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.