made for a snack.  Wonder if the slower than anticipated weight loss could be due to the fact that I am greeted by first name at Panera Bread and la Madeline?

Sunrise through Cowboy Stadium

This is my veiw leaving treatment each morning. If you look closely, the Dallas skyline is just to the right of the water tower, through the morning haze and air pollution. Downtown Dallas is probably about 20 miles away in these shots from south Arlington. This is my veiw for only 12 more times at which time my treatments are over.

"Peace Love and the Goat" was the theme of the 23rd annual Goatneck bike ride in Cleburne.  Sounds like one of my old hippie friends came up with the theme while in an altered state of mind.  If you bike this is a good ride - well stocked rest stops, good support, good roads, very low car traffic.  In spite of very hot weather, there were around 3000 riders.  Photos are the beginning of ride, going under the conveyer belt at the Lime Plant and Austin with his first flat in an organized ride.