Sitting back with a glass of Rex Goliath Pinot Noir, and wondering just how I could have misjudged those Wipers so badly. Before I go into the short story on the back label of the Rex, I must confess that previous to this, I thought the Hybrid/Wipers were simple bruits who just powered their way through an even match – they won a few, lost a bunch.

Today, a new respect was handed down to me by actually seeing them – running for the sticks and stones in the creek, wrap around them, and pull away – popping loose with an irritating new lip piercing that looks a lot like my synthetic Clousers. OK, so they won a few today. I cut my leader down to about 3 feet (a 15 pound bass leader!), and tied on a patriotic Deceiver, all I had left in the color family, and began wrestling them away from the sticks and stones and ashore with much greater success. I guess the Fish Gods thought I could use some help in outsmarting a fish. Time to tie some more of those 600SP’s in a Clouser wardrobe, and hope for another shot at these nesting giants.

The Rex Goliath Story, according to and quoting from the label, “…HRM (His Royal Majesty) Rex Goliath was the treasured attraction of a Texas Circus. People came from far and wide to behold the 47 lb. bird, billed as the World’s Largest Rooster”. It’s not a Texas wine, instead a product of France and bottled in California in Woodbridge.
I am a little biased toward the Pinots in general, and this one is no slouch. It doesn’t rock your world either, but has an even nose and palate, and more psychologically affordable than a gallon of diesel.

Speaking of food and spirits, I had a wonderful assignment today photographing a lecture by a husband wife duo of writer travelers – Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison, authors of “Around The World in 80 Dinners” and “Texas Home Cooking”, and will go into greater detail tomorrow. Go straight cokingwiththejamisons.com to see the Jamison’s site and long list of cookbooks they have authored.

Current events seem to be preempting gear reviews, so as soon as I can figure out how to accurately depict how the Korkers Boots actually work, I will podcast it for mass consumption. It is a technically complex boot, and I have yet to see any online video that accurately depicts how they work. There’s also a ton of Wiper video in the can waiting for a marathon editing session. All in good time.

The lineup for”Austin City Limits just hit my inbox, and if you can handle crowds, it’s becoming one of the preeminent shows in the music business – bar none. This may be the year for us to finally make that scene.

Sometimes you have to know when to say when. It’s like when they just aren’t biting, and your Mom’s calling you in, but just one more cast … I know it is only April, but I will have a difficult time finding anything to beat Ryan Bingham’s new album “Mescalito” on my annual top ten list for 2008. I have never come out this early for a number one on the list, and will probably live to regret it in the next eight months, but go get “MESCALITO” (after you finish reading this).

This guy is mature beyond his years and sounds it, from the opening chords of “South Side of Heaven”, with its lap steel, harmonica and gravel gargled vocals, to the banjo and infectious slide work on “Bread and Water” … “From the Sangre de Christo to the Devil’s Backbone” — say no more, I am all in on this one. We are talking knee slapping good, moody, rocking, down and dirty a’la DBT’s —- the whole enchilada. Sure there are some “appropriated” chords and sounds like the opening of “Take it Easy Mama”, but when it has all been done anyway – who cares? This is it – get it, learn it, live it – LOVE IT.

Gone fishing.