Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Turnip Roots
I don't have an exact date for this old photo, but it was taken in Brownwood, Texas, probably around the late 1890's or early 1900's. My great great paternal grandfather, Joe Hicks, was quite the entrepreneur, and owned several businesses throughout his life. This was one of his first endeavors.
Not sure if there is a connection, but his daughter, my great grandmother, was named "Georgia" (notice the Georgia House rooms advertisement just under the roofline.I love finding the star at the very top of the roof apex as well.) She was born in 1890, so it's possible Grandfather Hicks had another relative (mother, sister?) named Georgia. I don't have much info on him in terms of his parents or siblings; my Hicks line pretty much stops with him.
From what I've been able to learn, he was quite the character. Too bad for his future generations that he didn't drill for black gold instead of dealin' dry goods and turnips. He might have been a regular Oil Baron given his propensity to turn a profit.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Today's Sunday Best
Jim, who blogs at SerotoninRain, has written a very touching piece this Sunday morning:
Emmaus Is the Place
Stop by for some good inspirational stuff to carry you through the week, no matter what your personal religious preference: faith in a higher being, faith in mankind, faith in an Earth Mother, or no particular faith at all - we can all use a little push now and then.
**No, I haven't changed my personal belief status, but I recognize terrific soul uplifting parables when I read 'em.
Emmaus Is the Place
Stop by for some good inspirational stuff to carry you through the week, no matter what your personal religious preference: faith in a higher being, faith in mankind, faith in an Earth Mother, or no particular faith at all - we can all use a little push now and then.
**No, I haven't changed my personal belief status, but I recognize terrific soul uplifting parables when I read 'em.
Pattie's Garden
Kman planted bags and bags of Texas wildflowers back in February...these are the results! (Okay, so iris is not wild, but still purty!)
Click to enlarge and smell the flowers better *grin*. It is cloudy here in Cowtown this morning, so the colors aren't quite as vivid as they are in the bright smile of ol' springtime Sol.
Click to enlarge and smell the flowers better *grin*. It is cloudy here in Cowtown this morning, so the colors aren't quite as vivid as they are in the bright smile of ol' springtime Sol.
Meet The New Neighbors
Our neighborhood is an older "genteel" area, most of the ranch-style houses were built in the late 1950's. Up until recent months, the average homeowner age was probably around 60. Kman and I noticed this past year, more and more younger couples are moving into the neighborhood - a welcome site. Ownership is always far better than a block full of renters, in my opinion.
Our house has a lot of pasture acreage just behind us, and during all the old & gas frenzy of the Barnett Shale this past year, we were leery that a drilling rig could pop up in our near backyard. About a month ago, we spied the beginnings of a tall wire fence with cedar postings. Curious, we kept tabs on the construction. Kman said it surely was a livestock fence.
Sure 'nuf! Meet one of our new neighbors, Black Beauty! (Though, I believe the horse is a mare.) In total, I have seen three horses in the new pen, the other two are chestnut brown with black manes.
We are ecstatic about the new folks across the fence!
Our house has a lot of pasture acreage just behind us, and during all the old & gas frenzy of the Barnett Shale this past year, we were leery that a drilling rig could pop up in our near backyard. About a month ago, we spied the beginnings of a tall wire fence with cedar postings. Curious, we kept tabs on the construction. Kman said it surely was a livestock fence.
Sure 'nuf! Meet one of our new neighbors, Black Beauty! (Though, I believe the horse is a mare.) In total, I have seen three horses in the new pen, the other two are chestnut brown with black manes.
We are ecstatic about the new folks across the fence!
And Another!
I got egg on my face this morning, cowboys and girls.
Good online buddy and a Texan to boot, Bill, who blogs at Prairie Point also contributes and maintains a great new nature site dedicated to the native plants of our gorgeous Lone Star State. In his words:
Stop by, get edu-macated, and give some bloggy love to Native Plant Society of Texas.
My manners need a'polishing... Bill should have had his new site announced earlier at TT.
TT is all about Texas, you know ;-)
Good online buddy and a Texan to boot, Bill, who blogs at Prairie Point also contributes and maintains a great new nature site dedicated to the native plants of our gorgeous Lone Star State. In his words:
In addition to keeping a personal blog, I maintain the website of the Native Plant Society of Texas. I contribute a little content to that site but mostly I edit and publish the work of more talented people. I also design and maintain websites for a variety of clients. I am active in the Texas Master Gardener program and volunteer at Clark Gardens and at other community projects.
Stop by, get edu-macated, and give some bloggy love to Native Plant Society of Texas.
My manners need a'polishing... Bill should have had his new site announced earlier at TT.
TT is all about Texas, you know ;-)
Saturday, April 25, 2009
The Clade
My online friend, Chris Clarke, who blogs at Coyote Crossing, has a new environmental blog:
The Clade
Chris is a terrific writer, and I expect big things from his newest endeavor. Stop by and say howdy - join up, too!
The Clade
Chris is a terrific writer, and I expect big things from his newest endeavor. Stop by and say howdy - join up, too!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Pink Pole Dancers
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Forever Young
Neil Young - Light A Candle
Neil Baby still slays me. Though his new album, Fork In the Road, is not as good as Prairie Wind, IMHO. I like his ballads much more than his garage rock sound. Notice his "Apple iPod" in the Fork In the Road video.
Oh, and my Man, JB - Jackson Browne has a new album out, too: Time the Conqueror. This is another artist I could listen to 24/7.
While at Jackson's website, I was reminded that I still did not have Volume II of his acoustical CD. Gotta make amends.
The YouTube clip below is a recording of The Birds of St. Marks, one of my most favorite songs of his (almost impossibe to narrow my adoration to one song...):
Oh how sadly sound the songs the queen must sing of dying
A prisoner upon her throne of melancholy sighing
If she could see her mirror now
She would be free of those who bow and
Scrape the ground before her feet
Silently she walks among her dying midnight roses
Watches as each moment goes that never really know us
And so it seems she doesn't care
If she has dreams of no one there
Within the shadows of her room
But all my frozen words agree, and say it's time to
Call back, all the birds I sent to
Fly behind her castle walls, and I'm
Weary of the nights I've seen
Inside these empty halls
Wooden lady turn and turn among my weary secrets
And wave within the hours past and other empty pockets
Maybe we've found what we have lost
When we've unwound so many crossed entangling
Misunderstandings; but
All my frozen words agree and say it's time to
Call back all the birds I sent to
Fly behind her castle walls, and I'm
Weary of the nights I've seen
Inside these empty walls
Neil Baby still slays me. Though his new album, Fork In the Road, is not as good as Prairie Wind, IMHO. I like his ballads much more than his garage rock sound. Notice his "Apple iPod" in the Fork In the Road video.
Oh, and my Man, JB - Jackson Browne has a new album out, too: Time the Conqueror. This is another artist I could listen to 24/7.
While at Jackson's website, I was reminded that I still did not have Volume II of his acoustical CD. Gotta make amends.
The YouTube clip below is a recording of The Birds of St. Marks, one of my most favorite songs of his (almost impossibe to narrow my adoration to one song...):
Oh how sadly sound the songs the queen must sing of dying
A prisoner upon her throne of melancholy sighing
If she could see her mirror now
She would be free of those who bow and
Scrape the ground before her feet
Silently she walks among her dying midnight roses
Watches as each moment goes that never really know us
And so it seems she doesn't care
If she has dreams of no one there
Within the shadows of her room
But all my frozen words agree, and say it's time to
Call back, all the birds I sent to
Fly behind her castle walls, and I'm
Weary of the nights I've seen
Inside these empty halls
Wooden lady turn and turn among my weary secrets
And wave within the hours past and other empty pockets
Maybe we've found what we have lost
When we've unwound so many crossed entangling
Misunderstandings; but
All my frozen words agree and say it's time to
Call back all the birds I sent to
Fly behind her castle walls, and I'm
Weary of the nights I've seen
Inside these empty walls
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday Fact
In 1935, Franklin D. Roosevelt raised the top income tax rate to 79 percent, from 63 percent, and raised the income level that qualified for that rate to $5 million (about $75 million today) from $1 million. As the economist Bruce Bartlett has noted, that 79 percent rate apparently applied to only one person in the entire country:
John D. Rockefeller
courtesy of Digbysblog
John D. Rockefeller
courtesy of Digbysblog
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Five with One Blow! (Almost)
This baseball story is very true (unlike the Grimm Brothers's old fable,the Brave Little Tailor who boasted Seven With One Blow).
I am quite the proud Auntie to John. What makes this even more "close to home", Tommy Elliott is a past high school classmate of mine and Kman's. Tommy was a terrific baseball player as they say, "in the day". Nowadays, he's a terrific coach, albeit for the once rival Heights' Yellow Jackets.
I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see John's name on a Pro roster in the not so distant future.
article by Paul Wessels, Fort Worth Star Telegram
I am quite the proud Auntie to John. What makes this even more "close to home", Tommy Elliott is a past high school classmate of mine and Kman's. Tommy was a terrific baseball player as they say, "in the day". Nowadays, he's a terrific coach, albeit for the once rival Heights' Yellow Jackets.
I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see John's name on a Pro roster in the not so distant future.
Arlington Heights’ John Biggs hit five home runs and collected 13 RBI in the Yellow Jackets’ 33-0 victory against Dunbar.
"When he gets hot, he gets hot," Heights coach Tommy Elliott said. "Once he got home runs his first two at-bats, it was just something fun for him to try and do."
Biggs hit for the home run cycle with a solo-, two-run, three-run and grand slam home runs. Elliott said the grand slam came last and he was just letting his slugger swing away.
"I don’t have a home run signal. If I did I would give it all the time," Elliott said.
article by Paul Wessels, Fort Worth Star Telegram
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Kid For Rent Cheap!
Taken about August of 1979. My oldest daughter. Who couldn't love that little face?
Out West Set #5
Click to Enlarge!
Mural on a building along main road in Taos. Blends really well with the real sky!
St. Francis church in Rancho de Taos. Over two hundred years old and still active.
On the Plaza in Taos. Monument honoring American vets.
Quick shot of a magpie. Absolutely stunning black and white birds in flight.
Mural on a building along main road in Taos. Blends really well with the real sky!
St. Francis church in Rancho de Taos. Over two hundred years old and still active.
On the Plaza in Taos. Monument honoring American vets.
Quick shot of a magpie. Absolutely stunning black and white birds in flight.
Out West Set #4
Remember to click to enlarge
Brothers of the West*grin*
Ancient Pueblo people ruins in Natural Bridges National Monument. Used the zoom, so the ruins look closer than they actually are. It was waaaaay down to the cliff overhang in reality.
The building in this shot is known as the "Horseshoe Collar Ruin". Was probably a granary.
This is one of the natural formations in the park, Sipapu Bridge. If you enlarge photo and look closely at the ground under the arch, you can spy a hiker. Gives you a better perspective of how immense these rock structures are.
Brothers of the West*grin*
Ancient Pueblo people ruins in Natural Bridges National Monument. Used the zoom, so the ruins look closer than they actually are. It was waaaaay down to the cliff overhang in reality.
The building in this shot is known as the "Horseshoe Collar Ruin". Was probably a granary.
This is one of the natural formations in the park, Sipapu Bridge. If you enlarge photo and look closely at the ground under the arch, you can spy a hiker. Gives you a better perspective of how immense these rock structures are.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Trip Out West - Set #3
Reminder: Click to enlarge
Islands in the Sky, Canyonlands, Utah
Canyonlands, Utah
Colorado River Oxbow, Dead Horse State Park, Utah
Three Gossips formation, Arches National Park, Utah
Islands in the Sky, Canyonlands, Utah
Canyonlands, Utah
Colorado River Oxbow, Dead Horse State Park, Utah
Three Gossips formation, Arches National Park, Utah
Trip Out West- Set #2
Twin Sisters Rock Formation - Bluff, Utah
Monument Valley, Utah
Navajo Taco from Gouldings Lodge, Monument Valley, Utah
Formation near Mexican Hat
Monument Valley, Utah
Navajo Taco from Gouldings Lodge, Monument Valley, Utah
Formation near Mexican Hat
Trip Out West -Set #1
Reminder: Click for enlarging
Mesa Arch - Islands in the Sky, Canyonlands, Utah
Dead Horse State Park, Utah
Shiprock, New Mexico
Wilson's Arch, Moab, Utah
Mesa Arch - Islands in the Sky, Canyonlands, Utah
Dead Horse State Park, Utah
Shiprock, New Mexico
Wilson's Arch, Moab, Utah
...The biographical equivalent of 12 hour chili - Sticks to the ribs! -
