The Texana Review

Dang near had a heart attack!!!

Dang near had a heart attack!!!
Late afternoon...
Was working on a cute story about scorpions, skunks and rattlesnakes when Sierra the Dog began complaining...low, guttural whimpers.
Usually an indicator that she had to do some business outside.
As I was about to arise from chair at the computer keyboard, phone rang.
"Hello?"
It was my long time friend, Gene.
We visited...caught up...told a joke or two to one another, all the while Sierra the Dog getting more and more antsy.
"Gene...gotta go!"
Don't like letting Sierra out, unsupervised, this time of year with the rattlers coming out to warm themselves and hungry hunt.
"Adios!"
Hung up the phone and ambled to the front door with Sierra, in high excitement, ears perked high and tail a-waggin' like a fan blade.
I stepped out on the front porch noting the soon-to-set sun in the west, turning right, northeast breeze on my face.
Sierra, at Mach 10, followed and went left, then, spun around and went right, almost knocking me down at the knees.
I was just turning the corner of the house as she went by.
Suddenly,
a bark
and in my face, not more than ten feet away, flushed about six, seven, eight...haven't a clue how many...but a bunch...turkeys!
Right there in my front yard!
Big feathers and all! A squawk...lots of heavy wing beats...Sierra chasing, until she hit the boxwire fence...barking.
Scared the living bejezzus outa me...I even ducked when they flushed!
Sierra found her hole in the fence and chased for about 300 yards.
I sat down on the edge of the porch and put my hand inside my shirt over my heart.
Yep, still pumping.
As the northeast wind bent the grass leaves between the toes of my miserable, worn out boots, I thought...as Sierra panted with lolling pink tongue at my boot tips...
"Good to see the turkey back...hadn't seen nary a one for three years."
She smiles.
Now she had something else to chase.

Characters and Critters by Skipper Duncan

Anyone who has spent any time in West Texas (and even those who haven’t) know that West Texans are famous for telling stories, some true, some not-so-true. Of those that tell the stories, some are good at it, others aren’t. Skipper Duncan, in his “Characters and Critters,” is one of the good ones. Mr. Duncan pulls from a lifetime of first-hand experience and observation to create a collection of short stories that not only brings a deep belly-laugh and snicker but also insights into some of West Texas history. Especially interesting is how he tells of his personal transition from struggling rancher to successful hunting outfitter and the cast of characters and events that tickled his fancy along the way, all of which he now shares with us in “Characters and Critters.” When I spoke with him the other day to set up an interview for The Texana Review, he said he was working on a follow-up collection of more stories. I anticipate it will be at least as entertaining as this one. As a storyteller myself, I highly recommend this book.

 

You can buy it at Amazon.com.  Click HERE

 

© Copyright 2012 Edward Blackburn. All rights reserved.

After The Wildcat Fire in Coke County, Texas

As many of you know, my family owns some west Texas property near the town of Robert Lee, Texas.  Last week, a wildfire started on 66 acres northwest of the property as a result of a lightning strike during a whiff of a thunderstorm.  The Texas Forest Service and local firefighters thought they had the fire contained.  Unfortunately, they didn’t.

Thursday night, April 14, strong northwest winds whipped the wildfire and, given the extreme drought conditions the state has endured for many, many months, it bolted southeastward toward us and our neighbors.

This is butte and mesa territory which makes fighting a wildfire like this one near impossible and very dangerous.

Firefighters from as far as California showed up to to help local firefighters fight the burgeoning blaze through Thursday night and Friday morning when the wind suddenly dropped to a lazy breeze.

However, the wildfire overtook the family property and the properties of surrounding neighbors burning everything in its path and spreading to tens of thousands of acres.

Firefighters barely had time to catch their breath when winds shifted to the south and southwest turning the wildfire (now dubbed The Wildcat Fire by the Texas Forest Service) back on itself.  Winds gusted to 40 miles-per-hour and The Wildcat Fire came back to burn all that that it hadn’t burned before.

The family property got it twice, as did our neighbors.

Last report was that The Wildcat Fire was moving northeasterly and had consumed upwards of 130,000 acres.

Here are a couple of links to some amateur photos and video of The Wildcat Fire damage to my family property.

Photos –> HERE

Short video –> HERE

 

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Texas,fire,wildfire,Wildcat Fire

Devils River: Treacherous Twin to the Pecos

Patrick Dearen has a new book.  It’s title is Devils River: Treacherous Twin to the Pecos, 1535-1900, from TCU Press.  It examines the history of a notorious river in southwestern Texas: the Devils River.

He starts by describing the Spanish explorers and other settlers from the Americas who encountered the Devils River, then known as Rio San Pedro (Saint Peter’s River), and their difficulties in traversing the region. He relates a multitude of different hardships, ranging from Indian attacks, impassable fords, unpredictable weather, and long routes with little water. The advancement of the railroad into Devils River territory brought its own share of troubles—train robberies became more common, and outlaws often passed through the area on their way to Mexico. Military outposts were built and abandoned at various points along the river, and companies of Texas Rangers patrolled the area in an attempt to keep the peace. Yet despite all their effort, the Devils River and the surrounding regions were a law unto themselves, and it would take hundreds of years and much bloodshed to civilize the area.

Devils River is at heart a scholarly work, but it is also much more. Dearen takes the time to engage readers in the events by introducing the characters involved and showing not only their actions but their words and thoughts as well. His retellings of each occurrence make readers feel as if they are actually present at that exact moment in history. It is a fascinating read, for scholars and non-historians alike.

 

Patrick Dearen is the author of nine nonfiction books and nine novels and is a recognized authority on the lower Pecos River country. He grew up in Sterling City, Texas, and earned a bachelor of journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. His nonfiction works include Castle Gap and the Pecos Frontier, Portraits of the Pecos Frontier, Crossing Rio Pecos, A Cowboy of the Pecos, and Halff of Texas. Through his books The Last of the Old-Time Cowboys and Saddling Up Anyway, Dearen has also preserved the stories of the last generation of cowhands who plied their trade before mechanization. His novels include Perseverance, set along the rails in Depression-era Texas.

More on Patrick Dearen HERE.

TCU Press titles are available at your local bookstore or by calling 800.826.8911

or

at Amazon.com

HERE

 

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Patrick Dearen,Pecos,Pecos River,history Texas history

Puttin' Al Down

Another Charles Chupp contribution to the legends and lore of the Lone Star State....

Listen...

- Four minutes, thirty seconds

Music by Tracy Jane Comer

"Hootch" a story by Charles Chupp

In the waning days of 1940, Hugh got lucky and we qualified to live on the Lyman Forrest Place at the intersection of the Leon River and the paved highway. The crop of boys Hugh and Thel had amassed probably strengthened Mr. Forrest’s judgment. Three healthy, growing lads plus Hugh’s ability to manage stock and his lack of prejudice for hard work added weight to the plus side of the balance scale.

listen...

Wildcatting for Wind - Part Four of Four

Here's Part Four of Wildcatting for Wind, sponsored by Texana Talk and Higginbotham Brothers.

Watch ...

Nine minutes

in Quicktime... 

(two minutes-ish to start streaming)

in Windows Media Player...

(30 seconds-ish to start streaming)

Excerpt taken from:

“Wildcatting for Wind: The Texas Experience from Turbine to Market”
Produced by The University of Texas School of Law
Full DVD can be purchased at www.utcle.org

next years’ conference: 

2010 Wind Energy Institute
February 2-4, 2010
Austin Convention Center

 

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Texas,alternative energy,wind energy,wind power

Wildcatting for Wind - Part Three of Four

Here's Part Three of Wildcatting for Wind, sponsored by Texana Talk and Higginbotham Brothers.

Watch ...

Nine minutes

in Quicktime... 

(two minutes-ish to start streaming)

in Windows Media Player...

(30 seconds-ish to start streaming)

Excerpt taken from:

“Wildcatting for Wind: The Texas Experience from Turbine to Market”
Produced by The University of Texas School of Law
Full DVD can be purchased at www.utcle.org

next years’ conference: 

2010 Wind Energy Institute
February 2-4, 2010
Austin Convention Center

 

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Texas,alternative energy,wind energy,wind power

Wildcatting for Wind - Part Two of Four

Here's Part Two of Wildcatting for Wind, sponsored by Texana Talk and Higginbotham Brothers.

Watch ...

Seven minutes, thirty-five seconds

in Quicktime...

(two minutes-ish to start streaming)

in Windows Media Player...

(30 seconds-ish to start streaming)

 

Excerpt taken from:

“Wildcatting for Wind: The Texas Experience from Turbine to Market”
Produced by The University of Texas School of Law
Full DVD can be purchased at www.utcle.org

 

next years’ conference: 

2010 Wind Energy Institute
February 2-4, 2010
Austin Convention Center

 

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Texas,alternative energy,Wind energy,wind power

 

Her name is Taylor Ware

I stumbled across this short act while browsing the other day and was taken by it as, apparently, so many others have been. 

Her name is Taylor Ware.  She's from Tennessee.  Her talent relates to Texans because so many of us have the Tennessee heritage.

And if you've been to as many Saturday night, small town dance halls as I have for a bit of twirl, waltz, polka and swing, you'll smile at this short performance in spite of the glitz in which she performs.

A star is born!

Incredible 11-Year-Old Yodeler - Funny blooper videos are here

 

More on Taylor HERE

 

 

Technorati Tags: Texana,Ed Blackburn,Taylor Ware,yodel,music