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.