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.