The Year Was 1923
Several notable things happened that year.Perhaps the turkeys crossing (or not crossing) the river was the best. This from the Highlander’s 100 Pages of Marble Falls History 1887-1987. Continue reading The Year Was 1923
Category: Thoughts and Musings
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
Evolution of a State by Noah Smithwick
I have always heard it said that this is one of the best, if not the best first hand account of the settling of Texas ever put into book form. I grew up with a 1st edition, 1900 copy of this book in our home. It had belonged to my grandfather, A.T. Lewis. I knew it was a book that had to remain in our family. I grew up in Smithwick Texas, with the old Smithwick Mill on the Colorado River being on part of our family property. That being the old homestead of Francis Porter Lewis and Florence Stinnett … Continue reading Evolution of a State by Noah Smithwick
A Bad Cold Spell In The Winter Of 1973
It was about this time of year in 1973. Madeline & I had been married just a little more than a year. Austin was unusually cold and wet. The city was pretty much paralyzed for several days. Everything looked like a whole different place. I was like we were living in the movie Dr. Zhivago. We were living in a mobile home at Oakhill. We had pretty much everything we needed so we stayed inside for about 3 days. Finally we had stood it as long as we could and got out and made our way slipping and sliding down … Continue reading A Bad Cold Spell In The Winter Of 1973
On Writing
I have a hard time sitting down and reading like I used to. There was a time that I could read for hours. Now I fall asleep much too easily. I can sit or lay in bed and write for hours and never even think about going to sleep. I guess it’s the active / passive thing. May just be how my brain is wired or cross-wired in my case. Reading is much too passive for me. This may be why I watch very little sports. I just don’t understand sitting watching someone else doing something. I want to just … Continue reading On Writing
Growing Pains
I’m not talking about the typical growing pains we sometime experience as people but this is about cities and communities. This can cause a big pain for the landowners which in general are just average people. I have seen all the small towns around Austin grapple with suburban sprawl. Almost every one of them have tried to imitate Austin with their ordinances. In fact I can’t think of any that haven’t. While it is incumbent on the city leaders to move to protect what’s within their purview, it always comes too fast and furious for the residents to become acclimated. … Continue reading Growing Pains
I ran across this old post about our very lengthy marriage.
When You Know You’ve Been Married Too Long (or maybe just the right amount of time) Madeline and I got away for the weekend. She has booked us a cabin on the Frio River. It’s wonderful, peaceful and very relaxing. Last night we ventured down the river a ways to the little town of Concan. We each had the special, a very ample serving of catfish and all the trimmings. We were stuffed, so when the girl ask if we cared to order dessert, we had read about Neal’s Dining Room cobblers, so we told her we’d each have one … Continue reading I ran across this old post about our very lengthy marriage.
Long Distance Calls
I mentioned once a post once that it was long distance to call from Marble Falls to Burnet. Hard to believe how much phone calls could cost, relative to the times. Even the 13 miles between towns. Times sure have changed. In the early to mid 1960s we would listen to the radio station out of Burnet. For the life of me I can’t remember the call numbers. KHLB sounds right. But that may have been the second naming of it. Big Jimmy Palmer got in a habit of calling up to the radio station for contests they were running … Continue reading Long Distance Calls
Impersonating Kenny
For years Kenny and I sounded amazingly alike on the phone. We both have what I guess is a distinct Smithwick accent. I’m doubtful that Kenny ever took advantage of that. My wife admits to getting us confused a few times. Maybe they can tell us if any of those conversations ever went hay-wire.If they did, I never heard about it. On the other hand, I can’t tell you how much confusion I caused by letting different ones think they were talking to Kenny when I was the one they were actually talking to. Our Grannie Ruby was easy. All … Continue reading Impersonating Kenny
Carroll Ray Lewis truly was “One of a Kind”.
This little incident happened when we were just growing boys. Carroll Ray was always very resourceful. Like the time he got in a little trouble with the law over in Llano when we were about 16 or 17 and “he had lost his billfold”. Times were a lot more simple without computers and instant ID recognition. So for some reason when he didn’t show up for a court date, the Burnet Country Sheriff’s department showed up at my house to haul me to juvenile jail. Well, we did have the same last name ! I ratted him out because I’d … Continue reading Carroll Ray Lewis truly was “One of a Kind”.
Angora Chronicles 