I’ve always been a backyard birdwatcher; building birdhouses and putting up feeders to see what I can attract. Just recently photography has become a hobby de jour. I see an event called Featherfest in Galveston which combines the two. This seems right up my alley.
The distinctive Louisiana Jazz sound didn’t develop solely in New Orleans but the Crescent City did spawn its growth. Born as a French settlement with strong Caribbean influences in the 1700s, the city was central to Jazz creation. These West Indian influences gave the city a more relaxed attitude in culture and especially music; creating a tradition of music and celebration. As New Orleans grew into a diverse world port, the melding of cultures was reflected in its music.
‘The catfish is plenty good enough fish for anyone‘ – Mark Twain –
It is said that the face of Helen of Troy launched a thousand ships. In that vein, the whiskered face of the catfish launched my quest to track down Supergraphics. While participating in the RAIN bicycle ride in Indiana, I’m contemplating a sabbatical of travel. Unsure of what my goal or 
destination might be, I see a U-Haul trailer with catfish emblazoned on the side. It announces Belzoni as the Catfish Capital of the World. That was it, I have to see what this venue is all about. Luckily my visit coincides with the annual Catfish Festival.
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After the last scrubbed attempt of the Atlas rocket launch, I miss my chance to see a live rocket launch. I really want to see a live launch. I’m pretty bummed that the next scheduled launch at the KSC, Kennedy Space Center, is a daytime launch. I really want to photograph a nighttime launch. They say things work out for a reason. If I had seen my original launch, I wouldn’t have made the trip back for the inaugural launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The Falcon Heavy is a concept from the visionary Elon Musk. […]
The name Gasparilla comes from legendary pirate Jose Gaspar, the last of the Buccaneers, who terrorized the 
coastal waters of West Florida during the late 18th and early 19th century. Since 1904, the city of Tampa annually re-enacts the historic pirate invasion of the city.
I waiver on going to the event as the crowd estimates are 300-500,000 people. I’m just not convinced I want to dive into that mess. I awake early and the local TV stations have already started their event coverage with interviews and shots of the bay. They mention that Gasparilla is the 3rd largest parade/event in the US. I have since been unable to find the source of that ranking, but it was enough for me to scramble to make the 1.5-hour drive to the party. […]