We're Famous!

This is where we played last Sunday: the farm. Folks were plotting the field with little blue plastic surveyor flags that flickered in the sunlight when the wind blew through them. It looked like a stadium of flashing cameras, and there we were on the edge of the field under two ancient pecan trees playing to nature (and nature's folk). This was a good time, and it made it to the (online version of) the local newspaper. That still counts, right? And if our drummer's wife happens to be a photographer for the Austin American Statesman?

Check it out: http://galleries.statesman.com/gallery/johnsons-backyard-garden-potluck/ , and click here to see more about the local organic farm that hosted it all: http://www.jbgorganic.com/ . I learned that over half of the drummer/photo couple's diet is grown right here. Order you up some grub today!

Time to introduce the band:

The Dark Water Hymnal is: (from left) Mike Huebner, guitar/bells; Brandon Bunch, piano/bass/percussion; Jeremy Ballard, acoustic guitar/vocals; Andrea Couch, violin/vocals; Bryan Blanton, drums. Photo by the magical Kelly West.

Priceless...

Saved an Independence Brewery "OU Sux" amber all year, in hopes it would raise the '09 mojo like a pheonix from the ashes. It did not. It did actually taste ok, though, and earlier in the day I was able to subvert a poor young child, cruelly born unto a Sooner "friend" of mine.

Lots O' Shows...

ya'll should come to one! Check out TheDarkWaterHymnal.com . Here's our next one:

Another Fine Day...

except for the rain. You'll usually never hear a Texan (or this one, anyways) complain that it rained a bit. But rain it did, and cut the sailing short. This week I was aboard a Melges 24, a very fast boat that can get you very wet. The 2 coolest things were the foresails: a furling jib (a front sail that kind of winds itself up when you're not using it) and an asymmetric spinnaker (the big colorful sail that one uses when sailing downwind). The spinnaker was attached to a bowsprit (a spar that sticks out straight ahead from the bow, like the nose on a sword fish) that was retracted, and shot out of the "nose" of the boat when you needed it. It looked like something an evil mastermind would come up with. No pictures of it, but here's some more boats on the water. I know ya'll are getting tired of those, but I never will.

Texicanus odocoileus virginianus

Commonly known as "Hill deer", this native Texan has been known to cross streets in Northwest Austin without warning. It feels most comfortable near propane and propane accessories. Diet: Luanne Platters at Luby's.

The New Year

I kind of see September as the beginning of the new year. New school clothes, new class mates, new subjects- a clean slate. There's nothing about January that says "new", except new toys from Christmas. It's not the solstice, and it's not even like we're bored because we haven't had a holiday or a day off in a while (why not move it to February?). So September it is, for me. This is the rainbow that was showing off on the last day of August. I think it's a good sign for a good year to come (especially since it hadn't rained more than a trace since July). You'll notice the higher end of the spectrum seemed particularly burnt orange.
Happy New Year.