Category: Amazing Things

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Fossil Limestone Building Cladding

lewisotr

On many high rise buildings around Texas (and as far away as Washington DC) this type of stone cladding has been used. It’s fossilized appearance gives it a very distinctive look. It has been used for decades on schools, museums, office buildings and even the San Jacinto Monument. It is mostly referred to Cordova Fossil Stone (trade-name). It seems to be mostly all quarried out now, with other types of stone taking over. While it was a very unique stone, it tended to turn black in color over time, leaving a less than desirable appearance. (first photo) There were several … Continue reading Fossil Limestone Building Cladding

Amazing Things, My Family, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Shopping For Great Gifts

lewisotr

Back in 1973 my wife was looking for the perfect gift for me for Christmas. She always shopped early, instead of waiting until the last minute. Usually she had everything wrapped up by the week after Thanksgiving. She looked and looked, going to every shopping mall in Austin. She thought, “it isn’t easy buying for the man that has everything”. I was 21 years old with lots of money to throw around (Cough…Cough…Cough) so I had a habit of buying whatever I wanted, leaving nothing for her to buy me. I don’t remember exactly what I received that year for … Continue reading Shopping For Great Gifts

Amazing Things, My Family, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Cecil & Bonnie Gay Lewis

lewisotr

76 years ago today, my dad took my mother to be his wife. She was 15 years old. He was 23. Did she have any idea what was ahead for her? She passed away after 42 years of marriage, just short of turning 57 years of age. 4 years later he died at age 69. They spent their lifetime in Smithwick except for a little less than 9 years they lived at Jollyville, Texas – 1956 to 1965. They raised two knuckleheaded boys and then took on raising two adorable girls in what we call their second life of parenting. … Continue reading Cecil & Bonnie Gay Lewis

Amazing Things, Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, The Jollyville Years, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

My Harvey Penick Story

lewisotr

This really isn’t about Harvey Penick per se, instead involves his daughter. I used his name because it will grab ahold of just about anyone that has ever played the game of golf or has connection to The University of Texas. Mr. Penick owed a ranch down the road from us when Kenny and I were growing up down on the creek out of Jollyville. It was his weekend get away, but at the time of this happening (1963/1964) his daughter was living there. She had a German Sheppard Dog and a Collie. Us being goat people, we had to … Continue reading My Harvey Penick Story

Amazing Things, The Early Days, The Jollyville Years10 Comments

Swimming Holes on Bull Creek

lewisotr

This is swimming weather. A hot and sunny afternoon like we have today transports me back in time. Before we moved back to Marble Falls, we spent almost a decade living near Jollyville in two locations. From 1958 until 1965 we lived down Spicewood Springs Road, where I’ve written about breaking Shetlands, raising Angora goats, playing with copperheads and rattlesnakes and had every kind of adventure young boys could have ever wished for. The beautiful Bull Creek meandered up through a nice peaceful valley from Lake Austin just below the Loop 360 – Pennybacker Bridge to the head of it … Continue reading Swimming Holes on Bull Creek

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, On The Job, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Hooking A Cutting Torch Up To Gasoline

lewisotr

I went out to Las Vegas in about 1982 or 1983 to Con-Ex-Po. That is a trade show for machines and equipment in the construction and mining industries. You can see the biggest machines and all the newest innovations known to man. Anyone in my business will walk around in awe at some of the things you see. Nothing caught my attention more than a fellow at one booth that was cutting really thick slabs of metal. He was slicing through 2″ & 3″ thick pieces of steel like any one I’d ever seen before cut 1/2″ metal. It was … Continue reading Hooking A Cutting Torch Up To Gasoline

Amazing Things, The History of TexasLeave a comment

The Man That Helped So Many To Become Winners

lewisotr

I attended the memorial service for Popeye today. It was so amazing to hear the testimonials of those Champions that were helped by Popeye and Jan Boultinghouse. Jake Barnes told of being just a kid when Popeye took him in and taught him about roping, what a good horse was and how to become a champion. Tee Woolman also gave his testimony about the value that Popeye brought to his life. How he was always available as a friend and a mentor. Both of those men and others there today told about what a fine man that Popeye was. How … Continue reading The Man That Helped So Many To Become Winners

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Inventor (mid 1980s)

lewisotr

I used to take my kids to Baskin Robbins Ice Cream in South Austin. Either a location on So. Congress and couple of blocks south of Oltorf or the one on Stassney Lane. What I always observed was the amount of effort it took for the employees there to dish out the very hard frozen ice cream. I also experienced the same thing at home. I went on a quest to find or make the very best ice cream scoop. I tried many different things, from a type of vibrating handle to different types and shapes of scoops. I bought … Continue reading The Inventor (mid 1980s)

Amazing Things, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Texas History, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

A Look Back At Some Of The Past “Ramblings” That Were Carried In The Newspapers Around Here

lewisotr

The Rambling Longhorn and Gloomy Gus are two of the fellows that have been carried in the local newspapers. If you know of others, please let me know and I’ll try to round up some articles from them. I can’t find the other Gloomy Gus screenshots that I made, that I said I’d put on here one day. I guess it wouldn’t be impossible for me to go back and scan them again one day. Continue reading A Look Back At Some Of The Past “Ramblings” That Were Carried In The Newspapers Around Here