One of my favorite places to eat is "Bodacious BBQ" near Tyler, TX (I-20, exit #562). Aside from the fact that the tender, melt-in-your-mouth BBQ is always just right, the place has a homey, rustic atmosphere with lots of cool antiques and knick knacks on the walls. Friendly service, too.Outside, there's this old tree, long since pruned down to the trunk and probably transplanted to its current location. Someone named "Giss Rutledge" has turned it into a work of art. No clue who Giss Rutledge might be - couldn't find the name on the Internet and Mr. Genius here keeps forgetting to ask about him inside. I did however, remember this time to take a few photos of his work. They didn't turn out quite as well as I'd have liked due to the light, but you can still see the quality of the work. The animals carved into the wood look almost real enough to hop off the tree and head for the woods.
The raccoon is my personal favorite. There's also a roadrunner on the backside, an eagle up top, an armadillo, a woodpecker and a coyote.
See ya'll on the road.
Alan :-)
