Since 2009, the retirement home of Shot On Site Photography... the source of the finest sighthound performance images in the world. As of August 1, 2022, the blog will become much more photo-centric. Not only will I post images from the homestead in the foothills of the Little Florida Mountains, and surrounding environs, but also tips about shooting, editing, archiving, software, hardware and more. The political rants will become few and far between (but not eliminated! It is 2022 after all!)
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Daily Optimism
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Picture of the Day
Sunday, January 07, 2007
We Eat, Therefore We Are... Sated.
Doesn 't look like much, does it? But then, barbecue, more than any other cuisine, is immune to the glitz and glamour. In barbecure, rundown is good. When was the last time you heard of food that was transcendental?
"The Brick Pit was transcendental, Food Network worthy and them some in every respect. In a classic old fashioned building, slightly rundown and the bbq aroma permeating the air. Friendly service, a banana pudding that made me gasp, and then the bbq, and the sauce. It takes cajones to put out a sign that says best bbq in Alabama on your front door like the Brick Pit does. After eating there, I believe the sign."
That was "Big Milwaukee", writing in Chowhound. The Sterns were equally effusive in their praise.
We'll now add our voices to the chorus. Ambience, sch-mambience.. it's just like it looks in the pictures. Inside, the ceilings are low, the floor uneven. The walls are covered with graffiti.. mostly praising the food. The restrooms? Don't go there. Literally. The menu is sparse: Pulled pork, ribs, chicken. We didn't try the chicken... who the hell comes down here to eat chicken? I had the ribs plate, and Margaret had the pulled pork plate. Can we say "exquisite" about a joint like this? We will. I can't quite call this the best barbecue I've ever had... but I can't remember where I had any better. This was great. Terrific beans, and cole slaw with real bite. A great lunch, capped off by "Mrs. Waits's Banana Pudding". They couldn't tell us if she's Tom's mom. See the menu here.
That was Saturday, and that was the highlight of our week in Southwest Alabama, but we do want to mention a couple of other places worth visiting... Fish Camp, on State Hwy 59 right here in Summerdale was quite good for lunch, and they apparently have a seafood buffet for dinner. Sorry, no website that I could find.
Yesterday, we went to visit the USS Alabama battleship, which sits on Mobile Bay. I spent 4 years in the Navy; yesterday was the most time I spent on a ship in my life. On the information board showing a lot of Navy slang, I would qualify as a "landlubber". I'll post some pictures on another post, especially one showing a very scary room!
Following the tour of the ship, and the attached submarine, we had a late lunch at Felix's Fish Camp and Grill. This one had it all: Ambience, and good food. We had a sampler of the gumbo, crab, and turtle soups- all very tasty; a "camp salad", consisting of greens, artichoke, and hearts of palm in a homemade Italian dressing. This was followed by a couple of Po'Boys- one fried crawfish tails, and one half-n-half shrimp and oyster. All while sitting in the upper deck bar overlooking Mobile Bay, watching the gliding pelicans.
Ah... food. Tomorrow, we move on to New Orleans. There's no quit in us.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Letting Cats Out of the Bag
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
A Modest Proposal.
That would be enough, but this one had one thing that none of the other games on the list had, regardless of position:
Watch this. (The part I'm talking about starts around 2:40; but watch the rest of the highlights, too!)
For me this was, at least, the most entertaining game I've ever seen. Much more entertaining than the Rose Bowl.
Hire Me!
Friday, December 29, 2006
They Did, After All, Give the World Sweetened Iced Tea...
...and bad dentition. And the "Stars & Bars". I was googling "Classic Margarita Recipe", in an attempt to fine tune my own margaritas. I came across this atrocity from Southern Living Magazine, (What's wrong with this picture???):
Fresh lime wedge (optional)
Margarita salt (optional)
Ice
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons orange liqueur
2 tablespoons tequila
1/3 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Garnish: lime slice
If you chose "half a bag of sugar", go brush your teeth. Don't forget to floss. And who measures cocktails with tablespoons?? This thing has so much wrong with it. I'm surprised the Tequila isn't "optional". (Who needs it, long's ya gotcher sugar!)
For what it's worth, the best recipe I found was at "drinkboy.com" Check it out.
2233
You can thank your lucky stars I didn't opt for the pay version of site meter.. I'd know more about you than your domestic partners, whoever they may be. Too much information. Those of you blogging, or engaged in e-commerce ought to check it out.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Papa's Got A Brand New (Body) Bag.
"But Brown's achievement is larger than his own oeuvre and the genres that it begat. Flip on the radio virtually anywhere on earth today, and you will hear the sound of the Brown Revolution, the blare of propulsive, polyrhythmic dance music. Beats have conquered the world, even the West, where polyphony was born and melody and harmony have traditionally held sway. No other musician—not Louis Armstrong, not Elvis Presley, not Bob Dylan—can claim so central a role in this momentous cultural shift. "Make It Funky," James commanded, and from Boise to Berlin to Bangkok, they have." RTWT.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Happy Holidays To All!
Budding photographers who are interested in this image, (how did he get this exposure from near pitch-darkness??), can get the info with a few drachmas in the old tip jar! Heh heh heh.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Comments
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Eat Your Hearts Out...
Hunting With Dutch
One Big Bird
Sometimes I wish I had the expensive camera and lens with me when we take the dogs into the desert. Then I think about what all that fine dust would do to it, and I'm glad I take the cheaper (and lighter) setup into this environment.
All this to apologise for the quality of this shot I got of one of a pair of Golden Eagles I saw when I took Randir and Buffy out to look for some slow jackrabbits. When I first got out of the car, it was sitting on the ground and I thought it was a vulture. Then it took off. Unmistakeable.
The Buffster and the Oldster did get to run around eventually, although there were no jackrabbits. And I did wait until this giant raptor had moved well out of range.
Your Tax Dollars at Work.
Calling All Amateur (or Professional) Botanists.
A Day at the Bosque.
On the Road.
And if only it would end there, but like sharks, we have to keep moving to stay alive. We're going to head back West to Louisiana for an AKC trial in January, then we're going to make it all the way back to New Mexico for a real vacation. We'll be at Dutch's Pack Hunt in January, and his Desert Hare Classic in February. In between, we'll play like touristas and take lots of pictures, and maybe even go to Old Mexico and do some shopping... get some real good Tequila.
For those who have been counting that's across the country one, two, two-and-a-half times in a couple of months. Like it says on the map: Insane.