Save the Texas Theatre 325-235-5488

It's tax deductible!

I was idly looking over my usual internet haunts and came across Robert Graham's Save the Texas Theatre photos on myspace. With a few simple captions he managed to captivate and draw me into the history of the old movie house. Give his album a look, and if you wish to donate to the cause, contact the Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce at the number listed above .

I guess the reason Robert's photos are singular to me is that we frequented the theatre during the same era. Through my seventh and eighth grade years there was rarely a weekend I didn't go to the show, and sometimes I went both nights.

This was where my friends and I came of age and all the girls asked each other who they would be "sitting with" come the weekend.

I also saw many movies before and after that period of time. Early memories include "Jaws" and "Ode to Billy Joe". Later, I cried at the end of a Pokemon movie I took my kids to see.

James Hallmark, father of our friend Sherolyn, used to have the theatre, as well as a photography studio (there are photos in almost every home in town with the Hallmark logo in the bottom corner), and she was included in every movie preview. It was just more proof of our privilege, more proof that we belonged, that we should munch popcorn and watch our friend as she walked under the studio portico in her cut-offs up on the screen.

Ah, I could go on and on, as anyone who knows me will tell you. Anyway, I'll get off Memory Lane to tell you that the Sweetwater Middle School SEEK classes raised more than $2,700 to go toward the renovation.

It's hard to understand why, in this booming town, there is no entertainment to partake in, but that's how it is, and it would be nice to be able to go to the movies once again in Sweetwater. I'm hoping that the project is a success.

TheTurkey is in!

Which is nothing like the doctor being in. I had Mr. Tom in the oven by 6 this morning. I really meant to do 5 a.m., but it took an hour of rolling around to get awake.

It seems like the animals sense that I am easily annoyed this morning because several of them have been unusually naughty. I must be getting old, because I used to say the same thing about my kids.

Speaking of getting older, I think I've come up with some sure signs of aging:

• When you can't find something in the store, you say they don't make it anymore
• Everyone looks 12
• You know when people (kids, which is anyone under 40) are stretching the truth, but it's so obvious, you don't even comment (it makes me cringe to think of my own truth-stretching)
  
• People keep asking you where your glasses are (What? I can read it if I hold it just a little farther away...)
• You're smarter than everyone (Wait, wasn't that my teen years?)

I've got a lot of headlines to give you, the most notable being the death of Sammy Baugh this week. There was a big to-do in Rotan and I wish I had thought to go to the funeral to get photos. I saw a clip on the news and it looked like they drew his casket on a buckboard wagon. The people on TV didn't even look cold, but the high was about 20 degrees that day. The Advance wrote a huge piece, with Kim Pease as guest writer.

George Maule used to talk about Sammy and seemed to think a lot of him. Those ol' time cowboys were really somethin'.

Let's get to it, now. Here's the skinny on the Dec. 25, 2008 issue of the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance:

• Fisher County bids farewell to the legendary Sammy Baugh (photo)
  
• Obituaries for Sam Baugh and Eugene Edward Spivey
• News Briefs: Youth Headquarters
• Pastors Column: Pastor Jack Dominguez, Rotan First United Methodist
• Fall graduates announced for Angelo State University
• Rep. Heflin congratulates 17 District 85 high schools among America's Best
  
• Marriage announcement for Adalia Johnson & Eric Gardner
• Rotan FFA new leaders (photo)
• Tumbleweed Smith: Why Did Things Have to Get So Complicated?
• Invitation to Melvin Clements 90th birthday party
• Fisher County Jr. Livestock Show Jan. 8-10
• Weather to the extreme
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Randy's Roundup: Using TARP funds to aid the U.S. automotive industry; Reimbursement for oxygen equipment; Time with family and friends
• 1/2 price After Christmas Sale at The Yellow Rose, in The Newspaper Office, Dec. 29
• Fisher County Basketball (photos)
• Fisher County gin report
• Birth announcements for Kayme Lynn Elrod, Madison & Mackenzie Solsbery, and Aubrey Frances Jackson (lovely color photos)
• Letters to Santa section (photos)

Dec. 18 issue:

• Newspaper subscription renewals due Jan. 1
• Rotan water rates increase
• Two arrested for possession of marijuana (photos)
• All State football honors (photo)
• Rotan Elementary Joy of Giving (photo)
• Obituaries for Ethel Edwards Ammons (photo), Glenn Bailey Baker (photo), and Juan C. Reyes, Sr.
• Pastors Column: Bro. Jerry Vincent
• Retirement reception for D.A. Mark Edwards (photo)
• Engagement announcement for Shaun Ann Shauna & Tyler Glen Murphree (photo)
  
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Sheriff's report
• Recipe Corner: Chicken with Rice & Gravy
• Album release party (photo)
• Tumbleweed Smith: Some Bad Advice, Some Good Advice
• Fisher County RV Club news
• Open letter to Nolan & Fisher County residents re: Tenaska Coal-Fired Plant
• Fisher County basketball (photos)
• Randy's Roundup: Curbing spending & debt; Progress in Iraq & Afghanistan
• Fire ant ag report

Dec. 11 issue:

• Commissioners Court approves election for adopting optional county road system
• Plaque of appreciation presented (photo)
• Christmas Parade winners (photos)
• Letter to the editor from Mayor Jerry Marshall
• Pastors Column: Corkey Wells, First Baptist Church, Rotan
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Roby School Board conducts regular meeting
• Recipe Corner: Garlic & Herb Cream Cheese
• City of Roby approves new resolution on Roby Community Center
• College & Career Day at Rotan ISD (photos)
• Tumbleweed Smith: Life Near Blanco
• New facilities open at Roby CISD (photos)
• Thanksgiving meal at Rotan Church of Christ (photo)
• District Food & Nutrition Quiz Bowl (photo)
• Fisher County Basketball (photos)
• Sheriff's report
• FCAA meets (photo)
• 4-H Happenings
• County Finances Treasurer's Report

Dec. 4 issue:

• 4-H Food Show participants (photo)
• Gin Report
• A very well written Letter to the Editor from Kenny Martin, former Executive Director of Rotan Housing Authority - apparently there was not a scandal, just some concerns as the Mayor is responsible for appointing the Rotan Housing Authority Board of Commissioners; Martin points out that "only the Rotan Housing Authority Board of Directors (not the Mayor, city council, or any other local board) has the jurisdiction to address Housing Authority issues"
• Fisher County Hospital Board holds regular meeting
• Pastors Column: Minister Wes Eastman, Rotan Church of Christ
• Recipe Corner: Maple Walnut Pumpkin Pie
• Engagement announcement for Sunny Riggan & Lance Moore (photo)
• Randy's Roundup: Bombing in Mumbai; New Capitol Visitor Center; Change of address
  
• Tumbleweed Smith: You'd Have to Call Bill Herridge a Gearhead
• Sheriff's Report
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Fisher County Basketball (photos)
• Fisher County All-District football selections (photos)

Well, that's the gist of it, as you all know, and if you want the whole gonzo, you need to get your own subscription (see link on right).

Merry Christmas to everyone, and also Happy New Year, since you know how I am and might not get back here for a month. Thanks to all for reading the Hobbs Holler!

One down, two to go

Holidays, that is. Then we'll be on to the new year and it all starts again, just like woman's work.

Today's photo is contributed by Ricky Niell. He snapped this eagle in October from his porch, about 100 feet away. Check out his site Razzle Dazzle Art for more photos. Click on the photo to get the full effect of the picture.

Don't get to thinking you can get your own shot of an eagle by going out to the river bridge and scouting trees. Ricky captured this frame in Alaska.

Okay, I'm on time for once! Seems that the newest hot topic is the Rotan Housing Authority. Once again, the Mayor is in the middle of the mix and there's a scuttle to figure out what went wrong. Checks and balances, people, checks and balances! The barn door keeps getting shut after the cow is out.

Anyway, here are the headlines for the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance Nov. 27, 2008 issue:

• Rotan City Council discusses Rotan Housing Authority issues
• Annual Christmas parades bring in the sights and sounds of the season: Rotan Dec. 4, Roby Dec. 6
• Roby NHS shatters goal in food drive (photos)
• First Monday Missions Dec. 1
• Letters to Santa due Dec. 11
• Obituary for Abner Asberry Aaron, Jr. (photo)
• Roby CISD honor roll
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Rotan Housing Authority fields questions in open forum
• Approximately 30 bales of hay destroyed in Sunday fire (photo)
• Rotan board reviews changes in handbook, approves additional early release days
• Playground airplane (photo)
• News Briefs: Senior day; Search for Miss Teen Fisher County 2009
• Rotan School book fair Dec. 1-5
• Tumbleweed Smith: A High School Class has Reunions Twice a Year
• Roby board hears audit from Gerald Rodgers, approves rules & regulations for weight room & activity room
• Hamlin Happenings
• The Yellow Rose inside The Newspaper Office has beautiful Christmas items for sale, ornaments starting as low as $2.00
• Fisher County Basketball (photos)
• Rotan board reviews changes in handbook, approves additional early release days
• Randy's Roundup: All bailed out; Letter to the Treasury, Federal Reserve & FDIC; Farm Bill implementation update
  
• How to cook a turkey: recipes from kindergartners
  

I checked out The Drudge Report after reading about it in Barbara Walters' autobiography, "Audition" (that lady has had one interesting life!). This site has all kinds of news and is straight forward, no fancy stuff.

I can't say it enough, look up your name on the Texas Unclaimed Property site. Or you can do like I do and search by a, b, c, etc. with the name of a town in the search box. This probably won't work for large cities because you would get too many results to display, but for Roby or Rotan it works fine, with just 10 or 15 results. So go ahead, see if you've got some money coming to ya!

Do you have your Christmas cards ready?

I don't know what the exact protocol is, but I thought it would be terribly clever if I had my cards ready to mail the day after Thanksgiving. How efficient I would seem! Unfortunately, my mind works faster than my physical self and the cards are still in the top of the closet.

I was telling someone the other day how I'm enjoying these lower gas prices (1.59 per!) and they said "Don't get used to it." Danged pessimists. That's like going on vacation but not enjoying it because it ends in two weeks. I'm going to take what I can get and be glad the cost went down two dollars instead of up two dollars.

Speaking of enjoying a short-lived thing, I snapped this picture of a very long snake (see all those wriggles?) sunning itself in front of the county barn at Claytonville. Already the days have shortened dramatically leading to Winter Solstice which occurs on December 21 this year.

I have been terribly negligent in my newspaper updates, so I better get right to it as this will be about as long as a book by the finish.

Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance Nov. 20, 2008 issue:

• Roby football Sweetheart & Hero (photo)
• Concerned citizens attend meeting of Rotan Rural Housing Authority
• Rotan Church of Christ to host Thanksgiving meal Nov. 25
• First Baptist Church in Roby to host meal Nov. 23
• Lady Yellowhammers Bi-District Champs (photo)
• Commissioners Court enacts burn ban
• Fisher County gin report
• Rotan and Project Merry Christmas brings Santa
• Newspaper Office early deadline for Thanksgiving edition
• Rotan Schools honor rolls
• Obituaries for Randy J. Rector (photo) and Troy Dee Faglie (photo)
• Veterans honored (photo)
• Allied trash schedule changes
• Pastors Column on Thanksgiving
• Sheriff's report
• Roby CISD lunch menu
• Tumbleweed Smith's Top 40
• Silver Star Cafe in Roby open Thanksgiving Day
• Engagement announcement for Brittany Nicole Lakey and Acey Deaton Dean (photo), Kayla Sue Posey and Joe Frank Gonzalez, Jr. (photo)
  
• Fisher County Hospital to auction surplus Dec. 2
• Delta Kappa Gamma (photo)
• Surprise season comes to an end (Yellowhammers) (photo)
  
• Roby CISD Revenue statement
• Fisher County basketball review (photo)
• Rotan Classes of 1946, 1947 photos
• 4-H Gold Star winner (photo)
• Fisher County Round-Up by Joy Walker

Nov. 13, 2008 issue:

• Local man injured in one vehicle accident (photos)
• DAR honors good citizens (photos)
  
• Christmas parade to be Dec. 4 @ 6:15 p.m. downtown Rotan
• Rotan 1946, 1947 Class Reunion (photo)
  
• Obituary for Elwanda Wanda Floyd
• Pastor's Column: Bill Fitzgerald
• Recipe Corner: Cream Cheese Squares
• First bucks photo
• Roby Band Sweetheart photo
• FCAA meeting minutes (photo), next meeting Dec. 8
• Rick Rodger Tax Planning: organize your vital records
• Joy Walker's Fisher County Roundup
• Fisher County Historical Commission meeting minutes
• Roby City Council reviews policies on Community Center
• Roby CISD weekly announcements
• Hogfest Bike Rally t-shirts for sale, 735-2488
• Yellowhammers & Lions sports reports (photos)
• Marriage announcement for Dayme Alison Mullins & Marcus Price Walther (photo)
• Rotan ISD honors Veterans on Nov. 11 (photos)
• Photo of wild hog
• Introducing The Yellow Rose gift shop inside The Newspaper Office (photos)
• Randy's Roundup: Honoring America's Veterans

Can't find the Nov. 6 issue!

Oct. 30, 2008:

• Cotton harvest has begun (photo)
• SWCD to convene local work group conservation programs meeting
• First Monday Missions to benefit Roby Christmas Toy Drive
• Early voting moderately heavy, early voting ends Oct. 31
• Benefit for Sylvester Cemetery
• Riley Branch named 2008-2009 National FFA Western Region Vice President
• Pastors Column: Jason Alton, Jason Trupp
• Birth Announcements for Cole Cash Maikell, Brogan Ford Bell, Kayden & Karlee Gilbreath (photos)
• 2008 Maberry Reunion
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Letters to the Editor from Dr. Brian Carrion, Carrie Jo Blackshears, Kelli Cleveland
  
• Rotan City Council meeting minutes
• Yellowhammers & Lions sports report (photos)
• Hambright to be inducted into Oil & Gas Hall of Fame (photo)
• Fisher County annual financial report
• Roby CISD academic & creative skills program
• News Briefs: Friends of Faith fall festival; 14th annual diabetes Texas style workshop; Roby Volunteer Fire Dept. Turkey Shoot; Project Merry Christmas Parade; Heritage House & F. C. Assisted Living Trick or Treat
• Randy's Roundup: Creating effective regulation; Remembering Richard Lopez; Travels through the 19th District
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Shelby Briggs first deer (photo)

Oct. 23, 2008:

• Two vehicle accident (photo)
• Fire Safety Program at Roby CISD (photo)
• Fall Men's Revival
• Early voting started
• DAR photo
• Commissioners renew lease at airport, vote to re-bid roofing project
• Rotan ISD board hears level III parent complaint, discusses softball program
• Dr. Mary Parish begins practice at hospital (photo)
  
• Rotan & Roby sales tax allocation comparison
• Obituaries for Frank Carmichael, Jr., Olga Victoria Gonzalez (photo), Roy W. Thomas
  
• Rotan Honor Roll
• Leila Vera Adams Morrow grave marker dedication
• Letters to the Editor from Shana Haas, Mayor Jerry Marshall, Addie Markham
  
• Senior Driving Safety course
• Tumbleweed Smith: Seven Years Under Sail
• Fisher County financial report
• Shane Cole Stuart selected for membership Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society (photo)
  
• Fisher County Commissioners Court proclamation
• Roby CISD school board fields reports from administration, approves budget amendment
• Undue influence and elderly financial exploitation
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Sheriff's report
• Hobbs Homecoming 2008 , 175 attend
• Rep. Heflin presented Texas Medicine's Champion of Rural Health Award
• Fair winners (photos)

I have put up the photos I took from the reunion, the link is at the top right on this page. I wish there were more, but my camera pooped out on me before lunch was served.

Enjoy this wonderful fall weather and I wish you a happy Thanksgiving!

Good turnout for Hobbs Reunion

I don't have the official count yet, but it looked like there were at least 200 people in the gym by about 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon, where everyone had gathered for a barbecue dinner served by Rough Creek Catering. The lines were very long, allowing for a lot of visiting and teasing of old schoolmates.

Ricky Williams really got everyone going during the program, he's such a cut-up. He was also elected the new president of the homecoming committee for 2010. Carla Guinn Bavousett, Glenda Hudnal Allen and Peggy Trice Vernon rounded out the rest of the morning with recognition of guests, homecoming business and memorials given on behalf of loved ones. The gospel quartet Cornerstone provided entertainment.

I only meant to stay about thirty minutes when suddenly three hours had flown by. There were so many people to talk to and look at, I didn't get an opportunity to say hello to everyone I knew. The weather cooperated wonderfully, no wind and just the perfect fall temperature.

A reunion page is in the making and I'll let you know when it's done so you can click on the link and see all the pictures I took. Today's photo is of Francis Morgan & Pat Porter at the registration table. The whole reunion committee did a wonderful job and the event was well organized. I was glad to see lots of people purchasing commemorative blankets.

Okay, on to the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance update for Oct. 16, 2008, a weekly periodical owned, published and edited by Rosemary Donham, as you all probably know:

• Chamber of Commerce Hog Fest very successful year, gross $13,000 in proceeds (photo)
  
• Donation to Crime Stoppers by Fisher County Sheriff (photo)
• Rotan VFD hosts Associational meeting (photo)
• 500 Bikers attend Hog Fest Bike Rally (photo)
• Early voting to open Oct. 20
• Commissioners approve reports, application for Block Grant regarding possible assisted living center
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Roby council agrees to hire another employee, field reports from Brown
• Pastor's Column by Jack Dominguez
• Fisher County RV Club minutes
• Roofing bids being taken for courthouse
• Rotan Jr. High honor roll
• Tumbleweed Smith: A Steam Engine Buried in Metroplex Quicksand
• Birth announcement for Kayden & Karlee Gilbreath (photo)
• Rotan ISD public meeting Oct. 20
• Roby CISD announcements
• Tax Planning by Gerald Rodgers: Hiring Your Child may Help Avoid the Kiddie Tax
• Rotan Elementary honor roll
• Roby CISD honor roll
• Birth announcement for Rowdy Ryan Sauceda
• Flu shots for veterans
• Yellowhammers & Lions sports reports (photos)
• Hog Fest & Biker Fest photo montage page
• Brush Sculpting course offered in Snyder (herbiciding technique)
  
• Fisher County feral hog control
• Fisher County Ag Day
• 4-H news
• State Representative Joe Heflin article (photo)
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Randy's Roundup: financial markets and fighting for American taxpayers; House and Senate pass bill to fix disaster program, suspend 10- acre provision in Farm Bill; working in the 19th District
• Correction to over-budget amount in last issue: budget deficit is $117,319
• Landes prize winners
• Roby & Rotan Lions Club collecting used eyeglasses
• VA director Marsh receives approval
• CRP / Pasture fire keeps local fire depts. busy
• Fisher County Historical Society meeting minutes

As I have mentioned before, this is just a smidge of what's in the paper. Now is a good time to get your subscription. If you're in Rotan, stop by The Newspaper office and check out the beautiful and unique gift items.

This coming Friday Roby will play Rotan in Rotan, and Rotan will play... well, you know.

Enjoy this great weather we're having and I hope you're getting your costumes ready for trick or treating in less than two weeks.

Go Panthers!

Hog Fest Bike Rally a success

I talked to Catherine and Lawrence Weatherman at the Bike Rally last night and they said that there was quite a turn out during the day, making the event rather profitable. We drove past the Hog Fest in Roby earlier yesterday, and it looked like they had a good crowd, too.

My band friends Lawless Flatz played the Rally last night and they sound really good since they added drummer Fred Perez to the mix.

Isaac Donaghey was on the security team for the Rally. Don't know if we were safer or in more danger because of that. Just kidding, Isaac! Sort of.

If any of you are interested in the book Cattle Call by Tanner Laine, it can now be purchased at halfbay or at Saddlebag Books Online. The book is described as a large collection of cowboy stories, most of which appeared in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. 356 pp., index of cowboy faces, black and white photos throughout.

Laine was a veteran reporter for The Avalanche-Journal, covering West Texas news and the people of the South Plains from 1952 until his retirement in 1978.

I have a lot of ground to cover since I have missed the past three issues of the newspaper. I'll start from the latest and go back.

Here are the headlines from the Oct. 9, 2008 issue of the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance:

• Big Country Electric part of Hurricane Ike emergency crew (photo)
• Shelby Spikes places in State Fair of Texas (photo)
• Neugebauer visits Fisher County (photo)
• FCAA monthly meeting (photo)
• Early voting opens Oct. 20
• Roby Project Christmas organizational meeting to be held Oct. 13, 5:30 p.m., courthouse coffee room
• Obituary for Beth Rene Simmons Campbell
• Notice of general election
• AARP Driver Safety Program to be held at Sweetwater SNAP Oct. 14 & 15
• Sheriff's report
• Recipe Corner: Sunshine Gelatin Mold
• The Newspaper Office now has a selection of Christmas gifts & decor
• What's happening in 4-H
• Wedding announcement for Megan Rae Fletcher and Aaron Gene Greene (photo)
• Hunter education certification Oct. 18
• Roofing bids being accepted for courthouse
• Rotan ISD to hold public meeting Oct. 20
• Roby school board awards bid for activity room turf
• Engagement announcement for Monika LoAnn Rivas to Jay Lee Roe (photo)
• Tumbleweed Smith: From Victim to Victory
• Joe Strickland named HSU Distinguished Alumni (photo)
• Yellowhammers & Lions sports reports
• Rotan ISD students participate at State Fair of Texas (photos)
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Randy's Roundup: Financial markets and fighting for American taxpayers; House & Senate pass bill to fix disaster program, Suspend 10-acre provision in Farm Bill; Working in the 19th District
• Pastor's column by Jerry Vincent
• 2008-09 Roby High School National Honor Society Induction Ceremony

Oct. 2 issue:

• Rotan Homecoming King & Queen, Derrek Reese and Cynthia Alba (photo)
• Fisher County Commissioners hold special meeting to amend budget, over $278,739.73 for 2008 (wow, no one seemed to think that was a big deal in the court, "ah, just pencil it in")
• Commissioner Staples welcomes Rotan to Go Texan Rural Community Program
• News Briefs: flu immunization; West Texas Rehab annual pig sale; Roby Project Christmas
• Air Force Airman Jeremy Sauceda graduates basic training (photo)
• Three-way partnership announced at Western Texas College, lineman course to be offered
• Fourth & fifth grades Dowell School early forties photo (hey, Haskell Templeton is in the picture!)
• Pastor's Column by Charles C. Glidewell
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Rural well water screening available
• Citation for an estate
• See you at the pole (photo)
• Fisher County designated road notice
• Yellowhammers & Lions sports reports (photos)
• Tumbleweed Smith: Be Careful About Buying Gifts on Vacation
• Michele Goodwin shows off handmade jewelery (photo)
• Recipe Corner: Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
• Neugebauer statement on the emergency economic stabilization act of 2008
• Sheriff's report
• Fisher County 4-H news
• Roby School Board Election Nov. 4
• The Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record will be closed on Fridays throughout Oct.
• Notice for fluid injection well permit by LCS Production Company, for Rough Creek

Sept. 25 issue:

• Rotan homecoming King & Queen nominees (photos)
• Hospital board approves budget, sets tax rate; Dr. Mary Parish to begin practice in Oct.
• Lions Club Buckner visits Lions World Services for the Blind in Little Rock, Ark. (photo)
• Obituary for Jiggs Chadwick (photo), Peggy Ballenger Neves
  
• Roby CISD holding public meeting Oct. 13 in the home economics room, high school
• Tax Planning by Gerald Rodgers, CPA
• Engagement announcement for Whitney Lauren Cobey to Ty Wilson Daws (photo)
• Birth announcement for Colson Ridge Moffett (photo, very, very sweet with his brother)
• Angel Velez places at fair in Lubbock
• Tumbleweed Smith: Thousands Watch Waterfire in Providence
• Hurricane affected counties in Texas extend NAP waiver deadline due to temporary USDA FSA office closures
• Roby city council sets tax rate, adopts budget
• Yellowhammers & Lions sports reports (photos)
• Rotan homecoming remember when photos (3 pages)
  
• Birth announcements for Emily Jazz-Leen Ortiz and Kaden Lynn Scherwitz (photos)
• Sheriff's report
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Fisher County 4-H participate in Jones County Fair during Sept.
• Delta Kappa Gamma meeting (photo)
• Roby CISD class officers (photos)
• Randy's Roundup: Securing the economy and financial markets; celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month; The Public Prayer Protection Act

This Friday Rotan Yellowhammers will play Haskell there, Roby Lions will play Hamlin here.

Remember, the Hobbs Reunion is this coming weekend. Be sure to show yourself and let Pat know you're coming.

Hobbs Reunion registration

Pat Porter has sent out the registration form for the Hobbs 2008 Reunion, which is set for Oct. 18.

Click here to link to the registration page.

I found I could print the form by selecting (left click, hold and drag) the portion of the registration page from the stars down, go to the top bar and click "file", "print", "selection", "ok".

You can also just contact Pat one of the ways listed on the registration link to get signed up.

It's only two weeks away, plan on coming!

Frank Cockrell Art Association meeting Monday Oct. 6

The FCAA will have a meeting Monday Oct. 6 to discuss plans for an art show during the upcoming Hog Fest that will be taking place Oct. 11. If you want to have your work represented in the show, but are unable to be at the courthouse early on Oct. 11, then please bring your work to the meeting on the sixth. The association will store your pieces and arrange for display. Everyone is being encouraged to participate.

The meeting has been set for 7 p.m. at the Fisher County Pioneer Museum in Roby. The FCAA wants to propose continuing art in the museum. Members of the Fisher County Historical Commission have been invited to attend the meeting in order to get their opinion.

Once again, that meeting will take place Monday, Oct. 6 in the museum at Roby at 7 p.m. There will be no program, only attention to business.

Sky's the limit

Mac Etheredge sent me this photo of him taken on top of one of his turbines at Snyder Wind Farm, the tallest wind farm in North America. He's standing about 350 feet from ground.

The turbines, Vestas/3 MW, are 345 feet to the hub and another 144 feet of blade. Other landowners in the project are Carl Williams, Dwaine Williams, Kevin Holt and Jerry Etheredge.

For bearing, North is in front of Mac, kind of northeast. Dwaine Williams house is behind him, next to Hwy 180.

The owner of the project is Enel North America, Inc.

If you click on the picture, it will be larger and you can see the details. Thanks, Mac!

I'm fixing to give the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance headlines, but I wanted to clarify the Hog Fest activities for the weekend of October 11. Hog Fest and Hog Fest Bike Rally are two separate events happening on the same weekend.

Hog Fest begins Thursday October 9 with the Cake Baking & Pie Contest and Steak Dinner & Auction at the First Baptist Fellowship Hall in Roby.

Friday night, the Cook Off begins at midnight at the Roby Community Center.

Saturday the Cook Off continues while vendors, children's activities and bingo will comprise Hog Fest on the courthouse square and Community Center in Roby. That night Jack Terry & the Texas High Five band will play on the square.

Hog Fest Bike Rally will take place at the Rotan Rodeo grounds, the main event starting 8 a.m. Saturday. Gates will open on Friday. There will be vendors, children's activities, music and rally events all day long. Chase Scott Band, Brazos, Highway 36 and Lawless Flatz will play from 10:45 a.m. until midnight.

Okay, here's headlines from the Sept. 18, 2008 color issue of the newspaper:

• One man volleyball team comes to Rotan (photo)
• Big Country Electric hosts Rep. Joe Heflin (photo)
• Revised rules for Hog Fest cake & pie contest
• Mark Harris writes song, "Boots"
• First United Methodist Church in Rotan presents Spiritual Renewal Sept. 20 (photo)
  
• Obituary for Maxine Hommel Terry
• Roby City Council holds first meeting with new City Manager
• Notice to creditors
• Roby CISD public meeting announcement
• News Briefs: Roby UMC Men's breakfast; Angel Velez places at West Texas Fair
• Congressional candidate Dwight Fullingim hears voter concerns in Rotan & Roby (photo)
• Tumbleweed Smith: Charles Chupp is not your typical mayor
• Air Permit renewal by Longworth Gin
• Yellowhammers & Lions sports reports (photo)
• Rotan Homecoming Sept. 26, playing Cross Plains
• Roby Lions play Winters there
• Blood Drive Sept. 22
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• New fall items at The Newspaper Office in Rotan
• DAR meeting minutes
• Fisher County Historical Commission minutes
• Rotan School Board discusses cost of implementing softball program
• Sheriff's report
• Teacher of the week, Coach David Ritchie, Rotan (photo)
• Rotan city council approves budget, sets tax rate
• Carrion, Estes & Groat sign up for Roby School board
• Randy's Roundup by Congressman Randy Neugebauer

Hope ya'll are enjoying this perfect weather, it's my favorite time of year. Soon the wheat will be going in the ground, there have been a lot of serious costume conversations going on at our house, and the turkey is right around the corner. Have a good week!

I like Tina better

It's been a week of weather, hasn't it. We've had misty, drizzly days and it appears that the second planting period of this growing season has begun. Seeing the chrysanthemums and collard greens at the hothouse inspires me so that I feel like getting a bunch of seeds to plant, but I will save them the ultimate torture of my killing them. No green thumb here.

Here are the headlines for the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance Sept. 11, 2008 color issue:

• Rotan Cafe now open (formerly The Back Yard, photo)
• Commissioners Court approves county budget, lowest tax rate in 14 years
• Cross Roads Baptist Church celebrates Heritage Day today, services begin at 10:55 a.m.
• Fisher County Hog Fest Cake & Pie contest revised rules to be published next week
• First Baptist Church of Rotan holding revival until Sept. 17
• Quail Research Ranch holds field day
• AgriLife Extension to present Beef Production Program Sept. 23
• Obituaries for Jerrel Ray Marks and O. C. Day (photo)
• Public citations
• News Briefs: Reception for Joe Heflin; Hog Fest Bike Rally Cleanup; Senior 4-H meeting
• Artist Barry Arthur speaks at Sept. 8 FCAA meeting; Oct. 6 next meeting; Art Show to be held in Court House Atrium during Hog Fest, Oct. 11
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Fisher County youth participate in Texas Wildlife leadership camps
• Recipe Corner: Sweet Grilled Corn
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Birth Announcement for Brian Jeral Jenkins, Jr. (photo)
• Fisher County Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture Wild Hog Fest Cake Baking & Pie Contest, Thursday, Oct. 9, First Baptist Fellowship Hall Annex in Roby: Contacts & Contest Rules
• Yellowhammers & Lions sports report
• No game for Rotan Sept. 19
• Lions play Stanton in Roby Sept. 19
• Tumbleweed Smith: Men Should Stay Out of Women's Purses
• Engagement announcement for Shanna Diane Diggs & Rode Wayne Morrow (photo)
• Lane Landes, strong roots in Rotan
• New managers at Windword Inn (photo)
• Randy's Roundup
• Roby CISD approves committees, fields reports
• The Newspaper Office will be closed on Fridays during the month of Sept.
• Rotan High class officers (photos)

Gotta go, the Vikings play at noon! Go Vikes!

Hobbs Reunion set for October 18

I spoke with Pat Porter today and she said the newsletters will be coming out soon with more information about this year's reunion. It will start at 9 a.m. and the meal will cost $12.50. Remember that you can still order Hobbs Commemorative throws from Mac Etheredge.

You can contact Pat in several different ways to update your info or add someone else's:

Pat Porter
950 FM 3205
Rotan, TX 79546

325-735-3337 home or 735-2332 work

pporter@rotan.esc14.net (most reliable e-mail)
patporter2006@sbcglobal.net

Plan on joining everyone at the Hobbs School for this memorable occasion.

House done gone

I missed the moving of Randy Etheredge's house last week, but I talked to him and he told me they took it up north of Camp Springs. I thought a photo of the hole it left was pretty dramatic, although I would have rather had one of the house on the road.

Another thing I found out when I talked to Randy is that, like me, he's holding the records his grandfather kept when their land was purchased in 1941. It's funny to hear someone else tell the same story I've been hearing all my life, about all the families that bought land from a large ranch that was split up and sold. He could have been telling me my story. He was amazed that you could fill up a tank of diesel for $15 back then and I told him how my granddad wrote down everything that money was spent on, including haircuts.

I also talked to Jack Stein (KXOX) this past week. I was telling to him about the new radio program at Western Texas College in Snyder and that Tumbleweed Smith (Bob Lewis) would be teaching there. Jack told me that KXOX was one of the first stations to broadcast Tumbleweed, some forty years ago. "We were all younger back then," he said.

I heard from Ricky Niell up in Alaska, and his photos were recently published for the SimHQ September calendar. This is some spectacular aviation photography, so take a look!

Holler to Malcolm Crawford out in Snyder, TX. He is the fifth grade science teacher at Snyder Elementary and I sure appreciate the compliments!

There's some catching up to be done this week since I skipped last weekend. Let's jump right in!

Here are headlines from the September 4, 2008 issue of the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance:

• 2008 Dove season
• New game warden, George Pasley (photo)
  
• Monday mission to benefit Roby classroom supplies
• Windword Inn under new management (photo)
• Roby board adopts budget, sets tax rate
• Rotan school board adopts budget, sets tax rate
• Quail Research Ranch sets Inaugural Field Day, Sept. 12
• Agri-Life Extension 4-H volunteers honored at Silver Clover Banquet
• Obituary for Cleo "Shorty" Kenneth Hamlin
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Citation by public
• Notice of election-October 6, last day to register for this election!
  
• Public notice
• News Briefs: Hogfest Bike Rally meeting Sept. 6; Hogfest Biker Rally clean up Sept. 7
• Engagement announcement for Crystal Lynne Malone and Christopher Michael Baldree (photo)
• Hogfest cake baking & pie contest Oct. 9 (this lists all the rules and events)
  
• Yellowhammers and Lions sports roundup (photos)
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Rocky Roberts 2008 Cowboy of the Year (photo)
• Beat mosquitoes
• Randy's Roundup
• Tumbleweed Smith: Comanche is Restoring it's Depot
• Monthly climatological summary for Aug. 2008

August 28, 1008 issue:

• Results of Fisher County Fair entries
• Carrion, Estes & Groat sign up for Roby school board
• Hogfest cake baking & pie contest Oct. 9
• Jack Brown named new Roby City Manager (photo)
• Fraud alert issued by First National Bank of Rotan
• Big Country Electric First Aid training (photos)
• Fisher County school enrollments
• Burn ban lifted
• Obituaries for John Hanson Harrell and Flora Lorain (Spencer) Etheredge
• Citation by public
• Two plead guilty in District Court
• Two public notices
• Legal notice of application for fluid injection well permit
• Recipe Corner: Clay's Jalapeno Cornbread
• Tumbleweed Smith: Sunrise at Machu Picchu Lives up to it's Billing
• Meet the candidate, Joe Heflin (photo)
• News Briefs: Decorate the town; Immunization Clinic; Yellowhammer Athletic Booster Club
• Cyrena J. Morin receives B. A. Degree
• Yellowhammers & Lions sports report (photos)
• Rodeo Queen contestants and winners (photos)
• Fisher County Hospital board gives Helms raise, approves replacing hospital windows
• Consumer Alert: new Federal Trade Commission rule will let telephone customers avoid pre-recorded telemarketing calls
• Notice of tax revenue increase
• Random photos from the Fisher County Fair & Rodeo
• Brooke McCall receives Master's Degree (photo)
• Back to school safety tips
• Avoiding rabies
• Tax Planning by Gerald Rodgers: Protect Your Nonprofit Status
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker

Happy morning to you all and enjoy the cooler weather! Our thermometer is sitting at 64, so I better take advantage and get some things done outside. 'Til we meet again!

The end of Summer

Maybe not the end of the heat, although we didn't have too much of that this week, but signs are definitely pointing towards fall with the start of school, the Fisher County Rodeo and Halloween products already on the shelves. That last is probably not so much a sign of the season as a sign of overzealous commerce.

Deputy Gary Clark was helping two little girls gather candy at the parade when I snapped this photo. They totally took advantage of him, running all around while he tried to keep them from snatching candy out from under horses and tractors.

Here are the headlines for the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance August 21, 2008 issue:

• Johnny Brock receives Ten Year Pin
• Fisher County Fair and Rodeo to be held Aug. 22 & 23
• Fisher County Rodeo 2008
  
• Roby Band Boosters meeting
• Donation to Roby Volunteer Fire Dept. (photo)
• Justin Stuart takes 3rd at State 4-H horse show (photo)
• Prevention of child abuse (photo of DA)
• Roby Booster Club to serve hamburger supper Aug. 26
• Rotan Council meets with resident about water bill, sets tentative tax rate
• Rotan ISD essentials list (arrival times, staff, mealtimes, etc.)
• Citation by public
• Lions Report
• Rotan Economic Development meeting
• Public notice for hospital board meeting
• Check out the gifts at "The House of Fine Gifts" located in The Newspaper Office
• Sunny Helms graduates from Belmont University (photo)
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Roby taking resumes for city manager
• Notice to creditors
• Randy's Roundup
• Western Texas College nursing graduation and pinning ceremony (photos)
• Birth announcement for Evan David Cave
• Meet the Lions Aug. 26
• Fisher County Fair & Rodeo queen contestants (photos)
• Tumbleweed Smith: Traveling with a monkey
• Recipe Corner: Tasty Tuna Pasta
• Fisher County Historical Commission meets
• Accidental death of George McClesky
• News Briefs: Hog Fest Bike Rally meeting; Public Notices

This coming Friday, Aug. 29, Roby Lions will be playing Irion County in Sweetwater and Rotan Yellowhammers will play Ranger in Ranger. Both games will start at 7:30.

Notorious

If you don't have a newspaper subscription, you will want to sign up for further news and also back-order the latest issue.

People around this county have been talking about the notorious Clarks, father and son duo (Donnie & Gary) that work for the sheriff's department. I thought it was idle gossip, but this week the "Clark Boys" were made infamous by being set in print.

I absolutely adore Mrs. Donham's way of reporting, which is to print meeting minutes verbatim. I think it's funny how county and city meetings go along with tedious run-of-the-mill items such as budget approvals and what-not, tum-de-dum, then, kapow! Fangs are bared and talons are out, a free-for-all is on.

Anyway, words were said and opinions expressed at the latest commissioners meeting and you will not want to miss the details of this story. There's a secondary meeting where they discussed where and whether bikers will be able to hold a rally in October in Rotan.

Rain has been the main theme of this weekend. We received 2.7 inches yesterday and it's still muggy and rainy looking outside. I hope it stays this way all day. The photo above is of our tank, only I flipped it upside down to make the reflection the main focus.

Here are the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance headlines for the August 14, 2008 issue:

• Rotan schools to start Aug. 25
• Commissioners Court heats up over raises for deputies
  
• Commissioners grant permission to Chamber for use of courthouse square for Hog Fest activites, grants bikers use of arena in Rotan
• Roby City Manager Mickey Kelly resigns, Roby council adopts dog ordinance
• Early look at the Lions (photo)
• Obituaries for Walter Lloyd Smith, Sr. (photo), J.D. Price, Annie Mae Richardson and Rodriquez Gonzales Munoz
  
• Advisory Council holds meeting
• Recipe Corner: West Texas Stack Up
• Roby Athletic Booster Club meeting
• Cameron Thornton finds giant grub worm (photo)
• Commissioner Staples to address agricultural issue at Big Country Wheat Conference
• Clearfork Groundwater meeting 8 a.m. Aug. 19 at the USDA office in Roby
• Hospital board to hold meeting 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25 in the hospital dining room, public meeting at 6:45
  
• Public hearings on tax increase: 9 a.m. Aug. 21 and 9 a.m. Aug. 28, both in the court house
• Fisher County proposed budget meeting 9 a.m. Aug. 25 at the courthouse
• Rosemary Donham named to 2008 Media Honor Roll
  
• Sheriff's report
• Rotan ISD to hold public meeting 7 p.m. Aug. 25 in the Learning Resource Center
• Rotan Elementary School list
• Fisher County Financial report
• Local young ladies attend Texas Brigade Camp (photo)
• Auto accident investigated (photo)
• Fisher County Historical Society meets
• Rotan school board hears from citizens requesting to implement softball program
• Freddie & Lovelle Stuart celebrate 50th wedding anniversary (photo)
  
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Tumbleweed Smith: Ranger's Historic One-stop Store
• Tumbleweed Smith to lead radio program at Western Texas College, Snyder
• Western Texas College receives gift from Invenergy Wind LLC
• WTC registration Aug. 21
  
• Calling all Rotan sheep and goat exhibitors for validation tags
• Roby pool closes
• Hammer football
• Proposed salary increases for Fisher County elected officials
• Venomous widow
• Randy's Roundup: Standing up for lower energy costs and America's energy security; congratulations to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce; coming soon - energy & economy updates

I also want to mention that the paper has an editor's column that begins on the front page and is full of all kinds of tidbits. I don't outline it because it is more of a personal nature, but it's an integral part of the paper. Can't you see how badly you need a subscription? Who would want to miss out on any of this news?

I hope I will be able to get a photo of Randy Etheredge's house going down the road. He has moved into Sam & Roxie's house and his house is going to be moved. Hope I'm not elsewhere when it happens.

I would like to wish Jessica Galloway and her family good luck in their new endeavors. She'll be missed at the store.

Georgie McGough is now selling Avon and you can place your orders here (click!).

Ya'll have a good week and remember that the Fisher County Rodeo is next weekend.

A cross-eyed mule and a leaky barn roof

That was all The Terminal Advance, a newspaper published in Fisher County's White Flat area, could tout in 1906.

One issue of the Terminal sold on ebay this week for $83.45, offered by Paperworks of Austin. Apparently, White Flat was the terminal point for the Texas Central Railway, hence the newspaper name, and soon to be the site of Rotan. Seems like not much was going on around there at that time, as the writer was really having to reach for a story. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in the middle of nowhere with a fancy printing press at my disposal. Some sort of writer's bliss, for sure.

Today you can buy a 1929 Rotan class ring and a 1950 Yellowhammers year book off of ebay. I couldn't find anything on Hobbs. Not the Texas Hobbs, anyway.

I've posted the football schedules below for Rotan and Roby. I got my free schedules at Thriftway in Rotan. Just click on the schedule for a larger view. I believe Rotan, Roby and Sweetwater schools will all start Aug. 25.

Now for the newspaper rundown.

Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance for August 7, 2008:

• Hammers poised for surprise run (photo)
• Lions two-a-days (photo)
  
• Roby CISD returns to school
• Expectations high for Rotan volleyball (photo)
  
• Commissioners enact burn ban
• Captain David Nowlin takes command of Headquarters Company, 7th Communications Battalion (photo)
• Garrett Dowell awarded TILF Scholarship
• Incumbents file for re-election, newcomer Dana Groat
• Obituaries for Delbert Oran Bridges, Ruby Francis Smith Green (photo), and Garland Moore (photo)
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Visit the Clothes Closet in Roby, M-F, 9-4
• Airman Joedon Carrillo graduates Basic Training (photo)
• Filing for Roby school board open until Aug. 26
• Upcoming Olympic games anticipated by many
• Rotan Class of 1948 reunion (photo)
• Representative Joe Heflin urges attendance of hearing in Lubbock, Aug. 12, 1 p.m., of the Select Committee on Property Tax and Appraisal Reform
• Grievance Committee convened Aug. 8 to discuss salary grievance
• Roby CISD school supply list
• First Financial to open new bank in Merkel (photo)
• Tumbleweed Smith: Enjoying Summer is all in the Attitude
• Roby CISD bus route changes
• Fisher County school ratings
• Fisher County Rodeo Queen contestants needed
• Cullen Terry had a 90th birthday party yesterday at the FBC in Roby
• 2008 Fisher County Fair
• 4-H District Fashion Show and dress review (photo)
• Randy's Roundup: Standing up for our troops and veterans; coming soon - energy & economy updates in the 19th district
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Rotan Booster Club meeting
• Notice of calculation of effective tax rate
• Fisher County Rodeo 2008, Aug. 22-23
• Rotan and Roby Coaches (photos)
• Commissioner Staples announces approval of Crazy Ant treatment, Termidor SC
• Pet care for your fuzzy friend this summer

Get your subscription by emailing radvance@rotanadvance.com.

All the stars up in the sky

I got up a five this morning, made a pot of coffee, then stepped out on the front porch and remembered why I truly love country living. Standing there in my pajamas I could see every star ever created and not a neighbor in sight to see me in my wherewithals. And it was quiet, except for some crickets. I'm telling ya, folks, there ain't nothin' better than a beautiful Texas morning.

There were stars shooting all over the place, but I couldn't find a calendar listing a meteor shower this a.m. I woke Jess up to show her, so I have a witness. We also saw a little flash of lightening off to the southeast, but I couldn't find anything on radar.

The photo today is from the StarDate website for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory. You can figure out how to identify constellations and all other kinds of things astronomical.

My friend Judy Green has a website, Sweet Cottage Charm, that you should check out. It's a Texas/Vegas mix with a lot of beautiful photos and daily chronicles. She also has an ebay profile where she sells sea shells by the seashore. Not really, she sells elaborate, upmarket items.

Okay, here are the essential headlines for the Roby Star / Rotan Advance July 31, 2008 issue:

• Rotan School Board approves change of order of election, hires four new teachers
• Filing for Roby School Board opened July 27
• Rotan YHQ special registration
• Hobbs teacher of the year (photo)
• Start thinking about your entries for the Fisher County Fair, Aug. 22 - 23
  
• Roby High School band camp
• Annual tax-free weekend scheduled for Aug. 15-17
• Fisher County Hospital Board tables bid property, approves purchase of chemistry analyzer, approves raise
• Obituary for Dolores Mijares (photo)
• Faith comes through for soldiers (photo)
• Letter to Editor: Snake in the bathtub
• Notice of registered sex offender James Don Gandy
  
• Gabel Family Reunion
• Randy's Roundup: America's energy independence, standing up for taxpayers and supporting our economy, failing to address Medicare's future shortfall, CRP update
  
• Tumbleweed Smith: A palace on wheels
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Fisher County Queen contestants needed
• Sheriff's Report

It's time for that vacation to Ruidoso or Colorado as the mercury will rise to 100 & Jeez! The weatherman says we'll cool off to the mere 90's by midweek. Be cool, stay cool!

Thunder only happens when it's raining

Or that's what Stevie Nicks says, anyway. I always thought, "Well, that's not so", so maybe she's saying the opposite of what she means, like in that song where the guy sings "God don't make little green apples, and it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summer", but then she says "Players only love you when they're playing" and that sounds probable. I surmise that I don't know what Stevie Nicks is talking about.

I do know that I like the sound of thunder and we're hearing it this morning. I pulled the latest radar photo off Lubbock's KBCD Channel 11 website. Looking at radars can be like playing with a Magic 8 Ball. When a scary storm comes up, I look at a radar that only shows where it's raining intensely. When it's dry, like now, I look for a radar that shows every particle of moisture that may be in the atmosphere from here to the moon (such as the one I've shown here).

My favorite radars are KTXS in Abilene; NOAA, the Texas radar; The Weather Channel, a very cool looking radar; KBCD, Lubbock, as above; and GOES, another page on the NOAA website, that shows water vapor in motion. I gotta keep my mind occupied when a bad cloud comes up.

The Perpetual Easter Egg Hunt

One of the things I do to make a living is sell gourds. Yes, the little round gourds that grow in every ditch across West Texas. I have to admit, hunting gourds has become more than a way to make some money. I'm addicted.

My mom always told me, "It's not the having, it's the getting," and if you saw what gourd prices are right now, you would say that's accurate. I'm not making diddly on gourds, but, man, do I like to look for them.

I'm especially excited this week because the state has mowed right-of-ways and I can safely see and pluck gourds instead of tentatively stepping off into a bar-ditch filled with 7-foot high Johnson Grass. I saw a rattlesnake a couple of weeks ago, and I tell you, I was motivated to jump very high, practically back into the front seat of my pick-up.

If you're thinking the photo of the gourd I posted looks odd, it has had the shell peeled away leaving the fibrous inside that is filled with seeds. It almost looks like a loofah, you know, those Louisiana gourds that you dry and peel to use for scrubbing, but they aren't quite as sturdy.

Anyway, if you see some lady jumping around in the ditches with a red bucket, you'll know you've spotted me, getting the eternal thrill of finding the little round orbs.

Here's the rundown on the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance issue for July 17, 2008:

• Fisher County Hospital receives grant from Meadows Foundation
• Foursquare Church in Rotan has new co-pastors (photo)
• New handicapped ramp installed at courthouse in Roby (photo)
• Roby CISD hires Judson Oppegard as new ag teacher (photo)
• Domestic shooting still under investigation
• Obituaries for Corilla Adelle Turnbow (photo) and Louise Driver Parham
  
• Teenagers and summer jobs
• FCAA holds regular meeting, next meeting to be August 11, 6 p.m. at the Rotan Lions Cub building (photo)
  
• Results from July 4 golf tournament
• Sheriff's sale August 5, 9 a.m, 1994 Mercury 4-door Grand Marquis LS
• Rosie Dry celebrates birthday 103 at Home Place Manor (photo)
  
• Newsbriefs: Rotan Athletic Booster Club meeting
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Engagement announcements for Jessica Lynn Porter to Cody Matthew Fulton; Stacy Morrow to Steven Holliman (photos)
• Commissioners Court fields reports, holds executive session
• Rotan City Council adopts curfew ordinance, sets new rule for swimming pool
• Local children attend Texas Lions Camp (photo)
  
• Eyes of Texas on copper theft
• Rotan man arrested for manufacturing and delivery of controlled substance
• TxDOT urges motorists to be on the look-out for motorcyclists
• Fisher County Roundup
• Save money at the grocery store
• West Central Texas rainfall totals - National Weather Service report
• Tumbleweed Smith: Two-wheeling in the mountains

Try to keep cool, we're in the part of summer where all you can do is hunker down and hope for a renegade thunder storm. Or go to the beach.

Can you smell that smell?

There's nothing like the smell of a rain storm on a hot July day. We know we're at summer's apex when the cotton is a certain height and the cicadas are working overtime. I was watering my mother's flowers yesterday and wondered what it was about the smell of water on dry, hot dirt that's so exciting. I posed this same question to Fred while we were watching the rain gauge fill up last night (.8, by the way). Maybe it's because it's so rare around here. I guess if we lived in Seattle, a little thunder shower might not be so exciting.

Today's photo is of marigolds in my garden. I was going to show a photo of the whole thing, but what I'm so proud of probably looks like a mismanaged weed plot to others. If you want to see a class act garden, go by Anson Martin's place at Camp Springs. We cruise by real slow while oohing and aahing his wonderful garden and orchard. The man's got lots of talent. And a water well. That's imperative. I gave up watering when I realized I was growing a $25 cucumber.

Here's the rundown on the July 10, 2008 issue of the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance:

• Bee call in Rotan (photo)
• Roby City Council meets with Kay Howard of HOWCO, discusses & tables animal ordinance
• Kent Ruffin new superintendent Rotan ISD (photo)
• David Ritchie new athletic director, head football coach Rotan ISD (photo)
• Accident results in DWI arrest (photo)
• Riley Barnett named new Fisher County Extension Agent (photo)
  
• Obituaries for Dorothy Mary Blackwelder and Jack McClure (photos)
• 2008 Softball tourney results
• Velma Moore Smith celebrates birthday 95
• email Rosemary at rosemary@rotanadvance.com
• Fisher County sheriff's report
• Tumbleweed Smith: Waiting for a Train
• Local student qualifies to compete at world's largest rodeo (photo)
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Pool Safety by Lisa Donham
• Randy's Roundup by Congressman Randy Neugebauer
• Fisher County Historical Commission meets

Also, there will be a meeting of the Frank Cockrell Art Association Monday night.

Have a good Sunday. It's still overcast here, so we're off to a good start!

Town hall meeting tonight, 6:30 p.m.

PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING CURFEW ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY OF ROTAN TO BE HELD TONIGHT, JULY 8, 6:30 P.M. AT ROTAN CITY HALL

Hey, ya'll! Been a while, hadn't it? Hope your holiday was good.

I saw this pretty little fella(or gal) on the floor the other day and I just had to take a picture of him(her). I love the designs that are on the crunchy critters I find around our place. I think that designers and artists have been getting their creative ideas from bugs since the beginning of time. Probably some engineers, too. Check out more at A&M's entomology page and at Tom Murray's Beetle Gallery. Just lovely!

I've been trying to pick up the pace on my home menu by using recipes from the Old Farmer's Almanac. I like it because I can search by keyword, in other words, I can look in my freezer and use the name of whatever I have in there to find a recipe. I really, really like it because I can find a recipe with ingredients that I already stock and recognize. I made braised pork chops yesterday and they came out pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Okay, here's the rundown for the July 3, 2008 Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record issue:

• Lion Buckner named Vice-District Governor (photo)
• 30-year employee retires from Big Country Electric Co-op
• Sano Upshaw retirement reception held June 30 (photo)
• Rotan FFA Officers attend camp (photo)
• Obituary for Thomas Rodriguez Yanez
• Rotan ISD Board hires teachers, new athletic director
• Roby students attend health camp (photos)
• Sheriff's report
• Engagements announced for Sara Ramos & Josh Yearwood, Rusty Goodwin & Keri Robertson (photos)
• Birth announcement for Miller Sims Cave
• Tumbleweed Smith: Adventures in Oakland, California
• Joanna Lee of Rotan named to Dean's List

Have a good week, hopefully some raindrops will fall today!

Roby items on ebay

I was looking around on ebay this morning and found a couple of interesting Roby items. A postcard of the First Methodist Church, pictured here, and a 1957 Tumbleweed yearbook. Couldn't find anything for Hobbs or Rotan. I guess I need to look up Camp Springs and a couple of surrounding areas. Be sure to look up round gourds, too. That's my specialty item!

Hay! Happy Father's Day!

Okay, that's corny, but I've been looking for an opportunity to use this photo of the hay-stuffed house on Scott's Corner. It makes me feel full when I look at it.

I have a bookmark folder with Story Ideas written on it, and it's just full of sites that I come across that I think are interesting, so I'm going to share some of these with you before I get to the paper review.

• At USA.gov, you can check to see if the government owes you money.


• TexAgs, is a forum about strange West Texas connections with references to Fisher County.


• USGS has information about Texas earthquakes.


• A Hog Fest Biker Rally will be held in October at the old rodeo grounds west of Rotan, and this site has the 411 on that.

I could really just go on and on, but then I would need to have another website just for my favorite links and I believe someone has already created a site for sites, so we'll move to another subject, now.

Here is the synopsis for The Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record June 12, 2008 issue:

• Storm rages through Rotan area (I didn't mention that before, did I, see you really need to subscribe to the paper to get all the info!) (photos)
• Roby CISD Board hires Amy Huseman and Nick Dickson
• Rotan resident Rachel M. Martinez, 24, killed in one car accident (photo)
• Frank Cockrell Association hangs murals (photos)
• New Directions to perform at FBC tonight
• Josh Love skateboarding at Summer Youth Program June 17 & 19
• Obituary for Mary Ella Wright Brown
• Letters to the Editor: Justin Moffet complains about grassy ditches; response from Mary Mahaffey regarding school on Memorial Day letter from last week
• USDA deadline for Livestock Disaster Program
  
• YHQ artistic students (art examples)
• Summer Youth Program report
  
• Tumbleweed Smith: Running 100 Miles Uphill
• Fisher County Sheriff's Report
• HOBBS High School "Brighter Baby Baskets" Service Learning Project (photos)
• Joy Walker's Fisher County Roundup
• FCAA meeting minutes(photo)
• Commissioners Court hires Riley Barnett as Fisher County Ag agent
• Progressive Agriculture Safety Day July 1
• Birth announcement for Cole Aiden Barr (photo)
• Fisher County Historical Commission meeting minutes
• Jared Welch graduates from China Spring High School
• Recipe Corner: Tasty Tuna Pasta
• Rotan Elementary honor rolls

I hope you all enjoy Father's Day and the chances for rain we have through Wednesday. Good thoughts to all of you!