The Fox and the Ravens

A few days ago I was enjoying a nice spring afternoon sitting on the front porch swing. Sudden I heard the sounds of what appeared to be a couple of Ravens. They were close by. When I got up to go see what all the commotion was about, I saw them sitting in a live oak tree just outside of the yard. Not the actual bird, but one like it. The sounds of the common raven Just then I saw Oliver the Cat sticking his head through the net wire pasture fence that runs along the east side of the … Continue reading The Fox and the Ravens

I live in a perpetural world of confusion

As we were sitting on the front porch this afternoon, with son Mike and Gail, the subject of the importance of electricity came up. I just made the comment “if we think people were upset not being able to buy toliet paper just wait until all the electric power goes off !” Mike says hey y’all should watch this TV Show that he and Gail are just starting to rewatch – The Last Man on Earth. Since we are looking for something entertaining I said we would try it out. Not wanting to commit to something misrable, I decided to … Continue reading I live in a perpetural world of confusion

My Harvey Penick Story

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. I think it was his weekend get away, but at the time of this happening his daughter was living there. She had a German Sheppard Dog and a Collie. Us being goat people, we had … Continue reading My Harvey Penick Story

Kenny Lewis was always hard on vehicles

This was the result of a run-in with the bridge across the South San Gabriel River in RM 1869 just out of Liberty Hill, back in 1979. He hit the side of the bridge and flipped and landed about 30 feet below. Remarkably he wasn’t seriously hurt. He did get to spend the night in Brackenridge Hospital. I think he was pretty sore for a few days. A little addendum to this event: He got our mother and dad to pick him up at the crash site, but started feeling bad on the way to Smithwick, so had them turn … Continue reading Kenny Lewis was always hard on vehicles

The Story Of The Lost Class Ring

I received a call one day not long ago from a fellow asking for my help locating the owner of a Marble Falls class ring from more than 50 years ago. This may all seem cryptic, but I’m no long looking for the owner so I don’t care to cause a stir, but it’s an interesting story. We knew the year, that it was a boys ring and the markings showed that this person was involved in a couple of activities that had a symbols of each on the ring. We knew it most likely was lost by a girl, … Continue reading The Story Of The Lost Class Ring

May Day Celebrations

I had all but forgotten an annual celebration that we did back when I was a kid in elementary school. The May Day Celebration and the May Pole Dance. It may still be something that is recognized and I’ve just missed out on it. Or did the separation of church and state put a lid on it? We didn’t erect a maypole back at Pond Springs School in Jollyville. We just used the flagpole. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maypole http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day Continue reading May Day Celebrations

A Little Bit About Cattle Auctions

I was once researching livestock auctions and when the actual concept of a ring with auctioneers started. While there were some used in the 50s (maybe as early as the 40s) it appears that it mostly became a widespread way of selling cattle and other stock in the early 60s. Prior to that, the Livestock Commission was mostly a place to bring sellers and buyers to a central location where they would get together and strike a deal. Then the house would weigh and facilitate the transaction and collect their fee. If anyone has knowledge about or if you actually … Continue reading A Little Bit About Cattle Auctions

Early Boyhood Memories

The Old Oak Tree at my grandmothers house along the highway in Smithwick (we lived in that house until I turned 4) that we played under and climbed in when we were kids. There were always at least a half dozen well made toy trucks and equipment, all constructed from metal that made their home under this marvelous tree. The Old Crib and Pens down behind the house. It is very weathered, considering it hasn’t been used or had any upkeep in more than 50 years. It was several decades old when I was a kid, for it to still … Continue reading Early Boyhood Memories

Lee Odiorne’s Tombstone

While this is the grave marker that is on his grave, there was another one that set on his front porch for years. He had commissioned the original one to be made with the epitaph as you see below. Sometime prior to his death his house caught fire. The roof of the porch came crashing down, breaking off the top left corner. It was made from limestone. Upon his death, his sister took the broken one to a monument maker in Llano and had it replicated. The old one was left leaning against a fence, and it being made from … Continue reading Lee Odiorne’s Tombstone