The Art of Story Telling

Story telling is becoming a lost art. I wish I were a good story teller, but I'm not. I've known some good story tellers over the years, but they are rare. I've known quite a few people who think they are good story tellers; they are much more plentiful.

One of my favorite scenes from a movie occurs in Out of Africa. While entertaining 2 guests in her home, the central female character of Karen Blixen, played by Meryl Streep, reveals that she is quite a good story teller. Her guests, one of whom is Denys, played superbly by Robert Redford, then ask her to tell them a story. She asks them to give her the opening line. After doing so, Karen takes over and weaves a long story that holds them spellbound. What a magical evening that must have been.

When we lived in the Middle East in the 1980s, we had little entertainment in the way of television, so we spent much time visiting with friends. We loved that time. It was great fun meeting new people. And each told a story in a way. It might not have been a story like Karen told in Out of Africa; still, the stories were interesting, and told of our new friends' homes and travels and adventures.

So many of the folks we met in those days were professional expatriates, meaning they were committed to living abroad. They moved from country to country, seeing things that most of us never see, experiencing things most of us only read about. Most of the people we associated with hailed from the US, Great Britain, Canada, and other western countries, and they brought such varied backgrounds with them. Many of the Brits, especially, had spent years in northern Africa, and they had such interesting stories to tell of those places.

What better way to spend a crisp autumn night than to sit around a blazing fire, hot cocoa in hand, and listen to a talented story teller weave a tale that entrances us.

I wish I was a story teller.

Confessions of a Weed Puller

Alright, I'm not ashamed to admit it -- I like pulling weeds.

It's hard for me to walk through our side yard -- or any yard, for that matter -- without stooping to pull a weed or two or three or more. I'm always in pursuit of that perfect, weed-free lawn, but in all my years of yard work, I've never had one. But I'm close to it now.

There's something very satisfying about the feel of a weed coming out of the ground, root and all. You can actually feel the roots tearing from the soil, releasing their hold on the earth. Then when the weed is free and clear of the ground and I see the entire root system intact, I feel a sense of satisfaction.

I don't like to use chemicals on my lawn or plants, so I try to use natural methods to control weeds, fertilize, and maintain my landscape. Pulling weeds is actually one of the better methods, and it's free. Anytime I walk through the yard, I spend 3 or 4 minutes pulling a handful of weeds, and the effort pays off. Right now, my side yard is virtually weed free and looks better than any yard I've ever had. Of course, its the smallest yard I've ever had, so it certainly is the easiest to maintain. It's just too difficult to keep large yards weed free by hand unless you spend an inordinate amount of time doing so.

But with a small yard, I find the weeds are pretty easy to control. There is one weed which has plagued me in all my yards over the years, and I don't know what it is. It blends in with grass nicely, so it may be some type of grass. The leaf is broader and flatter than normal Bermuda grass, almost like St. Augustine. When allowed to linger in a yard, the base becomes an ever widening clump, spreading out month by month and year by year, and pushing good grass out of the way. After it is established, you really have to dig down to get the entire root system out, so I try to catch this invasive species while it is young.

I have to control myself on my neighborhood walks. There are weeds in yards that I really want to pull, but I remind myself that I have no business trespassing in the yards other folks.

Reflections on the Oil Boom

As I've mentioned before, we're in the midst of an oil boom out here. San Angelo is not really oil country; traditionally, it's economy has been based primarily on agriculture, with Angelo State University and Goodfellow Air Force Base, among others, contributing to the local economy. But we are on the edge of the Cline Shale field, and we are feeling some of the effects from that boom.

An oil boom today is much like a gold boom a century or more ago. An influx of people with no apprarent ties to an area move in to make as much money as they possibly can while the boom is good. Once the boom has run its course, they move on to the next boom. Whereas in the past, you often had tent cities pop up, today you have RV cities. Small towns to the west of San Angelo like Big Lake, McCamey, and Rankin are dealing with a population influx and inadequate housing. RV parks are popping up in all of these hamlets, often with no controls or regulations in place.

In San Angelo, we are seeing new apartments appear, not to mention new housing. New businesses are coming to town, including some that the locals are not putting out the welcome mat for. But where there is a boom, there is money to be made, and sometimes that brings in undesirable businesses. In the days of the gold booms, usually the first ones in after the miners were the gamblers, saloon keepers, and ladies of the evening. It's really not much different today, though the faces may be updated.

Personally, I've noticed a change in traffic. Driving patterns seem to be getting a bit more aggressive; vehicles are going faster, drivers are failing to yield at yield and stop signs, there is more tailgating, etc.

A few days ago, Donna and I drove to Midland. From San Angelo, we went up US 87 to Sterling City, then headed west on Highway 158 through Garden City to Midland. The two-lane stretch on Highway 158 is just over 60 miles, and it was a stressful for me. We've driven this road dozens of times over the years, and it has always been a pleasant and relaxed drive. With the oil boom in the area, though, the road is bearing more traffic than it can handle (there are plans to begin improvements later this summer). The week before we drove this stretch, a San Angelo man was killed in an accident on that highway. A few hours after we arrived in Midland, there was another wreck on that highway, but thankfully the injuries were minor.

I would estimate that 50% or more of traffic on that highway is related to the oil boom, while 25% is probably local and another 25% travelers. Actually the oil traffic is probably higher than 50%. You can recognize vehicles related to the oil industry. Most of the pickups are white, many with deer guards on the front, company insignias on the sides, and oil field equipment in the back. Many are 1 ton flat bed trucks with arc welders on back, while others may have acetylene torches and related equipment in the back. There are larger trucks hauling water, gravel, and sand as well as derrick equipment. They all seem to be in a hurry, and they all seem to be saying, "Time is money; get out of my way." Although I was driving 70, I was passed numerous times.

Well, I don't begrudge anyone the opportunity to make an honest living, and I know we need oil and gas, but I surely miss my peaceful drives. U.S. Highway 67 heading west out of San Angelo all the way to McCamey is also dominated by traffic related to the oil boom.

Once I discover these busy roads, I then do my best to avoid them. In returning from Midland, we took Interstate 20 to Big Spring, then U.S. 87 (4 lanes) to Angelo. It added 15 miles to our journey, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Besides, when you are retired, what's an extra 15 minutes?

Recent Rains

We were blessed with 3 inches of rain about 2 weeks ago. Surrounding areas received about the same, though amounts varied. Heavier rains fell farther east, which does not do much for our watershed, but we'll take what we can get. The nice thing about this rain was that is was spread over 4 days, thus giving time for the rain to soak in. The temperatures remained well below normal, with highs just below 70 on one day. What a treat for us in July. The rains were also peaceful. Most of our rains, it seems, bring lightning, loud thunder, and heavy winds, but these rains just fell gently to the earth. It was  nice.

On July 16, Lake O.H. Ivie, San Angelo's primary source of water, was down to 96,007 acre feet, which is 17% of capacity. Following the rains, on July 22, after runoff had time to reach the lake, the level had risen to 103,613 acre feet, which is 19% of capacity. This gives us another 1 to 2 months of water. Lake O.H. Ivie is fed primarily by the upper Colorado River and the Concho River.

We currently have a 16 or 17 month water supply. Of course, whenever it rains substantially, that time span is extended. Even with the good rains we recently received, we are still below our average for this time of year.

Immediately after the rain, Donna and I drove out to San Angelo State Park to see how much water had accumulated in O.C. Fisher. We were surprised that there was no standing water in the lake bed, as water has pooled there at other times that we received even less rain than fell this time. We did get to see some of the longhorns that call the park home, though, so that was a treat. Everything looks pretty green around here for this time of year.

I wish this fellow would have turned, for he had the most impressive set of horns of the group.

I love the traditional spotty coloring of longhorns.

New Sheriff in Town

Yeah, we've got a new sheriff in town, and he's already bossing everyone around. His name is Camden Dean, and he was born yesterday (July 24) about 3:15 PM. He came into this world at 19½ inches long, and he weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce. Right now, his eyes appear blue and his hair looks dark. Whom he looks like depends upon whom you talk to, so I guess the jury is still out on the new sheriff.

Here are some pictures taken over the past 2 days:

The very first picture of the little scamp as he rests in his mother's lap immediately after being born.

The sheriff resting easy with his mother. Notice his eyes are open. He likes to be held, it seems.

The sheriff is using his official "I'm in charge" face on Gamma. Probably, he can't figure out what she is.

Grandson #1 holding his new little brother.

The new sheriff is resting easy in Gamma's arms.

You can bet there will be more pictures to come, but I wanted to post these ASAP.

Stay tuned.

Yard Update

I'm really pleased with my selection of Celebration Bermuda for the grass in my side yard (See "Instant Yard" for history). It really has done well. In the last few days, we received a good amount of rain, but prior to that we had gone a month or more without any rain. We are restricted to watering only once a week. I have my sprinklers set to run for 3 sessions on the day I choose to water. Each session lasts for 4 minutes, and they are spaced 2 hours apart. This allows time for the water to soak in and avoids wasteful runoff. Water conservation in West Texas is really getting serious, especially now that the oil boom is here and oil companies are using extensive amounts of water in their various pursuits.

Because of water restrictions, I was not able to water heavily after I put in the sod. Luckily, we had a series of scattered rains spread nicely that helped establish the grass. Still, it would have been good to water more heavily to completely establish the grass. Despite this, the grass seems healthy with the exception of 2 or 3 spots. 

This picture was taken a few days before our recent heavy rains, and the grass was still holding its green color.

Compare the photo above to those shown in "Blessed Rain", posted more than a month ago following a good rain. You'll see that the yard has held up well despite only once a week watering.

Front of our house.

In a recent entry, I provided pictures of low-maintenance yards around the neighborhood, so it's only fair to show my yard again. Compare this to the similar picture near the end of "Instand Yard" posted about 3 months ago. You'll see that all the plants have grown some, but most noticeably the 2 sage bushes. They are still small and may be difficult to see in the picture above. One is directly in front of the center of the house. The other is behind the yucca in the left of the picture, in the shaded area. They have grown and filled out nicely, so I have started trimming them to ensure a nice, well-rounded shape. When maintained, sage bushes can be quite pretty, especially in bloom.

Our little sage bush has quite a few blooms. It had even more a day or two later.

I'd like to do some work in the front yard this winter. First, I'd like to find a good desert-type tree to go in the center of the yard to the right of the sidewalk, perhaps a palo verde. I'd also like to wrap a bed around the front of the house from the right in the picture to the front door. Finally, I'd like to put in cement borders as I did in our previous house (see "New Curbing").

Even though this is a low maintenance yard, I do weed pulling a couple of times each week. If I stay on top of it, it literally takes only 2 or 3 minutes each time. About once a month, I use a grass rake to rake my rocks. Dogs and people often walk in the yard for various reasons, and this causes depressions in the rocks, so I rake to smooth it out. I also have to sweep the small rocks off the sidewalk about once a month. And I do try to water the plants once a week. I figure I can reduce this watering schedule when fall arrives and they are more securely established. And that's about all I have to do to the front yard.

A Stroll Around the Neighborhood

I try to walk several times each week. Donna and I have a 3 mile route we follow that weaves through our neighborhood, though we occasionally walk other places, such as the walk along the river downtown. When we walk in our neighborhood, we are basically walking in an area with homes under 20 years of age. The older homes have mature trees and lawns, either with Bermuda or St. Augustine grass.

However, things have been changing during the past few years with drought conditions becoming so dominant in our area. Most homes built in the last 2 or 3 years are putting in low-maintenance yards, and even some of the older homes are converting their yards to low-maintenance. Many houses are like ours, with a low-maintenance yard in front and a traditional grass yard in the small side area.

But low-maintenance is not no-maintenance. There is still a bit of work to do. However, very little watering is required, and that is the big thing for our area. There are weeds and grass to get rid of. Some folks have allowed their low-maintenance yards to be overrun with grass and weeds; you really have to stay on top of things. I usually try to get out for just 2 or 3 minutes a couple of days each week. I normally boil a kettle of water and take with me. When I pull up a weed, I pour a cup or so of boiling water on its stem. I hate to use chemicals, so I try to take a more organic approach to weed control. For weeds and grass along the edge of my yard, where they come up outside the tarp, I just dig down and try to get the entire root system out.

Below are some pictures of homes on my neighborhood walk to give an idea of low-maintenance yards.

This is an older home in the process of converting its grass lawn to low-maintenance. A weed-blocking (yeah, right!) tarp is being set in place. Where tarp meets curb or sidewalk is wear pesky weeds and grass find a place to crop up.

Many of the original low-maintenance yards look something like this, basically just rock and more rock, usually using larger rocks. Although neat and well maintained, they lack any real landscaping.

Some of the older homes with low-maintenance lawns really went overboard with desert plants. This yard has ocotillo, chollas, and numerous other desert plants. Also, notice the different types of rock on either side of the sidewalk.

Example of a low-maintenance yard receiving no maintenance. Most weeds will come up along the edges of the tarp, as in this yard (along curb, sidewalk, etc.)

This yard has some landscaping, but notice all the grass growing up in scattered bunches around the yard.

Here are some of my favorites.

I like this yard. I prefer smaller rocks to larger ones. There is a cement border separating this yard from the neighbor to the left to keep the grass out. There are nice borders around the trees and the bed in front of the house. There are no weeds. There are some plants, but not too many. Notice that the sage is blooming.

Both of these yards are neat and tidy. There's not much in them, but they have a clean appearance.

This one is a bit different, but it seems to work. There are no weeds or grass. The low-lying cedar shrubs give it a look not quite of the desert like most low-maintenance yards in the area.

No plants in the yard itself for this one, but the color in the bed is nice. Very neat appearance.

And to finish off, here is one that is a bit different.

This one mixes the rock landscaping with artificial grass. Several properties around town have begun to use artificial grass, but it is quite expensive.

Our neighborhood mainly consists of patio homes. Originally, most of the residents were retirees who were looking for smaller yards to maintain. These retirees were also attracted to the area by proximity to good shopping, with Walmart, Sam's Club, Sunset Mall, and many other major stores (Academy, Best Buy, Target, Lowe's, etc.) and eateries (Red Lobster, Chili's, CiCi's Pizza, etc.) no more than 2 miles away.