Cahill U S Marshal (1973)

Remembering Pistol Pete

I love reading biographies, especially sports biographies about extraordinary people. I finished this book last week and really enjoyed Mark Kriegel's journey into the life of Pete Maravich.

As a young basketball fan growing up in the 1970s, I remember Pistol Pete being somewhat of an enigma -- a fragile, high-scoring showman who always seemed to be on bad teams. This book is far more than a basketball book -- it chronicles Pete's life from even before he was born (you have to know Pete's father, Press Maravich, to know Pete). It's a story about a person who was molded by his father to be a basketball superstar ... the first million-dollar player. He became that, but it came at a price.

Pete was many things -- phenomenal, unusual, extraordinary, eccentric, melancholy, desperate, sad, needy, paranoid .... . It wasn't until he got on his knees and cried out to God one sleepless night that this skinny, 6-5 bundle of destructive contradictions was saved from himself. More than anything, this book is a testament to the grace, mercy and unending love of God. Toward the end of Pete's short life (he died at 42 of a heart attack), he gave his testimony in front of groups small and large. He became a completely different person ... what the New Testament calls "a new creation."

This book was given to me for my birthday by my step-son, Nicholas.

More of my senior portraits of Valvette Rivera.

Stepping into the world of senior portraits. Valvette did a great job ... I have a lot to learn, but this was a good start.

Traditional German supper in Fredericksburg, Texas. The potato salad was especially good.

Comfort food in Comfort, Texas.

Some shots from this year's wheat harvest. Grain. Sunsets. Food. Laughter. Dirt. Dust. Diesel. Sunshine. Grease. And more food.