November 2023
  • Rebecca dressed up as identity theft

Kai and I took a whack at a mesquite out at the Bluff this month. It was an unkempt one at the entrance to the parking lot. I had been telling myself I needed to trim it up for what?, nine years but could always talk myself out of it since I knew it was going to be pretty big job. I mentioned to Kai I planned to bring my chainsaw the next week and trim some mesquites. She said she would like to tag along and I said to myself, “Shoot, if she wants to “tag along”, I’ll just get her to help me and tackle that tree. So I did. She was a big help, even took a crack at using the chainsaw and held up pretty well, but of course she eventually got tired and handed it back over to me. I was weary myself and the breather she gave me was just what I needed. The traffic loop running in front of the Bluff is being widened. In the process a bunch of mesquite was cleared and piled up not far from where we were working. I asked if we could add our trimmings to the pile and was given permission. It sure made it easier to clean up after ourselves. Kai had been building the load of trimmings in the pickup as I cut them, and it was just a matter of backing up to the pile and pulling our load out.

October 31 Halloween October went out with cold weather. Of course it did. It was Halloween. But November followed with really nice weather. Dry of course but nice. As usual, Rebecca was my only trick-or-treater and she cleaned me out of Halloween candy I hadn’t already eaten. She didn’t do anymore trick-or-treating after she came to my door. The Wylie women worked it pretty good, though. Their neighborhood is more trick-or-treater friendly Jill tells me.

We celebrated Thanksgiving to everyone’s’ satisfaction, I think. Food was delicious, everyone behaved themselves (no food or fist fights). Weather was pleasant, but no moisture of course. The Wylie clan arrived Monday evening and returned home Saturday so Kaylee could get some needed volunteer hours, a National Honor Society requirement, I think. Other than another dry month, November was pretty good and left little to complain about, though that didn’t stop us. Now it’s on to Christmas.


Christmas 2017

We celebrated Sophia’s birthday the day after Christmas.  There were yet more presents, which is right and proper.  I can’t remember what she got for her birthday.  Books I think.  And some nice cake.

Joyce and I made the drive to Garland on Christmas Day and were rewarded with an excellent dinner and then presents.  Kaylee has been learning to program the droid we gave her. Sophia has been learning to fly the Millenium Falcon drone and Vivian and I have been practicing on the guitar every day since Christmas.   These are just the presents we gave them.  Och!  So many presents. Continue reading “Christmas 2017”

Montie’s story

The Story of Montie Gertrude McBride Rockwell

by Montie Rockwell

I was born on February 6, 1886 at Doan’s Crossing, Texas, fifteen miles north of Vernon, Texas, where the long drive of longhorn cattle crossed the Red River going north to market from north (sic) Texas and Mexico.  In those days there were no trucks or cars.  Everything was done on a horse, on foot, or by horse-drawn vehicles.  The cowboy’s life was anything but a bed of roses!  On those long drives there was drought, floods, lightning and thunderstorms to frighten the cattle, making them stampede.  Only by going to the front of the here or line and getting the cattle to circling could the boys get the cattle to bunch up and settle down.  Boys even lost their lives in the operation. Continue reading “Montie’s story”