Angelo Civic Theater

We went to a play at Angelo Civic Theater (ACT) last Friday night. The play was a comedy called Crimes of the Heart  written by Beth Henley. Here is the summary from the ACT website:

"The three Magrath sisters have gathered to await news of the family patriarch, their grandfather, who is living out his last hours in their local Mississippi hospital. This is the story of how they escape the past to seize the future—but the telling is so true and touching and consistently hilarious that it will linger in the mind long after the curtain has descended. Winner of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award."

The play was well received as evidenced by its awards. So why didn't Donna and I enjoy it more than we did? It's been a long time since we have really enjoyed a play at ACT. We've been season ticket holders since we moved to San Angelo, but that may change soon. With the new San Angelo Performing Arts Campus I wrote about recently, we may start transitioning to that venue. The shows there utilize professional traveling troupes. The price is higher, but the offerings are more varied and there are more of them to choose from.

I hate to give up on our little theater. Angelo Civic Theater prides itself on being the longest continuously running community theater in Texas, with its first performance dating to November 21, 1885. That's a long run. The theater relies largely on volunteer support, as a community theater should, and employs only 3 or 4 full-time people. So we really want to support the theater. Hopefully, performances will improve.

Ice Storm Blows Through

When we last saw our intrepid adventurers, they were drying out from an unexpected walk in the rain at the state park. After drying out and warming up, they fell asleep in their warm abode, only to awaken to rain and ice.

A winter storm blew threw early Wednesday morning. We had no plans for the day, so we were able to stay home, warm and dry. Rain fell throughout the day. Late in the afternoon, I emptied the rain gauge, which had almost an inch of rain. That is the most rain we have received in a few months. It was good to get enough moisture to seep into the ground. I'm sure the farmers enjoyed the rainfall, as it will help their winter wheat and get the ground ready for spring planting.

Of course, an inch of rain does not break a drought; it doesn't even put a dent in in. For us, we need enough rainfall for runoff to fill our lakes, and the ground soaks up a slow rain like this as soon as it touches down. I doubt we will see any noticeable improvement in the lakes as a result of this rain.

We hope we will get some more rain in coming days, as the forecast does call for scattered showers into the weekend.

This is the tree in our backyard. If you look closely, you can see ice in it. You can also see a frosty coating in the general landscape. Notice there are no leaves in the tree.

I took this picture of the same tree as above just a few minutes ago before the sun came up. There is a street light as a backdrop. Remember, this tree has no leaves, but the ice makes it look as if it does.

Ice was building up at the base of the water spout near our back door.

What a beautiful sight! Our gauge has not had that much rain in a long time. Notice ice along top of wall.

What Is This Wet Stuff Falling from the Sky?

For the past 3 or 4 days, we've had a chance for rain. The most we have been able to get, though, is just a dampness . . . until today.

It was about 60 degrees when I awoke this morning, so I thought I would walk early and get that behind me for the day. In winter, I normally walk after lunch, but with morning weather this warm, I thought I'd knock my walk out first thing in the morning. But as I was getting dressed, I heard rain began to fall. It was just a light rain, though, lasting only a couple of minutes, but I decided it was probably best to postpone the walk. I checked the rain gauge later and saw only a drop or two there.

After lunch, Donna and I drove the 2 miles down the road to the state park (San Angelo State Park) to walk on the roads within the park. Sometimes we hike out there, but more often than not, we simply walk on the roads because it is so peaceful and easy. We have a route that takes us up and down several hills, so we get a good workout. The route is almost 5 miles long.

The skies were overcast, but they had been overcast for days and we had gotten nothing. So, we grabbed our ponchos from the back of the car and set off down the road. The skies were really interesting, so I snapped several pictures.

The skies were really threatening as we began our walk. Note the small clear spot near right center.

Those are some pretty stormy looking skies.

Someone to the north of us is getting some rain in this picture.

You can clearly see the horizon in the center of the picture, beyond the lake. To the left, though, the horizon blurs into the rain. Lake OC Fisher, by the way, is at just over 5% capacity. We are in a drought, and one which is getting more serious with each day.

We had gone about 1.5 miles or slightly more, when we felt some sprinkles. We continued our walk, thinking the clouds would quickly move on. Then the sprinkles got heavier. When we finally decided to break out the ponchos, it was too late. We both were soaked as the sprinkles turned into a downpour. I had told Donna before the hike that we were going to sacrifice ourselves in order to get some rain, as I figured the only way the rain would fall is if we were out there in the open.

We finally got the ponchos on and then plodded on a quarter mile or so to a restroom where we could get some shelter. By that time, the rain was slacking off but we were drenched. I wanted to take a picture of Donna so that my blog readers could see what a drowned rat looks like, but Donna gave me a good lookin' at when I pulled out the camera, so I wisely returned the camera to my pocket and backed away slowly.

Interesting bird nest, sort of wedged between to upright branches.

This armadillo crossed the road in front of us as we were finishing our walk. Yes, that is water on the road.

When we got home, I checked our gauge. There was not a bit of moisture in there. We live only 2 miles away, and we did not get a drop. After changing into dry clothes, we sat on our back patio. Before long, it did actually rain for a few minutes. The amount was less than a tenth of an inch in my gauge, but we are thankful for anything we can get.

Yes, that is actually water coming out of our downspout. It's not much, but it's something!

It's raining! This is our across-the-street neighbor. Look at his dark truck and you can clearly see the rain drops. We love the flag you see. It is our wind gauge.

What better way to end a brief rain storm than with a lovely rainbow.

As I write this, the temperature is 48 degrees. About 2½ hours earlier, it was 82 degrees. We have a winter weather advisory in effect, and temps are expected to dip down below freezing tonight and tomorrow night, with a high tomorrow in the mid 30's.

Same Old Same Old

Not much happening with Donna and Keith these days. Yep, seems we are getting boring. Most of you would say that I've been boring most of my life.

Does the wind ever stop blowing in West Texas? I doubt it. Calm days are rare out here. But I can't complain with the weather lately. We've had some good temps. Wednesday almost reached 80, and Thursday actually climbed into the lower 80's. I just wish we could get some rain. I think I heard on the news the other night that we now have about 20 months or so of water in our lakes. Now, things aren't quite that dire for us, as San Angelo wisely purchased some property about 60 or 70 miles east and developed wells there. But we only use that option when the lakes dry up. Still, it would be nice to get some good sustained rains that replenish our lakes. At least we aren't in as much peril as South Africa. My heart goes out to those folks.

Donna and I had a nice Valentine's lunch at Red Lobster. I really enjoy eating there. The place is always clean, the service good, and the environment very pleasant. I love their Cheddar Bay bisquits, their Caesar salad, and their baked potatoes. What I like least about the place is their seafood, and I think that is really because I just don't enjoy seafood that much. Still, I get a seafood craving from time to time, and in West Texas, there aren't many seafood options.

We've had some new eateries open in town lately, and we've tried to sample them. About a month ago, Panda Express opened about a mile from our home. We enjoyed a nice meal there about a week after it opened. More recently, Taco Bueno returned to San Angelo after an absence of several years. Their new place is actually on the north side of town, a fair distance from our home. The place was really busy and the folks there were still working out the kinks. I enjoyed the food, but I didn't care for all the activity. Teriyaki Grill will be opening soon, and Jimmy John's just opened a sandwich place about a mile from our house. San Angelo continues to grow.

Also heard about a proposed interstate coming through town. San Angelo is the largest town in Texas not served by an interstate. The interstate being discussed would roughly follow US 190 and US 87, and nothing is definite yet. In fact, nothing may come of this at all, and even if it did, there's a good chance Donna and I wouldn't even be around at that time. Still, you have to plan for the future whether you will be in that future or not.

Keep us in your thoughts. We have a chance of rain over the weekend and into next week. Just maybe . . . .

To Lubbock and Back

Donna and I made a 2 day trip to Lubbock this week to take care of some business. We always enjoy going to Lubbock. I began my teaching career in earnest in Olton, a small town about 50 miles northwest of Lubbock, way back in the 1970s. Our daughter was born in Plainview, about 30 miles due north of Lubbock. And I taught a few years in Wellman, a small 6-man football school about 50 miles southwest of Lubbock in the 1980s. So, Lubbock has been a big part of our lives.

But goodness, how that town has grown! I think the growth is in all directions, but especially to the south and west. The traffic on the loop and major thorough fares is hectic. But it is an exciting town, with great shopping and great dining opportunities. Of course, Texas Tech is a key factor in Lubbock life, and in recent years the Depot District has become something of an entertainment mecca. Any music fan certainly knows that Lubbock is the hometown of Buddy Holly, and other prominent musicians grew up either in Lubbock or the immediate surrounding area, such as Waylon Jennings (in nearby Littlefield), Mac Davis, Delbert McClinton, the Maines Brothers as well as Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks, and numerous others.

I won't go into the long list of things to do and see in Lubbock. You can check out the Visit Lubbock website for that. After we took care of our business, though, we ventured out to the Lubbock Lake Landmark for a brief visit. This is an impressive archaeological site on the northwest side of the city along Yellow House Canyon. There is evidence on site of occupation or human activity stretching back 12,000 years, and exploration continues to this day. I hope to get back this summer when visitors can actually visit a dig in process and interact with the staff. We had originally planned to walk the trails through the canyon, but it was very cold during our visit, so we opted to just visit the warm and informative Visitor Center.

Lubbock Lake Landmark Visitor Center. Much of the archaeological work is done in the draw behind the center.

Donna standing in the entrance to the exhibits at the Visitor Center.

Tribute to some of the folks who have played key roles in the dig over the years.

Life-sized diorama re-enacting a kill of a giant bison.

Creating a cooking pit

In more recent times, Native Americans used the horse to haul goods.

Lubbock is really an attractive town with numerous city parks. Depending on the time of year, one thing you may notice is all the ducks, cranes, and other birds flocking to the lakes in the city parks and nearby areas. They fill the sky each day as they move about, and you can frequently hear them. We drove out to Mackenzie Park on the northeast side of downtown along Yellow House Draw to visit Prairie Dog Town. When Courtney was young, we used to visit this place often, as she enjoyed watching the entertaining little critters scamper about. In those days, the prairie dog  town was fully enclosed by a rock wall. However, we noticed on this visit that the town has grown considerably. The fat little rascals are everywhere!

Close up of a prairie dog in his hole.

I snapped this picture of a dog taking a break from his labors.

This is a picture of the same hole as above. In this picture, the dog has entered the hole to continue digging. You can see the dirt being thrown up.

On the way home, we left a bit early and had some extra time. We planned to meet our daughter, son-in-law, and 2 of our grandsons in Big Spring for lunch. Since we were ahead of schedule, we took our time and detoured through all the towns along the route. First, we drove through Tahoka, hometown of my campus principal when I was teaching at nearby Wellman. We then detoured briefly through small O'Donnell. The tiny hamlet makes claim to Dan Blocker ("Hoss" of TV's Bonanza). Although Blocker was actually born in DeKalb, Texas, he spent many of his formative years in O'Donnell.

The courthouse in Tahoka was undergoing a face lift when we passed through town.

We even detoured through tiny Ackerly, home of Sands, another 6-man football school. I love these little country schools, especially those in West Texas. Some of my best memories as a teacher were from the years I taught in Wellman, a school and town of similar size.

A Movie, a Super Blue Blood Moon, and Rising Prices

We saw another movie this week. There aren't many westerns made anymore, so any time a new one comes out, I go to see it. I'm a big fan of Wes Studi, so when I saw that he was playing a vital role in Hostiles, I knew I had to watch it. The "stars" of the movie are actually Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike. Now, right there is where I started having problems with the movie. Why is it that we have to import actors (Bale is from Wales while Pike is from England) to play American roles in American movies. Now, I have nothing against either of these actors, but there are numerous American actors who are every bit as qualified to play these parts.

The premise of the movie is that Captain Blocker (Bale), who hates Indians, is assigned the task of escorting Cheyenne Chief Yellow Hawk (Studi) and his family to Montana, so the chief, who has advanced cancer, can die in his homeland and be buried there. Along the way, they pick up Rosalie Quaid (Pike), who watched as her husband and 3 children were killed by a raiding Comanche war party in the year 1892. Well, the Comanches were totally defeated and confined to reservations in the mid 1870's pretty far east of the route this party was traveling, but I suppose there could have been some renegades who broke away and committed such raids. I'll give the writers the benefit of the doubt on this one. So, along the way, the Cheyennes, their military escort, and Ms. Quaid undergo numerous trials and tribulations that bring about new understanding and respect for one another. Kumbaya. Actually, it isn't a bad movie.

Did you happen to catch the super blue blood moon last Wednesday morning? It's really quite a rare event. A super moon occurs when the moon is close to the earth in its orbit, which makes it about 14% brighter. A blue moon occurs when 2 full moons appear in the same month. And a blood moon occurs when the moon is in the earth's orbit, causing a red tint as a result of this eclipse.

Now, when you have good cameras and good telescopes, this is what a blood moon looks like:

Blood moon

Notice the clear red tint on the moon. Now, when you are El Cheapo, head of the cheap camera cartel along the border, your pictures of the super blue blood moon look like the images below.

Bright super moon before the eclipse began

In this photo, the eclipse has just begun. You can see a small bite taken out of the top left of the moon.

This photo was taken 5 or 10 minutes later. Yo can clearly see more of the moon is missing. There is a bit of reddish glow around the moon, but my equipment is not sufficient to pick up the red tint on the missing part of the moon.

And the moon is almost entirely gone now, about 15 minutes later.

Seems that everyone these days wants some of our money. Our community just increased maintenance rates by about 5%. This is the first increase in several years, so I can live with that. Next, I have a cancer and dread disease policy, and it increased just a little bit. Then Donna's medical insurance took a substantial jump. You know, these insurance companies are just barely making it these days, just like the companies producing all those low-priced medicines that they practically give away. I know they need help; I'm happy to do what I can. 😖 Finally, our local newspaper jumped its monthly subscription rate from $19.99 to $29.00. That is essentially a 50% increase for a not so good paper. That was the last straw. I cancelled the paper; wish I could cancel my insurance, but I'm not that stupid. Now I have to find ways to rearrange the budget to pay these other increases. When we retired, inflation was the economic factor I feared the most. So far, things have been pretty good, but right now, prices do seem to be jumping at the same time. Oh well, c'est la vie.

Weather has been good for the most part. Daily highs are in the 60's and 70's, which is great for walking and hiking, while nightly lows are usually just above freezing. We can't seem to get any rain, though, and I'm fearful of drought conditions as things begin to warm. Area lakes continue to shrink as well.

PS. Send water and money ASAP!

The Lettermen

The Lettermen came to town to perform in our rather new San Angelo Performing Arts Campus, which, if I understand correctly, consists of two venues: the Murphey Performance Hall and the Stephens Performing Arts Center. The Murphey Performance Hall is located in the 1928 city Auditorium. The Stephens Performing Arts Center is located in the former Coca Cola bottling plant, which is located just around the corner. Both facilities have recently undergone massive upgrades. I've not yet been in the Stephens Performing Arts Center, but I was certainly impressed with the Murphey Performance Hall, where the Lettermen performed.

Lots of seating in the Murphey Performance Hall. Picture taken from nose bleed section of the balcony (otherwise known as the "cheap seats")

View of the stage in Murphey Performance Hall, as seen from the upper balcony.

Donna and I attended a performance by the Lettermen about 10 years ago in Corsicana, Texas. We enjoyed them then, and their current show is still good. The show is well-scripted, and everything works like clockwork. The performers interact with the audience throughout the show, and they really pour themselves into their performances. It is very professional. Yes, some of the show today remains as it was 10 years ago, but much is new.

The Lettermen open the concert.

The original Lettermen began their career in the late 1950's  or so, and consisted of Tony Butala, Jim Pike, and Bob Engemann. Their first hit was "The Way You Look Tonight" in 1961 or 1962. It was followed by a succession of hits. In 1967, Engemann left the group. That began a series of lineup changes. In 1984, Donavan Tea joined the group, followed by Bobby Poynton in 1989. Poynton did leave the group for several years, but eventually returned. So today, the lineup consists of Butala, Tea, and Poynton. Butala is now 79 years young, and his voice is still good. It is clear that all three enjoy performing.

The Lettermen donned their trademark sweaters as they opened the second half of the show. From left to right, they are Donavan Tea, Tony Butala, and Bobby Poynton.

Those of you who know the Lettermen know that their beautiful harmonies are what drive the group. They were supported by a two-piece "band" during their San Angelo performance, a drummer and a pianist. You might think that is rather limiting, but remember that these are the Lettermen, and people come to their shows to hear those wonderful voices and harmonies. All three members spend a great deal of time with the audience, including a session allowing audience members to snap photos with them as they sing "Up, Up, and Away". They worked their way around the audience on several numbers, shaking hands with audience members. Donavan Tea even came into the balcony for a short time.

Lighting is bad in this picture, but the 3 Lettermen sing "Up, Up, and Away" while allowing an audience member to get a photo. Several audience members near the front had such an opportunity.

Butala serenades an audience member named Maria with his rendition of "Maria" from West Side Story.

They put on a good show, and a clean one. How refreshing that is. They took me back to an earlier time, a time before advanced technology, before 9-11, before most stage shows were filled with profanity and lewd acts. The audience, though small, was appreciative. What a wonderful way to spend an evening!