This is my favorite picture of my parents. Dad died four years ago in October at the age of 80; Mom passed last November, about 3 weeks before she would have turned 83. I'm not sure how old they are in this picture, but I think late 20s or so.

Lake Jackson, TX

The Starplex Cinema is the main movie theater in Lake Jackson featuring an amazing 10 screens. It is conveniently located near Lowe's, Home Depot, the Wal-Mart Supercenter, Chili's and Johnny Carino's so that movie goers who come to town can shop or dine out before or after enjoying the picture show.

Lake Jackson, TX

There was a pretty sunset last night. I took this while driving to the grocery store. Scooter, my wife and assistant, wishes I wouldn't do that -- take pictures while driving -- and I usually don't because it's stupidly dangerous, but she wasn't with me on the trip to the grocery store and I couldn't resist. The photo, of course, would have been better had I not been driving about 40 mph (a good 10 mph under the speed limit on FM 2004, officer.)

West Columbia, TX

This is a familiar sight in a lot of small Texas towns -- the abandoned movie theater. The Capitol Theater here in West Columbia is for sale, and has been for years.

Hunstville, TX

Standing tall on the east side of Interstate 45, a statue of Sam Houston, created by sculptor David Adickes, is a landmark in Huntsville, where he spent his final years. They say Sam Houston was a hell of a man.  

Sam Houston's portrait in the visitor's center.  

There's lot of stuff to buy in the gift shop behind the Sam Houston statue. 

Lake Jackson, TX

Along Oyster Creek Drive, yellow ribbons remain tied around the oak trees. The city tried to take them down more than a year ago, but people protested and the ribbons remain. 

A billboard at Old Angleton Road and Oyster Creek Drive.  

The fountain outside the LJ Civic Center spurts water, which delights young and old alike, but especially the young.  

The family of slain Tejano singer Selena reportedly operated a restaurant in this building when she was a young girl. It's now a day care.  

The LJ Museum contains lots of information about the Dow Chemical Co. 

Mural on the side of the Lake Theater, which features live music acts. 

You're supposed to get official approval before visiting the mysterious graveyard beyond the sign. There are no names on the graves. Ooooh, scary.  

The mysterious graveyard by Brazos Mall. 

Oyster Creek.  

Shy Pond. 

Circle Way in downtown LJ. 

Sign of the times on FM 2004. 

Road Trip: N.C., S.C.

A lake near Durham, N.C. 

View from the drawing room of The Sanctuary hotel, Kiawah Island, S.C. 

A bus stop near Beaufort, S.C. 

Battery Park, Charleston, S.C. 

A quotable saying above the doorway of the Holly Springs Inn, Pinehurst, N.C. 

A grease lid in an alley near the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. 

Outdoor dining in Charleston, S.C. 

The Wentworth Mansion, a hotel in Charleston, S.C. 

Battery Park, Charleston, S.C. 

The golf course at Cacique on Kiawah Island, S.C. 

King Street, Charleston, S.C. 

Staircase, The Sanctuary hotel, Kiawah Island, S.C. 

Wall mural, The Sanctuary hotel, Kiawah Island, S.C. 

Low Country scene, Beaufort, S.C. 

Upstairs porch, Beaufort, S.C. (hometown of Smokin' Joe Frazier.) 

1850 home in Beaufort, S.C., formerly used as a Union officers hospital in the War of Northern Aggression. 

City park near the bridge in Beaufort, S.C. 

Charleston, S.C. 

Pedro's South of the Border, South Carolina. 

The James Taylor Bridge, Chapel Hill, N.C. 

Crossing the Mississippi River, Louisiana. 

Church-side graveyard, Charleston, S.C. 

Across the street from Battery Park, Charleston, S.C. 

Carriage ride, Charleston, S.C. 

Near Battery Park, Charleston, S.C. 

Charleston, S.C. 

The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, S.C.  

Found above a mantle in Pinehurst, N.C. 

Charleston, S.C., sunset 

Kiawah Island, S.C. 

Huntsville, TX

Enjoy our photo tour of the Texas Prison Museum. More information available at Txprisonmuseum.org. 

Inmates and their tattooes.  

Supposedly, an inmate made this propeller hoping to fly to freedom. The pistol above it is a fake gun carved out of wood. The shovel below was used to dig an escape tunnel that never got finished.  

Phony guns carved out of wood, used in an escape attempt 40 years ago. 

A grappling hook made by an inmate who had rapelling on his mind. 

Shivs and other weapons made surreptitously by inmates. 

Examples of furniture made by prison inmates. 

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, better known as "Bonnie & Clyde," were killed after Clyde helped some inmates escape from the Texas prison. That's what prompted the Texas prison superintendent to hire Frank Hammer, who tracked the notorious duo to Louisiana, where they were ambushed. This pistol was taken from the pair's car and given to prison superintendent Lee Simmons. 

David Crosby landed in prison on weapons and drug charges. He worked in mattress factory and helped out with the Wynne Unit Rodeo Band during his 5 month prison run, which he has said helped him kick cocaine and heroin. Crosby was, however, arrested in New York a few years ago after he left a suitcase behind in a hotel room that contained marijuana and a handgun. The charges were dropped.  

Bob Hayes was No. 22 on the Dallas Cowboys, but he had a much longer number in prison, where he did time for cocaine. He was once known as the world's fastest human being and caught a lot of long TD passes for the 'Pokes. 

Juanita Phillips, better known as "Candy Barr," did time for drugs. She was an associate of Jack Ruby, who ran a strip joint in Dallas called The Carousel before he killed Lee Harvey Oswald, who killed President Kennedy.  

The most famous blues musician to come out of Texas, Huddie Ledbetter literally sang his way out of prison, where he was doing 37 years for murder. Better known as "Leadbelly," he sang a song for Gov. Pat Neff in 1925 wherein he asked for a pardon. The guv complied.  

John Wesley Hardin killed between 42 and 51 people before going to prison. He got religion behind bars and joined the prison debate team, and later became a lawyer following parole. But then he backslid after being in the free world for awhile and eventually was shot in the back of the head. Bob Dylan recorded a great album called "John Wesley Hardin."  

Annie Laurie Williams killed her two sons and chopped them up back in the '50s. She was paroled but then broke parole by taking off. Recaptured in Idaho in the late '90s, she did some more time in Texas and is now free. I interviewed her in prison during her last stint. She's gray-headed and in her 70s now and pretty much blind. She insists she was innocent but I don't believe her. Before she was sent off to prison for the murders, she was baptized in a horse trough in the Harris County Jail. The baptism was arranged by the father of my wife Scooter, who was a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. He also acted as a witness to the baptism. Scooter's dad is now deceased. Too bad. We could have swapped Annie Laurie Williams stories.  

Chief Satanta did time in the system, before he was hung for the Salt Creek Massacre. 

Some pretty big stars appeared at the prison rodeo. From Chuck "The Rifleman" Connors to George Jones & Tammy Wynette to Minnie Pearl. Howdeee! 

The rodeo cowboy in stripes is a mannequin.  

A prison saw mill blade has been painted with scenes from the old Texas prison rodeo. 

East Columbia, TX

Queen Ann, Greek Revival and other architectural styles are seen in the East Columbia Historic District, located off Texas Highway 35 between Angleton and West Columbia. The homes are privately owned, but in nearby West Columbia is the Varner-Hogg Plantation, a state park that is open for tours and well worth the price of admission. 

This handsome home apparently isn't of historic significance, as there was no plaque attached to it that I saw, but it sho' 'nuff is a fine lookin' dwelling.  

The long-gone presence of the Dance Gun Shop is commemorated.  

The homes in the historic district are on the west bank of the Brazos River. 

The Aldridge-Smith Home has been for sale at least 10 years. I'm not sure when the gutter collapsed, but it's not a selling point for anybody looking to buy.  

The medallion tells the Aldridge-Smith Home story. 

The Sweeny-Waddy Log Cabin. The cat on the right side of the porch is real.  

This Texas Historical Commission medallion explains the log cabin originally was located about 9 miles away on a large plantation. Built around 1855, it housed the slave family owned by John Sweeny, that included Mark and Larkin Waddy. The Waddys continued to live in the log cabin after they were freed at the end of the Civil War. 

A side view, without the cat, which ran off. 

The Tyler-Bryan-Weems House. The original portion of the home was built around 1871. 

The M.L. Weems home was built in 1847. It's an example of Greek Revival architecture.  

This home has no known historic significance, however, the golf car in the carport says "Rat Patrol" on the front.