Enter any word here to make your way through the blog on a specific subject

Meta

Ever use "Stumble"? Every time you click Random the blog will surprise you

Random

Recent Comments:

Archive

Members

Recording of Evan Whipple’s Jr. High Band

April 20th, 2008 @ 18:22
Posted by: John

Listen to this before you hit the more button.

That’s Evan and other 13 and 14 year olds in his Jr. High honors band. What have any of the rest of us musicians done lately that sounds that emotional? What cooler thing could young teenagers do? I’m so proud. Can you blame me for being so off the charts proud? They’ve done a bunch of songs of this quality, I sit there with tears in my eyes every time I hear them. He’s the best of the tuba players, we’ve heard him holding down the bass like a pro in every song they’ve played over the last three years. Listen to the lowest notes, all of that is mostly him. He’s got the volume and the tone and the director looks right at him and directs him up and down in volume because he has it. He’s like two tuba players for the price of one. He loves the band and he and his band director respect each other; it’s the best experience he’s had in public school. I was there when this was recorded at a UIL competition and, as you might expect from hearing the recording of it, they won top honors. I was standing there by the judges and their jaws were on the ground. Jr. High bands just usually don’t sound that good. One of their written comments in their evaluation was “strong tuba section”. The pieces, the performance, the professional way they act…. it’s all way above their age level. These kids are brave… you can hear Evan in there playing like it’s all that matters. But that’s what music can do for young people. It’s almost like playing music is really best when you’re young. It’s wonderful all the time but it’s just most wonderful then. And for Evan then is now.

Related Posts

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 20th, 2008 at 6:54 pm and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

One Response to “Recording of Evan Whipple’s Jr. High Band”

  1. Ann/Mom
    September 5th, 2008 12:37
    1

    Evan, grandma had tears rolling down her cheeks, like you’re Dad I recognize what a talent you are on the tuba. I cannot say enough or find the right words to tell you how proud I am of you.Now tonite I need to know where I am to set at your 1st game at home. Understand I might leave after the half-time show, or I might decide to become a football grandma. I knew you would like the marching band, there is a lot of comaraderie, going places (as I told you the bus is fun) I Love you
    Grandma

Leave a Reply

Subscribe without commenting

« Evan just recently turned 14
comment feed from the Woodzie site »

  • Live Shoutbox

    Last Message 18 hours, 15 minutes ago
    • John : I got one word for you Mike.... Coopers. It's across the street from the taco place we turned you onto.
    • MF : soooo where were those porkchops from? they sure look goooood....
    • John : Thanks. I erased it. Whenever I delete one it lets me ban their IP address and I do. If it wasn't for that we'd be getting hundreds of them a day. They say it takes all kinds but I sure could do without that kind.
    • MF : John ya got Porn spammers again...guess you forgot to spray! 8O
    • John : here's some people's comments on WUMF: «link» Its a bad idea to fly in from Paris or spend $13,000 setting up a booth if the event doesn't have a track record. That's a big gamble.
    • Tyler Archer : More wedding pictures «link»
    • Art : I don't agree that noone but the head guy did wrong. Each of them has a limited defense: they were either very inexperienced or dishonest. AND if they lead people to believe they were experienced when they really weren't it takes you back to dishonest.
    • Art : sorry. The problem with that W.U.M.F. thing was a "if I build it they will come" mentality. That doesn't happen. If he wasn't going to advertise it to the public he should have told that to people and should have said "I can handle 100,000 but I can't say how many will actually come. Because I'm not advertising, maybe only 200 will show up". Putting up a slick Internet presence that fooled people into beleiving his baseless 100,000 number is fraud.
    • Art : the problem with that W.U.M.F. thing was a
    • John : ... in the meantime I'm riding it all over hell and creation and lovin' it. It's driving Jimmie crazy. :mrgreen:
    • John : Well, I'm with Renee.... keep worry to a minimum. Jimmie knows it's super dangerous, these days more than ever. I think she'll be able to do it but we're going to take it really slow. This bike is at the upper limitations of what she can handle, I'd like to have her start on one she can more easily control then move up to this one. But she's havin' none of that. I'm not telling anybody anything they don't already know... she's hardheaded.
    • Ann/mom : Remember, your mother can't use the word worry,just concerned. Lord help us, I can see my daughter-in-law taking off on a trip with one of her beautiful scarves tied around her neck flying down the road, and Dr. Billy's wife chasing after her on her scooter. I tell you, you guys are in for big surprises! :roll:
    • John : the after party at Rileys on Sunday was awesome. Glenn had musicians from Chicago, L.A., Canada. They'd come all this way and after the Festival was canceled, several of them said this was the saving grace for their trip. You know how people often don't appreciate what's in their own backyard, these people couldn't stop going on and on about how much they loved Rileys. Glenn did a good thing.
    • John : Yep.... Jimmie and Evan got riding lessons out there in the Woodzie site. It's difficult to teach but they did well. If you hear Jimmie roar, get out of her way.
    • Karen A : you are woman - hear you ROAR!
    • Jimmie : I just had my first riding lesson on my motorcycle! I can start and stop and shift into first. Have to get used to the clutch cause my hands are a little small so I let the last part out too fast. But I can handle the size of the bike no problem. Feels great!
    • John : Saw them on TV but never live. Clarence White «link» was in the Colonels and The Byrds. That clip from "Playboy After Dark" is The Byrd's and, yeah, their early claim to fame was they made Dylan songs Hippie danceable. Kinda. :?:
    • MF : meant to say did you ever see.....
    • MF : John, do you ever see the Kentucky Colonels live? Its weird to see hippies dancing to country: «link»
    • Karen in Hawaii~ : God bless & huggz~
    • Karen in Hawaii~ : Aloha howdy, you blessed Texans! Dang, ever since we all voted I've been VERY homesick. It's so cool to be able to drop in here and get a true "Texas fix."
    • Guest_9746 : he's crazy. It reads like a bad joke - "Sorry for the inconvenience of you catching me with your wife. I look forward to our golf game next week!"
    • John : This is classic delusional. He just put this notice on the front page of the beautiful website «link» he spent your ticket money on: "We are sorry for any inconvenience but the Festival has been canceled for the weekend. We look forward to next year's event!". I suppose they'll be 200,000 (20) people there next year. Why not?
    • Guest_9746 : yeah, some musicians and radio people got WUMFed. Hard. 8O
    • John : I sure feel sorry for those folks who paid for airline tickets and hotel rooms.
    • Guest_9746 : I have a couple of World United Musical Festival tickets for sale. Cheap. Will trade for Lehman Brothers stock.
    • John : wow.... it was in the 80's and 90% humidity this afternoon but a major cold, dry front is blowing through. There's 35 mile an hour winds shaking all the leaves out of the trees right now. It felt like Indian summer today but it's going to feel like winter tomorrow!
    • Tyler Archer : Coffee Night + Open Mic night again tonight 6 PM last one of the semester at SAC :)
    • John : We sure could do that. I have that movie. He has a digital projector so you just put a DVD in and go.
    • MF : How about a music film and live music extravaganza? Maybe show "be here to love me" and have a songwriters showcase thing? :idea:
    • John Whipple Sr. : I just checked mine 8O It still is coded "MC" but, the picture looks older. . . . .a little!
    • John : I guess sometime in the 80's the motorcycle provision on my driver's license expired. Didn't matter until we bought this little motorcycle last month. Well, you may be glad to know, I passed the written part of my motorcycle license test today. The people behind the counter.. I had thousands of miles on motorcycles before they were born.
    • DAP : They're showing up in Flickr now. Tyler stopped by on her way to class and loaded them.
    • John : Try it again. Be sure you're sending it from your usual email address.
    • Tyler Archer : the post to whippleworld email wasn't working for me I wanted to upload some wedding pics :(
    • John : She had her plans to sing with Brad on that Townes Van Zandt song with some finesse. We added to that like a pair of buffalo. But I thought we sounded good for several short segments. Brad liked it. Casey was really good last night.
    • MF : Miss Jimmie may disagree....but I think we harmonized quite well...like a couple of doves...mangy, one winged doves....but doves none the less! :???:
    • MF : I hope if dogs ever take over the world and they choose a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with some good ideas.
    • MF : John, If you ever catch on fire, try to avoid seeing yourself in the mirror, because I bet that's what REALLY throws you into a panic. :D
    • John : I tried to call Casey and got her voice mail but she mentioned to Jimmie yesterday that she's coming to Riley's tonight. I'll try to bring some bar-b-que again - if anybody wants to come and bring a side dish, do it. Right now Jimmie is going to ride behind me and Evan's going to ride behind Brad on a little motorcycle trip up into the Hill Country.
    • MF : Got a Goodyear imprint on my backside, and I think I got Tetanus and a mild concussion...wha t a fun day! Glad you made it out! :D
    • John : Seeing Mitch at Casbeers on Thursday was great. Got to visit quite a bit with Mitch and Dave. Friday night we went and played a little and visited with the Lavens at The Cove. We just missed Mitch and Hillary. Saturday Glenn and Mike and Brad and I are going to a Ray Wylie Hubbard workshop for Collins guitars. All on top of all kinds of other projects going on... I'm beat.
    • John : Mitch will be playing the Doug Sahm birthday party at Casbeers At The Church tonight. I'm going to try to talk Jimmie into going so we can pay our respects. Come out if you can.
    • John : I heard a thing on NPR about the history of negative campaigning where these historians said campaigns were much meaner and uglier for most of the last 200 years than now, that the 1800's were shockingly worse than anything we hear these days. I thought that in McCain's concession speech and in Obama's victory speech they were very kind to each other.
    • Jonny : Chester A. Arthur's qualifications included that he "looked like a President."
    • Guest_5845 : here is a great resource on presidents. each link tells a short, interesting history of each man «link»
    • Art : see how emotions are being descibed on this election day «link»
    • Tyler Archer : only two precincts are at each polling site in San Antonio today- they said that the lines shouldn't be as bad as anticipated- I didn't have to wait at all I was in the first group :)
    • John : glad you voted early, Dad. That was smart, the lines are going to be crazy as the day goes along.
    • Guest_5845 : HAPPY ELECTION DAY!
    • Art : That was Lyndon Johnson's old skool texas voting saying: vote early and vote often. :roll:
    • John : just here or in the poll booth, too? :lol:
    • Tyler Archer : oops I was impatient and clicked twice
    • Tyler Archer : I voted at 7:08 this morning whoo-hoo!
    • Tyler Archer : I voted at 7:08 this morning whoo-hoo!
    • John Whipple Sr. : I just got back from voting. . .and I think This political Haloween jargon has gone too far. . .They would not let me in until I covered my Casper t-shirt. . . . :)
    • John : Gizzard juice is Mike's name for thyroid hormone. I'd be delighted to be half as good as new. I keep asking the doctor to just give me a bunch of it and she said I'd better watch out or I'll start growing things I'm not supposed to have. That shut me up.
    • MF : you aint old...just need a shot of gizzard juice..chase that with some crow...youll be good as new... :???:
    • Guest_4853 : OMG.... put a zip code in, shows lowest prices at stations
    • John : Wow, that's interesting. Part of it's how close you are to production but part probably has to do with state taxes. And higher costs of doing business. Oklahoma has oil and less of the other factors. Taylor ought to fill up his tank when he's driving through this afternoon.
    • Art : if you zoom out you can see gas prices for the country and that we're pretty lucky in San Antonio. Not as low as Oklahoma but look at the coasts, still high. «link»
    • John : That was a fun night. With the time change though it seemed like it went on a little long for old Uncle John.
    • MF : John, thanks again...you are the coolest...I now dub thee....uncle John! :D
    • John : I'm going to go ahead and put some deer meat on the pit, too. We'll have a wildman feast.
    • MF : I swiped a bunch of that playdough, ill bring that too, and some slow sticks....drink a bunch of whiskey and have a sculpting contest! I can stop and get some ranch beans to go with that chicken.
    • John : I had fun out there, Mike. I thought you sounded really good. Al Barlow is a trip. Hey, I just put 10 pounds of chicken leg quarters on the bar-b-que pit. Taylor and Evan are out of town so I'll eat one or two for lunch and bring the rest of them to Riley's. Should be enough for everybody. If anybody has any sides, bring 'em.
    • John : I've been checking on mother and she's doing better. Not quite ready to go dancing but feeling better.
    • MF : Thanks for coming out last night! It was fun. We stayed and played until the wee hours, and then had a song circle of only love songs for a newlywed couple that wondered in. pretty fun.
    • John : Our precious Ann/Mom is stuck at home with the flu. Everybody send her some love!
    • John : it's the 1st.... white rababits, white rabbits, white rabbits
    • Art : i might believe there was a gene pool lifeguard if there wasn't so many Draculas in Congress mugging us 8 year olds for our paychecks. :(
    • MF : The trouble with the gene pool is that there's no lifeguard. 8O
    • MF : Well Evan might not wear a sheet, but he probably would mug an 8 year old for an almond joy.....lol :evil:
    • John : tomorrow is forever, I'd like a fun size Almond Joy right now.
    • MF : OK John...here is the REAL halloween secret....50 percent off!...wait til tomorrow all candy is 50 percent off! And most of it doesn't have razor blades.... :idea:
    • John : That's awesome Mike. We'll come if we can. Right now I'm having trouble with Evan, he refuses to put on a sheet to go out in the neighborhood and get us some candy. No candy at all this Halloween. What a waste. I guess we should have had two or three more kids.
    • MF : John, ill be at Omahas secret beer garden tomorrow at 7pm. I "won" their contest thingy.... :???:
    • John : and.... in case anybody wonders... that's why we stay away from the subject! :roll:
    • Guest_4853 : that's pretty ambiguous, John. What politician isn't a blood sucker!
    • John Whipple Sr. : I don't think Obama looks like Dracula. . . . . . . . . . .much :)
    • John : Well, I voted today and even though we have a strict "no political comments" rule here, because it's Halloween, I'll tell you who I voted for. Dracula.
    • John : yes?
    • Guest_3526 : John,
    • John : Mike, I appreciate you taking that guitar to Gene. He's the dude; the all San Antonio guitar repair guy - a perfect match because that's an all San Antonio guitar. That dreadnought was handmade in San Antonio in '84. I think Gene did a guitar setup for me maybe 10 years before that. What does that mean? We're old.
    • John : The recording session went OK. Will Owen Gage was there with me and played drums and bass. Glenn and Will and I are going to go back and finish those and start some of Glenn's songs in the next couple of weeks. The plan is to do basic tracks at The Fire Station and do the overdubs at the house. I'm also going to do some Tejano and Tex-Mex records there at the Fire Station. I just wanted to get it all jump started.
    • MF : Big John, Mean Gene has your guitar, he did remember the guy that built it. Unicorn guitars...he said that went back a ways.... 8O
    • Ann/mom : Leslie, I'm anxious to know how the recording went, did it feel different on the "other side"? Bet it will be strange without Glenn though, ya'll are meant to play together I think.
    • DAP : Yeah Leslie! That's what I want from you for Christmas!
    • John : I'm going into the studio today to do a little experimenting on some of my original songs. Glenn has a gig, I'm really going to miss him. We'll see how it goes. I'll have my cell phone off but if anybody needs me leave a message and I'll check it during the day.
    • John : you can't... that's part of his masterplan.
    • Guest_1285 : That picture of Van is the cutest danged thing ever...how'd Glen get so scragly?! LOL. How could you ever get mad at that kid?
    • John : She says she's o.k. I hope so. When your kids grow up and start living on their own it's tough.
    • MF : So how is Casey now? :neutral:
    • John : Thanks Mike. Yeah, when Glenn reaches down and turns up the overdrive on his fuzzbox you know something wild's coming up.
    • MF : John, you and Glen were on fire last night. That was really cool. Congrats Tyler. :D
    • Tyler Archer : 463 brave souls entered the Haunted House this weekend- it was super scary I went through each night and screamed my head off- another fun and successful event at SAC
    • John : Karen, as odd as it might seem, the doggies were thrilled with the outcome... even though they lost, their tails were happily wagging; they love it. They were bleeding and limping but it's total dog heaven for them to "defend the yard". If they could talk and you asked them if it was worth it they'd say it was the best thing that ever, ever, ever happened.
    • Guest_3526 : Poor doggies. lucky that you came to their rescue! Jimmie, are you going to the haunted house? Karen
    • Jimmie Bell : Raccoons are tough! «link»
    • DAP : Raccoons: cute but scary.I will never forget being at my mother-in-law's house and feeling like someone was watching us.We looked up and there was a raccoon hanging it's head down looking at us. Grace was only 3 and that thing's head was bigger than hers!
    • MF : I went to Glen and Kim's open mic....about 4 people. I went to Cheatham street last night...about 5 people. The open mic I hosted ...1 person. Guess this economy thing is for real...oh well...It's all the same for us broke folks...you would be amazed at how versitile and cheap Ramen noodles are! 8O
    • John : yeah Mike, easily earned a pass. That poor dude made a wrong turn and ended up inside those dog's yard. Maybe he was looking for a trash can to get into, I don't know.
    • Guest_4539 : You didn't shoot Rocky with the 357 for biting your dogs? Hmmmm...I can't believe three sheppards couldn't take him out...guess that coon earned his pass :neutral:
    • John : the dogs just got into a bloody brawl with a gigantic raccoon. Rocky was dishing out as much damage as he was taking. He was screaming devil noises as he's getting bit, all three dogs were howling in pain as they got bit in return. Jimmie and I race over there in the dark and pull them off to give the raccoon time to drag himself up a tree. He was chewed up but he'll live to fight another day. All three dogs are bleeding but luckily just short of needing the vet. Knucklehead dogs.
    • Art : has anybody used these or know which one is best? «link»
    • John : look at the unique layout and content at this site «link» I think Renee, David Priest and Jimmie would particularly be interested in it. I wonder if that's custom programed or a template of some kind.
    • John : I'll do about anything for German Chocolate Cake.
    • MF : John...you and Glen should have a songwriters work shop....we will pay you in whiskey waters and german chocolate cake! :D
    • John : unless there's one in between... it's Tiffany's
    • Ann/mom : Guess whose birthday is next?
    • Ann/mom : Casey & Sean, you are so smart to get your Boise surround sound now, & be able to enjoy it as much as I know you will. I was introduced to one in Austin and thought it was grand. But now, I know it will be hard getting you 2 out of the house! :wink:
    • Ann/mom : Tyler, congratulations on your Friday night "SPECIALS". Seems to me, you are accomplishing so much in such a short time. You are very special. Of course, I know all of my grand children are S000000000000000 00 Special & I'll add (very talented).How could I be so lucky?
    • Ann/mom : Sunday was a beautiful day at Riley's. Taylor I'm looking forward to a day with you & Tiffany. But she wants to do this after her birthday party. She says she will let me know when. It was just great getting to be with so many people who love music. As always I wish all our loved ones could have been there for such a splendid day.
    • DAP : Wow Tyler! Grace says not to advertise for Dark Knight b/c she's afraid there will be 2000 people! Congrats on the successful event!
    • John : (watch me make Sean mad) Quite a game last week Cowboys fans. Ouch. Save yourself the aggravation.
    • Casey Ann : You know what maybe i'll just catch a ride w/ Grandma or something. ...we'll see....
    • Casey Ann : So the Cowboys game is not over until 3:30 and Sean refuses to watch it on anything other than his 1080 p TV and new Bose surround sound , so is it cool if we show up after the game about 4 pm?
    • Tyler Archer : I had over 800 people at my outdoor movie last night! Whoo-hoo totally my most successful event yet!
    • John : Is everybody understanding what's going on Sunday? We're doing the official 19th birthday party for Taylor at 2:00 in the courtyard at Riley's. Weather should be perfect. If you know how to get to our house and I know you do, Riley's is just a couple of miles down the road towards San Marcos. Don't turn on Hoffman, keep going on 1102 until you see the sign for Hunter Texas. Turn right after the railroad bridge. Tim Grimm (Jason Wilber's friend) «link» is driving down from Indiana and will play after Taylor's party as the finale. Then the open mic. It'll be a great day.
    • Art : notice how Earl Scrugg's banjo is louder than the other 5 guitar players combined? Banjo is just TOO LOUD. That's why guitar players and singers are mad about it.
    • DAP : Tyler said next month will be The Dark Knight - I will make sure I'm not completely worn out next month for sure!
    • John : Tyler, half the day we spent with Jimmie at the doctor and the other half trying to get our new motorcycle going so we could ride it over to your walk-in drive-in movie. But... we didn't make it. We really want to support such a cool thing, we'll be at the next one!
    • John : I kain't tell you that ain't cool. Doc Watson is a treasure.
    • MF : Tell me this ain't cool John: «link»
    • Tyler Archer : Come out to Wall-E tonight y'all its going to be great!
    • John : those are great. My favorite is still: a guy leaves his banjo in his car and gets half way down the street and realizes he didn't lock the car doors. In a panic he runs back as fast as he can but too late... somebody had already put another banjo in.
    • MF : How can you tell if there's a banjo player at your door? They can't find the key, the knocking speeds up, and they don't know when to come in. :D Q: What is the difference between a banjo and an anchor? A: You tie a rope to an anchor before you throw it overboard. :D just kidding!
    • Voice of Dissent : I'm a banjo fan. As a matter of fact, I found a song I want to ask Renee to learn for the banjo. :twisted:
    • MF : and I forgot to say Brad is in for the song writer workshop...as long as there will be no banjos :x
    • Guest_1464 : John, I hear the best way to tune a banjo is with a 15 pound sledge hammer..im with Miss Jimmie!
    • John : Jimmie says banjo causes brain damage but look.... it's a medical instrument! «link»
    • Karen in Hawaii : Riley's? will do....Ihear his voice is excellent and he's one of the many really "good guys" so that'd be cool if y'all met. Hope you and yours are fine. Crazy danged times we live in. Y'all laugh and hug a lot, God bless.
    • John : Yeah, Mike the Stumpf Fiddle «link» is so stupid it crosses right over into cool.
    • John : Karen, I don't think we do. We had some neighbors in Gruene who were named Hanson but that was 15 years ago. Freiheit Store is very close to us - it's on the road between us and Evan's high school. When you talk to him, tell him to come sing at Riley's on Sunday night sometime.
    • Karen in Hawaii : I just realized that y'all live near the Freiheit. My family has a dear friend that I have never met that sings there, it sounds like regularly. His name is John Hanson? not sure if I got the last name right. It really is a small world, in a very big state. Do you know him?
    • MF : The Stumpf Fiddle was cool...except you are the only one that had any chops on that thing! I am working on my own made out of a hub cap and broom handle! You proved...yet again...that you are definatlively... THA MAN
    • John Whipple Sr. : See where making three people smile each day will get you! :D :D :D
    • John Whipple Sr. : Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part if the curriculum that appear and fade away but the lessons learned will last a lifetime. :???:
    • John : when you called about coming up here to shoot and I said PJ was hunting.. he shot a nice one. With bow and arrow. We're going to have some deer meat at an upcoming Riley's Sunday night.
    • John : Help me, please! :oops:
    • MF : John..I find your new found youtube habit disturbing...I think we should discuss a 12 step program or a crisis intervention... :lol:
    • MF : trimmed with real ivory and made by hand by Fredrick Martin himself, with provenance :???:
    • John : Wow, that's the guitar mine's a rough copy of - I'd never actually seen one. Don't you think that's low for an 1800's Martin? You'll see an ugly looking dresser drawer get appraised for $850,000. Who pays that? The value of things should be in order of what you'd take if you had to be stranded on a island. In that case the dresser isn't worth 49 cents. You'd burn the dresser for a campfire and play the guitar around it.
    • MF : Big John check this out: «link»
    • Ann/mom : As I was saying Jimmie made a special trip to say "hello" and sing for us. I plan to go next week also, especially since I know Casey & Sean are planning to come :D
    • Ann/mom : My friends Sissy, Rosie, Lee & I went to Riley's last night. We had a blast, you know you worry when you take your friends somewhere that you enjoy because your kids & adopted kids are singing and playing music. the same thing thing happened when Gary & Susy came to Riley's. They enjoyed the whole scene also. I had lunch with Sissy today & she said "that was so much fun", Leslie has a beautiful voice, strong and you can tell where his heart is. Then to top it all off, Jimmie came to say hel
    • John Whipple Sr. : You are witnessing our Saturday Night Live,..on..WhippleWorld :roll:
    • John : I suppose that if there's not a particularly good idea in either, thinking out of both sides of your brain wouldn't be all that beneficial. 8O
    • John Whipple Sr. : True! but, O'lucky me. . . .I'm not effected by "tunies syndrome" . . .much
    • Art : I think this is true... but it doesn't seem to help us from acting stupid. «link»
    • John : It was like the movie The Birds here a few minutes ago. A flock of screaming grackles dropped down into the trees and yard, thousands. They made such a commotion in the trees that the elm leaves were falling in sheets. The squirrels went running, the dogs ran under the house. Then the birds all jumped back on their road to Mexico as suddenly as they came. I guess fall is here.
    • Jimmie : Ann, I'm so sorry for your loss. She was lucky to have you as a friend. An of course, you were lucky to have had her. Love you
    • Karen in Hawaii~ : I like this, John, "Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present." I have...I, like many of us perhaps have a very colorful past so there was a lot to make peace about. I used to know a saying about staying in the present moment being a present/gift...n ot being lost in thought about the past, or future. Hope Jimmie and all of you are fine and have a great Texas fall/autumn.
    • Ann/mom : One of my very best friends died last night, sad but O.K. she had cancer that had gone into her spine & was in a lot of pain. Picking the music was very hard, had to pick 3 for the service (very hard). But after the services my friends will get rid of the pain (they think)Saturday night she got snockered wheel chair & all at the coliseum,she won at Black Jack & said "I can still have fun". Sunday morning she took the turn. She was such a very special part of my life for the last 6-7 yrs, I liv
    • John Whipple Sr. : "Code is like Poetry. . . .Waiting to Happen" :wink:
    • John : Jimmie and Taylor just love science books, here's a list of recommendations I don't recognize. «link»
    • Guest_4969 : Well Miss Ann, I imagine all that praying must be working....becau se Jonah look as happy and healthy as can be...and he must training like John says.... :idea:
    • John : Professional boys are like stuntmen, they know how to fall. :roll:
    • Ann/mom : Mike, I'm with you. I am so surprised that Jonah didn't break some teeth, I couldn't believe it. when he hit the cement it sounded like a gun fire or a hit with a bat. He is so tough, but he is the sweetest child, he's unbelievably caring. I pray for him to be wrapped with a band of safety angels every night. For those
    • MF : John...that article on writing was really very, very good...really! :?: 8O
    • MF : Yes I would, he is great and a lot of fun... I would just have to toughen up a little, :D
    • Deirdre : So Mike, are you saying you're not available for Jonah-sitting? :lol:
    • MF : Deirdre, I don't know how you keep from having a heart attack when Jonah does that face plant fake out, he nearly gave me one, and then two seconds later jumped up lauging! 8O
    • Deirdre : A couple of weeks ago Willy was working in the yard, weeding and watering, and the little brown snouts were flocking to our yard. Jonah was running through them and herding them around the yard - he said they were his bats and he was Batman. And, of course, my camera was dead.
    • John Whipple Sr. : "Good judgment comes from experience, and good experience comes from bad judgment." :???:
    • John : we have swarms of butterflies flying and hails of acorns falling. I'm looking out the window and our three German Shepherds are chasing and biting at the butterflies while yelping as the acorns bonk them on the head. They seem to be mad at the butterflies, I think they think they're throwing the acorns. It's goofy funny.
    • John Whipple Sr. : Think about it! "No one is in charge of your happiness except you" :lol:
    • Ann/mom : Casey, what a bummer. Guess I'll just keep my original stereo even though I would like a better one. :wink:
    • John : I'm so sorry Casey. What a bummer. :(
    • Casey Ann : Woke up this morning and my driver's window was laying in my yard and my stereo is gone. Going to cost me 500 bucks to get fixed. So I called and upgraded my auto insurance b/c i'm never paying for this crap again. The crook took grandma's key out of the stereo and politely set it on the car seat and locked the door when they were done. so thoughtful! :twisted:
    • MF : Some mighty fine salsa at Riley's last night big J! We attacked like a bunch of racoons on a picnic basket! :D
    • John Whipple Sr. : "Words that soak into your ears are whispered not yelled" and remember, You can't get to a positive place on a negative path. . . .It dosen't go there :-o
    • John : That's what friends are for, Mike. I was happy to help.
    • MF : John, thanks for use of the equipment, you were a lot like the cavalry riding in to save the day in the nick of time and you are GREATLY apprecciated
    • John Whipple Sr. : "Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present" :roll:
    • Casey Ann : Emily the hunter caught a bird in our back yard and I was trying to get her to drop it and she was chasing me around the yard with it. It's still alive and I feel horrible. I know its just a bird but I still feel bad.... :(
    • guest_4837 : AMAZING photos of Ike: «link» It's out of the news and almost forgotton but not by everybody. Dan from Houston
    • John : Evan just got home from playing three different events. He carried a 40 pound Sousaphone around his neck all over town for most of the last 14 hours. Like being in the army and carrying a pack on a long march. He came home and headed right for his bed.
    • John : as we say here in New Braunfels "Happy Fair Day". This is the day all the kids are off from school and a lot of local businesses close and... everybody goes to the Fair. Getting ready to take Evan to go March with the band, the two high school bands are like the "headliners" of the parade.
    • John Whipple Sr. : "Live with Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy and Social Security" :neutral:
    • MF : John check this out: «link»
    • John : glad to hear from you Mia. Are you away at college now?
    • MF : I thought the little camera in the handle was a little suspicious.... 8-)
    • John : Lynne's employer is Iron Mountain, they have close ties to the CIA, Mike. I'm fairly sure Lynne is a spy. Don't drink out of that cup by a window with the curtains open.
    • MF : I have a cool coffee mug from Lynne's office party Glenn gave me and am drinking a hot cup of Joe from it now! I feel very executive. :D
    • Mia : HEY THAT Guest 1325 person is Me...Mia..oops.
    • Guest_1325 : Its great to hear from ya'll too...Wow..Taylo r, you work at the Gristmill...lol. ..Cool...Bet its fun! :D By the way, Guess what...I have a boyfriend...lol. Lata :D
    • John : Yes, they did. T came up and introduced himself. They seemed to have a good time, I hope they come back.
    • Casey Ann : Did T and his friend show up and play?
    • John : saw a lot of great music this weekend. A nice big table full of family and friends went to see Glenn and Kim at an outdoor beer garden in Gruene. It was just the right music for just the right people under just the right pecan trees. Everybody loved them, the owners stopped working and came and listened. I bet they have that gig tied up for as long as they want it. Then a another herd of us ended up at Gruene Hall Sunday afternoon for Steve James and that was great. Mitch played Lynne's company picnic and Glenn said it went really good. Then Riley's last night had a unique spattering of singer/songwriters showing up for their first time which made for a good night. It was a big music weekend. Now back to work.
    • John Whipple Sr. : "Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads....and fixes yours" :lol:
    • Deirdre : The e-mail from Gini reminds me: has anyone heard from the Happy Fun Land folks
    • Ann/mom : Son, I wish I had just one muscle relaxer, but the Dr. said take 400mlg Ibuprofen.
    • John : I just talked to Ann/Mom and she's got a pinched nerve or pulled muscle or something. Stay off of it and call the doctor sooner and not later if you think it's a pinched nerve, Mom. My experience is that muscle relaxers are the only thing to stop that cycle of tightening and pinching.
    • Ann/mom : Deirdre, I know you are going to post this PM, since you let me off I'm useing a window cleaner to walk with. I'm putting heat on the front of my leg then the back, I can't seem to keep up with the hurting as Jonah said. I hope its better by the AM
    • John : It's Thursday afternoon and it's still as nice, still as cool and dry as it was Monday.
    • John : thank you Mother, I'm glad you said that. And thanks for birthing us - I think we all try pretty hard. I love you.
    • Ann/mom : Son,you absolutely blew me away the other night with the song I hadn't heard before. (I Tried & Tried) and I want you to know that I know you did
    • Ann/mom : Son, Iwent dancing you know its Wednesday. Tonight the Country Tradition played, and they are the young & or remaining part of the Reidel (sp?) band who have been around forever. The singer is Randy Reidel & sounds like Marty Robbins. They always end the dance with Corina Corina.That's what I did & just came to check on you & yours.Like Renee, I'm so glad you were born and I just love you, love you so much.. :idea:

PEOPLE HAVE RECENTLY VISITED WHIPPLEWORLD FROM THESE LOCATIONS:

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS! new ones are added regularly