Hard Times

In December Shelley and I got our first Nook Color. Neither of us were anxious to grab it and start reading because we were afraid the other would want to use it. We didn't want to deprive each other. We didn't confess this to the other until we got our second Nook Color a month or so later. These things are a blessing - for me especially.

I never have been much of a reader, other than tech manuals or the like. I have read more books in the short time we've had them, than I have most of the rest of my life. No, that's not many - just two or three - but for me it's a great improvement and a promising trend.

The book I'm reading now is "The Worst Hard Time", by Timothy Egan. It is an eye-opening historical account of the dust bowl days of the 1930's - not so long ago. It tells of the time prior to the dust storms enveloping the plains, the events that led up to (and were responsible for) the earth rising up into the sky, and the lives of several pioneering settlers' families as they struggle to stay alive. Not even the city of New York was immune to the black clouds when the jet stream got its grip on the soil.

The first storm - a 10,000 foot high "duster" that rose up out of the south and rolled across Amarillo around noon on January 21, 1932 - defied explanation and description by the weather bureau of the time. They didn't know what to call it, let alone what it was. It appeared as a black snowstorm, a moving mountain range in a land where no mountains existed. Black drifts were everywhere. The very little rain that fell from the sky during these years fell as mud. Raindrops captured the dirt as they fell. Hail was black or brown. It was as if they lived in a different world. As you read, you will be in a different world too.


A very good read. I highly recommend it. As Walter Cronkite might say, "And that's the way it was."

(Posted By Dale)

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Birding

Shelley and I took a trip down into the canyon again today. It was a beautiful day with light winds and temps in the 60's. As we entered the park, one of the visitors was engaging a roadrunner that was posing for him. Naturally, we had to follow his lead and do some of our own. Here are a couple of shots I took.



As we left the park, we spotted some Red-Tailed hawks perched on some power poles. Here are some shots of one of them.

(-Dale)
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Palo Duro Canyon with Snow

We got a moderate amount of snow early in the day today.

We decided to see how lovely it looked in Palo Duro Canyon State Park

 Photos copyright S.D.Stanton 2009-2010

The Early Days

A while back I got some pics from my baby sister that I had taken some time ago. Among them were some that were taken before I existed. Of the ones here, the only one I took was the one of my older brother and his new wife. I'd like to share some of them with you.

Me, when I first went in the CG.

Mom, at age 13.

My younger brother, when he went in.

My older brother and his bride.

My maternal grandparents with Mom and her sisters. Mom is the second from the right.

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A Morning With Huckabee

This morning, Rick Huckabee was here in Amarillo doing a book signing. We bought his book, A Simple Christmas, yesterday before the signing this morning. That way we didn't have to waste time in checkout lines.

"Huck" and his team had the book signing down to a science. It was set up to maximize signings, allowed a short time to talk to the Governor, allowed customers to get pics taken with him, and shook hands with everybody - all at the same time. Some customers had 5 or 6 copies of his book to sign. He took it all in stride, and kept the momentum up very well. Now, I have photos of me with the next President of The United States! :)





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What I Call Living

What I Call Living
Edgar Guest 

The miser thinks he's living when he's hoarding up his gold;
The soldier calls it living when he's doing something bold;
The sailor thinks it living to be tossed upon the sea,
And upon this vital subject no two of us agree.
But I hold to the opinion, as I walk my way along,
That living's made of laughter and good-fellowship and song.

I wouldn't call it living always to be seeking gold,
To bank all the present gladness for the days when I'll be old.
I wouldn't call it living to spend all my strength for fame,
And forego the many pleasures which to-day are mine to claim.
I wouldn't for the splendor of the world set out to roam,
And forsake my laughing children and the peace I know at home.
Oh, the thing that I call living isn't gold or fame at all!

It's good-fellowship and sunshine, and it's roses by the wall;
It's evenings glad with music and a hearth fire that's ablaze,
And the joys which come to mortals in a thousand different ways.
It is laughter and contentment and the struggle for a goal;
It is everything that's needful in the shaping of a soul.

Our Boy

I was hanging out with Buster in the back yard today, and while he was hunting crickets and grasshoppers I got this shot of him.


And yes, he did bag a grasshopper. Snatched him right out of the air.
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Air Show

Wednesday, Shelley and I took the day off to take a short jaunt to Tucumcari, NM to see an air show that the Rotary Club was sponsoring. Tucumcari is only about an hour and a half down I-40 from us. The Canadian Snowbirds were there, as well as an assortment of WWII planes and other aerobatic aircraft. The Army's Golden Knights parachute team performed as well. I took over 1000 photos of the event, and Shelley did 800 or 900 or so. Makes me glad I don't do film any more.

Here are some of the shots I took that day.

This Avenger is similar to the one "Papa Bush" flew in WWII.

An F-15 demo team made an appearance, too.

The Canadian Snowbirds - flying their Canadair T-114's.

A T-6 Texan.

You can see more photos HERE.
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Dedicated to one that I love and will certainly miss - Our Chip

Chip

1994-2009

For 15 years he was in my life and in my heart.

He was his own cat--funny, independent, kind--but never cuddly.

Cuddly wasn't Chip--but I never doubted where I stood with him.

We respected each other.

He was a funny old Maine Coon who called the shots in our relationship

and I obeyed him the best I could.

Chip was unique. He talked. People would doubt it until

they heard his verbalizations with their own ears.

"Hello!" "Out"

Plain as day.

His given name was "Chaucer" but he didn't like that. He sure let us know that

"Chip" was more suitable. "Chippie" was another name he was called when he was "kittenish".

He loved being outside--and because of a thick long coat, even

a blanket of snow didn't bother him.

He sure kept my feet warm on a cold winter's night.

Chip would let us know it was time to get up before the alarm went off.

Chip had a soft purr and he loved treats.His favorite place to sleep was on the

console table in our bedroom--under the fragile Tiffany lamp because the sun came in that window.

He was special,

He will be missed

Rest in peace my little friend.

I will see you again waiting for me at Rainbow Bridge...where Bat must be waiting too. Perhaps you're together playing in the cool grass or basking in the sun.

--00-

- From Dale....

Chip was a special, albeit a bit misunderstood little fella. He was known for being a bit psycho, unpredictable. You would wake up sometimes in the middle of the night and look up and see his face - just staring at you - an inch or two from your face. You never knew if you would get slashed for simply petting him. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

He was misunderstood by most - but I understood him. I knew he wasn't a bad boy at all. As time passed, my faith in him was proven right, and we became the best of friends.

One of his talents was that of speech. He could say "Hello!" as well as you or I - and he'd do it when he wanted something, not just at random times. If we were doing something and not paying attention, he would say "Hello! Out!" when he wanted to go out.

He was special. He was our little boy. We will miss you, Chippie.



Relaxing in the back yard.

Security Device: Locking down Momma's computer.

"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be
seen or touched. They must be felt with the heart."
-Helen Keller
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New Video

Brooks and Dunn have a new video that features a well-known "monument" just outside Amarillo.
(can't embed--just click on the link)