THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER

One of the guest experts on my violinlab video lessons the other day summed up what I’m discovering about this complex musical instrument after just about eight weeks—something to the effect that, even if you began at about age five, life wouldn’t be long enough to learn everything there is to know about the fiddle. [...]

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, [...]

Our winter is all but officially over, about a month early, oddly enough. So we have to take snow where we can get it. No place better than the Judean Hills.

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.

Look no farther to find out where jobs are being created these days: “The Lone Star State had 10,629,300 non-farm jobs as of November, a gain of 451,100 jobs since the same month in 2006, an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data by The Business Journals’ On Numbers shows. “Louisiana was a distant second [...]

MyOldRV is on the job, thanks to the mini-boom in shale oil these days due to $100 a barrel pricing. It pays good but it can be a lonely life: “One of the impediments to commerce in Texas has always been the distances involved and the remote aspect of some areas of the state…Oil field [...]

Ace has a good argument for his endorsement of our governor-for-life Rick Perry, the only active-duty military veteran among the potential Republican nominees: “America, and especially the Republican party, has long favored elevating governors to the presidency. Governors are, after all, the presidents of single states. They have nearly the exact same duties and functions [...]

I’ve read the liberal whoop-de-do about Gov. Rick Perry’s supposedly anti-gay campaign ad, Strong. It’s the usual, predictable misinterpretation. Watch it for yourself at the link. You’ll notice, unless you’re the hysterical type, that he doesn’t, in fact, say that he’s opposed to gays serving in the military. He only says that if they can [...]

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 [...]