Still Hot and Dry

I had hoped with the approach of the official start date of autumn that the heat would begin to fade away and a few rains would appear. That has not happened so far. We have even had some more triple digit temperatures recently, and every day has been above 95. The nights are not even cooling off. Pastures are brown with the lack of rainfall. It's a bit depressing, to say the least.

Then there's the upper Texas Gulf coast. Tropical depression Imelda (or however it is classified when you read this) has certainly been a strange one. It more or less just appeared out of nowhere it seems. And then, unlike normal tropical storms with high winds, this is mostly just heavy rain. Those poor folks were just about to get over Harvey when this thing moved in. I wish we could relieve them of some of their rain; it would certainly help all of us out. If I lived in that area, I think I would seriously consider a move inland some place.

Not much is going on with Donna and Keith these days. The old woman has added a new game day over at the club house, so now she is going 3 or 4 days each week. It certainly is peaceful around the house when she is gone. This week, she spent an afternoon fishing, so I got a bonus day of peace and quiet.

For right now, there just isn't anything else worth mentioning. We basically are just waiting for cooler weather to come along so we can make a trip somewhere.

It's Getting Buggy Out Here

We've been having a lot of little critters around the house lately. Most of the time, we don't mind our little visitors, but some of them are not welcome at all.

Since we moved in 3+ years ago, we've battled scorpions. The house is treated every 3 months or so, but those little rascals keep showing up. We have traps set up around the house, and sometimes they do get caught in those. More often than not, though, they just appear somewhere in the house, usually after a treatment. The sprayings just tend to stir them up, it seems.

This is one of the traps we have set around the interior of the house. It comes as a flat panel, and after detaching the cover from the sticky surface, we fold it into a box with open ends.

This trap caught a little scorpion. 

The other day, we discovered a large black moth on the bricks above our front door. It was probably 6 inches or so from wing tip to wing tip. It may have been a black witch moth, which some people believe is an omen of illness or even death. We left the little fellow alone, but he is mighty pretty.

From the center of the grout on one side of the brick to the center of the grout on the other side is 3 inches. So the wing span on this moth approaches 6 inches or so.

While sitting on the back patio the other day, Donna discovered a little friend on the rocker next to her. All of these little critters just follow her around, especially grasshoppers. But this little fellow was a walking stick. Donna took the fly swatter and gently moved him into the yard. 

Donna is trying to get her little friend on the fly swatter to move him into the yard.

Success!

No Triple Digits in the Forecast

My forever young wife enjoyed another birthday this week. I wish I could tell you how old Donna is, but I don't know because I can't count that high. How did we ever get this old? Seems like just a short time ago that we were young and excited about our futures. My brother had a birthday last week, and I have one next week. I'm aging much faster than Donna, no doubt about it. I'm amazed at her energy and zest for life. I simply can't keep up; I often think I'm holding her back.

Donna and I were watching one of our local stations a few mornings ago. As we watched the weather forecast, I remarked to her that this was the first forecast we had seen in a couple of months that did not include triple digit temps. Perhaps we've turned a corner and are heading for a cool down. I certainly hope so.

It is so very dry out here. Because of the good rains earlier in the year, we have some pretty tall grass across the countryside. Those are some dangerous fire conditions. We've had a number of small grass fires all over the Concho Valley. None have developed into something like you see on the national news, but it is a constant battle to keep them under control.

As we were sitting in the den last night, we heard the wind pick up. That's not unusual at all, but this time the wind had a different sound to it. I walked over to the window to investigate and was surprised to see rain pouring down. We stepped out on the back patio, but the wind was blowing the rain into us, so we couldn't stay long. We managed to get half an inch. What a blessing! We really needed that.

Nice rainbow. Nice rain. Nice.

North end of the rainbow.

Have you heard about the new crop of "meatless" meats on the market? I have seen several news stories the past month or so about these new products. All the reporters who sample the products all report that the new meats taste just like real meat.

Well, Donna and I decided to sample an Impossible Whopper at one of our Burger Kings recently. Now, I'm not a big Burger King fan; there are several other places I'd rather get a burger. We do visit a Burger King every year or two, though, and there are some things we like about the place. Their new "Impossible Whopper" is meatless and consists "mostly [of] soy protein, potato protein, coconut oil, sunflower oil, and heme."

So, what did Donna and I think of the burger? Well, we'll stick with real burgers for a while longer, I guess. We could tell the difference. I must admit, though, that the texture and appearance were good. But there's this taste that definitely isn't like the real thing. We keep hoping a good product will emerge, and I'm sure one will in the future. but for now, we'll keep eating real beef.

We really don't eat a lot of meat in our household. We've always leaned heavily towards vegetables and dairy products. In fact, while in high school, our daughter was completely vegetarian for a couple of years. Her mother and I never made the total conversion, but we were close, and we certainly encouraged Courtney's efforts.

For now, I think I'll make a trip down to our local Whataburger . . . .

Things are pretty quiet around here right now. The kids are all back in school, and I like that. We've made a couple of trips out to Lake Nasworthy, and the crowds have certainly cleared out. Things are back to normal.

I'll leave you with some pictures of purple sage I've snapped around town. Their colors have really been vibrant lately.

Beautiful purple sage in the parking lot of one of our Walmarts.

Purple sage at a local eatery.

Meanwhile, Back at RCW

Whenever we take a trip, it always takes a while to get caught up once we return home. Now, after being home for about 10 days, I'm just about caught up on everything.

It's been a pretty busy 10 days.

First, I wanted to write all those blog entries about Ruidoso before I forgot what we did. I'm getting to the point in life where details seem to slip away rather quickly.

We've also had some visitors. Our broker, who has become a very good friend over the 30 years or so we've been working with him, stayed over one night. We enjoy visiting with him so much. He is a real easy guest to entertain: he's quiet, he picks up after himself, and he's low maintenance. And we were able to take care of some business while he was here.

Daughter Courtney and her 3 offspring came for an overnight visit as well. I think they enjoy their visits here, as it gives them a chance to be in a decent sized city for a while. They currently live in a very small town, so getting to San Angelo or Midland or other towns of size is a real treat for them. Eldest grandson Xander enjoys all the dining opportunities in town, especially sushi.

Donna and I have been keeping an eye on Dorian for several days. Brother Larry and his wife Nancy live on Florida's east coast, so they have the pleasure of riding out storms such as this from time to time.

And Donna becomes more and more immersed in the social life of RCW (Rio Concho West). She's involved with a gang now, and they play Hand and Foot ( I call it Hoof and Mouth because it really seems like a disease) at least twice a week for several hours. It seems to be a pretty serious game. There are usually only one or two shootings or knife fights during their games, so they keep things pretty tame.

The heat continues here. We are not experiencing triple digit temps every day like we did in much of July and August, but we still have several days each week over 100. But fall is only about 2 weeks away now, so good times are ahead.

Keep cool!

Donna Found Her Casinos

I was hoping our trip to Ruidoso would be all about being tourists, but if there is a casino within 100 miles, Donna is going to sniff it out. This time, I'm rather glad she twisted my arm to visit a casino.

Our first casino visit was to Casino Apache. Located on the Mescalero Apache Reservation on US 70 just a few miles west of Ruidoso, the casino is actually a "Travel Center". Not only can you gamble to your heart's content, but you can refuel your car, get it washed, grab a bite to eat, and do various other things. Actually, we found some rather decent games there for video poker -- 9/5 Jacks or Better at quarter level, among others. I did not check the pay schedule for dollar machines.

We only stayed a short while, though, just long enough to see what was available. We then drove a few miles to Inn of the Mountain Gods. Both casinos are owned by the Mescalero tribe, so both accept the same players' club card. The Inn of the Mountain Gods is more like the casinos we frequent, complete with hotel, buffet, and other amenities. As regards video poker, we found basically the same games that we discovered at Casino Apache, so we decided to play at the Inn. We had a good time.

We sat down at some quarter machines with 9/5 Jacks or Better. I was having a bit of luck, winning just a tiny bit. After about 3 or 4 minutes, Donna complained that she was not hitting anything. That's odd, because Donna always hits something. Suddenly, things got quiet at her machine. I glanced over and saw a lot of hearts lined up on her base line. She was having trouble figuring out what she had; about that time, I said, "Hey, old woman, you hit a royal." Sure enough, the old gal had a royal flush in hearts, good for $1,000. I would go on to eventually churn out $300 myself, so we left the casino with much more than the $200 we had decided we would play on. That was the first royal Donna has hit in almost 2 years, and it has been longer for me.

After I cashed out, I walked the casino and hotel, looking at all the Apache art work and admiring the beautiful views from the hotel lobby. The setting for the casino is gorgeous. I'd love to see it in winter when snow covers the ground. Now that we had some luck there, I'm sure Miss Donna is going to insist that we return in the near future. I'm game.

Below are some of the many pictures I took of Inn of the Mountain Gods.

Tribal artwork in the valet parking area.

Some of the cultural art work that lines the walls of the casino and hotel.

Mescalero Warrior

View from inside the hotel lobby

View from balcony outside hotel lobby

View from balcony outside hotel lobby

Miss Donna in front of waterfall outside hotel

Diamond Donna with her winnings. We can't figure out where the 1 cent came from. Since they are multidenomination machines, someone playing pennies must have left it on the machine.

Cloudcroft, New Mexico

Event date: Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019

We got a slow start this morning. We had a good breakfast at the hotel, then set off for our daily adventure. Our destination for the day was Cloudcroft, about 40 or so miles south of Ruidoso.

We set off west along US 70 for several miles before turning south on New Mexico 244. The entire drive along NM 244 was great. It is a very rural area with great scenery. There are numerous mountain meadows, and the pine covered hills are lovely. The speed limit ranged from 35 to 55 mph, occasionally dipping to 25. There was very little traffic, so it was a very pleasant drive.

Much of the drive from Ruidoso to Cloudcroft was through heavily forested country such as this.

I love a lush mountain meadow such as this.

On the return trip along US 70, we watched the hulking presence of Sierra Blanca approach.

Fewer than 1,000 people live in Cloudcroft, which sits at an elevation of 8,600 feet. Summers there are pleasant, and it is a popular getaway for West Texans who are trying to escape the heat. But there isn't much here. If you like small towns, though, it's a nice place. The downtown district sits 1 block north of the highway, and it is lined with businesses that, for the most part, cater to tourists. We stopped in for a cup of coffee at the Black Bear Coffee Shop. A delightful young couple run this place. While visiting, we discovered that they had connections to San Angelo; both had attended classes at Angelo State University previously. They make a great cup of coffee there, but it is a bit steep. I suppose in such an isolated location, prices tend to be a bit higher.

Black Bear Coffee Shop at the west end of the business district in Cloudcroft.

Looking east through the Cloudcroft business district from in front of the Black Bear.

Some of the businesses in downtown Cloudcroft.

The Cloudcroft Hotel is in the center of the business district.

Looking west from the east end of the business district.

We scouted around town looking at cottages and such where we might spend a week or so next summer, but we decided Ruidoso was probably more to our taste. 

Fort Stanton and Capitan

Event date: Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019

After our tour of Lincoln, we drove a few miles up US 380 to Fort Stanton. The post was established in 1855 as part of the campaign against the Mescalero Apaches. It also witness some action during the American Civil War when Confederate troops from Texas attempted to secure New Mexico and the West for the Confederacy. Later, it also had a minor role in the Lincoln County War.

Over the years, the fort served numerous purposes, including a tuberculosis hospital in the early years of the 20th century and as an internment camp during World War II. After the war, the fort became the property of the state of New Mexico. In the ensuing years, it saw service as a hospital for the "mentally challenged" and later as a women's low security correctional facility. Today it serves as a museum and is designated as a New Mexico State Monument.

First stop at Fort Stanton should be the Museum and Visitor's Center, erected in 1855 as barracks for enlisted me. The center contains numerous exhibits and information that will guide you through the remainder of your tour. More than a dozen buildings are open to the public. If old military posts are your thing, you can probably spend several hours here.

Fort Stanton Museum and Visitors' Center

Cavalry exhibit in Visitors' Center

Quadrangle at post

Barracks

Room in hospital building

Trees and buildings laid out with military precision.

The Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area is located nearby. A room in the Fort Stanton Visitors' Center is devoted to the cave. The Conservation Area includes over 100 miles of multi-use trails. Wow! I could spend some time here.

After our visit to the fort, we continued our drive up US 380 to the small town of Capitan. We enjoyed green chile cheeseburgers at Oso Grill, which won first place in the New Mexico State Fair's Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge in 2018.

After the burgers, we moseyed across the street to visit the Smokey Bear Historical Park. Although most folks are familiar with Smokey Bear (note that it is NOT Smokey THE Bear), few are aware that there was an actual bear that served as the living symbol for this campaign to prevent forest fires. The actual Smokey Bear campaign was already in place when a 5 pound, three month old bear cub was found in 1950 after the Capitan Gap Fire. The small cub, whose legs had been burned, was rescued by local fire crews. At first, the cub was known as Hotfoot Teddy, but later his name was changed to that of the fire campaign icon.

Smokey soon became a national celebrity, and he was shipped to the National Zoo in D.C. where he lived for 26 years. Smokey died November 9, 1976, and his remains were shipped to Capitan where he is buried.

Exterior of Smokey Bear Museum

Image of Smokey most of us recognize from the "prevent forest fires" campaign.

This shows how little Smokey was found after the Capitan Fire by fire fighting crews -- up a charred tree with injured feet.

Smokey's final resting place is under this rock, hauled from the mountains where he was found as a frightened cub. The caption says: "This is the resting place of the first living Smokey Bear. In 1950 when Smokey was a tiny cub, wildfire burned his forest home in the nearby Capitan Mountains of the Lincoln National Forest. Firefighters found the badly burned cub clinging to a blackened tree and saved his life. In June 1950, the cub was flown to our Nation's Capitol to become the living symbol of wildfire prevention and wildlife conservation. After 25 years, he was replaced by another orphaned black bear from the Lincoln National Forest."

After paying our respects to Smokey, Donna and I returned to Ruidoso, passing through some beautiful mountain country around Alto. Rain began falling as we entered the northern part of Ruidoso.