Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Wind, Working Families Party and Woody Guthrie



When it comes to putting words to pictures, AnniePie nailed it. She took the shot on Pawnee Point, Lake Arrowhead, some months back. No, that's not a witching stick in my hand, but divining for water soon may come roaring back. It's a leash, at the other end of which Beano, our bulbous boglen terrier, is on point below a ridge step.


Did someone say, "POSTER!"?

Wherever I go around the Falls, folks are showing signs that spring is calling. Winter here was little more than a couple or three really, really, record-ruining cold spells and a single decent snow. Winter doesn't wear well here. This is Texas. If we wanted four to six months of hard frozen winter we'd be in Minnesota.



Did you know that Oklahoma is home to 26 wind farms?  The Wind Coalition just released “The Statewide Economic Impact of Wind Energy Development in Oklahoma”, report on "analysis of investment data, revenues paid to local landowners, ad valorem tax base increases, employment data and developer expenditure data for the 26 active wind farms in Oklahoma."


"Oklahoma's wind ranks ninth in the nation," wrote an anonymous web content writer for The American Wind Energy Association.


Rolling Plains people know that Oklahoma has an abundance of wind and natural gas, and therein lies a rub. We need a third party--say the Working Families Party, say a Sons & Daughters of Guthrie coalition--to rise up this election cycle and help clear the air. Wouldn't that do Woody proud?






Monday, March 24, 2014

Western Patch Going to Pot

Phase One of a recycled patch along the West fence.


What started out as a "rain garden" (above) is proceeding as a "pot" plot. Cinder blocks at the base have been loaded with Morning Glory seeds. This will be the final resting place for Cordie's Cauldronthe cast iron pot that has been with us since the Wilson administration.

"I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me."
Annie Miller            

The red wings are angry and storming the old bird feeder out by that stinky white tree. I swan, that tree wants to be a magnolia, but it's not. Turned off bright and chilly this early a.m.--about 33F, according to Bryan Rupp down at the TV3--so I held off on stocking the feeders. Just let 'em glean what they may from yesterday's leftovers. The blackbirds and doves are working it, but they're not all happy about it, and riots will beak out.

Bryan also mentioned a swarm of earthquakes these past three months running from Oklahoma City to the Kansas state line. The largest, so far, was about an R4 last Friday and centered near OKC. Bryan said these miniquakes have been building in frequency and intensity. Any guess as to what the FRACK is going down under Oklahoma?


It's gonna be a bitchin' seminar!

Just now, as I type, heard from Stacy and Jan down in Austin this weekend. Here's Stacy.

"I'm in Austin learning tons of new stuff to come back and put to good use! They would like us to do a seminar on Love on Wheels next year at this conference and someone from a large national organization told me our program should be a model for all transport programs--so everyone, pat yourselves on the back because YOU have made it possible. Sometime in the next couple of weeks, SharonJanAmanda, or Shelly will pull our 500th dog, whose foster just may get a little surprise gift so if you're thinking of fostering, April is a good time to do so! 
Stacy Smith with HSFM Love on Wheels posting from the Texas Unites for Animals conference

Our own Jan Herzog missed the Road to Forever Transport Day for the first time yesterday since she helped get the local foster transport program on the road. We missed you, too, Jan, and I am yet convinced that you and Stacy, aside from all that you accomplished, still managed to have too much fun.


Damn dogs!


Saturday, March 22, 2014

Big Birthday shout out to my Maura Jay!



Her Grand Duchess Maura Jane, a.k.a. "Squidget", a.k.a. "Squirt", Great Granddaughter the First turns two laps around the sun.

That's Princess, #1 Granddaughter (left), currently kicking the professional mommy track in VEGAS, of all unholy places!

So far we only know of one another through pictures and stories, but M.J. and I will write a book together one of these days.

The three most common side effects of aging are neuritis, neuralgia and nostalgia

Used to hear the old folks swap complaints all the do-dah day. Now I am the old folks. Oh, 
where are the ailments of yesteryear?

Oh, didn't ya hear? Fred passed with the CONSUMPTION.
Aunt Bertie's RHEUMATISM  getting to her again?
Don't mind him, he's just got a bad dose of the GRIPES

Seems to me that people's ailments were spoken of in tongues, back in the day.


When did humans (or some creature resembling) get off the ground?