Early Morning Ride On Waters Smooth As Glass (Lake Houston, May 27, 2022) — Image by kenne
— kenne
Blue Jay (Kingwood, Texas, May 27, 2022) — Photo Essay by kenne
(Click on any image to see all in a slideshow format.)
Great Blue Heron on the Shores of Lake Houston (May 27, 2022) — Image by kenne
— kenne
Limpkin — Image by Hugh Poland
— Socrates
Pete Mayes, Grady Gaines, Calvin Owens and Joe Guitar Hughes (1999)– Image by kenne
Mike Durbin Talking To Blues Friends (Ken & Mary’s Blues Project, May 2017) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
The Blues Project
They called it a project,
a Blues Project, but really,
it was a party — a party for
family and friends to share
happy times, talk about living life,
and a love for good old blues music.
Once this party began
there would be no stopping it,
even when forced undercover
of rain, friends laugh and
talk about déjà vu the
evening had become.
Just sitting on the front porch
doing that front porch thing
telling stories now embellished
by all the good times dancing
and singing the night away
in the woods off Old Houston Road.
The Blues Project may be over
so listen, the night will lead you
to the music, the stories told,
and smile one more time
for each house concert was just a
rehearsal for what our tomorrow’s will bring.
— kenne
Kenneth Harris shares the story of how Ken & Mary’s Blues Project came about. (May 20, 2017)
Joy and Robin (Hannah, April 14, 2004) — Image by kenne
Been going through some old photos — it’s that time of year.
Mr. V (James Vaughn) of Mr. & Mrs. V on Houston’s 90.1, KPFT — HDR Image by kenne
Mike Durbin of the Moe Hansum Band — Image by kenne
The Houston Blues community is feeling the pain. Two of the communities well known personallities past away this past week. To hornor the memory of these Houston friends, I’m sharing a Diunna Greenleaf video I posted several years ago — Growing Up and Growing Old in the Fellowship of Family and Friends.
— kenne
Great Blue Heron (East Park, Lake Houston –10-17-21) — Image by Hugh Poland
Great Blue Herons are the largest of the North American herons, standing tall over wetlands and shores of open water.
Great Blue Herons are blue-gray overall with a wide black stripe over their eye and a long yellow-orangish bill.
In flight their wings are two-toned with blueish forewings and black flight feathers, and their neck is usually coiled in,
unlike the similarly sized Sandhill Cranes.
Great Blue Herons are highly adaptable and can be found in marshes, swamps, shores, and tideflats. Some will even forage
in grasslands and agricultural fields. They have a general diet consisting of fish, frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, insects, rodents,
and even other birds. Great Blue Herons will stand or walk slowly through shallow water before quickly striking with their long bill,
grabbing small prey or impaling large fish. Great Blue Herons nest in colonies, and usually build nests high in the trees,
but will occasionally nest on the ground or in low shrubs.
— Bryce Loschen (Houston Audubon)
Houston Blues (The Rhythem Room, 2005) — B&W Collage by kenne
“Working in black and white makes me feel like a painter, not a photographer.
Shooting this way allows me to focus my attention on the light and shade, textures, shapes and expressions.
It’s really a matter of personal choice, but in my opinion black and white can lead to a more abstract reading of reality,
which is arguably more demanding and more challenging to produce. Here photographers cannot use flattering
colours or coloured light to distract the eye. You cannot cheat in black and white.”
— Guy Gagnon
Gulf Coast Distillers — Image by kenne
While on the Houston leg of our road trip, we had dinner at Ben’s Den Tasting Room
with Katelyn, Janie, and David — a food truck provided the food menu.
In 1998, the De Aldecoa family bought the then memorable Uncle Ben’s Rice manufacturing facility
on Clinton Drive. Now the facility has been turned into a world-class coffee plant and distillery, expanding the
beverage imperium with the creation of the Gulf Coast Distillers.
Yes, the whisky I had was excellent.
— kenne
Houston Skyline Viewed From Buffalo Bayou Park (August 26, 2021) — Image by kenne
We are now nearing the final leg of our road trip that began on August 7th. We have been in many states from
Arizona to Maine and have taken hundreds of photos, many of which will later appear on this blog with my
observations.
We are now in Houston, our previous home, before moving to Tucson eleven years ago, visiting family and friends.
On Thursday of this week, we had lunch at Birraporetti’s, an upscale and lavish Italian restaurant/Irish bar in
the theater/business district for over 30 years. Because of the pandemic and especially the recent virus spike
in the Houston area, there were only two other customers in this large eatery/bar.
This was not surprising, however very sad.
— kenne
Pond Slider (Lake Houston, October 25, 2013) — HDR Image by kenne
We first became aware of Giddens about 15 years ago as one of the founding members of the country,
blues, and old-time music band Carolina Chocolate Drops, where she is the lead singer, fiddle, and
banjo player. In 2008, we attended the annual Houston iFest where local and international musicians and the
“iFest New Artist of the Year,” the Carolina Chocolate Drops, were scheduled to appear.
Since then, this very talented musician and her unique artistry continue to blossom.
Carolina Chocolate Drops (April 2008) — Images by kenne
Houston’s Little Joe Washington (April, 2008) — Image by kenne
“Personal inconvenience, experience, and environmental impact notwithstanding, a willingness to drive all over
and beyond Harris County has its rewards for the Houston blues aficionado wanting to make the rounds.
Not only is that travel necessary to access the various widely separated business establishments featuring live
performances on a weekly basis, but for those in the know, it’s also the key to experiencing some unique
presentations of the music — both of which evoke an earlier era.”
— Roger Wood (Down in Houston: Bayou City Blues, 2003)
