THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER

The thunderstorms overnight Tuesday into Wednesday were welcome in most places, except where they provoked trouble: power out for a few thousand homes, hail damage, street and creek flooding, emergency rescues, and at least one tornado. The National Weather Service, whose Internet radar images always seem to go down on these occasions when they’re needed, [...]

Actually, I’ve got them spooked. When I see them dangling from the bird feeders, trying to avoid the work of cracking their own nuts, all I have to do is unlock the sliding glass door to the patio. They drop and run. Heh. And they better, or I might get me a pellet pistol and [...]

The Texas curse has my nose (and eyes and roof of my mouth) in its annual grip again. But temporary relief may be forthcoming, if the forecasted rain tonight through tomorrow night falls in sufficient quantity. It will wash the juniper pollen out of the air, at least for a day or so.

I find I actually feel guilty if I miss a day. Have only once in the past month. Finally up to 30 minutes before my wrists start cramping, and scales, even though short and simple four-note ones on all four strings, one at a time or crossing over to two or more.  Prompting another revelation: not [...]

Whew. A few more days of winter break and… Well, nevermind. Mr. B. goes back to school today, in about twenty minutes in fact. Nor will he be around much this weekend, either. It’s the Lumberjack campout starting tomorrow evening, where the boy scouts spend the weekend cutting down trees and building shelters on some [...]

First of several American war in Vietnam photos I’ll be running here. This is my old headquarters unit from RF-PF advisory days in 1969. Guy on left is my RTO holding my M-79 while I take the pix. Next to him is Mr. B.’s future godfather in his younger days. I hope the rest of [...]

Our several long days of soaking rain, which ended Monday, have been really welcome here at the parched rancho. According to our amateur rain gauge we’ve collected a little more than two inches since the steady showers began at the end of last week. Now Mr. B. has something extra to look forward to on his Boy [...]

I happily ended November with six more ebook sales for Alamo and Knoxville—including twice as many of the latter. Which brings that one to a total of 91 since its first month in April, 2010—finally edging in on breaking even for the cost of ebook formatting. Hardly bestseller material here, these single-digit sales months. Haven’t [...]

I have rented a violin, embarking upon an effort to learn the instrument. Next is finding a teacher near the rancho. I have no illusions. It took me years to learn to play the trumpet and I was never very good at it. Likewise the acoustic guitar. Violin is just something I’ve been thinking about [...]