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National Polka Festival in Ennis Texas 2010

29 May

We have very few traditions in our house. We usually try to have special days throughout the year, but not necessarily on the day everyone else decides it should be done. One tradition we have maintained for the last five years is going to the annual National Polka Festival (their website needs a serious update) in Ennis Texas. This year through all kinds of different circumstances we were not able to make it, but today, for the last five years, we have been in Ennis enjoying some of Deborah’s Czech heritage with all the other Czech, German, and Texan people from around the country.

Each year Deborah has hand made an authentic Czech costume, and I usually get a vest and or shirt to go along with her costume. This past year her costume was red, white, and black. In order to enter into the Czech dance contest you must be in full costume, so Deborah has made a point to hand make hers each year.

Since we were not able to be there this year I thought I would post a few photos from last year. We are already making plans to be at the festival next year, but at least this year I saved about 10,000 calories from all the great Czech and German food that always accompanies the festival. I am sure everyone will have a wonderful time this year, we will be enjoying our Memorial Day weekend at home, watching all these thunderstorms rolling through.

National Polka Festival in Ennis Texas 2009

9 Jun

This is a guest post by Deborah, she explains the Polka Festival far better than I do. Scott

Things around here have been so crazy that I have been unable to post this years collection of images from the Polka Festival. Now that the mid-terms are over and the grandson has returned home I can finally turn my attention to more entertaining subjects. Ebby enjoyed the trip to Dallas.

The trip back was another story. There were three of us, Me, Scott, and our three year old grandson William in the front cab of our little truck for the 14 hour trip back home. Ebby lived in my lap the entire ride back. All is well though. We made it home without incident, unless you count the first hour in the truck when William turned to me and basically lost all his orange juice he had taken in before we left. It was a mess, but we survived.

This year my dad and I competed in the King and Queen Dance again. There were 21 couples competing this year and we didn’t even make it past the first cut. We had fun though and the couple who won were far superior dancers and will represent the festival well in the year to come.

Here is the video of our 2009, meager attempt at stardom…

On Saturday, we went to the parade as usual, but the parade was a huge disappointment this year. Not only did it start about an hour late because of an inadvertently parked train across the intersection, but there were bands included in the floats that had absolutely NOTHING with Czech heritage, except perhaps that the members were residents of the greater Ennis area. These bands were beyond metal in flavor and there was not a polka to be found. Sad, really. If Ennis wants to do something to promote the Polka Festival in the future they might want to try updating the website and begin thinking “nationally” again. They are, after all, the National Polka Festival. Ok, rant is over… The best part of the parade for me was seeing Ebby all decked out in her costume. She is truly a Czech/Mex dog! Ha Ha

We will not be attending this festival next year (or probably for a few years to come), mainly because we want to go visit some other festivals in other parts of the country. Now that I have my supply of costumes, we can dance in style throughout Wisconsin, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Ohio, to name a few. Stay tuned here for updates on our adventures to a polka festival near you.

James Bond Quantum Solace, Dinner, Whirlpool :: Friday Feet

21 Nov

This Friday night Deb and I decided to take off from working and go see the new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace and have dinner at Friday’s (not because it was Friday), and do our friday feet photo post (this one may be TMI, but it’s my blog). I actually saw two other friday feet posts (here if your on Facebook and follow Kevin, and here if you read Stephen DeVries blog) by fellow bloggers this week and although it was a total coincidence, let’s just say for ego sake it was for this series.

The new James Bond movie was good, although a few observations. The last movie Deb and I saw in the theater was Casino Royale in 2006 (yes the last James Bond movie), and these last two have been different but really good. There were few gadgets and the cars were some futuristic hydrogen cell Ford? The cost of a movie is still ridiculous. We went to the 4:20 show, ticket were $14, a small coke (I think 8oz) and a small popcorn was $10, and after talking to a friend in China, apparently everyone over there can watch the same movie for $1.00. Oh well, all part of the fun I guess, and I love the James Bond series, so today it was Quantum Solace.

I used Deb’s feet in the photo again (for those of you new to my blog, yes, we are married for some 15+ years now), pretty much a dead giveaway who’s who, but, Deb put the duck on the left in the photo just for you b/, yes, that is actually a Hook’em Horns rubber duck. You can’t see it for my big toe but it says Texas across the front. She’s pretty proud of that duck (although it’s fun to fill him up with water and sink him).

The Matthew Butler Memorial Fund and Zion Gate Records

5 Sep

This is an update to a previous post about the tragic murder of Matthew Butler and Stephen Swan in Garland Texas back in June of this year. If you are unfamiliar with the story please see my previous post Matthew Butler Killed at Zion Gate in Garland Texas about Matthew’s life and his wonderful testimony. Back in June I came across this story while watching the news and was touched by what happened because, according to the news story and Matthew’s wife Jamie, Matthew was a strong Christian Believer, a musician, and a business owner of Zion Gates Records. Those thing struck a nerve with me as I am all but a musician, but a big lover of music in general.

The post on my blog grew legs and soon many of Matthew’s friends and family, including Jamie and his mom Theresa had commented on the post. This morning I received an email from Matthew’s mom, Theresa that I wanted to share with you about his memorial fund for his children. Normally (I would guess) once a story hits national news you can a huge nation wide outpouring of support for the family, especially when the widow has small children as the Butler’s do, but the news story was so short lived that it never really had a chance to build any steam on a large national scale, so the Butler family held a charity golf tournament, are having a large rummage sale, and have setup a memorial fund at the bank in Texas.

All I wanted to do by this blog post is bring a little attention to their situation and possibly reach someone who might be able and willing to help their family in some way. Below is the email from Theresa about the Matthew Butler Memorial Fund, I know his wife and kids appreciate any and all help they have and will receive.

The Matthew Butler Memorial Fund

The community support for Jamie and the kids has been amazing. Matthew is gone from this earth but safe in his heavenly father’s loving arms. Now, we must help raise up these babies, take care of Jamie and help her to continue the dream that Matthew had when he opened the doors to Zion Gate Records almost three years ago. Many of you have said, “We will not let this dream that Matthew had turn into a nightmare. We will not give the enemy that satisfaction!”

The golf tournament raised over $20k for the children. Friends, family and even total strangers have also donated their money and time to help Jamie get the studio up and running. A very sweet young lady from Matthew’s high school, Tammie, got together with some of her friends to have a garage sale to benefit Jamie and the kids. Over the past few weeks, as people heard about it and wanted to donate their items, it’s grown into this huge RUMMAGE SALE which will be held at the Albertson’s parking lot on Lavon Highway in Garland (near 190). If you would like to help, please bring your items to the sale on Saturday morning, September 20th before 7:00am. Here is the link with map: http://www.yellowbot.com/albertsons-food-pharmacy-garland-tx-2.html

There is also a memorial fund at Washington Mutual Bank – Matthew Butler Memorial Fund. Donations may be made at any location.

Thanks to everyone for their prayers, love and support. In His Grip, Theresa Butler

Matthew Butler Killed at Zion Gate in Garland Texas

20 Jun

Matthew Butler, 28, owner of Zion Gate Recording studio along with Stephen Swan, 26, the studio sound engineer, were found shot to death outside Matthew’s studio in Garland Texas (outside of Dallas).

He was a Christian musician and owned his own recording studio and was apparently gunned down as they left after working late on Wednesday (see Dallas Morning News Article). The reason I am sharing this is that his wife, Jamie Butler, 22, only a day after the death of her husband, gave an almost uninterrupted testimony of and for her husband, live on Fox News on the Greta Van Susteren show (blog), On the Record (see entire transcript here | see video here).

I was really incredible to see and hear a live, nationally strong news corporation like Fox allow Jamie to speak, uninterrupted for the time she did. She was strong and determined, a strength that could only be given to her by God Himself. I say this after seeing someone who lost a loved one first hand. Seeing how they reacted at the time of the tragedy was horrible. For those in a different place in their life, who did or do not know the love of God that Jamie knows (see The Cry of a Lost Soul is Hard to Watch), it is a much different ending.

Butler: And so for these men out there that have done this, I would want them to know that my husband — we’re glad and ecstatic that they found them, but we want these men to know Christ and to know that no matter what, God died on the cross for them and that he will forgive them. And my husband, I know, is waiting at the gates of heaven, wanting to meet these men and saying, I forgive you, as well.

Greta let Jamie speak for almost 5 minutes (it seemed like) without saying a word. She went through his life, and his testimony for Christ, and their willingness to forgive the people who had done this. All this from someone who had just lost her husband at the age of 22.

Image caption from above: Members of Newsong: Eddie Carswell (percussion, vocals), Billy Goodwin (vocals, guitar), Michael O’Brien (vocals, piano, keyboards), Matt Butler (keyboards, organ, accordion, cello), Scotty Wilbanks (keyboards, saxophone)

I don’t think it was how I would have gone about it, but how do any of us know at a time like that. She was unwavering, forgiving, distraught, and ready to talk about how her husband’s life was lived to the fullest. I did not know him or his family but I love music, and the Lord, so when I saw the story it just made a connection with me. There have been several tragic testimonies given in the recent months. Tim Russert, and the two tragic accidents with Steven Curtis Chapman’s daughter and then the Burgess family (see my posts Steven Curtis Chapman, Prayers and Attacks on the Burgess Family? accordingly).

My prayers go out to Jamie Butler. She is busy now, and she probably has a lot of people around her, but it is the months ahead when she will need the most personal care by friends and family.

National Polka Festival Saturday Parade 2008

27 May

Why does it always seem like there are a thousand things to do when you get back from a trip. I try to minimize this by taking my laptop, phone, work, all that stuff with me whenever we go out of town, and it does reduce the workload when you return, a little. It also keeps you connected to work all the time, but, owning your own business, that is what you tend to do.

What is amazing is that it always seems like when you return, not only do you have the normal things to do that didn’t get done while you were gone, but some how, you now have a brand new list of things that were never on the list to begin with. This comes from being in the car for 25 hours and getting away from the normal routine of things. If makes you think, sometimes it refreshes the mind, sometimes it gives you new ideas. This was a very fun weekend at the Polka Festival (see Busy Memorial Day Weekend Photos) as usual, but I also brought home a new to do list with items that had never before graced the presence of my office. Time to get busy.

I leave you with a photo above from the parade on Saturday. This is my grandson, William, explaining to the fireman that there are plenty more people behind him that want to say hi, to him, and he better be on his way. In all I think I took about 2,000 images over the weekend and about 2 hours of video. It will take a while to get through it all, in the mean time, its back to work.

National Polka Festival in Ennis Texas 2008

23 May

We are getting ready now for a nice weekend in Ennis at the National Polka Festival. Here is me and the little dude, William hanging before the festival begins. I have been able to take many photos of William each time we visit but this has to be one of my favorites. You can see the reflection in my glasses as I hold the camera way out in front of both of us, while William is trying to figure out what in the world I am doing.

The Polka Festival is something we have tried to go to each year for the last few years, but this year Deborah is competing in the Polka competition with her dad. This is nothing new to Deborah. She has been going to the Ennis National Polka Festival since she was about 5 years old, but this will be the first year to join in on the Polka dance competition. The Ennis Journal interviewed Deborah for the festival, see Polka Royalty Bid, which was a very nice article about her and the festival in general. Sorry the full text is only available when you log into their site but we will try to get a copy of it to be posted here or on her blog.

The main part of the festival starts tonight at 7pm and goes through Sunday at 3pm. It will be a long and very tiring weekend but a lot of fun as well. Our son and his family (including our 2 year old grandson) have driven down from Colorado to be here as well. We have already taken some photos of him in his new vest, he didn’t know quite what to make of it. We were able to get into town and get a few photos before everything got started. I love the expressions here on their faces. Especially when you know William has to be pulling Bryan’s hair. The vests were all made by Deborah over the previous year for this weekend.

I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.

Work, and the 2008 National Polka Festival in Ennis Texas

19 May

This is going to be a very very busy week, this week. My wife and I are leaving for the National Polka Festival in Ennis Texas where she will compete in the Polka Dance contest with her dad. Something she has wanted to do, probably since she was 10. I will probably not get in near the blogging I am able to here at my office but I will get to see my son, grandson (yes, I guess technically that makes me a grandfather, yikes), and many other extended family members who will be coming to the festival.

I hope you will follow me on Twitter closer to the end of the week as we leave for Texas. Outside of cutting off my right arm for gas it should be a great trip. I am going to try to post some images on Twitpic throughout the trip.

Past Weekend and Blogging

We had a nice peaceful weekend, and I did most of my blogging over at d.amasc.us so to catch the highlights just jump over there, especially if you are up for a challenge, see 24 Hours of Wise Words, Rusty’s Challenge.

A New Daily Journal to Keep, Called a Blog of Course

13 Apr

This is the first post in a daily journal I hope to update each day, even if just a little blurb, about the days happenings. This type of posting, more closely resembles a journal, was inspired by the memory of my mother in-law, Georgia Christal. I am creating a blog with the journals she created long before blogs ever existed, I hope I can keep up with her.Â During a span of 3 years when she lived over seas in Europe, she wrote daily about what happened each day, and looking at it almost 10 years later, I can see what an amazing piece of work this turned out to be. I will make an attempt to write a daily post in this particular blog (I have several others), of just the normal routine of things.

Some days it may be a sentence, some paragraphs, but my goal is to write something in the blog each day. I have been a photographer for more than 10 years now, and one of the hardest things to do in photography is to actually get off your butt and go shoot something. I think it is the same with blogs or journals, you just have to get off your butt and do it.

When I look back at the images I was able to create because I took the time to go out and shoot, I am amazed, and glad I did make the effort.

Is a Blog a Blog or is it a Journal

All you bloggers out there, do you keep a daily journal, or is that really what you consider your blog to be?Â This blog has been active and alive in various forms for years now, and when I look back at the various entries, I see a journal of what was important enough, at the time, to actually put down in a post.Â My blog has been many things to me, a scrapbook, a blog, a journal, a business tool, soapbox, but that is just it, it can be whatever you want it to be. Today as I start writing daily entries of what went on in my day I will use it as a journal or diary of sorts, but I am sure down the road, it will grow into something more.Â What about your blog?Â What is the prime use or purpose you have for even having a blog… do you know or have you even thought about it yet?

In Dallas For No Good Reason

So what is going on right now.Â Well the photo below was taken yesterday of my mother-in-law’s memorial service, so we happen to be in Dallas for her service.Â One of the hardest weeks Deborah and I have gone through in a while but we are now on our way back home, finally.Â I took many photos (on my iphone) that few days while we were in the hospital, mainly because all you have to do is sit and wait.Â In the future I think I will do a much longer post about this week, but for now, here are a few images from those few days.

$Georgia\'s Memorial Service$

The photo in the middle is the most telling to me.Â I had nothing in the way of a camera to use for about the week we were in and out of the hospital other than my iphone, and I think it did an incredible job.Â In total I probably took a few hundred photos with my phone, many of which tell the days and week better than these, but for a first journal entry, this is what we did yesterday and the few days before.Â The idea of a “journal” actually came to me from Georgia.Â She kept two journals while they lived in France and Germany which I am chronicling in My Life in Europe.Â There will be better entries than this, I promise.

National Polka Festival in Ennis Texas 2007

5 Jun

We are finally getting back in the swing of things here at the house (pun intended) after being gone over the Memorial Day Holiday. The weather here is so dry compared to what it was this year in Ennis, TX. Everyday we were there it rained and was basically soupy everywhere you walked. Thursday morning we left for Texas after dropping the dogs off at the Doggy Hotel. They seem to love it there. When we walked in both dogs just walked through the door to the kennel in the back without even saying goodbye. It was kind of funny.

We spent the night in Shreveport, LA at one of our favorite hotels. Dining that night was at a little local place called the Blind Tiger. The restaurant has this name because apparently when it was founded, during prohibition, the term “blind tiger” was used for establishments that had alcohol available in a back room, etc.

Friday evening we went to the K.J.T. where the King and Queen contest was being held and the first dancing of the weekend was to be found. We were not overly impressed with the band as they seemed to be highly unorganized and took very long breaks between each song they played. The evening held a pleasant surprise for us though as we visited with my extended family we found out that my cousin Lindsey was going to be competing in this year’s contest. It was a last minute decision on her part and finding a costume was apparently quite an ordeal. She was able to rent one though and she looked fabulous!!

In the photo above I am wearing a top that I made to go with Scott’s new costume vest. Unfortunately we did not get a photo of the two of us wearing them at the same time. When it came time for the contest we all stood around one corner of the dance floor and whooped and hollered for her and her partner. They were such a perfect match and two of the best dancers out there. We were so excited when they won!

Saturday morning we made it to the parade route just as it was beginning. It was already drizzling when we arrived and the rain continued to get heavier until the parade ended. The street dance was called off and we really felt sorry for the vendors this year since all of their venue is outside.

We met my Dad again this year at the Sokol and made the rounds of the three halls throughout the day dancing and eating and dancing some more. We also ran into Joe again this year and I danced a couple of polkas and waltzes with him. He is a very good dancer, but the main thing he likes to do is spin in circles. So, when I feel like spinning I dance one with Joe and try to keep from getting dizzy. At least this year I remembered to bring more sensible shoes. Scott wore his new costume vest and I wore my costume from last years festival. Next year I will be wearing a new costume that I have already started working on.

Sunday we attended the Polka Mass at the Knights of Columbus. The songs throughout the service were done to Czech music and prior to the service the Choir, in costume, were singing Czech hymns. When service concluded we headed on over to the Sokol to hear Vrazel’s Polka Band and so I could enjoy one last set of dances with my dad for the year. I was sad to see this one end, but there is always (hopefully) next year.

We left the festival and went out to Mom’s place in the country. The property they have is quite secluded and completely surrounded by trees. Clearing the property has been something they have enjoyed doing and the area for the house is pretty much ready for construction to begin. There is a beautiful oak tree on their property that is just screaming for a tree house and I have been meaning to take a picture of it, so it is down below. This tree will be just off the back of the house when it is built so I wanted a photo pre-house.

Mother’s Day Now

Anyway, I gave mom her Mother’s Day present, a bit late, and she seemed to be pleasantly surprised. Then we gathered up our belongings and headed for their lake house to spend the night. We had a wonderful fire in the fire pit and Scott caught a very nice bass.

The next day we had a family get together/cookout. Everyone brought something and we had a nice visit with my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. On the last full day we had with Mom she and I took off early, ate breakfast at a diner and hit the thrift shops as soon as they opened. I came away with 11 pairs of shorts, several tops, and two pair of jeans. The guys loaded the trailer with the last of our storage stuff while we shopped.

The trip this year was much different than last years and I really can’t wait for next year! The reservations are made and the countdown has begun. Whoo-Hooo!!

Scott Fillmer

National Polka Festival in Ennis Texas 2010

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National Polka Festival in Ennis Texas 2009

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