Shutterbug Saturday: Tribute Pictures
Texas State Capitol Building
I lived and worked in Texas for nearly a decade. I was fortunate enough to snag a Texas State job for the majority of the time I was there. The gentleman that interviewed and hired me was, as it turns out, my immediate Supervisor. He was one of the best bosses I ever had (his replacement after retirement was just as terrific). He did his job and he let me do mine. We sometimes rode the bus together, to and from work (downtown Austin).
I grew to love this man. He was a lanky 6′ 6″ and spoke fluent Spanish with a Texan accent. He had to have heart valve surgery a decade before I met him and, when you got close to him, he ticked like a clock. He owned a ranch just outside of Abilene in a small town called Clyde. He was a cattleman, a businessman, a photographer, a writer, an artist, a musician, a pilot, interviewed two U.S. Presidents and, was good friends with Mac Davis, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. He graduated Texas Tech with a Journalism degree, loved the Red Raiders and served in the U.S. Army Reserves:
“I protected Fort Leonard Wood, MO, from all enemies, foreign and domestic, during the Cuban missile crisis” ~ W. H. Patton
He lived all over the U.S. and Mexico. He moved to the Austin area in 1997 and I met him in 2002. He always had a story to tell and had a wicked sense of humor. He was one hell of a cook and drank like a fish. I am thankful that I met him and am a better person for it. He passed away in 2012, five days after his 73rd birthday. I’d like to share some of his work, as he shared it with me.
From the 1960s, his son fishing.
From the 1960s, he managed to capture the image of a Barn Owl in an abandoned house.
From the 1960s, local geese.
From the 1960s, Kodiak bear.
From the 1960s, a wood duck.
From his backyard, 04-08-2008
Cosmic-Observation 
November 24, 2018 at 9:11 PM
Oh he sounds like someone I’d like to know 😊
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November 24, 2018 at 10:32 PM
He was a character. Called himself a “West Texas Cowboy”.
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November 24, 2018 at 9:41 PM
Clearly a really talented individual with the camera and the pencil. Thank you for sharing.
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November 24, 2018 at 10:35 PM
Yes. Yes he was.
This is part one in a four part series. Possibly five…not sure, yet.
Glad you like! 💕
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November 25, 2018 at 4:00 PM
Sounds like a wonderful boss. I love the pencil renderings. Wow.
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November 25, 2018 at 7:34 PM
He was. And, the woman that took over when he retired was great, too. We are still friends.
When he sent me the drawings, I was like “what CAN’T you do”. Ever the humorist, he said “I can’t whistle worth a damn.” Heh.
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December 9, 2018 at 1:05 AM
That 1960s fishing picture is great…all of them are but I love the color of that one.
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December 9, 2018 at 1:58 AM
It is stunning. I wish I knew what the flowers were. They are brilliant. They ‘look’ like Azaleas but, Azaleas do poorly in Central Texas. Of course, the Clyde/Abilene area is considered ‘West Texas’ so, perhaps the soil is more acidic? Central to Houston is way too alkaline due to the limestone.
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December 9, 2018 at 2:18 AM
Yes those flowers make such a contrast…the image is stunning.
That is a good guess … it does look like Azaleas
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