Category: Thoughts and Musings

Amazing Things, Funny Happenings, Smithwick, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Falstaff Beer and My Uncle Oscar (Ott)

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This first photo makes me think about my mother’s oldest brother, Oscar Leland Boultinghouse.He was a fiddle player, that played around the Central Texas Area in many of the dance halls and was known as Oscar “Falstaff” Boultinghouse. I always supposed it was due to a beer company sponsorship, which was a popular thing back in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.For many years, perhaps to the end, he had a special affinity to Falstaff Beer, his brand of choice. Continue reading Falstaff Beer and My Uncle Oscar (Ott)

Texas History, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Origins Of Buffelgrass Found In This Area

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Please don’t correct me and tell me it’s Buffalo Grass. Buffelgrass and Buffalo Grass are not the same thing. While they may sound similar, they are two different types of grasses. Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) is an invasive grass species native to Africa that has been introduced to various parts of the world, including the United States. It is known for its rapid growth and ability to outcompete native vegetation, posing a threat to biodiversity and ecosystems. On the other hand, Buffalo Grass (Bouteloua dactyloides) is a native grass species to North America, particularly the Great Plains region. It is a … Continue reading The Origins Of Buffelgrass Found In This Area

Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Colorful Characters Of My Youth

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This Doesn’t Need To Be A Competition between the towns, you know. Even though most everything escalated into a rivalry of some degree back in my growing up years when it came to Burnet and Marble Falls. I was sitting around thinking about some of the real characters that were in Marble Falls when I was growing up. I just don’t think they make characters nowadays, like they used to. Did Burnet have any of these people that left a mark on the town like Marble Falls did? Or did they all end up in the south part of the … Continue reading The Colorful Characters Of My Youth

Aging, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

My Epitaph

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Realizing I’m not ready to call it quits just yet, I thought I’d get a little jump start on things, just in case. I’m not sure just how this would be written if left to someone else. While I’m not going to insist that this be read at my funeral service, I would be fine with them extracting bit and pieces of it to give the preacher man or woman when the time comes. Oh wait, I’ve already requested that they not have a traditional service for me, but rather just have the ones that can attend come to a … Continue reading My Epitaph

Amazing Things, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Nonie’s Magic Cookie Jar

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I’m not sure how she did it, but I never remember walking in her house that her cookie jar wasn’t full of Ice Box Cookies. It surely wasn’t full when Kenny and I left. But whenever we’d show up the next time it was magically full once again. I can’t even imagine how many of those cookies she baked in her 88 years of life, but it was tens of thousands I bet. She always used pecans, but I bet finely chopped walnuts would be good. Continue reading Nonie’s Magic Cookie Jar

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Twist & Turn

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The summer of 63 had us spending part of the summer in Gatesville, Texas where Cec was working as a general superintendent for Holland Page Construction, installing a new sewer system all around town. The apartment we stayed in while in Gatesville that summer was really a duplex with another smaller unit that was directly above each lower unit. The upstairs had a set of stairs that you used that went up the outside, along the side. Very reminiscent of the way you went up to enter Doc Adam’s place on Gunsmoke. Kenny Jackson (or Big Kenny as most everyone … Continue reading Twist & Turn

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., My Friends, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

John Kemper’s Corvette

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Don’t remember if it was our Junior or Senior year of high school but John Kemper bought a “59” Corvette. He decided it needed a new paint job. A Pearl White was the color was selected. A very difficult 2 part epoxy paint was used. He made arraignments to use the old building at Main and 2nd (currently a Title Co) as a makeshift paint shop. With nothing other than a bunch of teenagers (about a 1/2 dozen of us) the car was stripped down, sanded and painted in a very dimly lighted room. I had painted a few cars … Continue reading John Kemper’s Corvette

Amazing Things, Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Andice BBQ(As told by Kenny Lewis)

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THIS IS A STORY I’VE STARTED TO TELL SEVERAL TIMES, BUT REALLY THOUGHT KENNY COULD DO MORE JUSTICE TO IT SINCE HE WAS THERE. It has been noted previously that Cec was one of the toughest men I ever knew. He had a threshold for pain like no other. In the winter of 1986 it was predicted to fall below freezing and stay that way for several days. I had just built a new house between Georgetown and Andice. I suggested to he and mom that they close everything up at Smithwick and come stay with us for a few … Continue reading The Andice BBQ(As told by Kenny Lewis)

Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Is It Possible That Neutrogena Broke Into My House?

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When my Mother in Law moved in with us a while back, we had to move things around to accommodate the situation. One of those changes was me taking over a guest bathroom. Occasionally when people stay, toiletries will get left behind. Without divulging too much about myself, I’ll tell you I shave in the shower. I rigged up this shower with everything like I had in the master bath. A mirror and a small rack for toothpaste, tooth brush and razor. Somewhere along the way a tube of Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Shaving Cream showed up in the tray where … Continue reading Is It Possible That Neutrogena Broke Into My House?

Amazing Things, Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Smithwick, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Race Was On

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This is the story of one of the greatest car races ever held in Smithwick. His name was Curtis Brown Parker. Brown Parker was how he was known. Brown was the person my Dad looked up to more, maybe than anyone else. Brown was several years older that Cecil Lewis. I believe that Brown help him become a man in more ways than one in his early days in Smithwick, Texas.However in the 1940’s Brown and Eula moved to California, the same as a lot of people did during that period of time. They operated laundries in and around Carpentaria, … Continue reading The Race Was On