walters family blog

Well, its just Walters' family stuff. That's about it, for that's its sole purpose.

Name:
Location: Bellville, Texas, United States

Husband, dad, grandfather, brother, entrepreneur, artist, writer, publisher, ad guy, teacher, musician, and dreaming of being a farmer.

Sunday, November 03, 2013

Halloween 2013

Halloween is always a big deal... 



Brody


Annie


Liney the princess


Annie & Mom at Candyland


Annie


Drew


Liney at MikMik's booth... awesome dresses attached to ladders that you stood behind... some were better than others. Caroline was spectacularly real. 


Jack


As I said, some were better than others. Here, Andy gives it a go. Not sure I'll be comfortable around him ever again:-)


Greyson

Grey Turns Five (can't believe it)

Grey has the great misfortune, or maybe it is a blessing in disguise, that his birthday is on Halloween. At least he always gets a grand party where most people dress up! Here he sports a new haircut, thanks to his attempt to trim his locks with scissors. He cut to the scalp dead in the center of his head:-) It was so cute. I voted for the burr. 



Dad and Grey


Grey dressed as a pirate at the fall festival at Living Way. 


Saturday, July 27, 2013

California Road Trip

This week I had to be in S. California in three areas for meetings within three days. We had meetings in Mira Loma, San Luis Obispo (SLO), and Modesto and decided to drive, which was really the only option considering the lack of flight options from S. Cal to SLO. The drive up through Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo was really beautiful. Whats not to like about Santa Barbara and the California Pacific coastline.  However, what really amazed me was that when we left SLO it was 68 degrees, and less than an hour later it was 104 as we crested a mountain ridge headed to Hwy 101. The valley is gorgeous if you love agriculture. Gilroy is the garlic capital and it was being processed there in a plant that smelt up the entire town as if you were in a kitchen smelling garlic in a cast iron skillet simmering in oil. 

I've never seen so many almond trees. There has to be millions. Mikki read today that the 400 miles of central valley is home to 90% of the worlds almonds. The magnitude of growing food in California is beyond words. I'm not sure we can grasp what would happen to us if we lost this area to the lack of water, which is a huge issue right now. It is under a severe drought at this time and needs rain desparately (or so it appears). Maybe they like it bone dry, but it scared me a bit. The use of drip irrigation is amazingly efficient. Miles of pipe and drip and sprinklers. The growing technologies are incredible. But it seems there is no replacement for the migrant farm worker anytime soon.

Along the way we stopped at one of the many Missions along the El Camino Real... The following are a couple of iPhone photos I took at one stop in San Miguel. Nothing there now to speak of, but I bet at some point, this mission was a welcome sign to the travelers along this route. 

I'd recommend a drive through the central valley of California during growing season!



Along a backroad off the 101, Mikki got out to identify these trees. They were almonds. Millions! 


We took a specimen to show the grandkids, and ourselves how almonds grow. 


Mission entry, with Prickly Pear in bloom


Garden gate


Pink doors of the mission


I loved the sun-baked wood and hammered iron detail. 


Saturday, July 13, 2013

Hot Summer and the Pool... and the Pests... and the Peaches!


Our farm peaches on Bluebell Homemade Vanilla


Freshly picked peaches


So we escape the heat for Southern California where it is always nice and cool. 


A guest. Not too friendly


Annie and Brodie


Caroline and Annie


Jack with his watermark of swimming a bit too long with tight goggles


Jack hard at swimming

Saturday, March 02, 2013

Some Crust Bakery in Claremont

I was driving out of Claremont last week when the Some Crust bakery delivery van passed... Wasn't sure whether they were hauling their crazy-delicious pastries or a loyal patron to his eternal rest (what a way to go:-). Russell and me frequent it often and at the rate I'm going 
I'll need this van to haul me around.


If you are ever remotely near Claremont, stop... taste and see! I promise, the pumpkin muffin (as old - fogey as that sounds) is really incredible. And as great a that muffin is, it can't hold a light to the almond croissant!!! Get one of those and a fresh Monkey brand drip-brewed Fook blend coffee and you're in business (actually, you are wound up like an eight day clock:-) for the morning... Okay, the day.

Friday, March 01, 2013

Where's Walto?

Of course, my names not Walto. But finding me is about as difficult in this photo as finding Waldo. Good luck.



Reflective perspective




I was setting in our conference room staring out at the adjacent building and i noticed this tree... then i realized it was a mirror image of a tree, but wait, it is a tree... humm. You'd just have to see it to understand. And this is a horrible photo. Sorry to post such but I'll do better next time. Promise.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Flying

I know I take too many photos. I know it because I have to try to manage the large collection on hard drives and my computer. Goodness. It is out of control. However, every once in a while I take one that I really like. This photo was taken from my plane window a couple weeks back en route from Lubbock to Houston. It was late in the day and the ride was horrid, but the view glorious. I love to fly. There's just something about it that is therapeutic to me. However, that being said, the flight from Houston to California a couple Sunday's ago was just short of therapeutic... it was almost freightening:-) Landing in the 70 mph gusts of the Santa Anna winds isn't recommended. Goodness.


Love this! 


Laguna Beach on my 59th birthday. 


Neat palm tree silhouette at Laguna Beach. 

Brody is Growing Up

I can't believe that Brody is old enough to wear a suit. But, he wore a blue pin-stripped suit that his MikMik bought him and he did it proud. He is a fine young man. Can't wait until he can take care of the farm for us one day. Okay, that is probably shooting too low on the employment scale, but I think he'd really enjoy it. 


Brody and Mik at church a couple weeks back. 

Old Family Photos from Livingston

Yesterday, we buried my uncle John Henry Stevens. He loaned me my first car loan. He was a fine, fine man who always cared about me and inquired about what I was up to and asked me all about my business shenanigans. He was always interested, or at least made me feel as if he was. He was such a great example to follow. He never wavered one iota from his faith in God nor his commitment to his family and loved ones. I will miss him. What a fine uncle he was. Thanks Uncle John for all you did for me! 

I was at the funeral yesterday at the Pentecostal Church in Livingston Texas, and was told about some old photos in the hallway. I went to see if I knew anyone since my family had been members of this church back in the 30's - 50's before leaving Polk County for Houston. What I found really blew me away. There was an old photo hanging there that was labeled "circa 1915". It was of a "church raising" work day with all the men and women in attendance in the photo. There in the photo was my Grandaddy, grand mother and my mom, who was born in 1916. My mother appears to be 13-14 years old to us, so this photo dated 1915 is more than likely really about 1930, or close to that. Below is a cropped iteration of the larger image. I shot this with my phone. Happy it came out okay. 



The man in the black hat holding the ceramic whiskey jug would be my grandfather, Conway McCaghren, my grandmother Tressie to his left (white blouse holding what looks like a broom), and my mom, Clara to his right looking just like she did in several of her childhood photos. I'm so happy to find this photo. It is so special to me because I've never had a photo of my grand dad at this age. I looked like he looked at his age:-) It is amazing really. 


Here is grandaddy McCaghren at his shop sharpening a saw in his early 80's. They lived out on Hwy. 146 about 5 miles from Livingston. I now have that anvil you see on that stump. I was gifted that by my cousin Bobby Collins at the funeral of his Mom, my aunt Grace Collins. 


This is my grandmother Tressie Renfro McCaghren. She loved her begonias and garden. I have fond memories of their old house with the brown asphalt brick-looking siding and tin roof, the fig trees, the cane patch, the wood shop and the wonderful cooking provided by Grandmother. 


I dearly love this picture. Left to right top standing: Clara Walters, Dennis and Teresa Cowan, Nita and Bo Fritz, Sue Walters, Janell Collins, June Dillon (Diane's friend), Aunt Grace Collins, Diane Walters and Uncle Ed Collins. Sitting in the glider was Grandaddy and Grandmother McCaghren. On the ground was Llewel Walters, Jerry Cowan, Galen Walters (me), and Bobby Collins. Only 7 of us are still here today. The Walters' in this photo are my siblings and our mom, and the others are all cousins. A bunch were missing from this photo.


This is the Walters' Family at my Aunt Audrey's home at Christmas, dated January 1959. I would have been 3 years and 11 months old. I'm the squinty eyed little guy setting on my grandfather Walters' lap in the center of the photo. I'd name all of the people in this photo, but I can't:-) I need Diane or cousin Bunky to identify them for me, and then I'll update this photo caption. I know most, but don't want to guess at the few I don't recall. 


Llewel, my older brother and me when we lived on Homewood Street in East Houston. I was about 5 here. We shortly hereafter moved out on Mt. Houston Road away from a neighborhood. I've since never liked neighborhoods:-) I'm happy to say that me and Llewel have had a wonderful relationship all of our lives except for the few times he tried to kill me. How could he!? Oh wait, I just remembered why.




Walters' Family Holiday

We met the first week of December at Go Away Farm to celebrate the holiday season with our family. There were several who couldn't make it, but those that did enjoyed themselves, best I can tell. Our family is growing, that's for sure. Not sure what's going on, but even with 6 missing from the photo, we still hosted 73 guests and 63 or 64 joined in the family photo. Every time I count it changes. And all that matters really is that it is larger now than it was last year:-)


The Walters' 2012 Family Photo. If you set in the chairs out in front, I think that means something. I'm not real sure what. In the past, the people who sat in the chairs aren't around any longer. I'm not sure this was that great of an idea.


This is Eli Walters. The name lives on, and in a pretty robust little package. What a cute guy he is. I'd better say that while he is still younger than 2. 


Caroline hit the bulls eye with the pellet rifle on her first shot. I couldn't believe it. 


No, this isn't just bacon. Noooo. This is "bacon candy". You can not even imagine how good this stuff is. It is thick sliced bacon with brown sugar and chipotle chili powder. Oh my goodness. We're going to do it again next year, right? Right? 


Zane & Grey. Just dawned on me that Bandaddy used to read Zane Grey westerns. He'd have been proud of these two characters. They played until exhaustion set in. They were true buddies. 















Friday, November 30, 2012

Birthdays...

Grey and Annie have their birthdays right in the midst of the holiday season. Grey turned 4 on Halloween and Annie turned 2 on Thanksgiving. And to top it off, Brody and Caroline, Amber and Mikki all have "near Christmas" birthdays on the 19, 20 and 22... It is the season to be jolly!




Grey's birthday lunch at the Mexican Food place...




MikMik, Annie and Caroline at Annie's birthday party at her Mimi and Papa Ensey's house.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Santa Barbara

Mik and I took the opportunity to visit Santa Barbara, CA this weekend to escape the heat in the Inland Empire. It was 109 when I left the office in Mira Loma on Thursday. We found Santa Barbara to be a pleasant 76 degrees, and dipping into the low 60's at night...ahhhh. While we were out here this week, Houston was experiencing a deluge that has nearly brought it out of official drought... Here are a few images..




Sunset over Santa Barbara




On the wharf




A gate at The Mission in Santa Barbara from the 1700's




The Mission




The hillside




Artichokes at the Farmers Market




Jalama Beach




Mikki at a roadside "honor" market that had wonderful organic product




The honor system




Fresh beans




The pastoral beauty of 14 mile the Jalama Beach road

Posted using BlogPress from my iPadi

Location:Santa Barbara