Life in West Houston

Ducklings on the bayou

2010-06-06T04:49:00.000-06:00

I've waited 2-1/2 months for these ducklings to arrive. Once a week I walk along the bayou to see what has progressed. Two weeks ago I saw an old mallard male, the largest duck I have ever observed, with his young bride and her poor ugly duckling. Luckily, papa knew what he was doing, because young mama proved clueless in her parenting skills. Being a city gal, I have never seen ducks fly up close, because most of these city ducks have clipped wings. Not papa, he proudly spreads those wings and flies down into the water next to mother and child when they get a bit out of his comfort range.

This week I spotted another mama duck with 8 ducklings. Most were ugly ducklings, yet one fluffy yellow duckling stood out among the crew. I'm sure nature takes care of those ugly ducklings, by making them the color of the murky bayou water and giving them a respite from all the other creatures that would like a tasty morsel. Already a neighbor reports there are only 6 ducklings left. At my worksite, huge buzzards lurk near the young ducklings, waiting for some fresh meat. Here on the bayou, the neighbor suspects the large bass and other fish enjoy a rare delicacy. The neighbor reports bass, crappie, catfish, and other large species here in our little bayou and cove, although like me, he refuses to eat them because of the runoff pollution coming from our city streets.

Life in the Bayou City...beautiful in small ways!

Raining on the bayou

2010-05-16T06:25:00.003-06:00

After weeks of no rain, it finally poured buckets on Friday night. It's great to see that after four inches of rain that our little tributary has only become murky and gained approximately one inch of new water. I was scared we would be flooding here.

We've seen a huge influx of birds this past week. Besides the crow I hear now, I've also discovered a new species of doves I've never seen before. They are not the regular mourning and Inca doves we normally have in Houston. They almost have a smokers-like hack if that can be described as a bird noise. They are beautiful and almost look like a gray blue jay.

Ms. Clare de Lune, my spicy tabby cat, is loving all of this bird watching. Birds fly through our vines and trees, while she spots blue jays, cardinals, robins, sparrows, and our Texas State bird, the mockingbird. (The mockingbird, an annoying creature, mimics all the other birds and also loves to swoop in on cats just like the bluejay does.)

Ms. Clare loves to watch the water. I think the bullfrog's mating calls freaked her out earlier this week, yet she loves to watch the tadpoles, small frogs, turtles, and fish hitting the top of the water. When she meditates the water, she could care less about the birds. Cat logic, who knows?

An oil spill in the Gulf, and looking for work again...

2010-05-09T08:57:00.001-06:00

Life has been fairly quiet since my last post. Ms. Clare de Lune, Tiny Pup, and Johnny Cat have all acclimated to the new apartment. They like to taunt me by putting both front feet over the side of my second floor balcony and giving me a little motherly jump start.

My next challenge is finding a new job here in Houston, especially now that the company I "retired" from is spewing gallons of oil into the Gulf everyday. There goes what little retirement savings I had to begin with. I always said that if some executive didn't use it for his own good, it would certainly be exhausted somehow. Some days I hate my own keen sense of reality.

That also makes me wonder about my current place of work. Another major oil company, where I work as a contractor, yet my co-workers have the luxury of benefits, many weeks off, and huge retirement plans, in addition to huge savings plans. I have to hope that they have invested their money in other ways, too. Heaven forbid that something major happens with this oil company. They are perfect, you know, and something like this would never happen at their company. I always say, in the oil industry, it's all a matter of time before it happens to you, whether it be a refinery accident, a blow-out in deepwater, or a shipping spill in Alaska.

As I look for this next job, I'm looking at all fields of work. It would be great to obtain another job in my beloved field of work, the oil industry. Realistically, I am looking everywhere. If I can learn Process Safety Management and write about it, I can learn another trade.

Moving near the bayou

2010-03-20T07:51:00.004-06:00

My son and I recently moved to a cool new apartment on the bayou here in West Houston. We haven't had much time yet to experience the outdoors, yet are loving being next to a small tributary on Buffalo Bayou.

I am still discovering our outdoor space. We have ducks, a lone cowbird, turtles, and too many stray cats. One cat keeps all the others indoors. He skulks about, the lone, solitary, white male. The neighbors warn me about this guy. "Oh, he's torn up my cat. Do not let your cat outside, he'll tear her apart. I never should have let my cat outdoors in the first place."

So, Ms. Clare de Lune (interpretation "bright, clear moon"), my gorgeous tabby with major attitude, longingly stares out the window at the birds from inside her perch in my room. Oh, how she would love to capture a bird. She's only 1.5 years old, yet has never caught a bird that I know of. At our old apartment, she roamed freely whenever and wherever she wanted. She stalked, ran, flushed, and taunted the birds to her heart's delight. Mostly she caught small bugs as she jumped up in the air, using her paws as catcher's mitts.

To me, Ms. Clare is my miracle kitty. I picked her up from my jobsite, where I discovered her on the very day that I got fired from my job. I had gone out at lunch time to pick up a cage and kitten chow from the Dollar General in the small town where I worked. After work, as I stumbled towards my car and her portable cage, I was crying so hard that I could barely see.

I walked into the shed where my co-workers were keeping her. The poor thing was so scared. I think she was the runt of the litter of the mama cat that they had just had fixed. She was so small. I couldn't figure out how old she was, possibly 4 - 6 weeks old, yet the other kittens were 8 weeks old and already adopted out. Maybe mama kitty had taken her in after all her other kittens had left. The place I worked was right across from a rice mill, so possibly her mother had come in from a train that stopped at the rice mill.

As I opened Ms. Clare's cage and attempted to walk to her, I fell hard (I'm great at falling down), and she lunged away from me, back into a hole in the wall. Mama kitty was scared, too. Eventually a co-worker saw me lying on the floor, crying my eyes out, and asking for her help in getting the cat. This lady could tell I was hurting, both physically and mentally, and she kindly helped me up, and picked Clare up.

Clare and I got into the car, started down Old Highway 90, and made the 30 minute trip home. The poor little kitty was so frightened from me crying all the way home. Then, she came into our old apartment and starting turning our lives around. We had not had a baby around for over 17 years. That's another story for another day...

Post Hurricane Ike - How to make your neighbors mad!

2008-10-04T06:26:00.011-06:00

Read more about it at www.chron.com, The Houston Chronicle, Houston's news source.

Facts

West Houston survived, as did most of the City of Houston! Hurrah!

Unfortunately, we did have a great deal of devastation along the Gulf Coast communities. The news media might be lying to you somewhat, as some of the areas in Galveston and Chambers counties were labeled as "no fly" zones, meaning...the government did not want you to see the human and animal debris along the Bolivar Peninsula, mainly out of respect for the loved one's families.

Personal Perspective

My family was very fortunate. Although most of the city had no electricity for 11 days, we received electricity 3 days post-storm. I was shouting praises when the electricity came back on. If the lineman had been at my front door, I would have hugged him for dear life. God bless these behind the scenes people who are away from their loved ones to help us out!

POST HURRICANE - DAY 1

Saturday morning - A few hours post-storm, the neighbors all got together in the rain and cleared the sidewalks of large oak trees and debris. I never knew we had so many kind neighbors. On the other hand, I never knew I had so many CLUELESS neighbors...LOL!

Saturday afternoon - Two of those kind men happened to have a generator and a window unit (swamp cooler) air conditioner that they hooked up and ran non-stop for 3 days. (On the positive side, they did share it with the beautiful ladies next door.)

For those of you who have never heard a diesel generator run,let me tell you they are LOUD AS HELL !

POST HURRICANE - DAYS 1 - 3

After the first morning of frayed nerves and attempting to sleep with my windows opened and the battery operated fan in my face, I had to admit defeat and packed up the family and headed out to Dad's for air conditioning, laundry and showers. When I got to my Dad's I couldn't keep my eyes open - I sacked out with my head back on the couch and SNORED so loudly and obnoxiously that when I woke up, there were no family members left in the room.

POST HURRICANE - DAY 3

Monday, 2:00 p.m. - When we returned home 3 days later, that obnoxious generator was still running and we still had no electricity. Luckily, my freezer only had one package of meat to be cooked. So, I dragged out one of my necessary hurricane supplies, my Coleman gas stove, and set up shop on the front patio. My son and I enjoyed delicious turkey tacos with corn and all the fixins. Who says hurricane living has to be dull?

The other thing I found when I got home was a laundry full of wet and soured towels. I put my towels out on the front bushes and let them dry in the sun. I knew I would need to wash them again, yet at least I could rest in the fact knowing that they would not be mildewing in the washing machine.

Monday, 4:00 p.m. - Hurrah! The generator has stopped. Oh! It has only run out of diesel. One of the men comes out on the front porch. I yell across the courtyard at him, "Hey, can you guys give that thing a break, some of us haven't slept (slight lie, yet defending my neighbors) in 3 nights. Can you at least turn the thing off at 10:00 p.m. tonight so that we can ALL get some sleep?"

AMAZINGLY, those clueless guys gave into my guilt trip! They shut the generator right down, and put the window unit away!

Monday, 4:30 p.m. - I'm cleaning up all of the lunch mess off of my front porch. My neighbor across the way climbs down the stairs with her children in tow, points to my front porch, and states "I've had all of this I can put up with!" Oh no, now I'm the clueless neighbor!

I guess it's all a matter of perspective, eh? I cleaned up my front porch, slowly put all of the dried towels back in the laundry basket, and then the electricity came back on at 7:00 p.m. And that's how we Houstonians survived Hurricane Ike.

Everything Changes in a Day

2008-08-01T09:18:00.004-06:00

Hi Readers - I am sorry it has been so long since I have posted. I have been involved in a long-term project at work, which zapped all of my writing creativity.

Yesterday, my company laid off at least 20 people. I, luckily, was not one of them, and have accepted a new job (finally!) with a small company that enjoys teaching and providing services involving technical writing. Yea! It's been a long two years since I home-schooled myself in technical writing through the local community college.

Seeing your co-workers laid off is sad. It's something that I've witnessed several times over the years. Some people are happy and joyful to leave, some are crying in the hallways, and the few men I've seen laid off appear almost suicidal. I suppose men focus so much of themselves into work that they never think of other aspects of their lives providing happiness, such as family or hobbies.

As for myself, I am never bored...I juggle being a single mom, dealing with my mother diagnosed with Alzheimers, keeping my house in semi-order, cooking meals for the growing teenager, providing taxi service to all of the teen's friends, and THEN...I work 40+ hours a week. Sometimes the job seems like a respite from the rest of my life.

For those of you looking for jobs, take the time to post a resume on monster.com. Also follow-up on every lead, recruiter, newspaper ad, and finally (or maybe more importantly, make this STEP 2 after posting on monster)...CALL everyone you know, especially professionally, and let them know you are looking for a job. Telling colleagues and friends you've been laid off is your choice.

Good luck in your job search, and if you need advice about living in Houston, please e-mail me. It may look inviting to live here, yet commuting alone and the electricity bill can eat up at least 50% of your paycheck.

Take care,
Terre

New Park in Downtown Houston

2008-05-04T21:10:00.005-06:00

http://www.discoverygreen.com/

It's not Central Park in New York, only a mere 13 acres, yet I wanted to share with you one of Houston's newest parks in Downtown Houston, Discovery Green Park. The park is located in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center, and I'm definitely looking for an opportunity to drive downtown and take a look.

The Houston Proud committee has been very proactive during the last 10 years, and has rapidly updated the downtown area including the addition of Minute Maid Park (first known as Enron Field and the new home of the Astros) and Toyota Center, home of the Houston Rockets. Other developments include the Main Street electric train which runs all the way from the University of Houston Downtown down through the Texas Medical Center and the Reliant Center, home of the Houston Texans.

Now if we could re-focus some of this Houston Proud money on developing a reliable mass-transit system. If we could have rapid transit trains down each major freeway corridor, I think we'd be ready to bring this city into the current century. First vote - the I-10 West Corridor - hint, hint - someone listen up!

Beautiful dusk at Terry Hershey Park

2008-05-01T05:06:00.002-06:00

Attention exercise enthusiasts - Terry Hershey Park continues to be a great place to go relax !

In my last post, I mentioned how my mother had just finished two months of illness. Unfortunately, she had a heart attack over the weekend and has landed back in the hospital again.

Of course, getting that phone call puts a shock in one's system. Last night, I decided to go enjoy walking through Terry Hershey Park and get some of that stress out of my system. I walked along the trails from about 7:55 - 8:30 p.m. At 8:10 on the dot, all of the trail lights came on.

The park maintains wildflowers along the banks of the bayou and among some of the berms or hills along the trails. Black-Eyed Susans, dandelions, natural grasses, and cat tails were abundant everywhere.

Enjoyable sites inlcuded people playing with their dogs, a man and his son throwing a baseball back and forth, and a family of 6 making a full team. Yet another family of 4 biked upwards from the bayou level to the upper level with the oldest child outpacing mom and dad, and the youngest riding in a toddler seat just in front of mom, who definitely got the raw end of the deal.

As I left the park at 8:30, the bugs and mosquitoes started buzzing. Reminder to self - take bug spray next time!

Get out and enjoy this local treasure of a park...Cheers, Terre

The Economy in Houston

2008-04-27T07:35:00.004-06:00

Hello everyone! I'm back after almost two months of caring for a sick loved one. See my other blog, "Frugal, Single Mom" for details.

Houston always has one of those economies that maintains no matter what is happening in the rest of the world. As an almost native Houstonian, it can be depressing at times, because it is hard to maintain friendships when your coworkers are being rotated in and out of jobs every two years. Luckily for me, some of my oil and gas coworkers from years ago have finally landed back in West Houston, and I shake their hands vigorously and get a five minute update whenever I happen to bump into one of them.

The Houston economy, at least in my opinion, is leveling out. I've called one of the local recruiting agencies lately (mainly because I'm so put out with my current job), and was told to "stay put", at least for now. That means, I've got to sit and eat crow for at least another 4 months.

Unleaded gas this week hit $3.50/gallon. My car gets 22 mpg compared to many of my coworkers who get 15 mpg or less because they drive SUVs. When gasoline goes to $4.00/gallon, I told myself that I would start staying at home, walking more, or riding the bus, but the reality becomes that Houston is 2 weeks away from 90F or higher temperatures. Sigh!

All that glitters is not gold. There are a lot of hidden costs to living in Houston...sales tax 8.25%, long commutes to your job (sometimes 60 miles roundtrip per day), high crime rates depending on where you live, TRAFFIC +++ (that's a HUGE understatement), no reliable commuter system, and it's hotter than hell here in the summer time with electric bills at $225.00 + through October.

So, my advice to those who feel lured to move to Houston this summer...stay put! Unless you have a lot of money saved up, have a great car, or are willing to live in substandard housing conditions or overly priced housing (with a high crime rate), don't make the trip.

I'm sure our mayor, who I dearly love, would paint a rosier picture. I'm Houston Proud, but not Houston Stupid. Good luck to everyone during this tricky economy!

New Structures, New Restaurants

2008-02-28T20:34:00.005-06:00

Along with the highway changes along the I-10 West and Energy Corridor, have come a change of the scenery along our local streets. On Eldridge, just north of I-10, Foster Wheeler (Engineering) has placed their name on a modern new highrise just across the street from Conoco Phillips. Also on Eldridge, 1/4 mile south of I-10 are new apartments (The Broadstone) that have a modern look and feel, yet have the curb appeal of an ultra-luxury "flat" as some of our British coworkers might say.

Oh, and speaking of the British, did I mention that BP's parking garages and new trading center are shaping up well at the WestLake campus. By the way, I do miss all my coworkers there. It's been hard leaving a group of friends after 13 years of comraderie. It's a pleasure when I bump into you guys in my ramblings about the city, especially at Federal jury duty this past week.

Along Memorial between Dairy Ashford and Eldridge, we've had a new "Burger Shack" open up, apparently a favorite to the local Stratford High School teens. And south on Eldridge, about 1/2 mile past the Buffalo Bayou bridge near Terry Hershey Park, cafe type restaurants are offering nouveau, niche, market type fare. Examples include Poblanos Mexican Restaurant, one or two Japenese sushi places and my still all-time favorite Cafe Red Onion, which serves the best seafood enchildas you'd ever want to honor your tastebuds with.

We're getting there, West Houston. Oh, and how I still love this neighborhood almost 20 years later!

What $100/barrel oil means in the oil & gas services business

2008-01-08T05:31:00.000-06:00

One would think that with the price of gas hovering at $3.00 +/gallon and finally hitting the $100/barrel mark this past week, that everything oil related would be doing well. Guess what, we are hitting challenges we've never seen before in this industry.

First of all, try being a service company, whether onshore or offshore. Equipment is hard to find. If you are working in the offshore environment, ask anyone who handles the barges, ships, tugs, rigs, etc., how easy it is to find available equipment at a reasonable price. It won't and can't happen. Then, say you are an operator in the Gulf of Mexico...just one vessel can run up to $500,000/day to lease, and the vessel is only available for a certain period of time. Should the vessel not finish the job or become disabled due to weather or accident, then the whole project goes off schedule, causing the company to lose millions per day both in vessel expense and production...either cut totally or slowed significantly.

I'm not saying that the majors aren't posting a profit. Certainly the number one and two companies have 10 year plans in place and will always be a good investment. What I am trying to say is that the oil industry is not living in the land of gold fixtures in our offices and the lavish days associated with former boom times.

If you are reading this and are unhappy about the price of oil, consult Wall Street, Venezuela, Iran and West Africa to see what's really happening. The balance between supply and demand is fragile, and I don't think we will be seeing even $75/barrel oil anytime soon.

I had hoped by 2010 that this country would be further along in solar power or alternative sources of energy. I can remember being a young 20-something and smarting off to my oil industry bosses years ago. Guess what - it ain't happened yet! As long as oil remains a highly valued commodity, we're stuck!

Road Construction Everywhere

2008-01-08T05:23:00.000-06:00

These days it's not easy to get anywhere in West Houston. The Sam Houston tollway (known as Beltway 8 to locals) @ I-10 has closed access ramps to I-10 through September 2008. This means you can no longer access I-10 in any direction and will have to find an alternative route to the tollway. The olds ramps will be demolished and new ones will be put into place. Opinion: Why didn't Texas DOT make a 40 year plan, instead of allowing that money and structural work to be torn down after only 20 years! I'm mad because they've wasted our tax dollars.

Most roads north and south of I-10 from Highway 6 to the 610 loop are under construction. Be sure to plan an extra 30 - 45 minutes into your schedule should you visit West Houston anytime during 2008.

West Houston blogger back in business

2007-12-15T22:15:00.000-06:00

I missed a whole season of sharing the Houston fine arts calendar with everyone. I am very bummed.

In the meantime, I did want to advertise my own upcoming choir performances, Wednesday and Thursday December 19-20th @ 7:00 p.m. at Kingsland Baptist Church in Katy.

Expect anything but your typical Christmas music, as we tend to add a bit of everything to our music including country, hip hop, spirituals, and a little gospel to boot. We aren't the perfect choir, yet what we may lack in operatic musical talent is more than made merrier by the smiles on our faces and the joy we feel enter our bodies as we sing. Expect a few hands waving in the air, some clapping and foot stomping, and a bit of dancing (yes we Baptists dance, for God, of course!).

Hurricane Dean...sweating out the hurricane season

2007-08-17T13:16:00.000-06:00

As I monitor the internet http://www.wunderground.com/ and TV's The Weather Channel for the latest updates on Hurricane Dean, I have to wonder how much better we've become in the last 20 years at predicting hurricanes. I've been reading up today on all the different models such as the Mariner's Model, the Historic Model, the computer model, and the 3-day and the 5-day cone of uncertainty. All of it leaves me very befuddled, especially the computer model and the historic model which change radically with every three hour NOAA update.

Each time the hurricane changes from a category 2 to a 3 and vice versa, the model changes. The smartest model to me looks to be the Mariners 1-2-3 model which tells folks where to stay out of harms way.

When the storm enters the Gulf of Mexico and and is 600 miles due south of Galveston, I end up with "my model", which has me looking up every barometric pressure reading from Brownsville, Texas to Key West, Florida. The map point that has the lowest barometric pressure readings is generally where the hurricane goes in. I was only 200 miles off (to the east) when Hurricane Rita hit in 2005. I thought for sure that Rita was going into Freeport, Texas and that Houston would be on the eastern or dirty side of the storm. Luckily, Houston remained mostly out of harm's way, but everything in the coastal areas from Port Arthur, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana was wiped off the map. (I know, most of what you heard about during 2005 was Hurricane Katrina.)

Although I was off about the landing point that year, I will never regret evacuating my family early, two days before the storm hit.

We'll keep our fingers crossed for good luck, and I'll let you know how it goes.

Tax Free Weekend in Texas (Aug 17-19)

2007-08-17T08:04:00.000-06:00

Guess what? It's Tax-Free weekend here in Texas, at least on school-related items, up to $100, including backpacks and athletic shoes. If you are braver than myself and enjoy shopping with mass crowds, go for it! 8.25% is a lot of sales tax in Houston. In addition, some stores offer additional discounts.

You may see me at the local grocery store. My back-to-school shopping is complete, other than the few odd supplies such as binders and a few more t-shirts.

Enjoy the discounts...Terre

Life in West Texas

2007-08-09T22:14:00.000-06:00

I sat in awe tonight at a local community center in Sealy, Texas. It was a benefit to raise funds for the local public library and the guest of honor was none other than my great cousin, Mr. Elmer Kelton, renowned author of Western fiction. We didn't get to chat for long, as he was hosting a book signing for his latest book, an autobiography, entitled "Sandhills Boy, The Winding Trails of a Texas Writer".

The last time I met Elmer, I was a teenager, sitting in the basement of the Houston Public Library in downtown, wondering why my parents had dragged me along. Needless to say, I'm glad they did, because it explains a lot about my family history.

Elmer Kelton is not an easy read. It's like he explained tonight - it's all about West Texas, cattle ranching, the oil business and all the inherent, unspoken jokes and suggestions that go with it. It explains a lot to me - why, for instance, my grandmother always had such a smart mouth, and perhaps why her oldest grand daughter (me) locks inside her some of that brashness and outspokenness, and lets it out in mini-meltdowns.

As I always tell my son, you can learn a lot about the present, by looking into the past. Cheers for a great weekend! Terre

25 days until school starts

2007-08-02T04:39:00.000-06:00

This year the State of Texas finally decided to start school on a decent date, August 27th! Hurrah! I hope some state legislator will read this and learn how delighted I am that the kids got 3 whole months off from school this summer.

We were always starting school here sometime between August 7th - 15th, which makes absolutely no sense because it is the hottest month of the year in Houston.

To the school districts, it made a lot of sense, as the State would pay the schools a certain number of dollars a day, per student, for how many days the children attended school. That extra week or two of time adds big bucks to the coffers of a school district.

It also puts a lot of pressure on the parents to keep the children in school all year. After your child misses a certain number of days of school, whether legitimate or not, the district sends you a nastygram about your child's absences. We've always made sure we get our flu shots and try to stay as healthy as possible. And inevitably, my son always comes down sick on the last day of the school semester, after his finals are finished.

I've got to admit it has been challenging to keep my child busy this summer. However, that extra time has allowed him to spend time with his grandparents, start taking guitar lessons, and also learn that he loves computer animation.

Now it's time to start that back to school shopping. At least I have 25 more days, instead of 5 days to get it all done. Thank you, Texas!

Soldier's Angels - one way to support our soldiers

2007-07-27T21:25:00.001-06:00

I had wonderful news last week. I received word from the Soldier's Angels organization that my soldier that I had been writing to last summer had come home from Iraq. With this news, came the chance to volunteer again and write to another soldier whose unit has been held over for at least a month past his going home date.

What is the time commitment and cost to the cause you might ask? You write one or two supportive letters to your soldier every week. In addition, you send him/her a care package a couple of times a month.

Will you ever hear from your soldier? You might not ever hear from him/her. But isn't that the purpose of being an angel, the silent partner in the background, praying or thinking good thoughts for that individual?

If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, or would like to read more about the organization, please check out this link:
http://soldiersangels.org/index.php?page=home

God bless you for taking the time out of your day to read this. Let's hope this war ends soon!

A brief respite

2007-07-25T04:52:00.000-06:00

Intermittent greetings from Houston. I'm experiencing a few home PC problems, so hang with me while we blast our way through summer electric bills.

Would you believe that we had 49% humidity in Houston yesterday and the high was only 88F? It was almost like fall is in the air.

The rain? Yes, it will be back by the weekend. When we Houstonians get weather like this, we get out and enjoy. I personally took an afternoon break outside, and then came home and played outside with my plants.

July 14-16: Katy Freeway Closes for the Weekend

2007-07-13T20:23:00.000-06:00

Interstate 10's eastbound and westbound main lanes between Wilcrest Drive and Gessner Road will be closed from 5 a.m. Saturday until 5 a.m. Monday.

Reconstruction work will take place in the area of the Katy Freeway and Beltway 8 interchange.

Traffic will be detoured to the frontage roads.

For more information on the Katy Freeway Reconstruction Program, visit www.katyfreeway.org or 281-589-5924.

News courtesy of http://www.click2houston.com/

Rain ends, humidity stays

2007-07-13T08:41:00.000-06:00

The good news...our low pressure system that had hung over Texas has moved on! The bad news...the humidity remains stiffling and you can barely catch your breath when you walk outside, even in the shade. Welcome to a real Houston summer!

Luckily the change in weather means we Houstonians can now go about our normal summer activities...swimming, napping, finishing the spring cleaning we put off, shopping Walmart at 3:00 a.m., driving around with our air conditioning on, and stopping by Sonic to get a HUGE icy drink to keep us sipping and hydrated all day.

Anyway, it's my Friday off, so I'm going to go enjoy.

Happy 4th! (It's still raining here...)

2007-07-04T10:10:00.000-06:00

The good news is that I don't live in the Texas Hill Country or anywhere near Dallas. It continues to be soggy weather here in West Houston. The plants are happy...

Many fireworks displays have been cancelled tonight. However, our biggest fireworks display, The Freedom Festival, will still go on. News is that the main stage has been moved directly onto Allen Parkway and not on the soggy hill. My advice...watch the ABC affiliate and stay home!

As always, I thank the sponsors of this year's event...Shell and Chevrolet.

Glug, glug, there's sludge in the tub

2007-05-31T20:43:00.001-06:00

Wow! A full week worth of rain here, causing chaos all over town. Nothing serious, just enough to cause the second shower to spew out a smattering of sludge, rocks and sediment at the 9:00 o'clock hour tonight. Guess I'll be spending the day on the phone tomorrow trying to get a plumber over here!

Unexpected Cool Front, Preparing for Higher Temps

2007-05-18T17:57:00.000-06:00

What a nice welcome, change! Just when I thought summer was here for good, we had a blast of dry air that is making for wonderful nights of sleep, and a bit of extra energy to get everything done. We've been waking up to temperatures in the low 60's for the last two mornings, with another luxurious two mornings of cool, dry air promised.

Summer in Houston proves challenging at best. May and June usually stay in the low 90's with incredibly stifling humidity. July brings temperatures up into the high 90's, sometimes with some dry spells that almost make night time livable. Then comes August and September, with extremely high humidity, the threat of tropical storms and highs in the low 100's. The low 100's may not sound extreme to those living in drier climates, yet you add that dose of high humidity and it literally sucks the breath out of your lungs at 5:00 p.m. each afternoon. You pray for rain storms, then cringe afterwards as the returning sunshine creates a mucky sauna in front of you, steam rising off the urban pavement.

Some people thrive in this hot climate, especially those from the Midwest USA who hate the eternal cold they experience living on the Great Lakes. Me? I become a relic of my caved air conditioning, crawling out only early in the morning or after sundown when the temperatures slowly crawl into the upper 80's or 90's. I do a lot of sewing, laundry and home improvement in the summertime, especially since I'm nearly bonkers from staying in. Insomnia is also a problem, something you'll notice as others like you visit their local Walmart (screaming kids in tow, no less) at 2:00 a.m.

And, back to the present, my calla lilies are starting to bloom, large yellow blossoms that easily fall when the southern winds start to hit them. This year, I've added some dollar store bulbs...gladiolas, etc. to the mix. It will be interesting to see what blooms next. Stay cool ! Terre

Prom, End of Year Celebrations in Houston

2007-05-06T20:35:00.000-06:00

Wow! What a busy weekend here in West Houston. I chaperoned the 8th grade prom at my son's middle school on Saturday night. What a blast!

This generation dances differently than we old folks of yester-year. Although a few 70's and 80's nostalgia music was added in (remember John Travolta and "Staying Alive"?) the mix, most of the songs played consisted of rap and hip hop. I must say the dance moves on the floor, jumping from the bottom of the floor, up and back down again make my earlier punk rock days look mild. Fun was had by all, despite one pretend fight, one slam dance that ended up with one student again a pole (no injuries) and one attempt at doing a lollapaloosa by passing one student over the top of the crowd.

That got the teachers and principals moving into the middle of the crowd. Next thing you know they were out there in the middle dancing it up, doing some pretty good caricatures of what one of my co-workers calls "getting it on, man!" Trust me, dedicated parents, teachers and principals kept it all at a G rating.

Of other note this weekend was the end of the confirmation season at my son's church. By the end of the second church service today, a group of tired 8th graders were looking at all of their parents with major annoyance. If you had been a fly on the wall, the buzz would have been..."Why did my stupid parents put me through this, why are we still standing here, and quit taking my picture!" Teenagers, you gotta love them... Have a great week...it will be a relief to sit back down at my desk tomorrow for 30 second intervals! Take care, Terre

A new "Bark Park" in West Houston including agility training!

2007-05-06T19:55:00.000-06:00

My sister e-mailed this to me, courtesy of one of her friends at work.

The Dog Park on Hwy 6 (across from Farm and Ranch) opened recently. Check it out. It is on Highway 6 across from the Farm and Ranch Club, just south of Clay Rd (or just north of I-10), it is on the West side of the road.

Please send you inquiries about Bear Creek Park directly to Precinct 3 for the most up to the minute news. EMAIL: pct3_parks@hctx.net

(The Houston Dog Park Association is not affiliated with any Harris County or City of Houston agencies or departments)

Taken on January 5th 2007:

Looking north to the back of the big dog area, goes waaaay back there, and this is standing in the middle! It goes nearly as far in the other direction too!

The whole area above is sort of away from and around a corner from the pond shown below, so you can easily keep your dog away from the water if you prefer a clean dry dog for the ride home. This is a small section of the big dog pond, it's big, AND it has this little ramp thing that looks like it can be a jumping point for dogs to fetch balls and catch some "air". On the back side of the ramp the ground slopes up it so a dog can get a running start.

And here is what you have all been waiting for, some agility equipment! This is going to be popular! Shown are the two ramps -a high and a lower one, and those other little yellow pieces are jumping hurdles.

And not to be left out, the little dogs get an area nearly as big as Millie Bush is! With a decent sized pond and some shade covers too.

There is also little sized agility equipment in the small dog area! Ms. Tiny and I can't wait to get out there and visit all the dogs. Take care and be safe in the new environment...Terre

Bach Society, Sunday, April 29th

2007-04-25T04:52:00.000-06:00

Here's a listing for the next Bach Society concert. Christ the King Lutheran Church is located near the Rice Village area which is full of small cafes and bistros, boutiques, bookstores, etc. Plan to arrive a couple of hours before the concert and enjoy the surrounding neighborhood.

On April 29 at 5:00 p.m., the Bach Society at Christ the King Lutheran Church will present the distinguished organist Martin Rost of Stralsund, Germany, in the dedicatory concert of Christ the King Church's new continuo organ. This concert, part of the Bach Society's Chamber Music series, is entitled "A Musical Journey across Europe" and includes secular music by composers from Germany, Spain, Italy, England, the Netherlands, Lithuania, and elsewhere.

Built by the firm of Taylor & Boody of Staunton, Virginia, the new organ has one manual with five stops:Gedackt 8'Blockflöte 4'Principal 2'Hohlquinte 2 2/3'Regal 8'It will have many uses; primarily it will be featured as a continuo organ in cantatas and orchestral works. It can also play beautifully some of the solo organ repertoire that is written for one manual alone.

The concert will take place in the parish hall at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 2353 Rice Boulevard at Greenbriar. There is no admission charge; a free-will offering will be received to support the series. For more information visit our website at http://www.bachsocietyhouston.org/ or call (713) 523-2864.

BP MS 150 a Success, In More Ways Than One!

2007-04-23T04:35:00.000-06:00

About 12,000 avid cyclists turned out this weekend for the BP MS 150, a 180 mile charity bicycle ride that supports multiple sclerosis. Sources include today's Houston Chronicle, in addition to personal accounts by family members who diligently attempted to drive safely through the throng of riders, while seeking BBQ and a burger in Fayetteville, Texas.

In Friday's Chronicle, there was mention that the ride is the most successful of its type in the U.S. and raised more than $1.8 million last year.

Since I don't want to plagarize from the Chronicle, click below to read a heart-warmer about how this charity event impacts people's lives for the better. We need a happy story to start the week, don't ya think?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4738433.html

Reminder: Watch "Into the Wind" tonight

2007-04-23T04:26:00.000-06:00

My friend Chris Page, the producer/editor of the documentary film "Into the Wind" is hosting an informal gathering tonight at the Fox and Hound (I-45 South) as I remember. Sorry folks, I won't be there, as I can barely hold my eyes open at 10:00 p.m., much less drive to the opposite side of town. I know, I need to get out more...

For those of you like me, who like to get some shut-eye, tune into the show as follows:

"Into the Wind" will air on PBS Houston Monday April 23, 2007 @ 10:00 pm (Central Time). Mark your calendar and tune in, tell your friends, set your DVR, Heck, buy the DVD :-) http://www.into-the-wind.com

"Into the Wind" is a year long powered paragliding adventure. Shot on location in scenic Colorado, Florida, Texas, and Mexico. "Into the Wind" will put you in the pilot's seat and take you on a journey of discovery where two new pilots learn to fly. This documentary features travel, surreal cinematography from the air, and awesome soundtrack, and even a sense of humor, making "Into the Wind" a must see for all audiences.

Thursday, May 3rd - History Channel

2007-04-15T06:57:00.000-06:00

Another cool TV show, courtesy of my friends at work:

Thursday, May 3rd, 9PM EDT/8 PM CDT
The History Channel, MEGAMOVERS: Ships Moving Ships

Thursday, May 3rd, 9:00 pm EDT/8:00 pm CDT, the History Channel will premiere season two of MEGAMOVERS.

The show features a look at the challenges Military Sealift Command faces while moving a NAVY Avenger-class mine-sweeper aboard the CondockV semi-submersible vessel.

After about 30 minutes, 3 minute footage of a large Gulf of Mexico platform as it is being moved from Korea to Texas will be shown. The ship will look a baby's toy when compared to the platform.

Volunteer! April 21-22 BP MS 150

2007-04-13T04:29:00.000-06:00

Folks, I don't think it's too late to sign up to be a volunteer for the BP MS 150. There are lots of jobs to do, anything from deliverying bicycles to handing out food and water.

If you like a road trip with a purpose, this one's for you. Opportunities abound from the starting point at Tully Stadium located at I-10 and Dairy Ashford in West Houston; and, up along the route through some beautiful heritage German and Czech communities along the route of Industry, Fayetteville and LaGrange. On Day 2, the trip routes up to and ends in Austin.

For more information, follow the link:

http://www.ms150.org/ms150/volunteering/index.cfm

Thanks for volunteering and supporting a great cause!

Busy at work, will post more concerts soon

2007-04-13T04:20:00.000-06:00

I've recently taken on more job assignments at work and have not had time to post the West Houston concerts. There is an upcoming concert next week at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church.

Houston's 2006-2007 church sponsored concerts season generally draws to a close at the end of May, usually coinciding with the local school calendars.

Don't forget to check out artshound.com for local events happening over the summer.

More to follow this weekend...Terre

Cool TV Show - "Into the Wind" - Monday, April 23rd on PBS

2007-03-31T06:41:00.000-06:00

I meet lots of cool people working in the oil industry. One of our Blackberry consultants at work enjoys long powered paragliding. I personally thought this was lite-flite airplanes, but I missed this one by a mile!

Here's what my friend Chris has to say about the show:

"Into the Wind" will air on PBS Houston Monday April 23, 2007 @ 10:00 pm (Central Time). Mark your calendar and tune in, tell your friends, set your DVR, Heck, buy the DVD :-)

http://www.into-the-wind.com

"Into the Wind" is a year long powered paragliding adventure. Shot on location in scenic Colorado, Florida, Texas, and Mexico. "Into the Wind" will put you in the pilot's seat and take you on a journey of discovery where two new pilots learn to fly. This documentary features travel, surreal cinematography from the air, and awesome soundtrack, and even a sense of humor, making "Into the Wind" a must see for all audiences.

I-10 Construction Blues: "The Pit"

2007-03-28T04:58:00.000-06:00

The local news is calling this intersection "the pit". What am I referring to? The horrible intersection at Interstate 10 West and the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8).

The old sky high ramps from the Beltway 8 feeding onto I-10 are coming down to make way for new feeder ramps that will accommodate the new eight lane monolith that will eventually become the new I-10.

I don't know why Texas DOT couldn't have planned all of this out 20 years ago, as it seems a HUGE waste of time and money, not to mention a big headache for Houston commuters. I certainly wish that Houston METRO had put a train, monorail or some form of mass transit down one of our busiest corridors. It certainly might have kept me working downtown.

Fellow commuters, plan carefully...this intersection will be "the pits" for approximately the next eight months, and it does flood when we get heavy rains.

For more info, connect to Houston Transtar: ttp://traffic.houstontranstar.org/construction/construction_report.aspx

Saturday, March 31st - Lenten concert @ Grace Presbyterian

2007-03-28T04:54:00.000-06:00

Grace Presbyterian Church, 10221 Ella Lee Lane , will present Sing Me to Heaven, a Lenten worship concert at 7:30 p.m. March 31.

Sacred Voices, a 15-voice professional choral ensemble will perform works from the Renaissance through the 21st century, including pieces by Durufle, Mendelssohn, Bruckner and Whitacre.

The group's founder and artistic director, Phillip Moody, will conduct.

Admission is free. For more information, call 713-267-5061.

Diane Bish, Sunday, Mar 25th, 7 p.m.

2007-03-20T19:36:00.000-06:00

Renowned organist Diane Bish will be performing live in concert this Sunday night, March 25th @ 7 p.m.

Chapelwood United Methodist Church
11140 Greenbay Street
Houston, TX 77024
phone: 713-365-2807
http://www.chapelwood.org/

Map it! using http://maps.google.com/

One Christ, Many Traditions, Even in our Music

2007-03-18T18:19:00.000-06:00

As an adult, I've spent the last 20 years of my life as one of "God's Frozen Chosen", meaning I'm one of those awful Presbyterians. Hopefully by now you are laughing with me.

I surrounded myself in church-sponsored music series over the weekend, one being Dave Cacere's jazz concert Friday night at Memorial Drive Presbyterian and the other one being at the opposite side of the spectrum, at the Organ Vespers hosted by the Bach Society at Christ the King Lutheran Church tonight.

Dave Cacere's jazz concert was wonderful. I'll try to talk more about the team of musicians that made up his quartet sometime in a future post. The whole band gave their utmost to the music, heart and soul. Being a lifetime musician myself, most recently a choir member and a backup alto to a local country gospel performer, I can tell you there's a huge difference in how one performs...either you put your whole body into your music and give from your soul, OR you can be a spectator at your own performance.

Dave Cacere gave it all, body and soul. Whether it was through his saxophone playing "Helen's Dilemma" an originally composed piece which describes his observation of a relationship between siblings; or, an impromptu vocal featuring the full range of his voice in "Darn That Dream", you felt the sincerity and emotion that goes with being a musician. I hope Dave felt drained after that concert, because that's what it feels like when you've given your all to a performance.

I was sorry to hear that this was Dave's last performance here in Houston, as he moved to New York about a week ago. It will be interesting to see what his future brings, and I'll certainly be looking for him as one of the up and coming jazz musicians currently on the scene.

I'll write more later about the Bach Society concert, and elaborate on the style of the church that goes with the performances. Have a great week! Terre

Hurrah! I've finally found a reliable Houston Fine Arts calendar!

2007-03-18T11:13:00.000-06:00

I'll still continue to post events happening in West Houston and also relating to my favorite passions: Choral and pipe organ music.

Please check out this link I've found at artshound.com. This particular tab is for free events, however there are tabs at the top of the site listing all fine arts events in Houston. Enjoy!

http://www.artshound.com/index.php?app=events&cat=free_events

And I-10 closes again this weekend

2007-03-16T05:05:00.000-06:00

Please see last weekend's post for more information. Once again, I will post the link for local traffic info: http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/construction/construction_report.aspx

Organ Vespers: Sunday,Mar 18th,5 pm

2007-03-12T23:14:00.000-06:00

The Bach Society presents Organ Vespers on Sunday, March 18 at 5:00 p.m., featuring Christoph Keggenhoff, Domkantor of the historic cathedral in Speyer Germany.

In observance of the 300th anniversary of Dieterich Buxtehude's death (1637-1707) he will play an all-Buxtehude program.

Christoph Keggenhoff founded and directs the Schola Cantorum Saliensis, a vocal ensemble that specializes in performing medieval music, especially Gregorian Chant and related repertoire. He teaches at the institute for Church Music in Speyer. He is an official organ consultant for the diocese of Speyer, and an elected member of the advisory board for the Organization of German Organ Consultants.

He has recorded five CD's of organ music and Gregorian Chant on the Organum Classics label. On the Sunday following his visit to Houston he will play a concert in the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.
Christ the King Lutheran Church is located at the corner of Rice Boulevard and Greenbriar.

There is no admission charge; a free-will offering will be received to support the series.

The Bach Society's 2006-2007 season is funded in part by a grant from the City of Houston through the Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County.

For more information:
Bach Society
Christ the King Lutheran Church
2353 Rice Blvd.
Houston, TX 77005
Telephone: (713)523-2864
E-mail: info@BachSocietyHouston.org

Jazz - Friday Night 3/16, 7:30 pm

2007-03-12T23:01:00.000-06:00

Dave Caceres in Concert
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

The concert series continues in March with a program by MDPC favorite Dave Caceres.

Dave has been a frequent guest to the 9:45 service as a saxophonist, and he brings his jazz quartet of prominent recording artists to the Sanctuary for an evening of jazz, R & B, and Gospel music. Not only is Dave a talented instrumentalist, but also he has a great voice, and he will be singing classics by Ira and George Gershwin, Billie Holliday, and Sting. The quartet will play music from the movie Moulin Rouge, as well as original compositions by Caceres. The concert is Friday night, March 16 at 7:30. Please invite your friends.

No Childcare will be available for this event. For more information, please contact the music office at 713 490 0946.

Simply Scottish, music by David Hutton

2007-03-09T01:00:00.000-06:00

My friend and coworker, David Hutton, gave me a CD of his entitled Simply Scottish. He has a lovely tenor voice, and I hope to learn how to upload some of his music onto my blog.

A personal note from David:
"I don't do much 'gig' work but sing at the Celtic Chorus (Oddfellows Hall, Heights) on a Tuesday and at Kelvin Armes Scottish Pub every 2nd Thursday - if anyone wants to listen to me they can contact me at davehutton47@yahoo.com ".

Boss' Baby Picture from Liverpool, UK

2007-03-09T00:49:00.000-06:00

I thought I would share a picture of my boss, name withheld by request. He was born in Liverpool, UK in the 1960's. In the background, there is a mill from the local town. In the foreground, you see my boss (he comments he has about the same amount of hair now as he did then) in what we would consider today to be an antique buggy. Interesting to think of how times have changed, hmmm?

Spring Forward this weekend!

2007-03-09T00:45:00.000-06:00

Just a reminder to spring forward at 2 AM on Sunday, March 11th.

During Daylight Savings Time, clocks are turned forward an hour, effectively moving an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening.
Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 AM on Sunday, November 4th.

I-10 closures this weekend - right click your mouse to open in a new window

2007-03-09T00:20:00.000-06:00

For more information on road closures, and how to get around the construction in our area, please go to: http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/construction/construction_report.aspx

Spring gardening in the air

2007-03-04T09:17:00.000-06:00

Finally! Sunny weather (possibly for a whole week?) has arrived to Houston. What does that mean to this West Houston woman? A trip to the local nurseries for some of my favorite herbs, plants and flowers.

Cornelius on Dairy Ashford was bursting with people yesterday. I'm sure today will be the same.

I discovered four different types of mint varieties, including: mint (strong), peppermint (sweet), spearmint, and chocolate mint. All smell luscious, yet my favorite was the regular mint and proved particularly handy for my oncoming migraine. I broke a leaf in half and ran it across the pulse points of my temple, nose and sinuses. Instant relief!

I also picked up another favorite: Greek Oregano, which adds a light peppery flavor to any dish. Two years ago during the Hurricane Rita evacuation, I lost all my oregano plants, including an especially hardy Cuban Oregano which added savory flavor to soups and stews. Believe it or not, for a hurricane, that one proved to be particularly dry, and I lost all my plants that hot, dry summer.

Here's to lovely spring weather. Get outside and enjoy!

I-10/Energy Corridor Construction Blues

2007-02-28T19:05:00.000-06:00

What a construction boom we are having here in the Energy Corridor. I enjoyed the rare opportunity of driving around the neighborhood today and noticed construction cranes on Dairy Ashford @ Eldridge near the Omni West Houston and Conoco-Phillips. This appears to be a new office space available for lease. My guess...it will fill up long before construction ends!

Conoco-Phillips also recently completed a multi-level parking garage, in addition to having a surface lot for their employees adjacent to the Conoco gas station.

In the WestLake Park area south of I-10, BP has started construction on a new parking garage after recently having constructed a new surface lot for their employees. Also, more retail areas are planned west of the BP complex. And supposedly in the works, BP plans on replacing their current daycare center with another BP building. Not to worry parents...a new daycare is on the way.

And certainly not to be forgotten...the Interstate 10 (I-10) construction project. Currently core areas of construction span from the Energy Corridor (I-10 @ Highway 6) all the way to the 610 Loop.

Drive carefully in the area. I'll try to add traffic links as I have time.

Enjoy the boom (while it lasts...said sarcastically by a long-time O&G veteran.) Cheers! Terre

Lodging Challenges during Rodeo

2007-02-27T06:22:00.000-06:00

The only downside of the rodeo is the lack of lodging available in the greater Houston area during this time. If looking to stay in Houston, I suggest searching for motels in Katy, Texas. Most of our major hotels remain solidly booked.

If you are intent on staying at a particular hotel, I suggest calling the hotel directly and trying to negotiate the best rate available. Sometimes hotels keep a block of rooms available for their corporate clients, so if all else fails, ask for the sales representative in charge of group room bookings and see if this person can spare a room.

Good luck and happy Rodeo!

It's Rodeo Time in Houston!

2007-02-27T06:10:00.000-06:00

Being a native Houstonian, I forget about one of our largest yearly events...The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, which generally spans from the last week of February through the second week of March. If you're interested in finding out more, please click the link listed below.

http://www.hlsr.com/

Recruiting Weather

2007-02-26T05:59:00.000-06:00

What a lovely weekend in Houston! Sunny weather in the mid-60's, a nice mix of cool, dry air. It was what we in the oil and gas industry call "recruiting weather", that time of year when we bring college recruits in and make them believe that Houston is this beautiful all year around.

Sick Kids? Going Bonkers? How About a Sun Bath?

2007-02-22T17:21:00.000-06:00

It's time to admit it - I'm a single working mom. Hopefully, you have no preconceived notions of what that means, yet I can tell you it's a lot of hard work.

I'm lucky now because Mr. J, my almost-15 year old brainy child, is older and growing out of his childhood illnesses. In those earlier years, let me tell you how crazy I would get by day five after being stuck indoors with a sick kid, running laundry constantly and not being able to remember when my last bath was. Cabin fever doesn't even come close to describing that nutso feeling a mother gets from lack of sleep and lack of real adult human conversation.

Bless my mother for this jewel...take your child out for a drive in the car for a Vitamin D break, courtesy of the sun. In Houston, we occasionally enjoy a bright sunny winter day in January or February. As Mr. J would start towards the upside of an illness, I would take him for a drive to some of the local parks listed on the side of the page.

What a fun way to get out of the house...drive by the small wildlife zoo at Bear Creek Park, or park your car at Dick Scobee Model Airplane Park and watch the action fly by. How about watching the dogs at Millie Bush Bark Park. If it's a warm day and your child is running a low-grade fever, both of you get out of the car and sit on the park bench and regain your sanity. A 10-minute outdoor break will do you both wonders!

That's a wrap for West Houston today...Happy Parenting! Terre

Bach - Free Concert, Sunday, Feb. 25th

2007-02-22T17:01:00.000-06:00

The Bach Society presents a Chamber Music Concert on Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.* in the parish hall of Christ the King Lutheran Church. *Please note the later starting time.

The Buxtehude Trio (Amsterdam) includes two ex-Houstonians known from last year's chamber music series: Mimi Mitchell, violin, and Christina Edelen, harpsichord are joined by Cassandra Luckhardt, viola da gamba. Their program includes works by Buxtehude, Krieger, Erlbach, Becker, Spiegler, and Richter.
Christ the King Lutheran Church is located at the corner of Rice Boulevard and Greenbriar. There is no admission charge; a free-will offering will be received to support the series.

For more information visit our website at http://www.bachsocietyhouston.org/ or call (713) 523-2864.

The Bach Society is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance.

Talk to your Teen @ Dimassi's

2007-02-19T19:08:00.000-06:00

My stepmom had graciously given me a couple of $20 gift certificates to Dimassi's Mediterranean Buffet for Christmas. I used the last of the two gift certificates this past Saturday, and enjoyed treating myself and my two almost 15 year old sons (one mine, one my son's best friend) to lunch out.

Located on I-10 southside feeder road between Kirkwood and Wilcrest, you pay for your buffet meal at the front door in the amount of $8.00 per person. From there, you are allowed full access to two huge buffet tables of food ranging from greek salad, tabouleh, stuffed grape leaves and my favorite hummus, to the hot buffet items on the second buffet which include items such as mustard chicken, creamed spinach, lentils with rice and shredded beef. Mind you, I'm somewhat of a picky eater, so if it looks too "out there", I'm not likely to eat it.

Not to be forgotten was the attendant at the brick oven who was baking or reheating pita breads. And, if you haven't fully indulged yourself by the time you've eaten one plateful of food, try out some of the lucious sweet treats like yogurt bread and baklava. Grab a cup of coffee and to me it's a perfect day.

The best thing I like about taking my "sons" to this restaurant is the conversation that ensues. Arabic videos are playing in the background, sometimes with a theme that seems to be mimicking President Bush. If ever you wanted to draw your teenager out of himself, take them to Dimassi's. The environment is very family friendly and if you enjoy lively conversation, you're likely to enjoy one here.

http://www.b4-u-eat.com/houston/restaurants/reviews/rsv0993.asp

Did anyone attend the concerts?

2007-02-19T18:56:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday, everyone! Unfortunately, I was unable to attend either of the concerts I mentioned for Sunday, February 18th.

I'll try to post more later, yet I do know about a couple of upcoming concerts, including:

The Bach Society will be hosting Chamber Music this Sunday, Feb. 25th at 7:30 p.m. I promise to fill in the details later this week.
Diane Bish, Organist, will be performing at Chapelwood United Methodist Church on Sunday, March 25th. If you don't know who Diane Bish is, she's the lady who frequently appears on one of the religious channels and hosts concerts from the great cathedrals and pipe organs of the world.

More West Houston postings later this week. Have a good one! Terre

Free: Houston Children's Chorus, Feb.18th

2007-02-17T10:17:00.000-06:00

Houston Children's Chorus: Chapelwood-Evans Arts Series The Houston Children's Chorus, under the direction of Steve Roddy, will grace us with a lovely performance at 5pm.

Date: Sunday, 2/18/2007
Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Chapelwood United Methodist Church Sanctuary
Address: 11140 Greenbay, Houston, TX 77024

Map it! using www.maps.google.com

Bach - Free Concert, Sunday Feb. 18th

2007-02-16T06:06:00.000-06:00

The Bach Society presents the Calmus Ensemble of Leipzig in a special Abendmusik on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. The vocal quintet will perform a program of works spanning five centuries, including Bach's motet Jesu, mein Freude, as well as works by Josquin, di Lasso, Elgar, Mendelssohn, Taverner, and other composers.

The Calmus Ensemble, founded in 1999 by former members of the St. Thomas Boys’ Choir and later supplemented by soprano Anja Lipfert, is without question one of the most exciting German vocal ensembles. The jury of the “4th International Robert Schumann Choral Competition 2002”, the a cappella competition “Jugend kulturell 2004”, the “International Contest for Vocal Ensembles 2005” in Tampere (Finland) and the “37th Choral Contest 2005” in Tolosa (Spain) agreed: in all of these highly esteemed competitions Calmus took first place – with great accolades from the audiences as well. The stylistic breadth of the ensemble knows no bounds and extends from medieval sacred music to the era of Romanticism, to lively pop songs and the evergreens of the Comedian Harmonists.

The concert will be held at Christ the King Lutheran Church, located at the corner of Rice Boulevard and Greenbriar. There is no admission charge; a free-will offering will be received to support the series.

For more information visit our website at http://www.bachsocietyhouston.org/ or call (713) 523-2864

...concert by Kathryn Sparks

2007-02-12T05:47:00.000-06:00

As mentioned in my previous post, I attended a classical music pipe organ recital by the Music Director of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, Ms. Kathryn Sparks. And to my observant eye and ear, another organist and one of my former chorale directors, Ms. Emily Borling must have been playing the second organ in the upper balcony.

Folks, this is not your typical organ music that you remember from your small church days. Kathryn's music venue proved to be well-thought out, choreographed and inspirational. By the passionate way in which she played, you could tell that she is one of those people (such as myself) who hears God through her music.

She used the full range of the 2002 Schantz Chancel Organ (in front of the pulpit) and the 1972 Casvant Gallery Organ (located in the upper balcony), which included sounds such as flutes, reeds, and small tinkling bells, in addition to more classic pipe organ sounds such as trumpets, stately brass, and the mellow lower pitched tubas.

I thoroughly enjoyed the entire concert. Favorite pieces included "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" by J.S. Bach and "Fanfare for the Common Man" by Aaron Copland, that somehow ties in my memory to one of the films I've seen out at Space Center Houston. In addition, Kathryn put together an artistic piece using happier moments from "The Lord of the Rings" by Howard Shore combined with beautiful images from the film trilogy.

Perhaps the most joyful part of the concert occurred when Kathryn and yes (noticeably to the trained ear, a second organist friend), played some of the lighter flute and reed tunes from Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite, Opus 71a". The delight of playing the pieces showed in the light finger work as Kathryn gleefully played "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy", and the creativity of the two organists combined in "Marche Characteristique".

The overall concert experience was delightful. The presentation of the keyboard and the footwork shown on two separate video panels made this concert an event to remember.

I am not worthy, I am not worthy

2007-02-11T19:24:00.000-06:00

Look what I did tonight! I indulged in one of my favorite passions, listening to classical music on a pipe organ. More info to follow, I promise!

http://www.mdpc.org/cgi-bin/NewsList.cgi?section=&rec=2045

Top 10 (Culturally Diverse) West Houston restaurants:

2007-02-11T11:41:00.000-06:00

Café Red Onion, Eldridge Enclave Parkway, 1111 Eldridge Parkway, Houston, TX 77077, Phone: (281) 293-7500, Website http://www.caferedonion.com/– Tex Mex with a South American twist. Enjoy the tostado chips and red and green salsas, made with tropical fruits such as pineapple and mango. Try a couple of their classics: Seafood Enchildas or their signature eggplant dish. Lovely margaritas and my personal favorite - rum vanilla coke.

Le Mistral, 1420 Eldridge Road, Houston, TX 77077, Phone: 832.379.8322, Website http://www.lemistralhouston.com/ – Wonderful French food - no time or on a budget? Try the mushroom soup with some of their wonderful french bread or perhaps the lively spring mix salad with raspberry dressing. Enjoy a glass of wine if you have a bit more time.

Carmelo's, 14795 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079, Phone: 281.531.0696, Website: www.carmelosrestaurant.com Contact: carmeloshouston@carmelosrestaurant.com - Lovely northern italian cuisine.

Hungry's Café & Bistro, 14075 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079, Phone: 281.493.1520, Hours: Daily 11:00am - 10:00pm, Website: http://www.hungryscafe.com/– Heart-healthy continental, with a touch of Mediterranean flare.

Ninfa’s, 14737 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079, Phone: 281.497.5100 - Authentic Houston Tex Mex from the classic recipes of the one and only Mama Ninfa.

La Hacienda, 14759 Memorial Dr., Houston, TX, Phone: (281) 493-2252, Website: www.lahaciendamexrestaurant.com – true Tex Mex, any style you want it. Delicious and classic enchildas.

Dimassi’s, 11335 Katy FwyHouston, TX 77079-2000, Phone: 713.465.8222, restaurant review website: http://www.b4-u-eat.com/houston/restaurants/reviews/rsv0993.asp - Mediterranean buffet. Also see my post dated 2/19/2007.

Carrabba's, 11339 Katy FreewayHouston, TX 77079, Phone: 713.464.6595, Website: http://www.carrabbas.com/ – Northern italian, with a Texas flare. Split with a friend or grab a takeout carton and enjoy the next day.

Roadster's Ice House, 14160 Grisby, Houston TX 77079, Phone:
281.293.0941, restaurant review website: http://www.b4-u-eat.com/houston/restaurants/reviews/rsv4342.asp – The best darned hamburger and fries I’ve ever eaten! Check out the homemade ketchup and fixins for the homemade fries...

Liebman's Wine & Fine Foods, 14529 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079, Phone: 281.493.3663, Fax: 281.493.3354 Website: http://www.leibmans.com/ – Pick your favorite sinful eating habit and browse around – wine, coffee, chocolates, deli meats and cheeses, gourmet cooking. They also have gift certificates and baskets for your corporate or personal needs.

Why I enjoy living in West Houston

2007-02-11T11:36:00.000-06:00

Along with all of this commerce comes a diversity of cultures fed by the boom of higher priced energy. Our local economy benefits greatly, since a percentage of these monies winds up back in the community. The industry helps sponsor local activities such as leadership in Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS), assisting food pantries and hurricane relief efforts, and benefiting medical charities such as multiple sclerosis.

We have a high interest in educating our children and our community, and put great effort into supporting our local schools and also in building our local park systems.

What would you like to know about West Houston?

Introduction

2007-02-11T11:32:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my blog! My name is Terre Parker, host of a blog about life in (West) Houston, Texas. I will start out by telling you about the area I live in, and hope to eventually introduce you to the remainder of the city and the culture as well.

I live in the Houston West Energy Corridor, which is currently booming with new buildings, construction on Interstate 10, hotels, restaurants and commerce in general. I have lived in the area for over 20 years and have watched my neighborhood bloom with different cultures, foods, people, parks and places. What once felt like a small town, has now grown into a more regionally recognized area, especially in the oil and gas industry.

We have most of the major corporate oil, gas and chemical companies nearby, including: BP, ExxonMobil Chemical, Citgo, Conoco-Phillips, Shell, and associated engineering, drilling, marine, seismic, and geophysical companies.