Tom Hargrove, A Hobbs Boy in Africa

Tom came up with the title himself, as you will know if you read last week's entry. The photo is from Tom and shows him (right) inspecting a 10-foot-tall Cotton Tree in a village in Mali, West Africa. I will be identifying the other person in the photo forthwith. Cotton is a perennial crop, which mean that it will grow indefinitely if not killed by winter or purposely destroyed. Note the thick, wood-like base of the plant. You can also see small pods of lint - the bolls - on the plant. This plant was being grown as an ornamental, not for production. No, I'm not a cotton genius, Tom gave me all that information.

I have never thought of letting cotton grow beyond one season, and it was an inspiring idea, although Dad did point out that it wouldn't make it through the winter. It just kind of made me wonder about the other things I've never thought about or explored, and if you read Tom's Africa Travel Journal, you will feel like you're letting the grass grow under your feet. I have perused the journal and it made me feel like I need to get up and do something! It also made me hungry as he describes the delicacies he ate. This was about his fifteenth trip to Africa. Once again, if you would like to read the journal, please email me at admin@hobbsholler.com and I will let Tom know. I encourage you to get the journal, he is a natural storyteller. Well, and he has written a few things. Check it out on Amazon.

September Rolls Around

The nights and mornings are already feeling cooler, and it's hard to believe that we're this far into the year. It's time to start looking at Halloween costumes, making Thanksgiving plans and buying Christmas presents. Oh, and, of course, it's football season. Curse satellite television! (Not a fan!)

I've posted a photo of an unnamed kitten to the site today. This lovely female calico will be ready for adoption on September 9. We had three late summer litters. If only I was as good at raising cattle as I was at raising kittens.

I have a few bits of news to share. Tom Hargrove recently returned from a five week trip across Mali, Togo, Rwanda, Congo, Mozambique and South Africa. He took 2,000 digital photos and kept a journal as he traveled. He says that although the trip was official, as he was working in an agricultural development program, much of the journal is personal, such as notes about the food, travel in Africa, people he met, impressions of different countries, etc. If you would be interested in reading the journal, contact the me and I'll send the message on to Tom. I will be requesting the journal for myself and maybe I can get him to send a photo to post here. The email subject he sent was "Africa Travel Journal, or A Hobbs Boy in Africa". Africa is a looooong way from Hobbs!

Ricky Neill says photos are up on the forum. The artwork display from the Fisher County Fair and Rodeo entries are posted there. The talent is amazing, please be sure to look it over. I clicked on the link at the bottom that has zenfolio in it.

I haven't heard anymore about the missing city funds, and there's been nothing else reported in the paper or on the news. They might be talking in Rotan proper, but you miss a lot of that when you live this far out.

Start making your plans for the Boot Scoot & Wild Hogfest that will begin October 18. It will be held at the Fisher County Airport. Lubbock area bands, the Hogg Maulies, and Matt Martindale will be entertaining on Saturday night.

Okay, now for the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record update for August 23, 2007:

• Torrential Rains Fall on Fisher County, ranging from 5 to 15 inches
• Miss Fisher County photo
• Roby Homecoming Yard & Window Decorating Contest, Sept. 6 Judging
• Neugebauer Visits County (photos)
• Rotan ISD Board Meeting Minutes, Discussion of Open Campus and Drug Testing
• Laci Brooke Martin & Cory Lee Huggins wedding announcement (photo)
• Fair & Rodeo Results
• Rosemary Donham named to the Media Honor Roll
• Obituary for Tommy Lyndle Stanford
• Photos of Fair & Rodeo Queens and runners-up
• Lindsey Collins Graduates (photo)
• Lions Sports (photo)
• Jeremy Alls Graduates from Angelo State
• Random Photos from Fair & Rodeo Exhibits, Rodeo & Parade

A map of the county is on the front page of the paper along with the rain story. I was surprised to see that Lawlis Flat is an actual place. I thought my band friends had made the name up.

Speaking of Lawless Flatz, they will be performing tonight around 8 p.m. at the grand opening of Rolling Thunder, a bar & grill in Fluvanna, which is just west of Snyder. You can get more information about that show from their myspace profile.

Have a safe Labor Day!

Rotan City Council in the Hotseat

If you have never purchased a Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record before, now would be a good time to do so.

Apparently, according to the account of the Rotan City Council meeting held on August 14, there is approximately $44,000 to $45,000, or more, missing from the coffers.

The paper offers the meeting minutes verbatim. The story continues from page1 on to pages 2, 6, 9 and 10. The conversation definitely sounded heated, but a bit ambiguous. It was noticed that the legal council for the city is the son of a council member. It also sounds like they have a good idea of where the money went, although it is never clearly alleged how or whom.

So, here I am, crying the week's headlines on the street corner. Get your Rotan Advance!

Hobbs High School MySpace

I have submitted Hobbs High School Pre 1990 on MySpace. There are entries for the Co-op that is now at Hobbs, but there wasn't a place for historic alumni to gather. I just submitted it, so it may take a day or so to actually be in the search base.

MySpace is a fun way to contact other people, and it is very easy to adjust the privacy you prefer. I never instant message or call people and I have my profile set to where only my friends can see it. But if you are very outgoing, you can make your profile public and chat to people online.

Give it a try, you can look at it before joining.

Band Practice Starts Monday, Aug. 13

The Yellowhammer Band will begin practice tomorrow and will be held Monday - Thursday, 1-4:00 p.m. Enjoy the heat of the day, kids! Bring bottled water and snack bars to keep up your strength.

Rotan High School registration begins this coming week. If you did not receive a notice, call the high school office at 325-735-3041.

Roby High School band camp will begin tomorrow at 9 a.m. 7-12 grade students who might be interested in being in the Lion Band are encouraged to attend.

Entries are being accepted at this time for the Fisher County Fair and Rodeo Events, to be held next weekend, Aug. 18. Contact the Fisher County Extension office at 325-776-3259.

Here's a skim-through on the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record issue for August 2, 2007:

• Sixty-Third Fisher County Fair & Rodeo, Aug. 16 - 18
• Main Street Flowers changes hands, Brian & Teresa Harrison co-own with Jessica Flores & Brenda Sheehan (photo)
  
• Thriftway purchased by Mike Holt (photo)
  
• Fisher County 4-H Wins State Team Penning Championship at Horse Show (photo)
• Rotan and Roby School Supply Lists
• Atmos Energy replaces pipeline (photo)
• Third Annual Fisher County Boot Scoot & Wild Hog Fest to begin Oct. 18
• District 4-H Fashion Show Winners (photo)
• State 4-H Barrel Racer (photo)
• Obituaries for Karen Elizabeth Boggs Pope, Joyce Evelyn Moffett Villalobos, and Cheryl Jean Palmer Neves
• Photos from Summer Youth Program
  
• O'Briant 50th Annual Family Reunion (photo)
• Western Texas College in Snyder to begin EMT courses August 27 & 28
• Rotan City Hall drive through window is now open, they do renewals of vehicle registration on vehicles registered in Fisher County, as well as take water payments, 325-735-2251

It's hard to believe that September is just around the corner. We have been granted a reprieve from the intense summer heat this year, so, for that we are lucky. My sympathies go out to all those football widows, as pre-season is in full swing. Thank goodness for DVR & Tivo, it may save some marriages!

FCAA Meeting Monday Night 6 p.m.

The meeting for the Fisher County Art Association will be Monday, August 6, 6:00p.m. at the Frank Cockrell building in downtown Rotan. Larry Williamson will present the program, which is a hands-on drawing with a grid exercise. The presentation of art at the Fisher County Rodeo and Fair will be also be one of the topics of discussion.

Notable Passings

I wanted to make note of some deaths that have occurred in the past couple of weeks:

• Blake Alan Nichols, 21, Tuesday, August 1
• Douglas R. Jones, 67, Sunday, July 29
• Karen Elizabeth Wright Boggs, 42, Tuesday, July 24
• Darren Stevens, 42, Thursday, July 19

We're keeping the families of these people in our thoughts.

Summer Vacation

Mount Rushmore was our vacation destination this year. It's located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, near Deadwood. Wouldn't ya know while we were up north, they were having record heat, so it felt more like Louisiana or East Texas than anything. I didn't believe it when they told me, but they have us beat in mosquitoes and biting flies.

Some other things I noticed abut the north on this trip:

• There is hay to die for, and the bar ditches are full of bales
• There are fences for snow drifts
• Everyone has a basement
  
• The roadways are cleaner
• The bathrooms are cleaner
• The people are very friendly
• There are not wind turbines

All that is good, but to tell the truth, it was just too dang far away. It was the first time in my life I was glad to see Aspermont, when we were driving in. We racked up nearly 3,000 miles round trip, averaging 22-25 miles to the gallon. The most we paid for gas was $3.58. Premium was cheaper than unleaded regular. Diesel was right around $2.90, generally. Nebraska is beautiful. I'm glad to be home.

FCAA Meeting & Drawing Class

Well, I found a good excuse to post Monte Morrow's mural, after all.

The FCAA will hold a meeting Monday, July 9, at 6:00 p.m at the Cockrell Building in downtown Rotan. Folks are encouraged to bring items they are working on to show, and Ricky Niell will bring his airbrush to demonstrate how he did the H. Govan portrait/mural which is on display in the old Chevrolet dealership directly across the street from the Dairy Queen in Rotan.

Also, there will be a new drawing class Saturday, July 14th, at the Cockrell building in downtown Rotan. It is from 10:00 a.m. to noon, break for lunch, then 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The cost is $20.00 per student, in advance, and all supplies will be furnished. Ages 9 up to 109 are accepted. If interested, call Ricky at 325-776-2806 or 940-776-2806. There is an ad in the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record that has more info, or click on the links below.

http://fishercounty.myfreeforum.org/sutra237.php#237

http://www.razzledazzleart.com/

Lawless Flatz Playing Hermleigh July 14th

Our friends Lawless Flatz will be playing a shindig in Hermleigh next Saturday the 14th. Check out the details at www.myspace.com/lawlessflatz. It's a BYOB deal, and starts at 9 a.m. There's a whole list of bands performing. Look at the poster under Lawless Flatz comments to see who all is playing. Go and have a blast!