Fun for the Fourth

What's more all-American than having a good time playing sports? This game wasn't happening on the Fourth of July, but I thought it would be appropriate to post it today.

No Gold Medals Here

U.S. women teams fought each other for a gold medal in Beach Volleyball. But the casual players were out in Zilker Park in the summer heat in Austin.

Bowling?

We stopped into Dart Bowl on a winter afternoon. There were some people bowling but I liked this photo where the lanes were clear.

A Win

The University of Texas Women's Basketball team won last night at Erwin Center while we looked on. The men won, too, in Kansas.

Tennis, Anyone?

I play tennis a few times a week. You really don't want to see pictures of that, however! But Sunday, FFP and I caught the finals of the Big 12 Tennis Championships. The UT men won although the team in action here did not. I used the sports capture button on the Nikon P90 to get a selection of shots to choose from. I like this one because the low volley has just come off the racket of the player and the ball and its shadow are still visible. One of my 'ladies of a certain age' who plays tennis with me says that she learns a lot by watching pros on TV. Indeed she came back from illness and injury this week and did play some great shots.

Significant Contribution to Texas History

Strolled over to the Texas State Cemetery with a friend yesterday. (It was a fine almost summery day here and the cemetery is less than two miles from our downtown condo.) I'd never been inside although I shot this picture of the large Texas flag at the entrance for you one day while driving by. Primarily used to bury state officials, there is an avenue for the non-politician to be buried here by the governor or the legislature's proclamation or by the cemetery committee determining that you made a significant contribution to the state in one of a number of areas including sports. So I shouldn't have been surprised to find a headstone for Tom Landry who was a legendary coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Note the signature hat and the star logo. And, of course, anyone who watched the Texas-based cartoon "King of the Hill" knows that in it there is a Tom Landry Middle School in it. In Texas, you can go far as a football coach!

Coach Ginger

I was attending to my backstage duties at Ballet Austin's Nutcracker performance yesterday. Since 1997 when we started the program, I've recruited the celebrity Mother Gingers. These good sports (who have included Michael Dell, Lance Armstrong, Ann Richards, Kay Bailey Hutchison, E.D. Hill from Fox News, Augie Garrido, Ray Benson, Marcia Ball, Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, John Paul DeJoria, and Kinky Friedman, among many others) get made up and are rolled onstage atop a huge red and white dress.

Yesterday's VIP Mother Ginger was UT women's basketball coach Gail Goestenkors. She was very gracious and friendly backstage and she got a lot of laughs out of the whole experience. Here's a shot I took of her in the costume before she went out in the second act.

Hook 'em!

By the way-- if you'd like to see The Nutcracker, performances are happening until Dec. 23rd. For more information, click the Ballet Austin link.

It's Cold Outside!

Well, it's not really cold enough for winter sports, but Whole Foods Planet (my personal name for the world headquarters of same) has a roof and puts a tiny ice rink up there each winter. These folks were enjoying it Sunday when I climbed the steps to go up there. They have some cacti gardens, a tiny playscape, tables, etc. up there. I knew they had events 'on the roof' but had never been to one or just wandered up there. Now I know. On a pleasant day it might be a good place to go and eat your WF take out. It did struggle into the thirties today here so, if I went outside it would feel wintery, but I think I'll stay inside as it heads toward seventy.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, No...

...it's Bar-B-Q sauce! Last Sunday we went to the University of Texas Women's Basketball game at Erwin Center. The center has mezzanine seating and so the Rudy's Bar-B-Q people use the height to fly a giant bottle o' sauce balloon around above the crowd. Occasionally it releases coupons which flutter down to patrons. Rudy's is a place that started in a little town in Texas and is now a 'chain' but mostly limited to Texas (although the brand has leaked into Oklahoma and New Mexico). When I'm at my dad's, their 183 location is where we get piles of slow-cooked meat and appropriate sides for visitors.