Next weekend is our annual family reunion in the hills of west Texas, Ft. Davis.  It is always a pleasure to go up there where it is almost always a few degrees cooler than along the coast.  Over the last few years the state has refurbished the Indian Lodge, making it even more pleasant a place to stay.

It seems that the pool at Balmorhea is in a bit of a turmoil.  I don’t quite understand the problem but kinda have the feeling that someone new has come in and made a few rule changes that have made things more difficult.  Hear that they only let a few cars in at a time thereby causing some parking problems along the highway.  Have you ever noticed how when a new “Jefe” comes on board they always have to flex a bit to make sure everyone knows who the new rooster is?  Has anyone ever stopped to think that if something has been working for almost a 100 years then why change it.  I know, time marches on and all that, but, there are some things that just need to march a little slower.  And keep that water running down the canal thru downtown Balmorhea.  If there is a water shortage, reroute it back out to the pool.  Probably a small expense to remain quaint.

Well I am glad they got that damned flag down over in South Carolina.  Never in my life have I heard such an uproar over a piece of cloth.  When did we get so damned sensitive that a flag that represented one side of our nation in a war that killed a major portion of our population on both sides become such a terrible thing.  Yes, it represented the South, yes, the south had slaves, yes, part of the north had slaves.  The war was fought for many reasons other than over the right to keep slaves.  We all know that.  Will there be a ban on the tying of a noose, the sale of a horse whip, the sale of a straight razor?  Should we quit growing cotton because of the connection of that plant with slavery?  Stupid premises?  Yes. But no more so than equating that flag to the problems that blacks face in our modern world.  Blacks face a lot of problems that are brought on themselves.  We all know that also.  Maybe start a petition to stop the sale of Mad-Dog 20-20 or Colt 45 malt liquor.  Now there are a couple of things that are oppressive.

I am starting a garden at the ranch tomorrow.  I had gotten out of the gardening business for a few years but just seems a pity to have that land, that has ample water, and leave it fallow (so to speak).  There ought to be some chili peppers and some okra growing out there.  I have a pretty good patch of pumpkins already that came from some pumpkins we threw out for the wild hogs to eat.  They didnt eat the pumpkins and now we have more growing.  I may be planting things for the coons and rabbits to eat but I will try to plant enough for all.

Time to get ready for church.  Hope all is well with each of you.  We need to count our blessings as fear that fewer blessing will be coming our way in an ever changing world.

Chuy