DFW Paddle - Bachman Creek

Music composition and video by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

We take a DFW Paddle up Bachman Creek (also called Bachman Branch) to Bachman Lake located on the north end of Dallas Love Field Airport in Dallas on Sunday August 15, 2015.

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Holiday Decorations 2017

Music composition and performance by Matt Harper and video by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

Inflatable decorations "wake up" and ornaments are hung with care at our home in Frisco on Dec. 24, 2017. New this year are inflatable Darth Vader, a polar bear, two penguins and a completed stake light walkway outline.

Exterior holiday decorations 2016

video and music by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

Inflatable decorations "wake up" at our house in Frisco on Friday, Dec. 16, 2016. Rudolf's snow globe was repaired this year and has fresh tyro-snow. New this year are a six-foot-tall Yoda and animated snowflake lights.
Shot with a GoPro. Music composed in GarageBand.

Thanksgiving inflatable

video and music by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com A new turkey yard ornament inflates to celebrate the Thanksgiving season at our house in Frisco on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016. I composed the soundtrack with classical piano and bebop drum loops in GarageBand.

Halloween decorations

video by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com Our Halloween decorations are ready for trick-or-treaters at our home in Frisco on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. I composed the soundtrack with various music loops in GarageBand.

DFW Paddle: Trinity River, Elm Fork with Steve

video by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

We take a DFW Paddle about 5 miles down the Elm Fork of the Trinity River from the Trinity River Kayak Co in Coppell to Sam Houston Trail Park in Irving on Sunday, April 19, 2015. The water is unusually high and fast during one of the wettest springs in Texas history. Consequently, there aren’t many animals along the way, but we do briefly encounter a gator and some highly aggressive butterflies. I composed the soundtrack with various “Shetland” music loops in GarageBand. This is a video in the DFW Paddle series.
Please also see: DFW Paddle: White Rock Creek and White Rock Creek Critters

Polar Bears 100th Anniversary

Photos Mark M. Hancock / © Newseagles.com

In honor of the U.S. 31st Infantry Regiment's 100th anniversary, 50 Royal Darwin figurines are displayed in an inspection formation in Frisco on Saturday, July 23, 2016. The unit will mark it's 100th year on Aug. 13, 2016.

Learn more about the 31st Infantry Regiment.
Visit the 31st Infantry Regiment Association's page.



While I made the top image above, our jackass neighbor tried to photobomb my shoot.

Aunt Cotton

On Tuesday, we lost our Aunt Cotton. Today, we celebrated her life. She always said, “Everything happens as it should.”

For many years during my youth, I had the privilege to visit Aunt Cotton and Uncle Ted’s farm in the country for a week each summer. They gave me enough free rein to grow and explore. I learned to hunt, fish, avoid snakes, find my way home and more than I could ever state.

Each year, they also invited campers from Camp Soroptimist to visit their farm for a day. They borrowed some animals they didn’t own to complete the experience for campers.

Uncle Ted took the back-row seat out of his large, heavy-duty van (a small bus), and off we went to retrieve a goat. The plan was to have Uncle Ted soothe the goat in the back of the van while Aunt Cotton drove the van back to their farm.

From the beginning, the goat was uncooperative. It did not want to leave its home. It did not like the van. It did not like Uncle Ted. However, this journey was for the campers.

They tied a rope on the goat’s horns and pulled it up a ramp into the back of the van. Uncle Ted sat calmly with the goat as the doors shut. From my seat, I could only see uncle Ted’s head over the last bench seat. Aunt Cotton was at the wheel as we forged ahead.

As the van moved, I saw Uncle Ted’s expression change from soothing, to determination, to caution, to commitment, to acceptance, to a blur as the goat rammed him into the wall of the van.

Aunt Cotton remained calm at the wheel.

Over the seat, I saw Uncle Ted’s head suddenly whip around to the opposite direction. He had the goat situation under control. Then his head zoomed across the van, and his back slammed into the opposite wall of the van.

Aunt Cotton remained calm at the wheel.

Uncle Ted fought with and cursed at the goat for what was probably minutes, but seemed to be hours. Back and forth and back and forth and back and forth the goat slammed him into the sides of the van.

Aunt Cotton remained calm at the wheel.

The sometimes-fragile campers didn’t need to meet a fiery goat. Luckily, the goat was tired and calm by the time the van stopped at the farm.

Farm Day was perfect as always. Campers got the experience of a lifetime, and I got some lifelong lessons that day:

1) Volunteer and help others when you can.

2) Have a plan.
3) Adapt when your plan doesn’t work.
4) Take the goat by the horns.

5) Hold on and never let go.
6) Have someone calm and steady at the wheel during a crisis.
7) Make fond memories for all.
8) Everything happens as it should.

Today, we said goodbye to someone very special. Thanks for being the calm driver of our extended family and memories. We love you Aunt Cotton.

Trinity River Challenge 2014

  video by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

Racers participate in the Trinity River Challenge kayak and canoe race on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River in Carrollton and Lewisville on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014.

I got 3rd place in the Small Recreational Kayak division. It wasn't broken down by age, so I'm happy with the results under the circumstances. Here are the official results.

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Lunch with the Neighbors

video by Mark M. Hancock / &copy NewsEagles.com

I gave some apples to our neighbors (a pair of donkeys) in Frisco on Saturday, June 29, 2014. I tested my GoPro Hero3 with iMovie. They've changed the program considerably since the last time I used it.

For Dirty Minds

video by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

I tested my GoPro Hero3 for the first time. Various mounts let me get some interesting angles. Click the HD button to see what the camera can do if you aren't data restricted. I made/used the music years ago for in-person slideshows, but most of y'all haven't heard it. It's amusing considering the content (yard work). This is the first video loaded on YouTube since they shut down Google Video. I need to upload all those videos onto YouTube and relink them ... in all my spare time...

Sam Houston Statue

Fayrouz Hancock visits the sculpture of Sam Houston at Sam Houston Statue Visitor Center in Huntsville, Texas on May 12, 2012


Photos © Mark M. Hancock / NewsEagles

See a larger version of this slideshow.

Fayrouz Hancock visits the sculpture of Sam Houston at Sam Houston Statue Visitor Center in Huntsville, Texas on May 12, 2012

Easter lunch 2012

Photos © Mark M. Hancock / NewsEagles

Desert includes petite samples of creme brulee, lemon tarts, fruit tarts and strawberry Napoleons during Easter lunch at our home in Plano on Sunday, April 8, 2012.


See a larger version of this slideshow.

The Hancock family and Michael Ainsworth have Easter lunch at our place in Plano on Sunday, April 8, 2012.

Christmas Eve dinner

Various specialty cheeses await guests during Christmas Eve dinner at our home in Plano on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011.


Photos © Mark M. Hancock / NewsEagles


Appetizing dips included Mark's guacamole, onion dip and salsa during Christmas Eve dinner at our home.


Appetizers are available for guests during Christmas Eve dinner at our home in Plano


Various specialty cheeses had a little action during Christmas Eve dinner in Plano.


Smoked chicken, barbecue sauce and smoked brisket are some of the meat choices during Christmas Eve dinner at our home.


Corn salad and mango salad are among the dinner choices during Christmas Eve dinner in Plano.



Deserts included a chocolate mousse Yule log, fruit tart, pecan tart and pineapple upside-down cake during Christmas Eve dinner at our home.






Desert included a chocolate mousse Yule log during Christmas Eve dinner at our home in Plano.


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