Category: Smithwick
Cedar Choppers
This isn’t an actual story. It is the notes that I made to read off of while I gave a talk at The Falls on the Colorado Musuem last Saturday June 3, 2023. A fellow said to me before I gave this talk: ”You ain’t gonna claim you used to cut cedar are you? How are you going to get up and talk about it?” I said “I talk about things all the time I’ve never done, thankfully.” Good morning everyone . I am here today to talk about Cedar Choppers. Primarily the Central Texas Cedar Chopper. Hasn’t The Museum … Continue reading Cedar Choppers
Easter 1961 in Smithwick
Kenny Lewis, small child may be Zeno Hayden, Ronnie Lewis, Glenn Lewis, Jerry Kennedy, Clayton Kennedy, James Kennedy and Jimmy Palmer. Continue reading Easter 1961 in Smithwick
Cemetery Working Day – 1954 Smithwick Cemetery, Burnet County
Something important to the life and condition of a cemetery is the care it receives. Until a few years ago it was a Smithwick tradition to meet 3 times each year on designated Saturdays to do a thorough cleaning of the whole cemetery. I think it was in February, June & November. Everyone in the community and from places everywhere would show up, spend and few hours tidying up the place, then a big pot luck meal was enjoyed outdoors on the grounds. That tradition has now fallen by the wayside as more funds are available to hire the maintenance … Continue reading Cemetery Working Day – 1954 Smithwick Cemetery, Burnet County
The Gift
Some of my best memories growing up was hauling hay and doing the hard work. Back in August of 2012 when Madeline and I turned 60, our kids along with Kenny and Carol threw us a grand party out at their place on Cow Creek. Jimmy Palmer brought me one of the best gifts I could have received. It was his hay hook that had hung in their barn for all these years. He wanted me to have it to remind me of the time that when he got out to open a gate and he got back in I … Continue reading The Gift
The Cushman Scooter
I once had a Cushman Scooter like the one below, except it was painted gray. it had the little jump seat on the rear, just like this one. Most scooters like that just had a single seat. I can’t remember where it came from, but as I recall it didn’t run when I got it. But I tinkered with it and got it going. Smithwick probably wasn’t the best place to have a motor scooter like this. It didn’t have much ground clearance and would bottom out on a terrace in the field or drag on a rock laying in … Continue reading The Cushman Scooter
Learning To Do Things in Moderation
There are few things that I ever attempt doing that I do it in moderation. Several years ago a guy was passing through with an old bookcase in the back of his van. He camped out for a while at Cec’s Fishing Camp at Smithwick. The story was that he was short on funds and needed to sell this family heirloom so he could travel farther west. It was full of old books. Mostly classics. Like nice sets of the classics. I found a note inside that told that it was a wedding present to a couple, supposedly the sellers … Continue reading Learning To Do Things in Moderation
When I Was Young, Everyone Looked Really Old
Old Man Cardwell When we were young, preteen years for me, we went all over Smithwick horseback. Mostly it was Kenny, Jimmy Palmer, Glenn Lewis and me, but sometimes others in the community joined in. Everett and Maude Jackson had the little store beside the road just below the cemetery, towards the church house. The store had really limited fare. Mostly snacks and soda pops. I don’t remember them having any perishables. Maybe some soda crackers and Vienna sausages and cans of potted meat. Across the highway from the store and down the creek a little ways was a little … Continue reading When I Was Young, Everyone Looked Really Old
A Horse In The Highway
I was driving my first car, a 1963 Ford Galaxy. Prior to buying that car I had driven whatever vehicle was setting around. In those days there were several to choose from. It looked like a used car lot in front of our house. The year was 1967. I was almost 15. After closing down the Texaco, my first job outside of working for my dad, I drove up and down the street until it appeared everyone had headed home, so I started out for the 9 mile trip to Smithwick. The time was early to be going home, I … Continue reading A Horse In The Highway
My First Swimming Lesson
Back in the “old days”, 1956 probably, we were all down at the river. We called it the river, even though it was a lake. That being Lake Travis at Smithwick. I would have been no more than 4 years old. At this time Uncle Owen Lewis had acquired several Lone Star Aluminum Fishing Boats that he rented out. That was a common thing to do in that day. There was a huge pecan tree that grew close to the river bank on Shop Branch in the big U curve just before the creek met the lake. That tree had … Continue reading My First Swimming Lesson
Angora Chronicles 