"I'll Tell You What I Want...."

....What I Really, Really Want!!" (Yes , the Spice Girls re-united this week by the way!!)



My 'American Dream' consists of an Airstream trailer, on a plot overlooking the Palo Duro canyon....


















...with a Classic American car/truck parked outside.






Preferably one that works!

Independence Day - July 4th

Double click on image to enlarge and read the story...

Elsewhere we are enjoying the baseball

The Amarillo Armadillos vs the Alexandria Aces...

And Uncle Sam himself!

Happy 231st birthday!

Whizz! Bang!!

Independence day is just round the corner and all over town, just beyond the city limits, little fireworks stands have sprung up so people can stock up on essential gunpowder products for the big day.....

... yes, i bought a few sparklers.










...and stock up they do!! In the state of Texas it is illegal to buy or sell fireworks at any other time of year - but you can own a gun without a licence all year round !?

Seriously kids, dont try this at home!

Isnt It Ironic!?

Not unique to Texas, but the idea of a Drive-Thru Margharita Bar is pretty ironic!

Place your order with the bar tender and show your ID (even if you do look nearer retirement than 21!)...

...then promise you wont open it till youre out of sight.




Once you've adhered to all those rules and regulations then you are free to sit back, hit the gas, take a sip and enjoy the scenery. Hmm!?!?!?

Texas Tornado

The aftermath of a Texas Tornado that ripped through the town of Cactus this April. The town itself was heavily damaged, as was this windmill on a nearby ranch.....

..... luckily there were no human casualties.






Its worth mentioning that, somewhat surprisingly, the United Kingdom has had its fair share of destruction from tornados this last couple of years. Most notably in Birmingham and North London.

Dustbowl Days - The Dirty Thirties....

Over-farming of the land during the early 20th century led to the environmental disaster known as the Dustbowl era during the 1930's. Compounded by the Wall Street Crash and the ensuing economic depression, things got desperately grim and there was a mass population exodus towards the West Coast. (Famously the subject of Steinbecks classic "The Grapes of Wrath")

Oklahoma was at the center of this regional catastrophe which is still a living memory for the older generation.


I was surprised to learn just how huge and dense the dust storms would get.

And if that were n't bad enough, there was also Prohibition to contend with.

Here is an example of a 'Moonshine' still - so named because it was worked while the moon was shining. Moonshine would be made out of anything people could lay their hands on.....

The City Slickers Guide to Fixin' Fences

1. Select your type of wire - Originally designed for ranching, barbed wire quickly became a tool of trench war-fare as much as for agricultural use.






2. Dig a post hole and secure your fence post - Modern posts are often made of steel, but traditionally ranchers in this area used white cedar wood.





3. Attach your lengths of wire.







4. Posts and wire will not rot or rust since the climate is so dry. (One reason why British farming has preserved dry stone walls).






5. Tighten up your wire with a wire-stretcher.







6. Staple or tie the barbed wire to the posts.







7.Continue to check the fencing and clear away any build up of tumbleweed, particularly in early springtime.

8. Hopefully your cattle will not learn how to jump fences or open gates :-)