Snow, or something like it, over ice, yum!

- Snowy sleety roads -

It sleeted on an off from about noon yesterday until midnight or thereabouts. People were being a little too brave today driving, I think. It seems like the snow gives traction, but ice is the base. I thought 20 mph was appropriate, but many seem to think 50 is slow enough.

Heavy sleet in a short amount of time with below-freezing temps caused for some slick roadways yesterday. I was coming off FM644 onto US84 and the back end tried to come around. I was really counting on the previous days' high temps to keep the ground warm enough to keep it from getting slippery, but I guess there were too many negative variables.

The sun has been shining for about thirty minutes, and my cats have taken respite, laying in cubby corners where the wind is blocked so they can soak up some rays.

I'm wondering about the re-freeze situation tonight, because the road in front of the house is still white. It's probably going to get pretty interesting, drive-wise. Maybe it will freeze rough. At least the tires would have something to hold onto that way.

No clothes on the line today

- Pins -

It's been a cold weekend, and just when I thought it was over, The Weather Channel informs me that another round is coming in the morning. I've got my truck all thawed out and the road here in front of the house looks clear, so if I can just get to work before it hits tomorrow, I'll be good.

The road actually seemed better this morning, after all the freezing rain last night, than it did Saturday morning, after just a bit of drizzle that froze on the pavement. Ice is such an unpredictable element.

Keep up to date with the weather on the NOAA website, and, in particular, scroll down and read the Forecast Discussion. That seems to be the best bet.

Cotton stripping in high gear, seismographers arrive

- Busy Deeres -

The constant grinding of cotton strippers can be heard day and night, with dots of lights moving back and forth over fields in the dark. This is the prelude to winter, and ginning will go on well into the coldest part of the season.

Coming down Camp Springs road last night, I thought there was a wreck because I saw some orange and red blinking lights in the distance, but when I came upon them, they were signaling three seismograph vehicles lined up in a row, with a crew working all around them. I took photos, but as you can see in my Twitter feed to the right, they did not turn out well.

I'm trying some new technology, well, old mixed with new. I just purchased a dial-up modem that has a usb port attached to it, which I'm going to plug into a wireless router. I've found a place online where I can sign up for ten free hours of dial-up internet. It may not be a solution, but I want to have as many alternatives as possible.

According to the Texas Public Notices page on the Texas Press Association site, Circle C in Rotan has submitted an application for a wine and beer permit, so it looks like Fisher County will soon be collecting proceeds from the first legal sales of alcohol since local option was enforced after the repeal of prohibition.

I don't actually know if that is true. I can't figure out if Fisher County was ever wet. An article I found on the Texas State Historical Association site is interesting and explains a few things, but doesn't pinpoint the events in this county.

Read more about Texas History here. The word solon used in the article means statesman.

Sendero in town, Kelly Spinks next weekend

- Sendero vehicle -

Sendero Oil Company has been noticeably present down around Camp Springs this week. They've been clearing brush and making a path with a big tree eating machine, something that looks kinda like a loader with a big maw attached to the front. Could they be cutting back in anticipation of doodle-bugging? If it's for surveying, they sure have cut some swirly roads. There's always a man sitting in one of the pick-ups outside the area that's being worked. It would be so easy to stop and ask one of them what's going on, but I'm never one to let real knowledge impede upon the thoughts in my head.

I'm hearing the old-timers saying it's going to be a hard winter because the mesquite trees made two crops of beans this year. I didn't notice if my trees made one or two batches, but the termites that ate my yard are now eating the beans laying around out there.

Kelly Spinks & Miles of Texas will be playing music for all the fine folks next Saturday night at the Hobbs Gym, around 8 p.m. The weather should be nice and the dancing even nicer.

A couple of sites that are good to keep up with is The Roscoe Hard Times and The Colorado City Record. Bookmark those and put them on your favorites list!

No time for opportunity

Last week I was making deliveries in Mitchell county when I was flagged down by a man in a pickup. I drew up next to him and noticed right away that he's wearing a button-down shirt with DEVON embroidered on it. He was asking me if I knew who owned some piece of local property and I explained I wasn't from around there, gave him a phone number of someone who could tell him more, and noted to him that he was most likely a landman. Then I let him drive away. Didn't tell him I had property in Fisher County, didn't ask him ANYTHING. I'm kicking myself now, but at the time I was running late and had to get going. Now I have cards printed up with all my information, including my property survey name and number.

In the past couple of days I've been hearing the name Gunn Oil Company repeated. It seems they're leasing and surveying and are soon to be here, or a little east of Hobbs.

Kelly Spinks & Miles of Texas is going to be playing at the gym on November 16, 8 p.m. - midnight. The doors open at 7 p.m., $15 cover, $5 cooler. Come out a little earlier and have a bite at the cafe, they're open until 8 p.m. We were in there yesterday and it was full, half civilians, half hunters. Judy hardly had time to say hello, she was pretty busy.

I've got special memories of maize, today's featured photo. I remember going to harvest with my dad, uncle and grandma. Daisy and I would sit in the truck or pickup while the men worked. They used to tell me the combine belonged to me and it made me the proudest three-year-old in the world. I stood in the back of the grain truck filled with collected maize, thigh deep, with the smell in my nose and fancy little shield-shaped bugs crawling here and there. Yes, later there was itching and scratching, but not enough to ruin my recollections of those times.

This week I've been reading The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. It's one of my standbys when I can't, or won't, find anything else read, but I've only read it about three times, even now. At first it seems like it's going to be boring, then it gets very good. Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors.

The movie I found palatable was Girl Most Likely with Kristen Wiig, Annette Benning and Matt Dillon. Oh, and I reconnected to the weekly drama The Good Wife, which comes on Sunday evenings. Last week was a good time to get in if you haven't been watching all along, because you could catch on to the storyline without having to know any back history. I think you can watch past episodes online.

Keep an eye out for Hobbs locals in the Dallas vs. Vikings crowd today. They're somewhere behind one of the end zones. I know some Snyder people who are also going.

Go VIKES! Hahahahhaa!

Trenches, explosions, movies & books

- FM 611 -

Pipes on yellow stands along US 180 and FM 611 are ready for transfer into an awaiting trench. I keep trying to pinpoint which pipeline this is, but no luck for me, yet.

Yesterday, as I was beginning a walk, I heard a loud explosion, like when they're blasting for gypsum. Then about twenty minutes later I heard another. The sound seemed to be coming from west-northwest of here. I took a ride west of Camp Springs, all the way up to the Wild Wings and Taylor leases, then north as far as one can go past Camp Springs, then east back down to Nash Miers old place. I never saw any activity, smoke or dust that indicated where the blast came from, but I did notice some land for sale because of the Williamson & Branson sign pegged on it. It looks like it will be the listing for about 51 acres north of Hobbs. You know I want it!

Just west of that property is a natural ridge and for a long time a radio tower was on that ridge. It was more or less north of my house, so when I would come in from Sweetwater, perhaps on a stormy day, I could see "my" tower as I drove past Buster Wright's house (which is across from another tower) and judge which way the clouds were going. I only realized last month that "my" tower had been taken down, and it made me wonder what I've been using as a reference point. Someone else's tower? Do I even know where I live?

Friday night, I tried very hard to watch "The Heat" with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. Gratuitous cursing aside, it was just so boring I had to turn it off. It reminded me of a game we would play as kids that we called "Petty Girl". One girl would be the super-snooty, uptight fancy lady and the other girl would pretend to be down-to-earth and practical (normal) and would give The Petty Girl an upcomance. Anyway, I wish I could call Block Buster and get my money back.

I was watching another show today, oh, who cares what it's called. The waitstaff was about to do something vile to a rude customer's food, and I was out. Sometimes I wish I hadn't watched the movies I like so many times, so I would have something good to watch. I wouldn't mind seeing "Murphy's Romance" or "Honeysuckle Rose" right now.

I hear Helen Fielding is about to come out with another book about Bridget Jones. I like that series, but I think her book "Cause Celeb" has a lot more substance to it. Such a realistic viewpoint on the famines that plague Africa. Quite different from the stories about Miss Jones.

Back to local stuff. I believe the buzzards have gone. Crows were trying their hardest to take care of a road-kill mess up the road, but they just don't have the efficiency and talent of the bigger birds. I always miss those hard-working creatures during the winter.

Pipelines, oil rigs and dancing

- Dozer at RPQRR -

There was a lot of activity going on at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch this week. A new pipeline is going in along US 180, across FM 611 and onto the quail ranch, and they also have another rig operating there. It looks like a vertical operated by Ringo. It's directly between the horizontal rig I took a photo of last week and the fence I was taking it from. The RPQRR Newsletter has verified that the damages from the pipeline are being used to build a new fence on the east side of the ranch. There's a real good photo in the newsletter of three coyote pups drinking out of a stock tank. There are also many other incredible and interesting photos as well as a lot of information about the ranch, community and critters that inhabit therein.

There's going to be a dance at the Hobbs Gym next weekend, just in time to welcome fall. Dusty Creek is playing Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. Cover charge is $15, cooler charge is $5. They'll be entertaining until midnight.

I just signed up for Big Country Electric's new phone app, Smarthub. It only took about five minutes and I'll be able to pay my bill from my phone. Now the water bill is the only one I'll be paying the "old-timey" way, by writing a check and mailing it in.

I noticed that the overpass from US 84 onto I 20 at Roscoe is open, again. I just try to stay out of everyone's way, coming or going around that area, which is referred to as Destruction Junction. There have been fatalities above and below that bridge, and numerous, numerous crashes. Caution to all who drive under or over.

Oil business creeping in, not quite to crescendo

- Martin Ranch -

The photo was taken in front of brown-painted tanks on FM 611 that have a sign posted out front that reads "Gunn Oil Co., Martin QR Lease, Bridjourner Field, RRC No 31148, 3,840 acres". I could hear a pump-jack hydraulic sound across the road behind me, on the Sojourner Cave Lease, which butts up to the south side of the Sojourner Womack Lease, which is just down the road from the Sojourner J.P. & Travis Martin Lease. All of this is south of the US 180 blinking light. I believe my photograph matches up with one of the permits pointed out by Clint Liles on the Fisher County Mineral Rights Forum. It is situated on the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch.

The fence all along the west side of the RPQRR has been taken down, with stakes running just a few yards to the inside of where the fence used to be. I don't know if it's for oil and gas reasons, or a part of ranch maintenance. You can keep up with other aspects of the ranch at their website.

There is an interesting and informational article about the Cline Shale on the Lucid Energy site. Boy, that Cline Shale just gets a little bit bigger every week.

You can check out more oil field and Hobbs photos on my Facebook page.

Devil Ridge to play Hobbs Gym this weekend

- Devil Ridge -

Country dance band Devil Ridge will be entertaining at the Hobbs Gym on Saturday, September 28. It's BYOB, cover charge is $15 per person, $5 per cooler. Start dancing at 8:00 p.m., the party ends at midnight.

A termite ate my yard

-  Tiny Towers -

Termite shells on grass blades and weeds have been something that I've noticed a lot the past year. Not to say this has only started happening, it doesn't seem that it has ever been as noticeable as it has been lately. There's a big, huge patch in the yard (as pictured) that is bare, thanks to the little chomping insects. Hopefully the grass will grow back in before winter. If they would only eat the weeds, that would be a good deal.

Thanks to a botched-up Dish TV receiver, I'm thinking about going back to antenna-only service. My three favorite shows, Grey's Anatomy, Parenthood and Nashville, are all on local channels, and I believe I can watch Justified and Portlandia online (In theory, haha! I still haven't worked that out). I've also got a vhs recorder that I could set to record the shows. I could save a little nest egg on satellite tv payments alone. I pay a lot of money just to watch Friends and Everybody Loves Raymond every night.

I saw the flare on the Hench Wild Wings well yesterday morning. Someone had asked me about it and I thought it wouldn't be visible because the site is just over a rise when looking at it from the road directly south of it, but you can see the fire ball plain as day from the hilly spots just east of Camp Springs. You can look up the permit status on this well, and any others, on the Railroad Commission's W1 Search Query page (Thanks for the info, J.R.!). When you find your query, don't miss out on looking at the maps at the bottom of the page. J.R. told me the ones to look for are two (Yes, two!) for the Wild Wings and another for Emma.

It's back!

- US 180 Bridge -

The bridge on US 180 going into Snyder, which crosses over US 84, is back in order. While others may have known this from newspaper reports or visiting the work site, I found out it was open again when I was explaining my detour routes to someone and they said "Why don't you just use the bridge?" So, it may have been open for weeks or months, but I have only recently become aware that it has finished being rebuilt. Last week I even drove right up to Rip Griffin's and turned right through the industrial park and never looked any further than the truck stop. Not very observant, this one. Just who you want reporting news.

Oil field rumors are abound again, this time about the Hench Ranch well, purported to be making 500 barrels a day. This is the well west of Camp Springs that I may have mentioned a time or two. I've heard that Sojourner is looking for leases. I hope they call me, my number is 867-5309.

It seems I missed a dance last weekend at the Hobbs Gym. I am a little fuzzy on where I was at that time, but I hope not to be so remiss as to neglect the occurrence of the next entertainer who graces our community with their talent.

Another day on the prairie

- Doodle Bugs -

Dawson was out south of Loraine this weekend, giving the locals a little excitement. I passed three thumpers (I don't really know what they're called) like the one in the photo, and noticed a pad a little further down that had more of the same type vehicles along with some pick-ups, utility vehicles, transportable tanks and other equipment.

I talked to one of the neighbors who had come out to get his mail, (see, I was delivering it) and he told me they were working behind his house in a draw, and he could feel the thumps in his house. He said it excited the dogs.

I've known about the Texas Country Music scene that's been going on the past few years, but wasn't much interested in it until I heard Reckless Kelly just recently and thought, "Hey, that really hits the spot." I'm still investigating, but I think it's gonna be a big hit! I was disappointed not to find a magazine at Books-a-Million on the subject. It's a good sign, though, because I always find the underdog a little more interesting.

I keep talking up fall and all, but last week I was at the mall in Abilene and was drawn into Bath & Body by the smell of something apple-y, where I picked up a pumpkin candle and smelled it, and then immediately walked out, because I'm just not ready for all that yet. I just want some nice slanty fall light and cooler weather.

Just a little this n that

- Tomato Seed Man -

We bought some fresh tomatoes from a stand outside of Ballinger on Friday, and this morning they were already on the verge of ruining, so I cut them up and put them in the fridge. I leave whole tomatoes on the counter, I don't like them refrigerated. While it's a shame fresh tomatoes ruin so fast, I think it's a good sign that they're all natural, maybe at the most they've had some Sevin sprayed or sprinkled on them. On the other hand, the tomatoes I buy from the grocery store never ruin, and instead of eating them, I just get one to see how long it takes to spoil. I usually throw them out after three weeks, unspoiled, not even a little mold at the top. I don't know what they use to preserve them, but I don't want to eat it.

I ran across the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's Wet and Dry County List. There's an interesting Search Public Records application where you can spend some time looking up information such as what establishments have applied for a permit and the status of existing permits. There's nothing for Fisher County, of course, we're dry, but it's fun to look at surrounding counties and see who owns the businesses, as that is listed on the permit.

There's a fitness program for women at the Fisher County Physical Therapy Center in Rotan that sounds pretty good. I believe you can go three times a week, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, 5:30-6:30 p.m., for $30 a month. I picked this up in a brief conversation, so you'll want to check facts with the center. I heard the trainer does not take it easy on you, and believes in a lot of arm work. The workout was compared to P90X, an extreme home exercise program. Make time, ladies, and get rid of those bingo arms (you know, the swinging, gobbler looking flesh on the underside of the upper arm)!

There's a good article in the August 19 issue of the Sweetwater Reporter about a friendship quilt that originated in Fisher County. The article is about Merle Coker and how the quilt has finally come back to her in a surprising way. I know her daughter-in-law, Beverly Coker, an avid quilt maker, and I've often thought how I would like to do an interview with Beverly and take photos of the beautiful quilts that she produces. Read the names listed on Merle Coker's quilt and see if you recognize any.

We keep having a bit of rain here and there, keeping the temperatures bearable. If we can just make it to the West Texas Fair & Rodeo, during the second week of September (6-14), we know it will be alright, because it always rains during the fair and fall soon follows!

A nice week in August

- Mimosa Tree -

I've been sitting here with the back door open this morning, listening to hummingbirds fight in the big mimosa tree out back. It's amazing how vicious those delicate looking little birds can be to each other.

I'm also thinking about technology, since it's really letting me down this morning. Ebay wants me to divulge my entire life history just because I haven't signed on in a year, the Mifi I've been using to get internet service indicates 3G service but I'm not experiencing it, and the limitations and blips on my new computer with Windows 8 is all enough to make me throw the electronics in the creek and start over with a stick and dirt.

I'm seriously thinking about going back to dial-up, and maybe even an antenna for tv service. Services that are considered progressive seem deeply flawed, such as satellite tv, which goes down during rainstorms, and satellite radio that takes us back to pre-FM stereo, losing service when you drive under a bridge or park at Sonic.

A thing that is good, cheap and beneficial is rain during mid-August. The rain gauge here collected .8, and I heard that the Eickes over near Rough Creek, 10 or so miles northwest of here, received 4 inches. My garden of beans that I will never pick is doing well, thanks to the rain, because those poor plants can't depend on me. I'm too forgetful about the watering.

We ate chicken-fry up at the Hobbs Cafe yesterday. Bobby Wright's family was all gathered there for his birthday. Dad got the fringe benefit by getting to see some folks he hadn't talked to in a while. Johnnie Ballard was also there, eating the chili dog special, and Mr. Underwood from Rough Creek came in, too. The restaurant was pretty packed.

The well I've talked about west of Camp Springs seems to be a pretty serious deal. Big lights can be seen at the site when it's dark, trucks are coming in and out, and a placard at the entrance warns of danger from high pressure. Is it a sign that "The Boom" is finally bumping up against us?

A trip to Rough Creek

- Longhorn Valley -

We took a drive around the northern block today, a good two hour jaunt, to see if we could find Longhorn Valley and the ranch house for sale by Williamson and Branson that sits on the rim of the valley.

The thing I like most about this little drive is that I'm never quite sure where I'm at or which way I'm supposed to go. At one point it looks like I'm driving through the middle of someone's pasture, but as long as I eventually come across my mile marker clues, I know I'm not about to run off a cliff.

We succeeded in our objective, which was to find the million dollar ranch house. We did not find it by looking over the valley with binoculars. From the backside, you wouldn't know it overlooks anything, it just looks like a house on the prairie. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is a must for anyone desiring to live in this home.

I was surprised and happy to see the road was open through the creek bed. Sometimes it is detoured and I can't even sneak across it because the road hasn't been graded and there are huge gulleys that are impassable. When it finally does rain, it really rips up those roads.

There's a lot of water in the creek under the old trestle bridge. I swear that before the gravel company came, we could walk for miles down the creek on sand, some of it quicksand, and there wasn't a bunch of foliage growing in the creek bed. We used to ride horses on it, too, and they sank quickly and deeply. It was very exciting, just like in a western movie.

I've been going down to the rough all my life, and I used to take my kids down there to walk around and play in the river, or river bed, depending on the season, just like my dad did me, just like his dad did him. It's a family tradition that I plan to continue.

Daydreams about fall things

- Being bull-headed -

Around this time every year, the word August brings to mind that beautiful season of autumn, which, in reality, is still a good two months away. It's all just around the corner, then another corner. Football, television, school. It's a pre-pre-fall dream state.

There's been a few rain showers and cloudy days to keep the temperature out of the 100's. It would be nice if it would rain weekly, but that would mean we're not living in west Texas.

The Lands of Texas website indicates a piece of property on FM 611 was sold recently, one mile south of Hobbs. It looks like it is across from the cemetery, maybe on that piece tagged Rivers. It was sold by Williamson-Branson Real Estate. The Longhorn Valley and the Camp Springs homes previously mentioned here are still available, now at reduced prices.

Interesting links to visit are the  Hobbs Cafe & Gym Complex page on facebook, an 18 Ranch book for sale on ebay, the website for the Fisher County Hospital, and recently published public notices.

By-the-way, Meep, aka Zee, aka Lazarus the kitten, is doing quite well. We just don't know who will take care of him once we break our necks falling, because he must be under a foot at all times.

Oil, rain and a kitten

- Tiny Kitten Town -

I keep trying to make sense of the Railroad Commission site, but I still find it overwhelming when searching for data. I came across this simplified report, Summary of Drilling for June 2013, that boils down information. We are district 7B. Similar type reports can be found on the Drilling Home Page. 

According to local weather forecasters, it's about time to finish up the ark and get the animals on board. NOAA is predicting an 80% chance of rain tomorrow. I like to read the Area Forecast Discussion at the bottom of that page. It makes me feel like they're telling me the weather secrets, even though I don't know the terminology.

When I wrote here last Sunday, I edited out a section about a kitten I had found at the Roscoe Fourth of July Celebration, because I thought I had killed the poor little thing. I went so far as to dig it a grave. But the next morning, the little scrap of fur and flesh jumped out of it's box, meowing and running around. My dad said I should name it Lazarus because it came back from the dead. I'm going to call it Zee for now, until it grows into it's name.

Dusty Creek Band to play Hobbs Gym

There's been some surveying activity on FM 1614 and the corner of US 180 and FM 611. Oil, agriculture or other oriented, it is unknown to me, but I heard speculation that it might be for a pipeline of some sort from the Willingham place.

I noticed the rig has come down west of Camp Springs and there is a new one north of the prison at the west end of Camp Springs Road. I guess they're frac'ing at the latter because of all the outbuildings that are situated around the rig. I've also heard drilling is taking place on Davenport again.

The Dusty Creek Band will be performing at the Hobbs Gym on Saturday, July 27. I heard them playing at the Independence Day Celebration in Roscoe last night, and it sounds like some pretty good dancing music.

I spent July 4th at Towle Park in Snyder and the weather was perfect. I also went the night before and ate tacos at Vicky's concession stand. The food was so good that I daydreamed about it all the next day, until I could go back and eat some more the next night. The corn tortillas were fresh fried in oil and just nothing like the hard ones you get at the supermarket. I didn't even eat any nachos, and everybody knows how much I like nachos.

We're expecting rain in about a week, but a forecast that far out is chancy. It would be nice if the yard was green, though. I almost miss mowing every week. Almost.

Fish as visitors after three days

Another result has come forth from the storm last month. Thousands of fish have died underneath the culvert next to my house. I know, I know, if I'm unhappy, just think how it has affected the fish, but I can tell you, they are not feeling anything at this time, and the smell is putrid. I'm torn between wishing the wind would lay and wishing it would keep blowing until all the fish smell has dried out. The birds (Starlings? Mud Martins?) don't seem to mind, though, maybe it makes food-gathering easier for them, like a bird convenience store.

There are some dinner-plate sized bullfrogs in the tank out back that have been putting on entertaining performances made up of basso profondo croaks, with peepers bringing in back up. The big ones make a lot of other sounds, too, like they're knocking around logs. Very entertaining, just add some fireflies, drinks and a spritz of mosquito repellant for a perfect summer evening.

The house for sale at Camp Springs is now being handled by Williamson-Branson Real Estate. They also have a once in a lifetime offer of a home overlooking the locally famous Longhorn Valley on Rough Creek. It's divine, and I wish I had $1,625,000 to buy it.

I'm going to speculate, as usual, on a rig that is just west of Camp Springs. It would seem that frac'ing is going on there, since there are many lines of flexible black piping running to the site from nearby water sources. That's all the activity I've noticed lately, but I don't make the block everyday, or even every week.

Hobbs Cafe hours have changed, now open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, still 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. Stop in for some good home-cooking and fresh coffee!

The cost of internet freedom

Four weeks after the big storm and I finally have internet, again. Sort of.

I have parted ways with Dish on internet service. Since they have changed contractors, they felt that an outage was a perfect time to charge me an arm and a leg to install a new system and get me signed up for a two year contract. I was not in agreement.

I'm fed up with satellite anything. I would not refer anyone to any type of satellite service. They are unreliable and expensive. Shyster-y, too.

I'm also fed up with two year contracts, such a magic number. I'm not signing up for another darn anything.

Which brings me to my current internet situation, getting usage through a portable wireless device. After paying more than $200 for the item itself, a warranty and service, I have contract-free internet. Now, grant you, it's only a bit faster than dial-up, but here I am, talking to you all once more.

With no contract, I will be free to pursue the next good thing to come along, if this latest new thing doesn't break me.

Nix night coming up

Remember, ya'll, Jodie Nix and the Texas Cowboys will be at the Hobbs School Gym next Saturday at 8 p.m. Call 325-574-4170 to reserve a table.

Directions to the school are printed on the poster, just click to make it larger. The address for the GPS is 1317 FM 1614, Rotan, Texas.

A sentiment that some locals are expressing is that the oil boom isn't going to spread this far north. There are rumors that there's not enough water out here for the fracturing process. Maybe it's going to be a slow boom. That might not be so bad. I hear all kinds of things about the problems in Midland, a town that has recently Spindletop boomed, and how many traffic fatalities they have there. A simmering boom is fine if it helps avoid all that mess.

Oil people in Westbrook tell me there's a lot of wild-catting going on, and that's what the activity north of Snyder is all about. I tell you what, you don't want to be at the traffic light on the north side of the square in Snyder, on College, come 5 p.m. Vehicles are backed up for blocks coming in off of North SH 208. I've also noticed traffic on SH 350 south of Snyder just keeps getting heavier and faster. You also have to watch out for transport trucks on little roads, I mean dirt back-roads, these days. It's best just to hit the ditch and get out of their way.

In the April issue of Texas Monthly, The Texanist tackles grackles. Some of these obnoxious fowl showed up out here last weekend, and I have the luxury of being able to shoot at them with a shotgun. City folk are not as fortunate. For a long while, the Mall of Abilene had speakers on top of the facility that played loud, pitiful grackle sounds, as thought someone were standing on a wing, twisting a beak, and pulling out toenails (do grackles have toenails? Maybe claws would be more appropriate.). I haven't noticed that cacophony lately, and I don't see any grackles, so maybe that worked. 

Anyway, come on out and see Nix next weekend, enjoy some of this good country air, and scoot a boot.

Jody Nix takes the stage May 18, Hobbs Gym

- Jody Nix -

Jody Nix & The Texas Cowboys are going to help kick the summer off right with a late May dance! It sure will be good to have them back in Hobbs.

When you check out the Jody Nix website, you'll find that he and his bunch have a lot going on, like a Western Swing Cruise in September that stops at Jamaica and Cozumel.

Nix also hosts a radio show, Sunday Night Country, on Big Spring radio station KBYG. That's Sundays, 7 to 9 p.m., and you can listen to it on the internet as well as the radio.

So get your table reserved for SATURDAY, May 18, 8 p.m. to midnight, $15 a head / $5 cooler. Call 325-575-3393.

Shady Mitchell band set to play dance on Saturday

- Shady Mitchell & Kickin' Kountry -

Shady Mitchell and Kickin' Kountry will take the stage at the Hobbs Gym this coming Saturday, April 20. Come on out around 8 p.m. for a real good honky-tonkin' time. Cover charge is $15, cooler fee $5. Call 325-575-3393 to reserve a table.

Speaking of singers, local snake-charmer Kyndra Lee was featured in an article in the Los Angeles Times. Rattlesnake Republic superstar Riley Sawyers and prominent local figure Tom Henderson of the Blue Goose Ranch also got a mention.

There was a notice in the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record a few weeks ago that an application has been filed for a local option election to legalize the sale of alcohol in Fisher County. The result of that vote will be interesting, should it make it to ballot.

There was also a public notice announcing that South Central Water Company of Houston has submitted an application for a water quality permit to authorize the discharge of treated waste water just south of the US 180 and FM 611 intersection. The water will be allowed to drain into Buffalo Creek.

Here are a few catalog sites that the ladies might enjoy: Garnet Hill, At West End, and King Arthur Flour.

The guitar-playing guys might like reading about the Martin Backpacker. It's a portable, compact guitar that's easy to carry along camping or fishing at a length of just 24". It's easy to get a tune on anywhere with this handy little dude.

The former gin, known as Hobbs

- Hobbs Gin, 2007 -

Since I mentioned this photo in the previous post, I thought I'd go ahead and show it to ya'll. It was pretty well dilapidated in 2007, when this was taken. It looks like it was being scrapped.

According to the Handbook of Texas Online, the Hobbs Co-op Gin was formed in the 1940's. I also found an Environmental Protection Agency Facility Detail Report that has some obscure details about the gin.

Trespassing, but just a little

- Hobbs Gin Office -

You can't get anything past me. This morning I went out to look for a photo opportunity and found that the Hobbs Gin is no more. It must have been torn down between April 2007 and now. I give that year because that's the last time I took a photo of the gin. I suspect it was more recently, though, to make room for trucks filling up at the fresh water station that is now there, built a little north and west of the Conestoga storage building. The photo is of the gin office door. Sorry about my shadow.

I remember seeing an oil painting of the gin at Dale and Doshia Cave's house. I'm pretty sure Doshia painted it, she was talented that way. Dale was manager of the gin for many years.

I drove on around to Aunt Vera's house (Guy Weems) and noticed the barns and outbuildings are now gone. A little building in the field just south of house has also been leveled, where there was always stacks of Treflan jugs and buckets.

Claude's house (Claude was Guy's brother), just to the east of Vera's, has been gone for some time, but the tall pine trees and cellar remain.

There are some new looks on our road, too. The Landes's are nearly finished with their country house, the Munoz's are putting up a nice pipe fence, and Ronnie Green's house just got a fresh coat of paint. I've thought about contributing to the neighborhood aesthetics, but just a little effort makes me feel like napping right away. Maybe I'll get it into gear by the time the scissortails show up and the mesquites start to bud.

Hobbs Cafe closed for Easter weekend

I didn't want anyone to be disappointed in case they made plans to have Sunday dinner at the cafe. Open again on Monday!

Worms, houses and family

- Custom Touch Village -

The early bird gets the worm, but the early worm isn't so lucky, right?

Anyway, the Snyder Daily News beat me this week, with their photo of the groundbreaking on the new Custom Touch Village on SH 208 south of Snyder, because I played hooky from writing last week. I took the photo a week before they did, in case I get points for that.

The lazy reporter lets someone else scoop the story then just adds her two cents worth. Or this one does.

I first saw a photo of the barracks on the Cline Shale Alliance facebook page. The Alliance reported that the unit was being shipped from South Dakota in time to be featured in the Rattlesnake Roundup Review parade.

A few days later, I saw the unit on a truck trailer in the La Quinta Inn parking lot in Sweetwater. I snapped a photo and shared it with the Alliance group.

The theme continued when I saw the barracks again on SH 208 last week.

I am very susceptible to advertising and multiple exposure, so now I wish I had a whole bunch of housing units so all my kids and family could live right next to me. I just know that they fantasize about living next door to their mother. I'm sure their spouses would appreciate having their mother-in-law underfoot. What a perfect life!

The Abilene Reporter News also did an article on the Custom Touch Village site this week.

Local girl makes good, Kelly Spinks next weekend

- Kelly Spinks -

Kyndra Vaught from Hobbs took home the 2013 Miss Snake Charmer title from the Sweetwater Jaycees annual pageant, held in the Sweetwater Municipal Auditorium Thursday night. She won $2,000 in scholarship money, part of that from also winning the talent portion of the contest. We heard her sing when Greg Maldo performed at the Hobbs Gym for the New Year's dance, and that little lady can belt it out. We're proud to have her representing the community.

Speaking of dances, Kelly Spinks & Miles of Texas will be performing at the Hobbs Gym this coming Saturday, 8:00 p.m. Call to reserve a seat, 325-575-3393. They play traditional country music, so get ready to hear the fiddle!

It seems like a new well is being drilled every day around here. I noticed yesterday a rig just southwest of the Camp Springs corner. That's in Scurry County, but it's mighty close to Hobbs. I've been paying close attention to the caller id numbers lately, just in case a landman should get my number.

If you want to see a "bevy" of oilfield activity, drive north of Snyder on SH 208, where there's a rig, tank or pumpjack about every five acres.

There's also a cool collection of salvaged vintage pickups out there, just as you're leaving town. This has nothing to do with the oilfield, but I want the green one.

Beaver's Store site to be rv park

- Formerly Beaver's Store -

A major undergoing was achieved this week by the owners of the former Beaver's Store site at Camp Springs. Charles and Lisa Lee, along with Peggy Lopez, razed the house and store to the ground, with plans to make it a camp site for workers that are expected to inundate the area as the Cline Shale exploration heats up.

Wood was reclaimed from the store walls and floor. "There was double layer of tongue and groove on the floor. About 25% of the wood was salvaged", said Lisa Lee, wife of Charles.

Repairs and removal of old pipe was necessary to make an existing water well viable. There is now running water at the site. "If you don't have water, you don't have anything", said Lisa. The Camp Springs area is known for it's abundance of good, natural drinking water from underground wells.

"Cleaning up" activity is occuring all across the area. Driving through Mitchell and Scurry counties, it's possible to see old houses being razed, moved or refurbished. There are a lot of new rv parks and pads for oil tanks. It's like everyone is preparing for the big party.

There have been some doubts about the reality of the impact the oil business is going to have in this area, seemingly because the effect has been happening before the cause, but the installation of pipeline for PVR Midstream, to be used for collecting gas from wells on the Cline Shale, may herald the changes to come. Read more about PVR's Midcontinent Midstream Systems, in particular the Hamlin System, and their Businessweek Snapshot by clicking the highlighted links. 

An acknowledgement goes to twitter user @blair1220 for the PVR info.

Rattlesnake Roundup redux

- Nolan County Coliseum -

I was looking for information about the upcoming Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater and came across some comments, long, long comments, about how barbaric it is to hunt snakes and kill them, accusing the people of Sweetwater of forcing their children to witness reptile beheadings and skinnings and ruining the socio-ecological landscape of the West Texas animal kingdom. I would like to turn the kaleidoscope and show the context of the event from my view.

The photo shown is the coliseum, the hub of roundup. All the captured snakes are there. In the past twenty years, I haven't gone in there, except for a brief ten minutes about ten years ago, because it costs a lot of money to get inside that building. Also, the smell of fried snake and live snakes does not make a pleasant potpourri, and people are packed shoulder to shoulder on the arena floor. I've been going to the roundup most of my life, so, to me, if you've seen one snake, you've seen them all.

I go for the free entertainment, the flea market. I get nachos with jalapenos, curly fries and a funnel cake, every year. The roundup is a tradition for my family, although I must admit, as everyone goes their own way, soon it will be just me making the yearly trek.

Here's the set-up: Directly to the east side of the coliseum is the inside flea market, five long aisles of merchandise in every form, so full of people that it's a long troll past booth after booth of t-shirts, antiques, purses, rugs, jewelery, books, doo-dads and whatzits. About half a mile to the east is the carnival. Half a mile to the south is the open flea market. The distance from there to the carnival must be a full mile, with the park in between, which even at this moment is filling with rv's and campers, and where the BBQ cook-off is held. There's also a faux gunfight in the park, OK Corral-style, that occurs at intervals.

The place is full, full, full of people and I go to see them, not the snakes.The excitement and bustle that is infused in the town the week leading up to the weekend of the main event is contagious. A lot more is going on than just snake-skinning.

Oh! And this year is the added excitement of seeing Riley Sawyers, star (that's the way we see it around here) of Rattlesnake Republic.

Kelly Spinks next to entertain Hobbs

I went out and took today's photo intending to show that this is still cattle country, not realizing there were windmills in the background (click on photo for larger view). There's no denying we're an energy rich area, but livestock and cotton continue to make up a great part of our economy and landscape.

Kelly Spinks and Miles of Texas will be entertaining crowds at the next Hobbs School dance, set for March 16. I didn't make it to see Jody Nix, but I heard there was about 400 head. I'm pretty sure my absence was not noted, although I can't dance worth a darn, so they may have missed my entertaining antics on the floor.

Horizontal wells have made big news, but the regular drillers seem to be doubly busy. There are rigs all over the place and yesterday I noticed one on Spring Creek, just north of the school. A roughneck once told me they don't have to drill as deep around there.

I don't care much for spring, because of the fearsome weather, but one thing I look forward to is the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup. This year it opens March 8, occurring yearly the second weekend of that month. It's kind of crazy they don't have their own website, but I was able to glean some information from the Eyes on Texas website. Scroll down the page a little and there's a rundown of the itinerary for that week.

Better call ahead...

- Setting Up -

If you want a table to sit at for the Jody Nix dance, you need to get your phone call in to Judy Gordon. I talked to her today and she said half the tables are spoken for already. The home side bleachers have been removed to accommodate seating, with the stage situated where the visitor's side bleachers used to be. It looks like it's going to be a blowout, and they've already lined up a band for the next dance! More about that after this one is done.

$15 a head, call to reserve a chair! 325-574-4170.

Jody Nix at the Hobbs School on Friday

- Jody Nix -

Hey, pretty Mamas! Time to put that red dress on, and Fellas, shine up the boots, 'cuz Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys are gonna raise the roof of the Hobbs School Gym this Friday at 8:30 p.m. Out-of-towners, put 1317 FM 1614, Rotan, into the GPS to find the way. We're actually about 11 miles west of Rotan, but that'll get you here. The gym is on the backside of the school, so be sure to drive on in and behind. Tickets are $15 a head and can be bought at the door or in advance by calling 325-574-4170.

Sheriff's sale and changes

-  Commissioner Martin -

This week I ran into Precinct Three Commissioner Preston Martin at the local sheriff's sale. I've been looking into the process of buying county property that's in arrears on taxes, trying to figure out where the best deals are (school sales?). The people I've talked to about it are friendly and knowledgeable, like Penny Kiser and Elsie Pierce. I also talked to a man in Scurry county who's been buying such properties for years and he had some good stories and information for me. He buys lots and his brother buys houses. I never did catch his name. By the way, neither Martin nor I bought anything at the sale.

I'd like to mention some changes around the area. Things evolve so gradually that it becomes the norm before I think to say anything.

Something I wouldn't have thought there would be a difference in is the increase in air traffic. I see helicopters and small planes flying by on a daily basis. We have electrical, oil field and wind companies doing their business out here, and I guess they use a lot of different means to observe their sites. I don't know, maybe they're just on the way to work.

The traffic on the roads has also increased, but that was to be expected. There are a lot of tanker trucks and company vehicles.

There are big above ground water tanks everywhere. Big, square, dirt berms lined with heavy plastic, filled with water, and large nozzles on a couple of sides for tanker trucks to fill up with. I counted eight on the way to work the other day.

A temporary change in Snyder that is affecting commuters as far away as Rotan is the repair of the bridge next to Rip Griffin's Truck Stop, the one that crosses over US84. Talk about pick-up in traffic, Camp Springs Road is really getting the business as the alternative to US180. You better set your cruise to 60mph and have all your lights in working order and stickers current, because the Department of Public Safety is patrolling this area.

A dog is found

- A Nice Puppy -

I saw this dog walking in the barditch today, when I was going to and coming from work, and I decided I had to pick her up. She's very emaciated, but in good spirit. She seems healthy, young and good-natured. She's had no problems with my animals or the cows in the pasture. If someone knows who she belongs to or would like to take her home, email me at hobbsholler@yahoo.com.

That white thing to the left, under the dog's ear, is just a cinderblock in the background. She is all black with brown underneath.

ARN's Mangalonzo reports on Hobbs School

Be sure to read this recent article about the Hobbs School written by John Mangalonzo of the Abilene Reporter News. Maybe we can get Howard to come make our bed! In another forum, it was commented that Judy probably came right along behind him and remade them all.

Hobbs School back on the market

According to the big For Sale sign out front, the school is once again for sale. Keller Williams Realty has the property listed at $2,000,000. The cafe and rv park are open and thriving, making for a good investment opportunity.

View Oil & Gas Completions on the RRC

View Oil & Gas Completions on the Rail Road Commission website. Some experimentation is necessary. Searches need to be narrowed down to just a few months or a month at a time. Fisher County is in district 7B. Clicking "Search", "Tracking No.", "W-2" reveals interesting information.

I get an error message when I try to "View Form/Attachment". I "Click here to activate the Adobe Acrobat plug-in" and it brings it right up.

I had sort of figured this out myself, but Wade Caldwell on the Mineral Rights Forum for Scurry County explains it well.

Unraveling the house

I am in both of these photos and both were taken in the same spot in my front yard. The pretty lady in white is my mother. Yeah, I've been here a long time.

My connection to Hobbs is insular, consisting of memories and the knowledge that I am at the site of my history. I sometimes wonder why I'm still here. It might be because I feel like the memory keeper of those who have come before and after me, and because I feel some sort of obligation to be where my family expects me to be, here in Hobbs. Or maybe it's because I got a sweet deal on the house and I would have never had the opportunity to own my own home, otherwise.

Speaking of the house, I went to paint a room yesterday, and uncovered a hornet's nest. Well, actually, many, many dirtdobber's nests, which seem to be all that is holding the place together. I decided to pull off some trim, and that led to me knocking a hole in the sheetrock, which led to me realizing that in some spots there's no sheetrock beneath the many layers of paint, and behind that no insulation but many of the aforementioned dirty, larva-filled nests. Then I decided to demo a little and now I know that I need a new house. The man who takes care of these things (the husband) is evaluating the situation, which is probably not so dire. You should see what he made happen when I decided to pull up the living room carpet. He's a magician with the hammer and nail.

I'm off to paint the kitchen cabinets, because I'm hell-bent on painting something. I'm trying real hard not to pull a thread. Just paint. But I did notice a hole in the baseboard under the sink...

Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys play Hobbs Feb. 22

The date is marked "tentative" on the Jody Nix website, but I heard it directly through the grapevine that the band would be playing at the Hobbs gym next month.

If you go up around the school, you'll see that the grounds are overrun with equipment, rvs and people. An electric company has taken up residence for the next couple of months.

I was driving east of Camp Springs the other day and spotted a beautiful pheasant rooster. The photo doesn't do him justice. It's funny because I was just talking to someone the other day about how long it's been since there was one up by the school, near the McCombs heifer pasture. This dude was cool as a cucumber, just like the other one I saw. He didn't take any notice of me making big u-turns so I could snap his picture. He's probably used to the paparazzi, being so glamorous and all.

A country party

- Black-eyed peas fans -

Here are a few photos from the Hobbs New Year Dance. It looked like there were about 150 people there all at once, maybe more with coming and going. Ages ranged from little bitty babies to people who have been adults for quite a while. People were rarin' to dance and the music was accommodating. Greg Maldo's band was really good, and a local talent Kyndra Vaught sang two songs, with the band accompanying. Howard and Judy served black-eyed peas and cornbread in the little annex building connected to the gym. You could also buy soft drinks, water and coffee in there. The band stood on a stage that has been built where the visitors side bleachers used to be. It was a good set-up and the crowd flowed in and out of the spaces. Maybe more of these events could be coming?