The Corral
Great story, JD. You are getting the hang of this blog thing. Keep up the good work!
Lefty`
- Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 07:22:53 (CST)
SKIPPING THROUGH TIME: In the early '50s James was a baby boy just learning to walk around. One day at his grandparents farm when the family was napping, he wandered out to explore the various barns and pens.James saw the black mare eating grain at the feed trough. Guess he wanted to pet it. Some animals hate to be bothered when eating. The mare was one. It kicked the little boy in the head fracturing his skull badly. Was a miracle the child lived after a great amount of surgery and lots of prayer James lived but lost most of his eyesight. I met him the first time when he was 11 or 12 yrs. old. His uncle brought him to our house one summer night. He sung and played his guitar like a PRO! He did a perfect 'I walk the line' just as good as ol' Johnny Cash! As he got older bis uncle and the rest of the family just knew he would be the next great country singer. They sent him off to Hollywood or some place where you meet the 'stars'and promoters. But being simple country folks they had no idea how to help James that way. He stayed with his uncle and grandfolks near Calliham quite a bit. Tried to do farm work but got hurt not being able to see and getting more blind. Was sent to a blind school for awhile. Got caught smoking and they made him EAT the whole pack of cigarettes. I hired him and another boy to help me haul my neighbors hay and he kept the jokes comming and did quite well.... but I had to look out for his welfare. During the Labor Day rodeo/dance at Tilden, his uncle, James and my brother Mike and I camped midway between Calliham and Tilden on the Frio River and set out a fishing net and lines. When It got late we hit the rodeo and James played with the band and sung with Al Dean and the ALLSTARS at the dance. A great ol' time...then back to the river camp very late in the AM. Then James joined the Circle C country band and I went along for the fun and helped keep an eye on James being nearly completely blind by this time. Time went by James married a blind gal. They moved up in east Texas to a special place for the blind. I had a surprise of my life when I heard not long ago...well all his family are 100% CATHOLIC for many generations...James is now a BAPTIST PREACHER!!
J D
- Tuesday, March 09, 2010 at 21:02:01 (CST)
In this episode, I meant the 'BELONGINGS" of a great uncle that passed in 1938. No, there was not the 'remains'(body)of that ol' boy in the trunk.
J D
- Thursday, March 04, 2010 at 14:23:27 (CST)
SKIPPING THROUGH TIME: Mar. 4, '10: I was about 11 yrs. old and got the 'drawing bug'. Dad had just built a brand new outdoor privy. Mostly for the benefit of our big city kinfolks that came from time to time. They thought such things were horrible primitive disgraces to endure. Me, I saw the bare walls as an "art gallery" for my cartoon drawings. Entertain folks while they are just 'sitting' around not doing much. So I had reward posters of such 'outlaws' as "Two-Gun" Sam from Calliham/wanted Dead or Deader for Chicken stealing and a host of other crimes..." Nervous Nelson',"Bony & Clod" and well you get the message. I had posters nailed with big old nails all over the walls. No silly enough, I made poster signs along the fence line in the field. 'Ghost Canyon' i/4 mile( big arrow pointing to the old earthen tank up ahead.) And tacked on a tree in the pasture by a cow trail was "Kit Carson trail" with crossed tomahawks drawn on the pastboard. Dad had a rough ol' cowboy hired to bail the hay in the field. When he got finished, he grinned at me"Well, I shore enjoyed reading all them signs on the fenceline." he said. Sort of embarassed me, never thought anyone would ever see them. Guess this was an example how isolated poor farm kids could have fun. Some time or another I explored every thing in Grandad"s old barn. An old trunk had been buried up under the hay, I dug through it. The remains of a great uncle who passed on in 1938. There was a WW1 canvas cartiridge belt.A circular'typewriter', Old letters...and one from The Ku Klux Klan with membership card! Various odds and ends. An old leather stockman"s saddle hung high on a rafter. Granny gave it to me. I remember the hard time I had carrying it home. We had it on a cedar tree stump in the back yard and Thomas Calliham, my older cousin would wear a helmet and tote a riding quirt and pretend to be a general leading the 7th Calvary at the battle of Little Big Horn. I think about the kids nowadays stuck in a house in the city playing video games and think how they will never know "How the poor country kids had fun.".
J D
- Thursday, March 04, 2010 at 13:32:38 (CST)
OH, GIVE ME A HOME WHERE THE WILD HOGS ROAM....AND I'LL SWEAR IT'S MY ALABAMA KINFOLKS...
J D
- Wednesday, March 03, 2010 at 06:07:28 (CST)
DON'T BE SCARED OF THE STORM, LEARN TO DANCE IN THE RAIN.
TERRY ( FOGHORN) CLARK
- Tuesday, March 02, 2010 at 11:17:52 (CST)
SKIPPING THROUGH TIME PART 3 :MAR.1, '10: A few notes on some charactors of part 2. Louis Woodward got up to 400 lbs.by this time. Went on a trip to San Antonio on business. Came home late to find a huge hog had tore through the screen door.Spent most of the day wrecking the place. The hog found a big sack of flour. Shook and slung it all around to get to the flour. The walls were solid white and every thing else was too. Louis later moved away from 'Opossum Creek'. A widow and her 4 kids moved in the old farm house. I was in the same age brackett as the oldest son about 13 or 14 at the time. We called him 'Jake'and one day as he visited me he asked if I ever seen MAR'S CRATER. 'Nope' I said ' ..never heard of that place!' So we worked up a saturday free from dreaded school to hike to this MAR'S CRATER mysterous hidden place. First I had to hike to his place to meet him and then take off from there. We left the old house and barn and he showed me an area where the Frio had a big bend you could see from a high bank. The woods were full of small elm trees, ash and cottonwoods were huge in along the river's edge. We hiked across an old field and hit a gravel road, went through a barb wire fence and he said it was just a little ways left to the hidden crater. Sure 'nuff there was a 'crater' about 40 foot across and tapering down deep with water about 20 ft. below the top.Bubbles were coming up from a gas vein. Huge steel pipe was visible in the water. The ground all around looked like the result of a huge explosion. Old rotten pipe and boards were strewn about the area. Just the thing to impress kids like us. I later read an ancient San Antonio newspaper about this . In the early 1920s, while drilling a well with a big steam powered rig. A huge gas pocket was hit. Resulting in a terrible blow-out killing one man and badly injuring another. The whole huge steam rig caved in the well out of sight, except for several joints of pipe and various twisted steel. It was a real adventure for a couple young country boys to hike to and imaginations run wild!
JD
- Monday, March 01, 2010 at 16:03:35 (CST)
Howdy sportsfans...! Am sorry for any mispelling in my rambling writings. Hope it dosent distract from the storyline. Most of the places I mention in my SKIPPING THROUGH TIME tales are under the waters of the Choke Canyon Lake. I often have asked myself just what should I do with the vivid memories of those early days. So thought I would jot 'em down so others might get something out of 'em. I have to be careful to avoid offending kinfolks or friends of charactors in these little sagas and depict in a good humored true to life manner. In a few EXTREME examples I will change the name to keep some cousin,son or nephew from burning down my house or car and drinking my cider out of an old fruit jar.
J D
- Sunday, February 28, 2010 at 15:16:37 (CST)
SKIPPING THROUGH TIME: Part 2 Those wonderful days before TV infested south Texas. My family had some interesting charactors across the Frio and just a hop, skip and a jump down the sandy farm road north west of our little farm. Dad made friends with the fellows who each farmed several hundred acres of that old ranchland. Seems they were all related with the same last name. Well, you crossed that old iron and board bridge, went on north down the dirt/gravel road,crossed a little wooden bridge on 'Opossum Creek'. There was Louis Woodward. Always in overalls. Weighing well over 300 lbs.Raising hogs and cattle.Living in an ancient small farm house with old timey barn with loft and pens. Creek right below the house. Cactus, mesquite and everything thorny every where.Louis loved to go to Harber"s store in Calliham, eat a half gallon of ice cream and drink a quart of milk in one setting. He very often would visit Paschal Murray's barber shop on a saturday. It was ALWAYS packed with men and boys telling wild stories until late at night closing time. One winter day Louis finally got his turn for a haircut. Got up after many long hours waiting and took off his heavy winter coat to reveal he was still wearing his World War 2 artillery model(loooong barrel)Nazi Germany 9MM Luger, He had completely forgotten he had it on and was embarassed! He would forget and leave his Stetson Open Road hat nearly every time. After a long period of time quite a collection of those hats accumulated and the barber drove the 25 mile round trip to 'Opossum Creek"and gave Louis back his wayward hats. Just a few miles down that old sandy road lived Louis' brother Theadore. He also was always in overalls. Raised hogs, cows and farmed about 400 acres mostly watermelons. My little brother called him 'Watermelon'and loved the jolly good farmer who ofter ate sunday dinners at our home. This fellow had an enormous cedar trunk containing NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazines collected over several decades, He read and studied them all and knew everything about every faraway country on Earth!! I remember well in the early 1950s. Theadore had a beautiful outstanding crop of hundreds of acres of big ripe watermelons. He had a buyer ready to start the big trucks and men ready to pick and load em. Thst night the worst biggest HAILSTORM struck! I rode with dad to see the damage. Every melon beat to mush and most vines washed away. Complete loss. But Theadore kept on hoping for a better time and life went on.
J D
- Friday, February 26, 2010 at 18:00:38 (CST)
Feb.22, 2010: SKIPPING THROUGH TIME....Calliham (the ORIGINAL town)had run it's course as an oil boom town and even the cotton business was fading away when I came on the scene. Oil and gas along with cattle raising/farming was still perking along but much less than the older days. My dad was working for a small oil/gas producer. When I was about 11 yrs. old I rode with dad as he had to check on some shallow wells several miles west of the townsite. I decided it would be fun to hike across the pastures back to our home. Me, a little skinny boy took off following the dry creek with its steep banks and looking at all the animal tracks and so on. I heard a rather loud movement in the tall reeds above my head. It was a huge mountain lion awakened from a nap and startled by my foot steps in the loose gravel of the creekbed. He quickly climbed above, stopped and looked me over. He was MAD and his eyes shone RED! I couldn"t hardly believe what I was seeing...but in a few seconds the hair on the back of my neck TINGLED in FEAR! I threw a rock at the lion as he just turned and slowly walked over the ridge out of sight. Really glad I didnt have that Red Ryder BB gun and made him really mad when hit by a BB! Many years later I had a herd of cattle on that same land and a few yards from that spot I found one of my new born calves torn apart and eaten so the old "Panther" might just have gotten his revenge for being so rudely awaken from a pleasant nap long ago.
J D
- Monday, February 22, 2010 at 14:35:02 (CST)
Well, we here in Oklahoma have had a lot of rain and alot of snow this winter.....more than we've seen in many years. Maybe we'll have wonderful gardens IF we can get them tilled to plant! Miss all you Texans!
Mary Fern Pitman
- Monday, February 15, 2010 at 21:18:29 (CST)
JD. Sorry to hear that you are not feeling well this week.
Especially on Valentine's day. I sure hope you gave your
horse a valentine today.
Dayton
- Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 20:10:52 (CST)
Pretty good story, JD.
Lefty
- Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 17:51:17 (CST)
Don't believe I have been through such a long period of so much rain and cold as this winter here in the Calliham area! Can barely remember the early days of the 1940s when it was a dirt road between here and Three Rivers. A rainy spell would cause cars to bog up badly. My great uncle Sam Bates would pull cars out with his mules, they tell me 'cause I wasn't born yet at that time. Right in downtown( OLD) Calliham, it was a muddy swampland. I remember Harber's store back in the '40s. Big glass cases with different kinds of candies. A scoop of this for 5 cents,jaw breakers for 1 cent each, roasted peanuts 5 cents etc.etc. A child's delight! You could pull out of a box with spindle as much grass rope as you wanted for just a few cents a foot. Get a scoop or so of fence staples sold by the pound. Buy a 50 lb. sack of range cubes or hoss feed . And there was the kerosene tank/pump out front where you filled your own can for a small price. Soda waters in a 'water cooler' were SOOO good in the hot summertime. A big NEHI orange just 5 cents! I might mention Rufus Greer's little drug store futher down the street. I would walk there from school at noon for a big juicy hamburger and soda water. Always the radio was playing the news from WOAI (San Antonio) with Henry Guerra and Henry Howell. This tiny drug store had been there many years and an old timer told me that Frank Hamer (most famous Texas Ranger of all time)was somehow related to the Greers and had stopped by for visit not long after he had killed Clyde Barrow & Bonny Parker in Louisana. Hamer said the sad part of that was Bonny was pregnant it was discovered at the inguest. I remember getting my very first haitcut at Greer"s drug store. Johnny Jones the barber had a barber chair there. Comic books NEW cond. 10cents, like new trade ins 5cents and ragged comic books 2 for a nickle. This was a busy business among us kids! My late cousin Thomas Calliham tried to read EVERY thing that was available, from Captain Marvel, Superman to Little Lulu, Donald Duck and Tales From The Cyrpt to Roy Rogers etc.etc. We were always trading comics or getting em from Greer's drug store. Our old pal Jake Koonce was another kid that we treded with quite often. While hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane...now its back to the COLD RAINY weather in 2010!
J D
- Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 12:14:46 (CST)
Howdy Dayton, That was my vision and it was a very unsettling one.
J D
- Monday, February 08, 2010 at 06:31:29 (CST)
A VISION. FEBRUARY 1, 2010. J.D. Is this really your dream or did
you draft this from something you found? I really like it.
Dayton
- Sunday, February 07, 2010 at 21:25:26 (CST)
A VISION: As I slept, a vision happened...An angel of the Lord spoke to me as we walked forward."Follow me and learn" he spoke to me. I could only see the back of him as I followed. He was very tall and clothed in a white robe. We came to entry point that led into a dungeon. Heavy steel bars and cold damp stone or large concrete blocks formed the walls. Barely any light. We did not enter...no one has ever come back out except Jesus Christ after His death on the cross. To the left the way went and was a wall of thick cobwebs that sort of glowed in their grayness. The Angel spoke to me again " Reach in between the bars, touch the cobwebs." With my thumb and forefinger I barely could touch the thick wall of cobwebs. As I did a terrible chill of complete hopelessness,complete isolation and all joy seemed to drain from my soul. Each little fiber of those cobwebs represented hundreds of years in that darken isolated hopeless state. And the webs were thick and matted together without end. That is tiny sample of Hell. I will never forget that sickening feeling that was a split second in that horrible space. Those who go there cannot blame God. They wanted no fellowship, or anything to do with their Creator. They wanted it THEIR WAY! Some wanted to have "THEIR FUN' while they were young and repent when they were old....but they died younger than they thought they would. I suggeat you study the WORD of the HOLY BIBLE, develop a relationship with the Lord to grow in faith daily. He is a WONDERFUL GOD>
J D
- Monday, February 01, 2010 at 13:31:04 (CST)
Sunday, Jan. 24: Sunny but VERY windy here today(Calliham, Tex.). A FEW NOTES. Nolan Ryan"s Waterfront Steakhouse has shut down, closed. Several other eating establishments in Three Rivers and George West have also "bit the dust".Also a big car dealership in George West moved 'em out and quit.Must be the economy I guess. Seems it wasnt long ago there was a TEXACO fillin' station on every corner...NO MORE. In the '60s I would buy a good ol' ranch horse with years of riding left in it for $50-$100. And there was always a good saddle or two for $35-$75. Now there are horses already aged and haven"t been rode or spoilt to where they are not safe to use. So many fine animules are just taking up space and eating up feed and not being used. Kinda of sad to think of it being that way. ON A LIGHTED NOTE: Back when I was 'small-time' cow/calf man, all I could afford was an ancient pick up truck of one kind or other. Like 1940s trucks in the 1960s. I was always getting flats fixed and buying old used tires for about $5 each. Doubt if any of the old trucks could pass inspection for more than 2 days at a time. Always used a sheet of plywood to put in for the bottom of the bed. Keep the post nhole diggers, axe, barbwire, bailing wire, cedar posts, shovel, tamping bar,saddle/bridle/blanket, spurs,machette,ropes,hoof nippers, rasps,range cubes, hay bales,cans of staples, fencing pliers & wire strecher from falling out somewhere along the road. For awhile I packed a fair sized butane tank and old 'pear burner every where. Hit a deep gully once and throwed the tank out..made me so mad I jumped out and threw it back in the truck bed! Sure cant do that now! And when camping out in a pasture I had to dump out a bunch of that stuff to make room for sleeping at night. Hated to camp where horses were pastured, about the time you are sleeping good...you felt the hot wind off horse nosrils on your face checking out who you are. This happened to my brother once. He was scared to look,,,thought a panther was soon to get him. Finally peeped with one eye...it was ol' Queenie, our Shetland mare. ADIOS AMIGOS.
J D
- Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 15:57:08 (CST)
That's no way to treat a lady. Next time, try sticking one of her pigtails in an ink bottle. That's what I always do.
Lefty
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 23:02:30 (CST)
Guess I'll NEVER learn...my BIG mouth gets me in trouble again. I goes into the Calliham/gas station/store in a good mood. Tried to make a joke with the lovely young lady there {from Yankeeland). Knowing she's from New York, I says "Gosh, I wouldnt trade ONE Texas county for the whole of New York city & state!" Well, she didnt reply much so I went on and forgot about it. BUT the next week when I went to buy a beer or whatever...she was all fired up and MAD! 'Have you ever been to New York?' she asks. "Nope, I haven't but I see 'nuff of it on TV and the movies" I says back. " Well, there is lots of beautiful places there and some great people!...And I come from there...AND I AM A GOOD PERSON!" she shoots back. " I am sure you are" I manage to say. After thinking this over I realize that is fine if she loves the place. Good for her. As for me I feel the same about Dallas, Houston and San Antonio as I do about New York. ( Although there are some great things about ol' San Antone to want to VISIT not live in.) I have but a short time left and I hope to reside in the country free from wall to wall all sorts of people, concrete,steel and a never ending flood of cars, cars and more cars and all the people talk about is some football, basketball team winning this or losing this game etc.etc. That young lady will never understand why I love good country air,horses & cattle. Hearing coyotes howl every night, bluebonnets and spanish dagger blooming in springtime and great Tejano musica, Bob Wills, Hank Williams and Patsy Cline songs. The wonderful aroma of mesquite wood cooking frijoles and boiling coffee at the cow camp along the beautiful ol' Frio river. Cant get better than this!!
J D again
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 16:08:38 (CST)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Here is something that may have different meanings to different mindsets in people...and most will dismiss it as nonesense and judge me as a nutbucket but here goes...In a short while the networks and government will anounce the Mars robotic probe and the moon landings discovered ruins of ancient civilizations. They maybe millions of years old and what the occupants looked like is still in question. It dosen't go agin my religious learnings because the Bible hints to just such things in several places. Even in early Genesis there is reference to beings coming here from the stars.
J D
- Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 14:48:52 (CST)
This cold weather one has to be careful heating your casa.Back in the late 70s I was living in an old,old ranch house on a hill in the Snoga ranch. Got really cold so I closed off all the rooms around the living room where the big fireplace was and my wire cot with the cardboard matress. Went to sleep with a hardy mesquite fire brewing in the fireplace. About 4am I woke with terrible headache, awful dry throat and could barely get to the door to open for fresh air! Another few minutes I would have been afixiatted by lack of oxyigen. Didnt know that would happen with wood fires but it can! So be careful! I slept with an old revolver on both sides of the cot at times. One dark night some one or animule hit the back door real hard. In a case like that it's "Come on in mister and meet Sam Colt and Bill Ruger, and we'll have a bang up good time!!"
J D again
- Wednesday, January 06, 2010 at 08:30:57 (CST)
CHRISTMAS back then: This time of year old memories drift back in my mind. Several years ago when my family lived on the old farm near the Frio river, we would travel to Tuleta, Texas for a family get to gether. Presents, colorful tree and great food. About a 40 miles drive one way. Then come home late that Christmas eve night, get a good nap and go to Three Rivers for the midnight mass at the Sacred Heart Catholic church. By that time you are really weary and sleepy. BUT nosireee NO SLEEPING! The dogs were outside in the dark barking their heads off! Dad finally got out of bed and in his boxer shorts stepped out on the concrete front porch and flipped on the light switch. Soon as he did a HUGE FAT 'coon ran up dad"s hairy bare legs and got on top of dad's head! Our dogs were in hot pursuit, howling and jumping at the big 'coon! Dad was slapping and grabbing the hairy monster with all his might and doing the wildest jig dance you ever seen! Poor dad not long after that had similar thing happen. He was squatting down by the big butane tank we had and filling up a Blackwell 'pearburner torch, when out of nowhere from behind my aunt's red rooster jumped on dad's back spurring for all his worth! Dad would kick the crazy mad devil bird about 20 foot only to have it run back for more. Tough old critter! Once the red devil bird attacked a pup when I was looking after my grandmother"s place. Poor puppy shreaked loudly...bringing about 7 or 8 more bigger dogs to the rescue. It was a sight all tangled in combat. Hair, feathers & blood in the air. Terrible noise. Finally the devil bird lay in heap motionless and the dogs walked off. I thought "Aunt Rosabelle will be heart broken that her 'pet' met a sad end..." So I picked the old ball of feathers up with a pithfork and threw it in the pickup bed to haul it off so she wouldn't see it. Had to finsh some fence work first and when I got ready to drive off...you guessed it...the old red devil had revived and was gone. But he never was the same after that. Sort of battle scarred and crept around slowly. He had seen his better days.
J D
- Tuesday, January 05, 2010 at 16:04:20 (CST)
Forgot to mention; After my triple bypass operation in 2004, they wired me up. Now I have a bit of the wire sticking out of my chest. So far no doctors I called will take care of it. But they want to charge me office calls and X-RAYS charges and send me somewhere else for office calls etc.etc. SoOOO, if I act WIRED UP..I AM!
J D
- Sunday, January 03, 2010 at 13:53:13 (CST)
Hi Sportsfans...! Sure do hope 2010 isnt as hectic as the first days have been. Our only gas station in CALLIHAM hasn't been able to sell any gas for over a month now, so kind of electrical problem. Been cold & wet and I am out of propane and the gas co. has been on vacation. So trying to heat the casa with an electric heater....it overheated melted the plug in. Cant use it. Big artic cold front on the way. Cut the blazes out of my index finger carving on a gunstock. Band-aids so old wont stick so have black tape holding it on. County lawmen stopping ATV drivers even if driving in ditch off hwyway. My eyesight is poor so I dont drive in traffic. Land across the fence from me was a ranch now hunting preserve. 'Hunters' shooting at birds have lead hitting our roofs! This causes lots of VERY MAD citizens! Happy new year y'all....
J D
- Sunday, January 03, 2010 at 13:41:56 (CST)
Sorry for the loss of that lady. Have a safe trip and Lord bless. Love you Roxanne! JD
J D
- Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 08:03:17 (CST)
JD,
Just wanted to ask for your prayers. Jon's oldest sister died this morning from a long battle with cancer. We will be traveling to Arkansas tomorrow for the funeral.
Roxanne
Roxanne Warren
- Monday, December 28, 2009 at 14:04:10 (CST)
RURAL CHARACTORS: Josh McCoywas a 24/7 cowboy/ranch flunky or whatever the case was for many, many years. Often dwelling in a line camp shack in some multi-section ranch usually in west Texas and near the Rio Grande. The years were creeping up on him and getting thrown from a green broke hoss wasn"t fun any more...more likely to be costly and painful. So, Josh started watercoloring western pictures and developing his artistic skills. Then went to oil paintings and send off some small examples to an art magazine way up north. To his amazement, his stuff went over BIG. He recieved large sums of money for mag covers and illustrations. So from the old line camp table he kept turning out good art. After a couple years the New York magazine Editorlady sent word she would interview him in person in nearby Marfa, Texas at a certain date. Well, ol'Josh got all disturbed over that. " Hell,I ain"t got no fancy clothes...and I've lost most my hair....etc.etc.',he went on and on. In the meanwhile he had been taught to use a laptop and by browsing around came up with a remedy so he wouldn't have to meet the fancy lady after all. He told ol'man Jackson' I hired somebody in my place that looks good to pretend to be ME!!'. Jackson replied" How's that, Josh?'. Josh replied 'If it works out I'll let you know' was all he'd say about that. Getting near to the interview time when Josh ran into ol'man Jackson at the auction pens. "How's it going with that interview comming up, Josh?". Josh replied " Well, I come across this Alan Ladd website..and figured that"s the guy for the job!!' " Done already emailed that site and offered $2,ooo for Alan Ladd to pretend he is me for the interview. I gotta see him before hand and tell him just what to say to sound like me...BUT he ain't NEVER showed up yet!! He was to wear that same set of western clothes he wore in SHANE!Jackson replied' You must be OUTA YORE HEAD, Josh! Alan Ladd has been dead for at least 30 years'! "And 'sides don"t you know that lady would have reconized him as the famous movie actor instaed of being you?' "Well, he TOOK my $2,000! Jackson replied" NO SIR, Alan Ladd didn"t..it was whoever that thieving webmaster is that took your money!' Well, time went by, Josh cleaned hisself up, wore his best Wrangler jeans, new straw hat & shirt, braved himself went to the interview at Marfa. The lady was very elderly with poor eyesight and walked with the aid of a cane. The interview went well and Josh got comissioned to do lots more western paintings. All is well went well...
J D
- Monday, December 28, 2009 at 12:30:31 (CST)
WORMWOOD: That strange thing in the sky mentioned in the book of REVELATIONS and how it may be linked to the '2012' frenzy. What I have learned..WORMWOOD is a planet over twice the size of Earth. Like a comet it trails astroids of various sizes and assorted space objects. WORMWOOD has an orbit that takes 3,600 years to complete. The first time it was recorded appearing near Earth was during the great flood of Noah. The second time it appeared was when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt. Right now 2009, WORMWOOD can be faintly seen with a telescope aimed in the right direction at the right time. Certain times the naked eye will see it. It gets brighter as it gets closer, soon it will not be ignored and outshine all stars. Depending how close WORMWOOD'S orbit is to Earth is how strong the gravity pull will be. Tides rise, volcanoes spew molten lava, earthquakes...and 2012 may be timed about right. It"s all in God"s hands, are YOU in God"s hands?
J D
- Monday, December 21, 2009 at 07:44:14 (CST)
SARAH: Yep, that former Gov. of Alaska is a fantastic gal! Makes me think of other Sarahs throughout the years. My great grandmother"s maiden name was Sarah McKinney. She must have passed on a quarter century before I was hatched out of a rattlesnake egg. Then in the early '70s, when I had horses, cattle and renting the pasture on the Rio Frio...there was a single parent family which was very disfunctional. The mother dumped off several of her offspring to my aunt to keep several days to get em out of her hair or whatever. In a few days my aunt needed relief and asked me "Would you please take Sarah horse riding, she needs to get out of the house and do something?" I said I'd take care of it, not knowing what to expect. The gal showed up at the corral ready to go. She probably just become a teenager and was nearly the size of a grown woman. Very pretty and quiet mannered around me but rowdy with other siblings. Wore a blue-green dress that matched her eyes. I got her a pair of my boots to ride in because the shoes she wore might cause a foot to go through the stirrup and be dragged. We saddled up a couple hosses and rode the river bottom in the creek pasture. I felt very sorry for her being in a broken unstable family life.As we rested those hosses in a shady clump of elm and live oak trees overlooking the Frio river below, just curious I asked her where was her daddy. She looked me square in the eye with those blue-green eyes of her's" Which daddy? I have a daddy in Corpus Christi, one in Austin, there's a daddy in Colorado and another daddy in San Antonio. Now just which daddy are asking about?" I was rather speechless with that. That about sums up the kind of homelife examples many kids are subject to. Years later I read a police report in a newspaper where her hubby was arrested for some forged checks or some sort of crime and was jailed. Hope she is okay these days.
JD
- Monday, December 14, 2009 at 16:41:46 (CST)
Been cold and drizzly here for the longest time. Think my clothes on the line will rot if Mr. Sun dont shine soon!! My vehicle(ATV) broke down about a month ago and nobody wants to shiver in the drizzle to repair it. Dont blame em. Hot doggies..got some good reading material t'other day...Bill O"Reilly book 'Who's Looking Out for You' and Sarah Palin"s big photo/interview magazine they sell at WALMART. A word to Little Carl, when I had that heart attack in '04, I lay up there in a balance between life and the grave. I saw the demons grinning in distorted faces just waiting to urge me to their horrible domain of an eternity of misery. I pray you won't go there because of some foolish pride or lack of understanding. All I can do is put a word in for our Lord.
J D
- Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 18:13:47 (CST)
J.D., I cannot prove the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus don't exist. Yet, I am certain beyond a reasonable doubt that they do not.
May you have a merry Christmas, and a happy new year.
Little Carl
- Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 10:17:01 (CST)
About the story below: Kindly grownups told me when I was still small that little kids wouldn't understand about Easter and Christmas so they made up the Bunny and Santa claus. So I wasn't hurt for long. The MORAL IS DON'T LIE TO KIDS OR ANYONE!
J D
- Friday, December 11, 2009 at 08:23:40 (CST)
A sad CHRISTMAS STORY: Little Carl was bright little boy, very much full of wonder and trust of his elders and the big ol' world. When he began losing his baby teeth, they told him the TOOTH FAIRY would leave some money under his pillow...you know the whole story. Then later little Carl was told about the EASTER BUNNY hiding colorful eggs in the school yard. Next thing in December, the elders(parents, teachers etc.)told him about a jolly ol' fat man from the North Pole called SANTA CLAUS with flying reindeer carrying tons of toys to kids all over the world. Soon he found out there wasn't a TOOTH FAIRY and that his mother left the quarter under his pillow, and he saw his mother dye those hard boiled eggs and he knew there wasn't any EASTER BUNNY. Little Carl watched as his dad and cousins bought Christmas gifts and wrap them and stuck em under the tree, so he knew for sure there was no SANTA CLAUS either. Then as he grew older they told the bright young boy about JESUS the most important PERSON in the lives of all mankind and CHRISTMAS is a celebration of His birth. Carl wasn"t buying that at all, just another lie his angry mind told him. Now to this very day he still feels that way and he has aged now past middle age and if you mention our LORD he gets rather angry. As for myself, I can't imagine living one day without GOD in my life. So lets all pray for the boys & girls and men & women like Carl to come to know and love Jesus and have a truly MERRY CHRISTMAS>
J D
- Friday, December 11, 2009 at 08:12:46 (CST)
I remember going to the Rialto Theater in Three Rivers as a child. We left the area in 1963, but I went back for a visit in 1972, and went to a movie there with my cousin. It was a Western, but I don't remember the name of it. I'm glad to hear it is opening again. I wish it success.
Virginia Clark
- Sunday, December 06, 2009 at 22:13:50 (CST)
The last time I was down there this summer, J.D. and I went to see a movie. It was really nice the way they had it fixed up, and I am glad that I got a change to go while it was open this time.
Now what was that movie? Hmmmmm. Don't matter, I guess.
Lefty
- Thursday, December 03, 2009 at 16:46:59 (CST)
Note: The Rialto first opened probably 1950 and run until about 1979. Shut down and decayed until about 10 years ago it was restored to new modern standards..Fantastic sound system..TWO screens this time and very comfortable roomy seats. But it closed a few months ago...but will make another try at it starting Dec. 5th this year. I wish it and the managers GREAT SUCCESS!
J D
- Wednesday, December 02, 2009 at 13:38:35 (CST)
RIALTO to OPEN DEC.5th. 2009: The old 'Picture show' in Three Rivers (Tex)brings lots of fond memories to me. Before it was built, the old brick theatre right down (west)the street was used. It was small and old fashioned. As a little towheaded kid I remember seeing one of the very first movies shown there.It had a Yosemite Sam cartoon is all I remember of it. Years went by once a John Wayne flick was on screen,,,and the Duke was about to shot from behind by a bad hombre when a teenage boy got all worked up. Jumped up yelled "Dont DO THAT!!" and threw a coke bottle, hitting the screen, knocking a chunk of plaster off. There were the drawings for prizes that was popular. The midnight HORROR movie that showed only once beginning at mid-night. After movie started the ticket lady left the booth. One of my friends sneaked up with an armidillo in a tow sack, opened the big doors and turned it loose in the theatre. Then went back across the street and waited...in the dark the poor critter bumped into gals and guys legs and made that rumbling grunting sound...SCREAMS,,YELLS,,teens running out in fright. All the lights come on..everyone looking for the 'monster', Whole movie shut down..a real panic. Funny as all getout!! Then there was the ELVIS first movie..LOVE ME TENDER...in '57 or '58. Dad took me, little brother Mike, mother, my aunt and grandmother to see the thing. Lucky we we early...soon all seats were filled..then it was standing room only! Mostly teen aged girls. So many packed in is was unbelievable! When ELVIS' charactor was killed in the end..the gals were crying and taking on to bet the band!! Then several years later a magic show was held. My pal Douglas, the ticket taker has a prank to play on his friend Glenn ( I think was his name)The magician also dressed in a gorilla suit as part of the show. Douglas had the 'gorilla' sneak up in the dark and grab Glenn. IT WENT BADDD! Glenn went berserk screamed, run out as hard as he could..hitting the heavy wooden doors, knocking them off the hinges and they landed almost in the street. Breaking out the glass inserts.The kid ran as hard as could across the cith hall square and off into the dark. They had to drive around and locate the berserk young man! Seems he was badly scared by a monkey as a child. There was the big poker games that went on upstairs in the projection room that lasted for hours & hours while the film run. Those were some fantastic memories.
J D
- Wednesday, December 02, 2009 at 13:23:28 (CST)
Come on J.D. Tell us some more yarns. I would do so, but I did not have the colorful life that you have lived. I do enjoy reading yours. PLEASE!
Dayton
- Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 21:35:32 (CST)
No more yarns from me 'till others write in their stories.
J D
- Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 21:05:54 (CST)
Thought I might ad a few more things about the Texaco service station nightshift job. A well known good businessman was sitting around the office talking when his rather comical brother came in all mad. 'No woman is gonna tell me what to do! I dont have to take that from nobody!' he went on and on. Finally the businessman asks"What has your wife been telling you to do?". "She told me TO GET A JOB!!" he madly blurted out. Then early one morning a man walked in the office with a big bloody bump on his head. "No woman can treat me that WAY! Call the sheriff!" I told the man, 'There's the phone...call him yourself.' He didnt want to do it hisself...scared I guess. A few days before I took that job, my brother Mike was running the night shift when 3 or 4 well known thuga from a town north of there came in the office. 'We think we'll just drag tha big old cash register off the desk and take it with us...and you cant do nothin' 'bout it.' Mike calmly replied' My boss left an old G I .45 auto here for just that kind of event...and its aimed at you belt buckle as we speak. So feel free to try it.' In the old pickup they left empty handed.
J D
- Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 12:05:13 (CST)
COWBOY TAKES TOWN JOB: There was a job opening at an old Texaco service in Three Rivers, Texas back about '71 or '72. So I thought I could make some real dinero! It was doing the night shifts and it was early springtime. It was a big old style service station with ads on the wall for business places in old Calliham that were shut down 40 years before that current date. Three Rivers had only about 1/3 the amout of cars, trucks comming & going as now.Hard to keep awake running the night shift by myself.TOOO MUCH coffee! About midnight, a drunk lady in a big Lincoln pulls in. Asks me to bust open the lid on the luggage compartment cause it isnt unlocking so she could get her kids Easter baskets out. I tell her 'No ma'm, just wait till morning and that 1ce house grocery will open and sell you more baskets for the kids. Get your hubby to take care of the problem.' She thought that was a good idea. Then late on a Saturday night/early Sunday morning an old car pulls in with 2 men & a woman, all short , fat and drunk. Came inside the office got peanuts, sodas and candy. Then I hear heavy running outside. They had left the party without one man"s date...and she run em down...and was MAD! She scuffles with her 'date'. The other couple grab her...all four fall in the floor of office spilling sodas and stuff. Then a nightwatchman runs in the station demanding me "CALL THE LAW!!!" So I do and the very angry Sheriff (Who probably just got outa bed)drives up tries to put the fighting fat couple in back seat of police car. The man refuses to get in. Sheriff is really mad...hits him with a blackjack in the head about a half dozen times. No effect whatsoever. Then nightwatchman runs in office demands me"CALL MORE LAW!!" So I do and long tall big cowboy hatted deputy drives up. They load man in car. Now the little fat drunk woman refuses to get in. So sheriff on her left and deputy on her right grab her and toss her like a sack of flour in backseat of police car. As sheriff drives off I see her bare feet trying to kick out the back glass. Nightwatchman had called station owner, he came and we had clean up job in the office. About that time an old drunkard who watched the whole 'circus' from outside walked in all excited telling me every minute detail of the 'riot'.....and wanting me to give him a ride back to Calliham. Those were looong nights runninbg the night shift with very few customers in those days. I would start falling asleep about 2 am....and out of the dark a couple skinny gay guys wearing bikini shorts would pop in " I want some change for some cigarettes..." Disgusting critters waking me up! It was springtime, the pasture full of bluebonnets, cows fat and horses ready to ride... I just had to quit and go back to what I knew and loved best....a low-paid often banged around, stomped on, scratched up ranch hand again.
J D
- Monday, November 16, 2009 at 01:38:38 (CST)
SCREW WORMS,PINK EYE and RATTLESNAKES: Sometime in 1963 I was hired to look after a herd of polled Hereford cattle on a 330 acres brushy pasture way out on a dirt road southwest of Calliham. I was given access to an old International truck to make the trips etc.etc. I was to haul bonemeal and corn/hay ground meal to keep the big meal feeder full. Count the cattle.The usual things. The hot dusty weather irriated the Herefords's eyes(being light pigmented) and they drank out of the same low water tank. Soon cases of pink eye showed up and I had to rope a cow or calf, tie it to a tree or post and squirt the powdered medicine in the affected eye. Lot of time just sneak up when the animule is eating hay and quickly squirt in the powder. Usually a dose or two would do. Some affected animules would not dare let you get that close, then you need extra help penning them. An animule left untreated especially herefords, would in older age develop cancer eye....then DEATH. All this going on there was the ever presence SCREW WORMS flys just waiting to lay eggs on a newborn calf, deer, hoss or any animule' navel where the cord dropped off and in the gums of the animule's mouth that licked it's navel. That required roping or crowding up in a pen, thrown , tied and doctored with the smelly old FORMULA 66 put on a cotton swab..poked in the affected wound. The gums needed worms picked out with a wooden crochet needle..then the medicine stuffed in.This was dangerous, hot work by yourself. Usually had to wear leather batwing chaps to keep the nasty black medicine from ruining your clothes. Thousands and thousands of livestock died painfull deaths due to SCREW WORMS. Deer, wildhogs, hosses all were had a high death toll.So a government agency started flying planes over the ranchlands and dropping STERILE SCREW WORM flies in little paper boxes designed to bust open on impact and let loose the sterile flies to breed with the present ones and having no offsprings. It was in the papers and radio etc. An old boy saw hundreds of little boxes of sterile flies being dropped near Three Rivers(Tx). They were dropped near where I was looking after the herd. Funny thing, a Mexican ranch hand nearby came to town and told everybody about finding an unopened box still loaded with sterile flies...so he proudly built a fire..." Me, I killy EVERY ONE of them SCREW WORM flies!" Anyhow that gov. program worked very well in eradicating the dang things..but those dang worms and pinkeye really made WORKING COWBOYS out of us ol' boys!
J D
- Friday, November 13, 2009 at 14:58:38 (CST)
Hey, if any of you have funny interesting things of your "Good ol' days"...tell us please.
J D
- Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 07:56:39 (CST)
RANDOM THOUGHTS...or 'How I ruined my school play'. Calliham school had just 2 teachers back in 1949. Oil boom had come & went. Cotton was declining, families with lots of cotton pickers were moving on. There I was a first grader with heavy thick wire frame glasses that resembled the bottom of Coke bottles. Bashful as a baby 'coon..so naturally Mrs. Knox stuck me in the soon to be HALLOWEEN SCHOOL PLAY. There was about 10 of kidos to fill the spots in the play. We were to be GHOSTS. So mom (and all the other moms)made a ghost suit out of sheets with eyes holes the proper places for their young actors. We had to practise our dialog over & over each day and march around on the big stage in the old Calliham Gym..'till we got it down to perfection! Soon the big night was here! All the dadgum town and county was seated on them old metal folding chairs out front just waiting for the big presentation to begin!! I was getting SCARED! Our teacher Mrs. Knox was a wonderful lady and had the patience of an early long suffering Saint to put up with us ragtag farm kids. Anyhow this was the time to all get suited out in our mom made ghost suits. We got dressed, marched in line on the stage chanting our ghostly dialog..."Our bones are cold..We're very old...We shiver, shiver with .."About this time Jerry Koonce, the schoolmate behind me steps on the bottom of my ghost sheet that was too long and pulls the eyeholes up on top of my head. I couldnt see a thing where to walk and bumped into the kid in front of me...causing a chain reaction..everyone bumping into every one else. Tried to pull the eyeholes down in line but Jerry was still standing on my sheet!! Meanwhile the crowd out front was laughing their butts off! Finally could see out and there was poor Mrs. Knox just behind the curtain MAD AS A WET HEN at ME. So folks that's how I ruined the school play and brought shame & disgrace to my dear mother and that dear Mrs. Knox.
J D
- Monday, November 09, 2009 at 18:51:06 (CST)
Cary"s(Lefty) comment mentioning Tom Corbett/Space Cadet. That comic strip was printed on boxes of Rice Chex & Wheat Chex breakfast cereals back there in the early 5os. I read and collected them. I stuck the empty boxes in the chicken house to save them. Anyhow they filled up the old chicken house and rain blew in on em etc.etc. I finally had to clean em out and burn em. Seems to be a pattern of my life! Several years ago my brother told me " Your place looks like where old guns go to die..."
J D
- Monday, November 09, 2009 at 09:57:16 (CST)
JD, we didn't have tv when we were kids, either.I remember well the days when the men would sit outside on the front porch and talk till all hours. I remember my dad, Charley Calliham sitting around with Ernest Valentine and other men from the Simmons Community swapping stories. I loved to sit in the shadows and listen to their huntin' and fishin' stories. Some were really tall tales, I'm sure. Good memories.
Virginia Clark
- Sunday, November 08, 2009 at 18:51:54 (CST)
It's true, J.D. I remember being a real Captain Video fan. I would watch anything with a spaceship in it. In recent years, I have had a chance to go back an look at some of those old shows again.
Awhile back I ordered a tape with a few episodes of "Tom Corbett Space Cadet." The production values were cheap, cheap. In one episode they simulated the jungles of Venus with two potted palms.
Lefty
- Sunday, November 08, 2009 at 18:51:24 (CST)
CAPTAIN VIDEO is the title of this here thing. Back in those remote days of the late 40s and early 50s, my kinfolks the Semars moved around quite a bit to different parts of big and little burgs in ol" Texas. Cary( the webmeister) not even 10 years old yet..HAD SEEN TELEVISION! He gave me glowing accounts of a program called CAPTAIN VIDEO. Me, living in a remote old farm land north of Calliham, Texas where no one had seen TV thought it must be the most exciting thing. TV came to a rather well to do ranch up the Frio river from us and a man came around and got a carload of us country kids and hauled us to the old ranch to see TV for the first time. In those days every light in the house was turned off, the tall antenna was adjusted to point EXACTLY towards San Antonio. Set was turned on and it took several minutes to warm up and show a black & white moving picture. It was a country music/square dance type variety show sponsored by KALLISON"S farm and ranch store. There was some comedy acts and lots of pickin'& grinnin'. We really enjoyed it. But it was still quite awhile before TV came into our homes. In fact my Grandmother (Granny)Calliham got a TV in '52. Our kinfolks the Semars, Cary included, lived about a mile down the sandy dirt road near town from Granny and my family about 150 yards from her, the whole family with a flashlight would walk to Granny's to see Bill Brown's WRESTLING from the WRESLATHON ! My dad loved that program so we all crowded Granny's little farm house that night. Dad would get all worked up and at times I thought he would jump in the Tv and beat the tar out of the 'bad guy'! TV was a sort of turning point in country living. Before TV men would visit, sit out in the moonlite front yard, tell fishing , hunting, cowboy, tractor wild stories and of course throw in lots of humor and good fun. Me as a small fry loved the adventure tales as I sit in the carpet grass under the elm tree taking it all in. Those old battered Stetsons and farm hats lay in the grass and coffee and cookies served by mom. The stories went on and on till late. After TV come along, those mostly middle aged bachelors quit comming around, knowing we were intent on seeing some comedy show . It was sort of sad I guess. Folks sort of got out of touch with their neighbors. After all these years I still ain"t seen no CAPTAIN VIDEO, by golly ding blasted!!!
J D
- Saturday, November 07, 2009 at 16:10:25 (CST)
RENEGADE RIVER is the title of this mess. My mother & family lived about a half mile from the old Frio River. It bordered our land. Sometime back in the late 2os or 30s her folks had a family get-to-gether or old fashioned picnic on the river bank near the Salt Branch creek. It was a good old time on the lazy ol" river. Some fishing, kids swimming further away as not to disturb the fishing.Usually watermelons were let floating to keep cool until cut open to eat. Things went well, evening shadows got long was time to pack up and head for home. Mother said they had all just got on the high top bank with their picnic stuff when a terrible wall of water came through breaking limbs and crashing through every thing in its path! A few minutes sooner there would have been drowned kids and maybe fishing persons. A flash flood was a dangerous thing. I have never witnessed such but remember the river being dry for a long time and I was down near the river with grubbibg hoe digging up ratama sprouts out of dad"s little field. I heard what sounded like a fawcett running and went to look. It was a stream of water about 5 inches wide comming right on down the dry river bed....and as I watched it, it grew wider & wider till the banks were full. As a kid I hiked up the river to see the oncomming rise. Could see men standing on the old iron bridge talking about the rising. I hiked on up the river to an area of bare ground where I noticed old buttons of metal with cannons crossed, bugles, swords and numbers imprinted on them. Some with eagles etc. etc. of old military wear. One big brass thing had TM (Texas Mounted rifles). And noticed about a quarter inch of a steel rod sticking up from the hard ground. I worked it loose and dug with it.About a foot deep I uncovered a pickhead and another steel pickhead. Which I used to keep digging with. This was just a couple feet from where the new river rise had caused the bank to crumble and fall in the rising waters. I could feel the square outline of a metal box or container but ground was very hard to get handholds down in the hole to pull it out. After lots of hard work, got it out. Set it on top of dirt pile....only to have it topple off the other side and go PLUNK in the rising flood waters. I sat there numb with disbelief. Who knows if that metal box had Confederate money or bank loot of what was in the thing. Quite awhile or weeks later when the river was back running normal I found the metal box..busted open and empty. I kept the old civil war buttons for at least 35 years and sold them to a collector.
J D
- Monday, November 02, 2009 at 15:34:10 (CST)
To wrap up this little "First Hoss" story, in the time frame this happened a few more noteworthy events came about. Dad and his oilfield boss went together bought cattle and rented land north of Three Rivers(tx). The dirt road was awful getting there.We hauled loads of water from Three Rivers during dry times and was rough getting there with a bad holey road. A rainy spell made it impossible to get to the cattle for a time. But found termites had cleaned out all grass and cattle were about to start a die-up! We had to move em fast. They were weak and fell down in the loading chute. But we got them hauled to a ranch near Tilden WITH GOOD GRASS in time to save em. Then there was a couple times grandad almost burn the house down . He knocked the ashes out of his pipe into a large trash can..loaded with old papers. I happened by and saw smoke and snuffed it out. Happened to check on him a cold morning..he had backed his easy chair up a gas heater and it was scorching. I ran and put it out. He was engrossed in a Zane Gray recorded book playing on the phonograph. I also had a job for the Texas Water Quality Board and U S Geological Society of gauging the Frio River at the old bridge.I got water samples, temps. and kept records each day of the flow..every day for nine years. Meanwhile it was hosses & cows. Was part of "cattle drive" that started from moving a herd out of a hay grazer field in Calliham down the highway side several miles then onto a gravel/dirt rural road for several miles to a big pasture. There were two great old time cowmen riding along moving the herd, Otto Reagan & L S McClaugherty Sr. and it was an honor to have rode with these great old timers. They were part of old time Texas that will never be again. Guess I wrote enough for this week.
J D
- Monday, October 26, 2009 at 13:46:03 (CDT)
Part 2 of "FIRST HOSS" (part 1 is below) This hoss was dark bay with a white stripe on his nose.Thus the 'Snip' name. However that didnt sound 'western' enough to me..so he become'OUTLAW'. I had a saddle which I was paying monthly on and he came with a bridle/bit so I saddled up was planning on crossing the Frio and exploring the big 7,000 acre ranch over there. I figured no one would ever see me since it was miles&miles; of brushy creeks and flats.I rode to the corner of Grandad's creek pasture where Salt Branch joined the Frio.My old swimming spot. Got about half way cross the Frio and started bogging up in quick sand! Outlaw went berserk..lunging..jumping...flinging mud. I got off. He finally got his footing and raced out of the mire and up about a 90degree angle river bank about 20 ft. high with tree roots every where! I hugged his neck hanging on to avoid limbs from scraping me off. A hoss, saddle and man are LOTS more heavy than when I swam and waded there! Only God & I know how close to being killed that was! Outlaw could have fell over backwards and smashed me when climbing out. Long about that time Dad decided to sell me his herd and turn the place over to me. Got a government loan through FARM HOME ADMINISTRATION. Bought the 12 cows, bull and 1948 Chevy 1/2 ton truck and paid grandad rent on the 120 acres. Next things was repair fences for months & months & months, built a corral etc. etc. Had to burn thorns off cactus with an old gasoline burner converted to butane. Enjoyed some cow work for other ranches riding Outlaw....and showing off for some gals in town. One cold day I found Outlaw had been chewing on the cactus stumps even though I fed him good.He got colic very bad, couldnt be saved. Walked in circles layed down and died. Very sad he could not pass the tough cactus fiber. So I was horseless ..for short while...
J D
- Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 16:05:54 (CDT)
I'll call this one FIRST HOSS. I think the first time I was on a hoss was back in the 40s and I was 3 or 4 yrs. old. Back between the old mesquite corral and Grandad's home, uncle Dave ( A sure 'nuff cowboy) sat me on his old white hoss. I remember it being bareback and the sharp backbone was painful to me. Along about '59 READER's Digest printed an article about Shetland ponies being a great investment. Folks were getting huge profits raising em and selling em. So dad bought some Shetlands from a Reagan Roberts near Beeville. I learned to ride the larger sorrel mare bareback all over the river bottoms, fields and every where. I remember I was riding at full speed across the field, having a great time. Granny was standing near her house watching me and said as I zipped by "That pony is gonna dump you off." I yelled back " Awww..she aint gonna throw me off!!" I was riding full speed toward the earthen tank when suddenly she wheeled around and headed straight back home...I sailed through the air and landed head on in the old earthen tank. Tank had been dry for years and ground hard as stone! That HURT! Later I rode a kinfolk's old hoss(Harvey Gazaway another old time horse breaker/cowboy). Learned some basic riding skills from his hoss. Uncle Dave had a cow/calf operation near Victoria, Texas. I stayed several days and rode to my hearts content a nice gentle gelding he had.I run alover the sand hills....found out I had two BIG BLOODY saddle sores on my butt from not being used to a saddle that much at a time! When I got back home, it was time to be examined by the UNITED STATES ARMY (DRAFT BOARD!)in San Antonio, Texas. So there I was NUDE as the day of birth in line with about 40 more big ol" NUDE boys waiting my turn to be "examined"...with two big bloody saddle sores on my butt! Well, they said I was underweight, nearsighted & colorblind and sent me back to home sweet cows and hosses. Thank the Heavenly Father I didn"t go to Viet Nam. Not long after that I saw an ad for a hoss for sale $100. Finally locating the far off rural route to a droughty bare old brushy, rocky pasture in remote Live Oak county Texas. There stood "ol" Snip"...the very same hoss cousin Harvey used to have that I rode a couple years before. I bought him and loved riding him...my first hoss.(One of MANY, MANY to come.) 'nuff fer now.
J D
- Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 12:44:04 (CDT)
Haven't heard from you in a while. Just making sure your still around. Guess your outside admiring the new growth after that nice rain. Call when you can. I tried to call tonight but your line was busy.
Roxanne
- Monday, October 12, 2009 at 19:19:02 (CDT)
JD......Virginia is not the only one who looks forward to Western
Cartoons each week, I do also. In the past when it was late I have
emailed Lefty to see why. You and Lefty do a great job. I don't
always agree with Lefty on his choice of Music. Still think he should use "Beer for my Horses"
Dayton
- Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 21:16:37 (CDT)
Thanks for the comment,Ginny. I don"t recall an Old Fiddler's Contest in Three Rivers. Guess it must have been during the county fair. Once grandad (Harry) was taken to Eagle Pass for their contest. He being nearly totally blind didn't want to be led around and tried to cross the street before anyone could help him. A car hit him pretty hard. Nearly scared the lady driver to fits. He was really banged up and dirty from the street. He went ahead and played his fiddle on the stage. Might have been that time when he was getting hard of hearing and couldn't quite tune his fiddle just right. I hope he is fiddlin' in the Lord's Great All-Time Heavenly band right now and can see wonderful colors he never dreamed of!
J D
- Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 19:44:47 (CDT)
VINTAGE 'TRICK OR TREAT'...or "How Po' country kids have fun". Seemed like every year the wooden turnstill gates at the old Calliham school would get pulled off the pipe and hauled off to another part of the townsite in the late hours of Halloween night. Harber"s store would get the windows marked up with some kind of soap bar.I mean REALLY marked up..it took HOURS to clean the mess off! And there was the famous "Toiletpapering" of peoples trees and yards. Seems like what old outdoor privies that were still in use were drug off and left at some remote places or some family woke up to find they had a strange little brown shack by their front gate! The old graveyard that was rather remote had strange visitors at that night. I remember way back there taking a gal there. She had boasted she wasn"t a bit afraid of a nighttime stroll among the tombstones. It was barely any moon or starlight at all. I told her some of those old graves had sunk in and careful don"t step off in one and land face to face with some old 100 year old corpse with empty eye sockets and jaws full of rotten teeth...etc.etc.etc, Suddenly she no longer was 'brave and boastful'! She grabbed and just about climbed me like a cedar tree and hung on. HOT DOGGIES that was FUN!!
J D
- Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 16:09:06 (CDT)
No, JD, you and Lefty are not the only ones who read your website each week. I still read it 'religiously' every Sunday. Speaking of fiddling contests,back in the 60's Three Rivers had fiddlin' contests, and if I remember correctly, your grandad, my Great-Uncle Harry, always went and played his fiddle.
Virginia Clark
- Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 15:44:44 (CDT)
Another HALLOWEEN memory. The town of Sinton,Texas used to have a big 'old Fiddler's Contest' (and may still have)every year on Halloween. Back in the early 60s, my grandad was an old time fiddler and quite blind. My aunt Rosabelle planned to take him to the contest while I went along to help him on the stage. Keep him from stepping off and hurting himself. It was a grand event lots of talented fiddlers, guitar pickers & singers. Some comedy acts. We got to listen to and visit with some local Calliham talent.I don't recall just how grandad scored in this specific show. We really made a night of it and came home in the wee hours of morning. Next morning I had to check on my little bunch of cattle. It was a heavy fog when drove my old truck out of the pasture gate by the cemmetery going into Calliham. I hadn't gotten more than 150 yards when I saw something big blocking the dirt road. I reconized it as the kerosene pump/tank from the store in town. Nearly hit it in the fog. So I drug it out of the road by hand to avoid anyone else from running into the thing. I drove to the store and reported the thing and location to the rather grumpy store owner.He in turn ACCUSED me of being the one responsible of it being there etc.etc. as a Halloween dirty trick. He had found cowboy boot tracks that he just knew were mine. Funny thing is just a couple years ago in a chat with a local who lives nearby a fella told the tale how he was the one hooked a chain on the kerosene pump and drug it off as a prank.After over 40 years the mystery solved!
J D
- Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 10:52:15 (CDT)
CORRECTION: The sickness I mentioned was 'Breakbone Fever' not 'Breakbone Disease'.I had quite a number of kinfolks die in the 1870s-90s in the Bee county Texas area of this mysterious ailment.
J D
- Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 10:09:46 (CDT)
In getting into the Halloween mood I called this one SHADOW PEOPLE. As for myself from living in one old abandoned farm or ranch house in some secluded place or another, I learned to not fear "spooks" because fear gives them POWER. That said I will tell a few things about our old home place before the dam builders come along. I guess all old homesteads and ranches had their own gravesites. Seems in the old days families had lots of offsprings and many died of smallpox, cholera, tetnus and a strange aliment called 'Breakbone Disease'. These sicknesses took the lives of hundreds and hundreds of mostly young back in the post civil war era. With the deaths of native Americans through the ages that inhabited water sources and game sources near rivers and creeks...exactly where farms and ranches were established later on for the same reasons. Well there were a great many spirits wandering the nights and dark places who have not crossed over the other side and don"t know they are dead as a beaver hat! There was a little girl died of small pox long ago and buried 50 paces from the door of her home on a rocky hill about 150 yards from my grandparents home on the old place. Such as that are not to be feared except old, old burial sites should be left TOTALLY ALONE. Small Pox, cholera and other diseases can have bacteria still LIVING and SPREAD to you! I will say this about that dear old homeplace, there were times when being quiet and still in the wee hours before the dawn while deer hunting or camping, I and others have had a heavy sense of being watched! I had one old buddy who was terribly spooked and couldn"t get out of there fast enough! One moonlight I got up from bed to urinate a few yards away among some small mesquites, in my groggy sleepy state I saw a 'shadow person'. He was tall and wearing an old time tall crown western hat. I actually thought it was my uncle Dave(who has since passed away.) I even said 'HOWDY' like a bumpkin to it, it 'disolved' away. I was WIDE AWAKE then had chills all over my skinny hide! Because it was a element of surprise...I "ve never been afraid of spooks since. I just look in wonderment and am thankful for the experience.
J D
- Monday, October 05, 2009 at 16:20:40 (CDT)
CODY DUG UP GUN MUSEUM of Cody Wy. sent me the most gorgeous colorful Tee-shirt you've ever laid eyes on ! Muy gracias y best of luck Hans & Eva Kurth. Also thanks to the ole WEBMEISTER Cary Semar for keeping on plugging along with this website each week. Sometimes I think him & I are the only folks that tune in to this mess due to the lack of responses but its something to look forward to each sunday update.
me again (JD)
- Monday, October 05, 2009 at 06:17:39 (CDT)
Just a note: We had some mighty good RAINS lately! So GREEN it will hurt your eyeballs! Also there's a new pic of the antique Marlin rifle( me holding it)in Calliham Photos. It is the very last photo in the 2nd part of the pictures. The old lever-action was brought over to Texas from old Mexico many years ago by the cowboy that had it. HOT-DANG...wished it could talk...
J D
- Thursday, October 01, 2009 at 11:44:21 (CDT)
I call this one THAT OLD GRAVEL PIT. There used to be a big rocky hill between my grandparents home and the Frio River on their land. The area was thick mesquite and prickly pear brush. Way back there Grandad had a little shack and sold "moonshine" and had some gambling taking place. He almost went to jail over this sort of thing and got "shut down". Time went by the Texas Highway Dept. planned to pave the road between Calliham and Three Rivers and hauled gravel from the land. They hauled many a load and reduced the hill into a deep pit with high walls about 20 ft.deep. Now and then the county hauled sand and gravel also for road work. Great place for a kid like I was at the time to explore and play. I remember once I had borrowed my friend Roger Wilson"s "Bazooka" plastic airgun that shot big baseball sized balls and went 'hunting'. I hid behind a sand pile by a hole of rain water and waited. Sure enough a little yellow milk cow ambled up for a drink of water. Up I popped and fired a ball at her hitting the tip of her horn knocking her off balance as she went for a drink. Causing her to fall head first into the waterhole. Thought I had killed the cow! Another time Roger Wilson came to visit on his bicycle and I got on mine and we were going to the river. As we came to the beginning of the gravel pit there was a fork in the road that met at the bottom. I took the left, him the right. I was really gaining speed going down hill....then I realized the county had dug out more gravel I was about to go over a deep cliff. Brakes didn't help one bit! Over I went unto SPACE!....and dropped like a rock. I landed buried up in about 18 inches of yellow mud. SMACK! The bike hit on top of me.I lay there stunned for a moment and started crawling out of the mess. Roger stood there looking" I THOUGHT YOU WAS DEAD!!" he said. Another time one winter I hiked to the old gravel pit in my Davy Crockett 'coonskin cap' and Red Ryder BB gun. It was winter and rather cold but had stiff south wind blowing. The walls of the pit made good wind breaks. I was 'exploring' around lost in a play game of Indian fighting or whatever. Suddenly an eerie voice resonated off the high walls...' IN THE LAST DAYS THE WICKED WILL SUFFER FIRE AND BRIMSTONE OF THE POWERS OF HELL...' I just may have wet my pants about that time...decided to make tracks for home..muy pronto!! I could still hear the eerie doomsday voice but not as loud on the way home through the prickly pear and thick brush. Found out it was from a loud speaker of a traveling evangelist almost a MILE away in old Calliham and the gravel pit walls made a perfect sounding board! Adios y Lord bless.
J D
- Monday, September 28, 2009 at 08:33:17 (CDT)
Back in the 60s, we had some rather "strange" charactors knocking around this area of small town Calliham. I call this one the DEFECTIVE DETECTIVE. The old couple with their 40 yr.old son showed up in their run down old car one day looking exactly like folks in the dust bowl era movie 'Grapes of Wrath'. They had been tenent farmers for many years...until one day the fsrm owner sold out and left them homeless and jobless. Making a long story short they wound up running the Texaco service station here as the former operator was retiring. They did barely get by with this. Anyhow the old boy decided he wanted a more EXCITING ADVENTURESOME profession. On the back cover of magazine was the ad: ONLY $29.95 YOU can be A PRIVITE DETECTIVE! Get in on all the ACTION stop LAWBREAKERS..be the LOCAL HERO...." So the ol" boy sends off , gets a booklet to study about law etc.etc. Takes the test and passes it. They send him his very own DETECTIVE badge and 'diploma'. Now he"s in BUSINESS (he thinks). So he buys a pot metal .38 special....and rigs up a flashing siren to stick on top of his car to make suspects pull over and stop while he investigates what they are up to. Guess the idea was to go off to some other burg where locals don"t know you to be a CRIME BUSTER. So he went to Pleasanton, Texas about 45 miles from Calliham. Well the DEVIL put a idea in my head. While he was 'off duty' and was nearby, I rigged up a tape recorder with phony police calls (disquised my voice)that a stake out was in progress and the law was just about to swoop down on suspected cattle rustlers near the Frio river bridge on HWY 99. I made a box like cover to conseal the recorder in my old pickup glove department, had it fixed so would be on the right spot on tape. Went by the Texaco station. Told the ol" boy I had a new modern police radio etc.etc. turned on the recorder...he got all excited and started to take off in pursuit of non-existant 'suspects'. Needless to say he got rather sore at me when I 'fessed up the joke. Later on he went about flashing that siren around Pleasanton again....but the REAL LAW was waiting and convinced him to go back to the Texaco station and throw that badge and siren in the creek!
J D
- Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 19:10:56 (CDT)
Yep, ol' Webmeister Lefty it is TRUE. Glen Sewell of Pasadena (Spelling?) related this little tale to me when he stayed nearby to look after his aging dad.
J D
- Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 21:42:27 (CDT)
Oh, Grampaw, you don't expect us to believe that story, do you?
Lefty
- Monday, September 14, 2009 at 18:09:53 (CDT)
Lefty having different musical spots on this site such as Hank Williams not long ago and the Duke right now,makes me recall a tale my former neighbor told me about where he used to live back in the early 50s. There was (maybe still be)an old Beer joint/dance hall a few miles out of Houston. Was a rather quiet place to get away from it all and relax. Regular "redneck" hangout for the middle age country crowd. Jimmy Dean, The Carters among a few others used to make this part of their curcuit. You knew what to expect when they came on stage. Well, there was a new group no one had ever heard of were to perform that night.He was 18 years old from Mississippi with a little band. Called themselves 'The Hillbilly Cat & The Blue Moon Boys'. Them ol' redneck farmers ordered a Pearl or Shiner beer, lite up a Lucky Strike and got ready to hear this new little group. Well, about half way through "That"s Alright Mama", everyone was dumbfounded and stared in disbelief at "Hillbilly Cat's" hip shaking and loud singing. " What in the HELL is that kind of noise?" was heard in various parts of the joint. They just about run the musical group off. It was very awkward and some ol'clodhoppers got rather vocial and mad! But what was funny...two years later they were BEGGING Elvis Presley to come back again. But it would have been a mess because that little beer joint would have been a shambles trying to contain the huge crowd that would have come!
J D
- Monday, September 14, 2009 at 14:35:20 (CDT)
F Y I : Juanita D. is a fictious name I use to render a point of intrest (I hope) across. It was a very common thing for kids (mostly Mexican)to always look for arrowheads, flint hide scrapers,flint spearheads even those broken up found in cattle trails or whatever and sell them for a few nickels to a rancher or one that favors such things for their collections. I have seen collections that had thousands and thousands of the things arranged to make pictures of Texas maps, Texas Lone Star designs and many many other designs framed and proudly on walls of great ranch homes...(and honky tonks & BarbeQue places!)
Me again
- Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 19:36:38 (CDT)
Hey JD, My brothers used to sell John Mikus the arrowheads they found on the Lark rancho and mama sometimes sold them hog's head Tamales she had made. And they were muy bueno tamales too. I remember when Bessie got rattlesnake bit when she was just sitting on the tank dam resting. She said it was like being hit by the back of an axe! She was bitten also by a bullsnake or some kind of snake later on too.
Juanita D.
- Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 14:45:16 (CDT)
Finding rusty relics makes me think of the late John Mikus who lived in this area for many years. Seems he was of Cajun heritage and knew very well how to live off the land. Really could bring in the big catfish and deer.He had a few cattle and was missing a calf one day. So he walked for miles and miles on the Nueces river hunting the lost calf. The old river had been dry many times and had big floods other times. John walked up on the bank that had recently washed out and exposed was skeletons of a horse and rider from long, long ago. It was a Spanish soldier with metal helmet, brass breastplates, huge spurs and a escopet(blunderbus) rifle. Hoss had heavy bits still in its bony jaws. This must have been buried over 200 years, back when ol" Texas was owned by Spain. The ol'boy could have been killed by commanches or maybe caught in a flash flood. Another time John wounded a deer and was tracking his blood trail. that area has a terrible thick growth of mesquite, prickly pear, white brush, catclaw and a bunch of different thorny species I can"t spell but know the Mexican names. It was one huge Brasada Malo! John had to crawl in the jungle keeping the wounded deer signs in sight.John crawled up on an ancient dugout dwelling and went inside finding a very old leathet bag filled with Spanish coins and an old dagger. John had quite a few artifacts like that and they went in different collections in fancy homes here and there and some went to the big museum in Austin. John Mikus and wife Bessie were real interesting great neighbors back when old Calliham was still perculating. Gosh I miss them...
J D
- Wednesday, September 09, 2009 at 15:35:57 (CDT)
Okay your guys...bet neither one of you have heard "She"s got freckles on her..BUTT she"s Pretty" .
J D
- Monday, September 07, 2009 at 10:32:57 (CDT)
Beer for my Horses?
Ain't heard that one neither.
Lefty
- Monday, September 07, 2009 at 09:54:28 (CDT)
Lefty. John is correct. The song, "Pancho & Lefty" is a lot
better by Willie. Can't believe you haven't heard it. It was before
"Beer for My Horses"
Dayton
- Sunday, September 06, 2009 at 20:01:41 (CDT)
I come across an interesting website called the CODY DUG UP GUN MUSEUM of Cody Wy. A couple named Hans & Eva Kurths have put together display cases of rusty relic old guns. Some found in civil war battle sites, Indian war battle grounds, ruins of early settlers camps and dwellings. Ghost towns, old grave sites uncovered by road builders etc.etc. People donated or sold the relics to the museum.An amazing assortment of Winchesters, Colt and Remington sixshooters along with dozens of lesser known firearms of the different time periods. So I mailed em one of my old rusty relics. They have it under glass and labeled that it came from Calliham, Texas. During my youth I wandered the brushy pastures and river bottoms nearly all the time and stumbled up on several old corroded firearms. I had lots of fun building pistol grips and stocks for em. Soaking em in coal oil to get the parts to function. They made great decorations for a western style den or whatever. For gosh sakes never try to fire live ammo in an old relic from a housefire or whatever...they have RUINED and the steel may rip apart and remove half your gun hand and face!! Best to make a shadowbox for the relic and add several related items...and you have an interesting bit of decor.
J D
- Monday, August 31, 2009 at 15:16:52 (CDT)
Dayton, I guess I was about 10 yrs. old back in those Calliham School days. The Mexican boys took off from school to pick fruit in the valley or California. They were somewhat tougher than us white boys. Several packed those long bladed fruit knives and would say" Gimmme you lunch money or I"m gonna cut yore guts..." I tried to fight em but one would grab me from behind while 3 or 4 others would slap my glasses off and beat me in the stomach till I was doubled over in agony and trying to walk the mile home. One Mexican was 14 years old and in the first grade. The Mexican kids of the ranch worker families were much more civilized but lived in deep poverty back then. Clothes that were handed down and threadbare. Sometimes having nothing but one tortilla or slice of white bread in a little paper sack for lunch at school. One year they gave us a little sack of pecans,an apple and orange for Christmas from the school. One little boy from a ranch told me "Them things sure is hard, I nearly brokee all my teeth out..." He'd never had pecans before and didnt shell them. The little fella had on an army cap his mother made out of an old khaki scrap of cloth. He had took a crayola and put big letters N T M on the front. I asked him what that meant. He got rather mad at me and replied "Dat means NUNITED TATES of MERICA !" Exactly the way he talked. He later grew up had big family and was a rather well to do working man.
J D
- Monday, August 24, 2009 at 20:11:06 (CDT)
J.D's writing in the last two corral was very entertaining. Especially
the part about the fat lady nursing a baby and "Davy Crockett king
of the new front EAR. Good show John. How old were you when you saw the fat ones?
Dayton
- Sunday, August 23, 2009 at 20:07:52 (CDT)
......then there was the one about the freakish old Indian fighter who had an ear growing out of his forehead. He worried nobody would remember his daring exploits and bravery. So one day he visited a fortune teller and asked her if he"d ever be remembered. She told him "Cheer up ol" boy, you"ll be the idol of millions of kids and there will be songs about you!!" The old Indian fighter was surprised and ask " What will they sing about me...?" She said "Davy, Davy Crockett the king of the wild front EAR."
J D
- Friday, August 21, 2009 at 13:16:55 (CDT)
These hot dry days bring back thoughts of the terrible drought of the 50s. Trying to look on the lighter side of them days, I remember the early day traveling carnivals and side shows that sometimes popped up in our fair little burg called Calliham, Texas. ( the OLD Calliham). I recall one little "show" camped on the school ground behind the old school. I was probably in the 3rd grade then along with less than 20 kids with one lady teacher running things. The sideshow consisted of a small camp trailer pulled by a car or pickup with a married couple and a old boy hired on to help out. Of course to us kidos it was a big deal. My friend Roger Paul sneaked up to peep in the window of that camper....and promptly got a big pan of dirty dish water thrown on him. The school board allowed the show people to use a couple vacant rooms of the old nearly deserted schoolhouse to board their "show stars" a couple trained monkeys. School was still operating in one room at the far end . The night of the "show" the main school room was packed with locals, us kids and our families etc.etc. An old movie projector was set up and a black & white old flickering shoot em up western was shown and comedy with Abbot & Costello. I remember turning around in my seat to see what was going on in the semi-dark and was rather startled by being a few inches from a fat lady with bare breasts nursing a baby. The old movie was full of splices in the film that had broke a bunch of times. Then there was the monkey act that went pretty well.The side show was to last several days BUT,,,the whole dadgum school got infested with big biting FLEAS from those monkeys kept in the back room!! Show had to move on muy pronto! Men from the school board sprayed the school and we had to stay home until it was safe to have classes again. This was way before TV took over and changed things across rural America.
J D
- Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 07:18:01 (CDT)
Yesterday, for the very first time I happened to watch an interview with a brand new Tejano/Norteno singer named Perla Quintanilla. Also saw her latest musica video. Beautiful gal with an unusual husky or a sort of "growl"voice that will surprise viewers. ( Selena"s maiden name was Quintanilla.) This gal is gonna be big too.So check her musica out!
J D
- Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 18:00:01 (CDT)
Yesterday, for the very first time I happened to watch an interview with a brand new Tejano/Norteno singer named Perla Quintanilla. Also saw her latest musica video. Beautiful gal with an unususl husky or a sort of "growl"voice that will surprise viewers. ( Selena"s maiden name was Quintanilla.) This gal is gonna be big too.So check her musica out!
J D
- Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 17:58:17 (CDT)
Still way too HOT & DRY for normal human beans "round these here parts! A good neighbor (rather heavy ol' boy) drove up here to my old casa and stepped rather briskly on the little porch a few days ago, and the darn porch collasped. Was rsther embarrasing! Quite a job putting cement blocks under it to prop it back up. My how times for me have changed, my folks had a nice sized hunk of old ranch land when I was growing up and I always worked on big places. I thank the good Lord I have this little pasture to knock around on to get out of the dang house! I see websites for folks with small places that can still have a hoss and be COUNTRY! And there are the HOBBY FARMS for folks that love to feel the good earth...grow stuff. In my case I built a replica early Texas mesquite pole corral and have a "rustic" campsite several yards from it. I can hover "round the campfire( in the winter!) and look up and see the corral that reminds me of my grandparents old pens way back in the 40s. Sort of gives the illusion of being back home again...but you can NEVER go home again...
J D
- Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 14:24:22 (CDT)
************** BASKETBALL SCORES *************** Calliham CUCUMBERS 149 ******* Simmons City SLICKERS o8
J D
- Monday, August 10, 2009 at 06:15:52 (CDT)
August 7th. will be the 90th. Birthday of Truitt Woodward. He"s living way up in the northern part of Texas now. He was the real cowboy that us younger guys admired way back in the 50s & 60s before the government built Choke Canyon Lake that flooded our ranches...and changed our ways of life forever. That life on the Frio River,the wild turkey, whitetail deer and wild Brahma crossbred cattle ...Truitt fit there like a glove! He was THE perfect horseman. He loved roundups like a Baptist preacher loved sunday dinners! He was big, stout, sunburned and good humored.He had honed his skills as a cowboy...and knew his stuff! Happy Birthday Truitt! El muy grande vaquero hombre!
J D
- Sunday, August 02, 2009 at 23:40:57 (CDT)
Well, the preacher once again took up the subject of "gifts". No not donations this time but gifts each person has such as speaking in tongues, prophesy speaking and preaching to name a few and that lots of folks dont even know they have a gift. Several stories were related on this and that use of certain gifts. These were pretty deep and interesting. The preacher"s wife related dreams of things to come and they had come to pass. In fact she dreamed of a fighter plane flying over and shooting at me as I run for cover. It meant TROUBLE or EVIL was on my butt! Sure "nuff I wrecked my mountain bike, cutting my face and breaking my glasses. Then I got dumped off a young racing filly, landing on the hard packed ground ( big folding knife in pouch on hip hurt like hell!) Ambulance hauled me off to the hospital in Beeville. On crutches 5 weeks. Anyhow there was an old timer sitting in the very back pew who spoke up " I reckon I have some sort of gift. I gets to enjoying this here air conditioning and can"t help it but off to sleep I go, not want to make preacher think I"m bored or whatever I wakes myself up soon as I can....But between sleep and fully awake...I sees FOLKS that aint really HERE in these pews! This old church has been around over 60 years and a whole passel of folks have prayed here, sit in the same pews, lived and died. Some of their spirits still attend your services. I see ladies sometimes in heavy winter clothes and now it is hot summertime and men in old style farm clothes or nice ranch style duds. Maybe folks from the 1940s like when I was a kid. Maybe next time I drift off folks look different, from the 50s maybe. I do reckon I has this here gift...but I dont know WHY or WHAT FER!
J D
- Monday, July 20, 2009 at 15:57:31 (CDT)
July 16th, "009 Still blazin" HOT and dry as a popcorn phart! Sold the big Mammoth Stud Donkey I had several months ago. Afraid he"d hurt somebody maybe a kid riding by my place and he needed to be with other animules more than anything. He was hauled to a lady"s farm about 40 miles from here. The cowdog came running up to him ...and found out muy pronto...BETTER GET AWAY QUICK! He was put in with a bunch of goats. As time went by he got to grabbing little ones with his teeth and shaking tarnation out of "em. So they put him by himself...until the lady foolishly bought some little burro type FEMALE donkeys and put em together. BIG MISTAKE!! Got pretty XXX RATED around that farm! Lady got upset and blasted poor ole" Loverboy" with shotgun loaded with SALT instead of lead! SO a couple days ago a new owner came with trailer and hauled him off to a "Rescue rehab" for wayward mules, donkeys,hosses, burros and the like on a 100 grassy pasture. I hope he does well and has a long life cause he is really a smart wonderful animule. He fathered lots of fine BIG good looking strong mules that are the pride of way up there in east Texas piny woods country. See ya later and Lord bless. JD
J D
- Friday, July 17, 2009 at 16:45:11 (CDT)
The latest R&;B hit from Tupelo: "Gone for Good" by Dice Baker........Hey little mama you just don"t ever do me right, Hey little mama you know you don"t do me right. You got smokin" them Camels and pickin" those blues all night. I"m gonna hop that southbound, that 4:39, Hop that rattling freight train, that 4:39. You gonna miss your sugar daddy "cause I"be gone for good this time. All your crying, sighing and lying ain"t gonna get me back. No, all your wineing,pineing, hoping and mopeing aint "bout to get me back. Just rest your pretty head and on lonesome railroad track.
JD
- Monday, July 13, 2009 at 00:48:54 (CDT)
The NUMBER ONE Country music SONG: "SWIMMIN" By M.Cornpone Well,you did me wrong night & day, You went and flushed our love away. Should have known from the very start, I"d be swimmin" in the cesspool of yore heart. Well,my blue-heeler "Clementine", Went and ripped yore clothes off the line. I thought it was gut bustin" funny, But not you Honey, what did you do? You blew off his head with my .22 ! Should have knowed from the very start, I"d be swimmin" in the cesspool of yore heart. Well,you run round with dirty ol" men, Even had pen-pals with some in the pen. Should have knowed from the very start, I"d be swimmin" in the cesspool of yore heart.
J D
- Sunday, July 05, 2009 at 19:00:02 (CDT)
June 29th, "009 Well another sizzling hot week has gone by. Temps. over 100 every day here. Helped a man look after a bunch of fine horses while owners were gone to California. Really love good horses! Sure miss ol" Dusty whom I broke and rode for 25 years. Lately been trying to restore an old Marlin Lever action 38-55 rifle made way back in the 1910s. The first stock I ordered I found out it would be Sept. or Oct. before they MIGHT have one for that gun. Next one I ordered I found out they were not realiable and prone to ripping off people. SO my cousin Jay is gonna get me one from a good place. Friday my neice Roxanne, her little girl Savannah and Jon Warren the husband were here. We worked all day getting the cabin livable with pipes,ceiling fan and new wooden steps all in A1 brand new condition! Really enjoyed their visit and we enjoyed eating at the Taqueria Villarta in Three Rivers, Texas. I am sort of amazed each time there...right next door(just maybe 40 feet away) is what was the old hospital where I was born. It is a apartments for rent place now called Hilltop Lodge. I often comment to myself "Gosh, I sure have come a long ways in life...." I can remember MORE YEARS AGO THAN I CARE TO ADMIT that there was right down the road possibly the smallest beer joint in history called THE DIRTY SHAME. That was back in the Hank Williams, T-Texas Tyler, Kitty Wells and Hank Snow era of country music. So that sort of dates that wonderful establishment. Saturday cousin Jay Harris and wife Cheryl dropped by to mow their half acre here. He showed me his fine "new" heavy duty pickup with hydrolic lift in back and talk of hunting and gun tales. This heat is dreadful here seems no end in sight. My cousin Travis down the road has his whole garden he worked so hard on and spent so much watering...just burn up.Watermelons all sunbaked, corn dried up when was looking so good. Pray for us if"n ya dont mind. JD
J D
- Monday, June 29, 2009 at 18:54:33 (CDT)
June 22,"09 Howdy Outlaws & Inlaws! You might go to the Calliham Photos dept. on this site and to 1940=1949 group;Dave Calliham and his cousins. A little bit of history on the first man Robert"Bob" Custer in old photo. When this fella was just a young cowboy, he got in with friends/ranching people in the wild mountains of Northen Mexico. They thought alot of young Bob and left him to keep watch of a sizable herd of cattle in those mountains by himself while the owners took off on business. This was quite awhile ago when the Mexican Revolution was still going strong. Every day Bob was in the saddle keeping watch on the herd. After awhile he spotted dust clouds rising from many riders in the distance. I assume he "glassed" the area with binoculars and could see it was a ragtag band of revolutionares. He knew his life was in danger if spotted so he kept pretty well hid and watched from on high as the wild bunch killed and ate several of the beeves from that herd. Poncho Villa and his Dorados armed to the teeth and battle weary got their rest and grub as they lingered around there several days before charging off to other battles in history. It was a scary time for a very young "Gringo" cowboy on his own in a wild country at war. Just one of many adventures Bob lived through and all three men in this photo lived lives writers could write about for years!
J D
- Monday, June 22, 2009 at 04:20:17 (CDT)
ust a few random comments, hope there is some humor to them.Growing up in the country near a tiny town in deep south Texas was a hoot... in some ways. School days in the 40s taught me such things as that is a car tire NOT a TAR.That is a fire...NOT a FAR. That is a window,,,not a WINDER, and so on and on. Even the father of our country Washington had no R in his last name! However I wont fault those that struggled to make ends meet in the terrible depression era when many growing up had to drop school and hit the cotton patches to merely keep body and soul together. Now a similar thing happens in the Church/sunday school/Christian learning process. I believe wholeheartly in the message of Christ and salvation...but when the "Learned ones" the Pastors/ Preachers/ Priests or the so called "Elders" proclaim "....the earth is only 6,000 years old CAUSE THE BIBLE says SO and if you domt believe that, you dont believe at all and will fry in HELL!" This is completely ignoring the huge time passages of the dinosaur era, which they dont want to deal with. Then tell the baloney about Noah had dinosaurs on the ark. "The way Noah got them monsters on that ark was put tiny baby ones in cages..." And the congregation thought that was an amazing revelation, HAD to be true...Dont believe that boy you"ll FRY in HELL for calling the pastor a LIAR!! In order to wrap up this mess I"ll say there are wonderful men and women out there working their very hardest to save and serve the lost souls of this world...BUT when they speak of the orgin of this good earth...it is just like the country folks in my childhood days calling a window a WINDER, a tire a TAR, their poor ignorance shows.
J D
- Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 12:02:09 (CDT)
June 7th, "009 Reunion came & went. Was the smallest number I think we ever had at 16 people. One reason was lots of folks just a few days ago drove hundreds of miles for the funeral service of our beloved Clyde Semar. David Calliham brought his mother, aunt Unabelle from the nursing home to the reunion. David entertained us with a great many fiddle tunes. Hearing those old frontier tunes brought back my youth when we lived near grandad Harry Calliham and granny on the old farm near the Frio river. The pleasant aroma of Prince Albert tobacco and listenting to Bonaparte"s Retreat, POP Goes the Weasel,Over the Waves and the San Antonio Rose was a real treat when grandad "sawed "that ol" fiddle. Then uncle Dave carried the tradition along with his son David who now plays for us. It was an enjoyable get-to-gether, but I know Clyde would have been there and I miss him. David got me to try out an old shotgun he restored..shot it ONE time...shoulder is STILL sore!! Also I made a dang HAWG out of myself putting away some of the best banana puddin" I've had in decades!!
JD again..
- Sunday, June 07, 2009 at 15:03:15 (CDT)
Don"t forget the J T CALLIHAM FAMILY REUNION June 6th, "009 at the Calliham Community bldg. by the post office in sunny Calliham, Texas. Bring a covered dish or sodas. Meat and Tea will be provided. Bring your ol" banjo or get-fiddle !
J D
- Tuesday, June 02, 2009 at 13:21:51 (CDT)
J.D. Sorry for your loss. I am going to San Angelo tomorrow for a funeral for my cousin, but he was 81 -- big difference. Our heart goes out to the Semar family.
Randy
Randy Bedwell
- Sunday, May 31, 2009 at 16:59:19 (CDT)
Just a few weeks ago during the weekend, my cousin Clyde Semar called me up from the Calliham Store, less than half mile from my home. He invited me there for a soda and visit. I drove my ATV up there. He and another man were in front of the store with their huge motorcycles. We had a real good visit. Him and the fellow motorcyclist were just enjoying the beautiful sunny day and they may have toured the park. I had no idea that was the very last time I"d see my cousin until today at his funeral. He was killed Friday May 22nd when either a tire blow-out or something else went terribly wrong. He was a great friend helped me get the computer back working many times. Not long ago got my ATV running again and countless other times helped this ol" backward Cowboy out of a bind. He was always calm and straight forward. So sad the good ones are taken. An ancient saying is" May the wicked live long, for they may learn to repent. May the good die young, for they may live to be corrupted." I miss him already.
J D
- Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 22:48:58 (CDT)
I am sorry to hear of Clyde Semar's death. I didn't know him, but it is a terrible thing to lose a brother to a motorcycle accident. (My brother Ed Calliham was killed in 1990 in a motorcycle accident. He was 35 yr. old.)Our thoughts and prayers are with the Semar family.
Virginia Clark
- Monday, May 25, 2009 at 15:22:55 (CDT)
I regret to inform the visitors to this website that Clyde Semar (brother to Cary "Lefty" Semar the webmaster here) was killed instantly when the motorcycle him and his wife were riding blew a tire in Goliad county (Texas)Friday afternoon May 22, "009. His wife Chong is in University Medical Center in San Antonio. Clyde"s funeral service will held in Galloway Funeral Home (Beeville) Wednesday 10 am. Please pray for this family because this is a terrible loss to them and all who knew Clyde.
J D
- Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 09:06:20 (CDT)
J T CALLIHAM REUNION June 6th. 2009 place: Calliham Civic Center Calliham, Texas. You and your family are invited to attend the Calliham Reunion. Bring your favorite dish. Meat and tea will be provided. Bring sodas if you wish. Hope to see you there! Margaret Custer & Nora Mae Bryant
J D
- Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 09:03:20 (CDT)
Buenos dias hombres! One of the old pastimes, hobbies or whatever you wish to name it is the ancient art of bartering. Usually when you cant afford to buy something and your neighbor has it and you just might have something he wants more than the object. A VERY OLD timer showed me the area in the old Calliham townsite where many years ago he traded a Ford Model T for a couple town lots. I remember well my dad trading a nice Chevy pickup for a beautiful black mare to a family in Tilden, that was back in the "60s. Well, a few weeks ago while visiting a fellow church member for the first time, I am shown an old rifle that I wanted really bad. So the dickering started "Well now I"ll throw in a box and a half ammo to go with...." " Now, will let you pick about 25 arrowheads out of that cigar box if..." " Now you throw in that holster AND the .22 pistol..." We both seemed happy with the deals. I have an 1893 lever-action Marlin rifle in 38-55 caliber. The gun book says was made before 1915. Further study in a big thick BUFFALO BILL book shows one of same make, model and caliber owned by none other than ANNIE OAKLEY. Serial number 419xxx. My gun has serial number 437xxx. If that don"t knock your hat in the creek!!! If this ol" gun could talk.... JD
J D
- Thursday, May 07, 2009 at 15:53:56 (CDT)
April 29, "09 About 12:30 PM today I was using the computer when a fella drove up excited about a fire that was looming behind my place. Sure enough the sky was filled with gray smoke and flames could be seen headed my way! The ranch that joins my pasture, hundreds of acres of dry grass was an inferno! It missed my corral by a few yards and burned in the fenceline with wind high and carrying it northeast. I ran and alerted a Mexican family. It was about to burn them out it looked like. Several different firefighting units, bulldozers/frontend loaders, water trucks and volunteer firemen in cars and pickups were every where trying to figure out how to get inside that ranch to stop the fire. I run back to my place and opened up a gate and wire gap to allow them to go through my land and access to the ranch. Meanwhile me and others helped fight the fire that came on into neighbors yard...Soon we all were nearly blinded and choked by intense grass smoke! All this fueled by intense high winds.My eyes still burn and am congested but the fire was contained. Lucky we didnt have smashups driving to and fro among the various fighting units and sightseers in the thick smoke! The local donkeys and horses were really upset and moved to less smoky spots in pasture corners. Very few dull moments here in rural McMullen county!
J D
- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 14:11:01 (CDT)
April 25th, "09 Well, the poster said " Pack up your bags. And jump in your car.Come back home to Calliham, it ain"t that far. You"ll want to be with us, so please be our guest. Our annual Pow Wow will surely be the best." CALLIHAM GYM Choke Canyon State Park.... So Me and a pal head that way about 12 noon. The gym was locked up and nobody stiring. Saw folks sitting around campers nearby..but they knew nothing. We drove toward the boat ramp and where the brick building that was a store...saw man getting a guitar out of a car. Talked to him. Seems the old high school gym was overtaken by millions of BEES!Therefore to avoid possible lawsuits, the Parks & Wildlife Dept. decided to not use it till BEES were gone.So PowWow was moved to the store building. Party was in full swing..or dinner was being served with tons of BBQ meat, pies cakes and all sorts of goodies. Hundreds of folks crowded in that small area. While eating outside the back on a park bench the country music kicked off with 60s & 70s Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Bob Wills tunes and the like LIVE from some dsrn good singers and pickers. The point of the Pow Wow is former folks raised in this area getting together and renewing old friendships and memories. I had lots of surprises when gals and guys from long ago yelled at me and stopped to shake hands. Of course there were tons of folks I have no idea who they are. I sort of dropped out of touch for years more or less living on horseback in remote mesquite and cactus cow pastures and time has changed us all BIG TIME!! This may well have been the last time I got to visit with Woodrow Wilson. He was a medic in the tank corps. during WW2 . Come home raised a big family and was beeman all those years till a few months ago when a stroke overcome him. A fine gentleman nearly 95 years old now and in failing health. So say a little prayer for him and his family. JD
J D
- Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 21:48:39 (CDT)
Had some rain last week which I am really thankful for. Some parts of Texas REALLLLY got some BIG GULLY-WASHERS! I remember an old timer around the area about 40 years ago saying "We got the WRONG kind of gravity here in Calliham..cause it wont rain!" And he was often heard saying " Boy, its HOTTER than nine HELLS here in Calliham!Well I guess I was a lucky kid in some ways, the family land was bordered on the great ol" Rio Frio and during the hot summers I could walk down to the river and go swimming several times a day. It was often barely running or not running at all but was a great place to beat the heat. I had a one old homemade boat or another or raft that I paddled or poled up or down the ADVENTURE ROUTE. Once Lefty(the webmeiser) and I tore down an old hog pen and built a raft out of the post and lumber.Guess we was 12 or 13 years old then. I wanted to be like the pirates in "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates"movie. Dad hauled the poorly designed mess to the river in his truck for us. It was great to be a kid then and there. There were times me and other guys wandered the river setting trout lines and a net across the river almost completely in the NUDE for hours. Well, I always wore a big brim hat...I probably looked like a whooping crain with a wash tub on its head. Boy howdy I"d love to hop in the old river right now...snakes gars, "gators and ALL!
J D
- Monday, April 20, 2009 at 17:51:59 (CDT)
Had real nice Easter weekend. Very good services at the Calliham Church with Dennis Lee from Florida as guest pastor. Then I went with friends to the Brush Country Cowboy Church between Oakville and George West, Texas. I didn"t catch the folks names but there was a downhome good ole cowboy speaker and a talented singer/guitar picker putting down some fine old gospel tunes. They have a huge brand new church complex to seat hundreds! After the service we had a big bonfire outside and sit around it worshipping the Lord on the day He rose from the dead to save a lost mankind. (The fire chief was handy.)..but there was nothing to catch fire, just acres of dry bare land due to the drought! Had tacos and sodas afterwards. I might ad several days ago some of my distant kinfolks in Mena, Arkansas had their home badly damaged by the tornado. Roof badly torn away and severe water damage. Young man and his daughter have a real mess to deal with. Catch ya later.
J D
- Sunday, April 12, 2009 at 21:35:52 (CDT)
April 4th, 2009 was the 10th ANNIVERSARY Three Rivers Salsafestival. Large Salsa cooking contest. Streeta closed off by the City Hall and rows of colorful booth/vendors selling their wares. Including a leather/motorcycle clothing shop. Another had palmleaf cowboy hats for sale. Some with up to huge 7inch brims! Quite humorous seeing some young guys and gals with these giant sized hats. There were food booths such as pizzas, hamburgers, sodas etc.etc. HUGE CROWD milling around. Large tent set up and good ole country music LIVE going on with CHRIS RYBAK and his great accordian/singing talents. The little band with him did some very good BOB WILLS numbers! There was some real good fiddlers keeping the sound JUST RIGHT! Except a bit TOO LOUD at times...but this was LIVE stuff! A large group of bikers making several trips around the place with their Harleys made the ground shake and your ears quake! On the other end of the town square was TEJANO musica rocking the crowds! I had a great time, saw nearly all my Calliham neighbors there taking in the fun! On the way out I bought one of those HUGE big brim palm leaf cowboy hats for my niece"s hubby from east Texas to take back with him to proof we all "look like bronc stompers from the 1920s in south Texas...". Well I CAN"T wait till the next SALSAFESTIVAL!!
J D
- Monday, April 06, 2009 at 12:50:56 (CDT)
Talked to my neice Roxanne, a deputy sheriff in east Texas. She tells me the dept. got a complaint of a foul odor coming from a car parked in a local shopping center. Hot weather with glasses rolled up. Car was listed as a 2007 owned by an employee at the place. He was employed as meat cutter/stocker. So they got him to open up the smelly vehicle. On backseat was a blanket, when moved there lay a very dead Shetland pony. Mr. Meat cutter said he was hauling it around so his wife would not find out the animule died. Comsulting the vet, they were told the man had been there a day or two before and was told "IT IS DEAD!" Bet he was planning on dumping it off in a creek or river when he got off work. Anyhow....FOX NEWS got wind of it(stinky wind I amagine...) My neice Roxanne and another officer were interviewed and put on the air answering questions about the mess. Roxanne told me the store manager gave the meat man orders "Be sure to wash your hands before handling any more meat!" I ran by the Live Oak county fairgrounds Saturday with a pal. Just saw a bit of the fair...HUGE crowd, acres of cooking crews from all over tarnation cooking up vittles in a big contest.Very high wind blowing stuff every where. All kinds of animule judging taking place. Thousands of mostly young folks milling around. Big carnival with ferris wheels etc,etc. Loud country music in several directions and loud Cojunto, Tejano coming from other directions. Huge building with arts and crafts filled with booths to sell fine knives, leather goods, framed paintings and found a pretty blond gal (my cousin Darlene)selling sodas and snacks. A huge turn out of people even with a high wind blowing you nearly out of your boots!
J D
- Monday, March 30, 2009 at 19:43:48 (CDT)
Thought I might add a few more lines to the below comment. My brother Mike was at ease with and had many friends in the literary world, playwrites, western authors, judges, lawmen, newspaper editors and various singers and show persons. I remember the funny story where at one point Mike was required to haul around a famous country singer to various places to perform when he came to east Texas. The big name star would NOT bathe and after several days was a real ordeal to ride with!! Them gaudy western zoot-suits stank to high heaven! I remember when Mike attended a bar-be-que thst had Charles Skelton (better known as Skeeter Skelton,Editor Shootin" Times magazine and ex border Patrol and Sheriff of Deaf Smith County). We had read his articles on guns and charactors of the southwest for many years...and there he was along with his son and lifelong friend Joe Bishop! These were the kind of men we grew up knowing and admiring here in south Texas. We had McMullen county sheriff Melvin Naylor as a good neighbor and way back before that Rex Quinn and Murray Potts to name a few. Well, there I go talking to myself again....
J D
- Monday, March 23, 2009 at 23:18:59 (CDT)
Was a sort of busy week...turned off cold and drizzly for about 3 days. Had 3/10ths of an inch of rain here in Calliham. EVER BIT HELPS!! Called my neice Roxanne way up yonder in east pinywoods Texas...she says it was miserable cold there during that time and they had 6 inches rain. Actually just about EVERY time I visited up yonder it rained 80% of the time! Some fantastic good gun shows are held in Mesquite, Texas! My beloved brother Mike ( now departed) always had a booth there with his pals and it was a fun time. My brother was working out designs for engraving on a .45 automatic pistol. He called me to send him sketches of all the cattle brands of ranches we knew and worked on as youngsters. I got quite a few from memory and was lucky to catch some old timers in coffee shops or where ever and get the correct brands. But a heart attack killed my brother before engraved them. No doubt he planned on giving me the engraved auto when finished. A few months before that he left a new double-action Taurus "the Judge". Which will fire BOTH .45 L. Colt AND 410 shotgun ammo. Left it here for me to pack in the woods untill he came back again. The last conversation via Email I had with him was telling him about damn near getting rattlesnake bit while I was stacking a post on the corral wall. He replied " Well, you should have been carrying that big Taurus .45 I left there." In a few hours( next morning) I got word he"d passed away. I know he"s in a much better world now because he loved the Lord and his family, horses & ponies,dogs, old cowboy friends, old Winchesters, Colt Single-action sixshooters and the Tex-Mex culture we grew up with in south Texas. He loved the old Frio River and pasture we grew up in. JD
J D
- Monday, March 16, 2009 at 18:54:26 (CDT)
DISCLAIMER: The Marxist views the webmaster expresses are HIS and not mine. I am a Christian, first, last and always.
J D
- Monday, March 02, 2009 at 13:02:04 (CST)
Drought hangs on and on...on. My mammonth stud donkey has cleaned the pasture completely of edible vegetation and has been VERY LONELY for months! So I let a lady near Poth, Texas have the old boy. He hopped right in the trailer when she drove up. He was hauled about 40 miles, put in a corral with some goats. Goats were scared to death of the big ol" bruiser and tried to climb out. A big cowdog ran up to investigate...donkey threw back them huge ears and took after the dog. Then let out a HUGE LOUD braying noise compared to an oceanliner at sea blowing a foghorn. Ladies and kids all around the pen filled him up on apples. Yesterday me and a friend went to the huge Jourdanton flea mart. Huge turn out of vendors! Saw interesting things and old friends like Rance Wilson formely from Calliham who was selling jars of honey and displayed arrowheads and flint peices of native American relics recently found at an old campsite. Another fella had a deer rifle with gorgeous mesquite wood stock that had great natural color. All I bought (could afford) was a cold bottle of purified drinking water! Was a fun trip. I noticed due to the economy...folks are dragging all sorts of stuff to try to sell...so CHECK EM OUT for some good bargains!
J D
- Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 17:31:30 (CST)
Howdy sportsfans! Ole "Lefty" drove by saturday and we hiked in the Choke Canyon Park (Calliham unit).We had both lived in the area and tried to find any reconizable landmarks. Was a nice cool morning with a hint of springtime smells of blooming plants although it is terrible dry. Saw groups of birdwatchers from out of state. Mountain bike riders, tons of bass fishermen, Also there were canoeers.Lots of campers. We could barely find any landmarks we knew as kids long ago. Sort of sad I guess..BUT its all in my fertile brain. I see our old cow pastures, the Frio river, all the long gone places and dear folks we knew ( and some old mean rascals too,) Had a great Mexican style dinner at Nolan Ryan"s Steakhouse after the hike. Now Iam back to reality...digging post holes!
J D again
- Monday, February 23, 2009 at 18:24:27 (CST)
Am over the pneumonia and feel fine now. Some of us from the Calliham church went to Tilden last night to the new community center for a tasty supper and viewed Kirt Cameron"s new hit movie "FIREPROOF", Very good turn out of people for this Christian presentation. Great food and company. Excellent movie!!! This part of old Texas is in the throes of a terrible drought. Ranchers are trying to hang on with feed bills adding up daily. Some have had to sell their best stock. Get around a few cowmen and the talk is always refering to the seven year drought of the 1950s. I remember it well myself. Our family land bordered the Frio River on the north side. Ol" Frio dried up leaving dead gars and catfish on dry land to rot in the sun. What cattle left could walk across and wander in anybody"s place. The beautiful ancient Live Oak trees that served as family camping spots...all died out. For awhile you could pull down the Spanish moss from the trees along the river bottoms and feed cattle with that and burn thorns off prickly pear cactus for feed. But that was exhausted after awhile. The Spanish moss on our place was long gone along with the Live Oaks due to the drought that seemed to go on forever. I remember the day the drought BROKE! Was during a 1956 county fair and parade in George West,, Texas. Suddenly the sky opened up and a six inch rain drenched the people, animals and floats on parade. The local barber was driving a buggy pulled by a hoss. The barber stood up raised his arms in celebration of the loooong awaited rain as his wet clothes clung to him!! Rainwater was pouring off the store awnings and running down the streets and ditches. We hadn"t seen that much rain in ages!
J D
- Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 12:29:36 (CST)
I had to go to the ER in Jourdanton last night for pneumonia treatments. The place had been packed all that day with sick folks. Seemed to be just one doctor handling the load. I had xrays, blood tests and an IV that seemed to take forever. Got tons of new medicines this morning to take and have to go back in a few days. Still feel mighty rough.Maybe I"ll live....
J D
- Monday, February 02, 2009 at 11:02:24 (CST)
Well, here I go talking to myself again. Today Sunday 18th, marks FIVE YEARS since my heart attack and later a TRIPLE-BYPASS operation. It was a miserable time..but I had some great friends to help pull me through the ordeal. These things can be prevented...eat LOTS of VEGETABLES & FRUITS. NO damn tobacco or caffiene...they fire up and race your old ticker! Eat good ol" OATMEAL...just like MAMA told you as a toddler...NO SCRAMBLED EGGS and KILLER HOG MEAT (BACON).Turn that blamed old squawkbox TV off. Get out there in the sunshine...walk...ride a mountain bike...(In my case chop mesquite fence posts).Develope a positive attitude . (IN my case enjoy lots of good Tejano musica) Work on a great relationship with the LORD.
J D
- Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 23:53:20 (CST)
Had a visitor during the holidays. Nome other than ol" Charlie Dunghill. An old time brush popper and rodeo hand from the 50s. Still driving thar old noisy '77 Ford PU that seems to always have a bad muffler and emits a cloud of burning oil smoke every where it goes. Yep it was all 6 ft.7 inch 124 lb. old Charlie! Same old greasy black Hopalong Cassidy hat pulled way over one side of his gray haired sunburnt old head. Hadn"t seen him in a "coon"s age. I asks " Seems the last time you were around, you nwere fixin" to get hitched, how"d that go, Charlie?" He looked disgusted "Same dadgum thing...they (and there were about a dozen different women) ALWAYS back out the last minute!" I boldly asked " Why is that Charlie?" "Well" he madly replied" They always say "Ooooh forgive me Charlie, but every one will laugh at me being called Mrs. Charlie Dunghill..." SO by golly, I got smarted up and told her that I"d just go to the courthouse bright and early and have that dang name CHANGED!!" " Well, I did...and she got madder than ever! he snorted loudly." As I was pondering that I asks him "Well, just what name do you go by now, Charlie?" He blurted out " Just call me GEORGE Dunghill......
J D
- Monday, January 12, 2009 at 16:33:49 (CST)
A note concerning the racoon that pooped and tore up the inside of our community bldg. in Calliham. A county employee had to shoot it to get it out of the place. The rascal weighed 30 pounds, it is reported!!
J D
- Wednesday, January 07, 2009 at 16:47:20 (CST)
Jan.5th, 2009 Howdy! Had interesting weekend. Cary "Lefty" Semar (our webmeister)from San Leon, Tx. dropped by for post-Christmas visit. We run over to the Taco Vallarta in Three Rivers for a great supper. This little cafe is located just a few yards from where I was born, believe it or not. The old rock building was for many years a hospital and now an apartment rental place. While it was a hospital, my aunt Rosabelle (Calliham) Ginn was an RN there and lived in a tiny room upstairs on the north end. Anyhow she found a tiny calf that had screw worms very badly in its naval and nursed it back to health.I bought it and it become my leading "Boss cow" of my herd giving me many big strong calves through the years.Anyhow that"s another long story. Back to my visit with "Lefty", we decided to see a movie at the Rialto there in Three Rivers. Knowing that it may be the last time we have the chance...it may well shut down again due to inflation and whatever. We hadn"t seen a movie there since we as teen agers borrowed his grandmother"s( Rosabelle Ginn) car and drove from Calliham to see Elvis in "G I Blues" NOw that"s a MIGHTY LOOONG time ago!! HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!
JD
- Monday, January 05, 2009 at 12:24:19 (CST)
Hope everyone will have a great new year. If you want to view the past cartoons just click on the current one and sixshooters will appear pointing which directions you want to go. Saturday, here in Calliham, a lady opened up the community bldg. only to find to her horror the place was a shambles inside. After calling the sheriff"s office and having a lawman here and a crowd of folks all milling around, it was discovered the culprit was NON-HUMAN ! No, not a monster from Mars...but a HUGE FAT RACOON!! He got in through the A/C pipe. Couldn"t get out and climbed the window blinds. Tearing them up and pulling them down. Decided to go "potty" just any where he pleased. Is now in the celling holed up for the winter. The huge rascal has a trap awaiting him when he gets thirsty or hungry enough to be trapped. See now, I told you folks we are such a modern hi-tech community here! Gotta run my old donkey is braying for his grain...
J D
- Monday, December 29, 2008 at 07:29:17 (CST)
...and a FELIZ NAVIDAD to you Fay ! The old post card from India seen here comes from the WW 2 days of the 1940s. ( My dad was also Johnny D. Bedwell by name.) It was sent to my family from Horace R. Wilson stationed in the service of our nation in that faraway country. I was a tiny babe then. Horace, along with his wife Leslie live in a lovely ranch style home near Pleasanton, Texas. I thought it would be neat to display this simple old wartime card from a great neighbor! Happy CHRISTmass to all !
J D
- Sunday, December 21, 2008 at 16:24:50 (CST)
JD, I also remember the Joske's store in San Antonio back in the mid to late 50's. We enjoyed seeing Santa waving to us from the roof, and all the beautiful Christmas window displays. It made a child's eyes pop with wonder.
Thanks for that beautiful memory of childhood Christmases.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Fay
Virginia Calliham Clark
- Sunday, December 21, 2008 at 14:14:15 (CST)
Mercy snakes! Ole Christmastime will be here quicker than a greased pig at Rural Youth day at the county fair! One of the many things I remember about Christmas in those bygone days is how beautiful that famous "JOSKE"S...by the Alamo in San Antonio.." was back in the early 50s during those yuletide Holidays. For a child it was a real wonderland with never ending colorful Christmas sights and sounds. I often wonder if that department store still exists. And there was KALLISON"S store that sponsored an early morning radio show...for AGES and AGES it seemed. With "your ole neighbor PERRY KALLISON..." broadcasting the local rural, country news. For example " L S McClaugherty of McMullen county dropped by the store Saturday reports he had 1 3/4 inches of rain on the east side of his ranch and 4 1/2 inches in his horse trap...". I loved looking over the horse tack dept.There were Mexican Charro saddles for $40 BRAND NEW way back then ! Those big horn saddles really fired my imaginations of cowboy adventures etc.etc. That"s all well and good BUT one must not forget " Jesus is the REASON for the SEASON"... the greatest gift GOD could ever give us selfish human "beans".
J D
- Monday, December 15, 2008 at 06:49:58 (CST)
Had a nice thanksgiving in spite of being ill from "a bad taco" eaten several days before. Took some "treasures" for trading to the Mexican flea mart. Man them Mexicans come up with the dadburnest things!! I come home with a cast iron CANNON. Looks like a relic of the Revolution! Has red iron wheels and iron black main body. It"s a carbide cannon ( Whatever that means.) Its just one of the things you cant live without......???
J D
- Tuesday, December 02, 2008 at 20:38:36 (CST)
A few comments on the election. My way of thinking neither candidates was really what he tried to appear to be. Voting was the lesser of two "evils"...and mister that is a sad commentary!! The only bright redemming thing about the whole insane mess was SARAH PALIN. This beautiful bright intelligent Christian lady was attacked by the Liberal media without mercy.Planned Parenthood spent millions and millions trying to destroy her and her family. In the end her own party turned on her trying to make her appear as a dumb bimbo. Those who voted for "change" are going to get just what they deserve.
J D
- Friday, November 21, 2008 at 22:32:30 (CST)
I loved your cartoon this weekk----verrrry funnyyy!!!
Purty neat, tho!!! (nice cow, too!)
Janene
- Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 17:54:13 (CST)
Regarding the message below: Reminds me of an old 1950s Johnny Cash song " I don"t like it, but I guess things happen that way".
J D
- Friday, November 07, 2008 at 19:33:38 (CST)
George Bush has accomplished the impossible. When he took office, the Hussein was the president of Iraq. When he leaves office, Hussein will be the president of the US. Go figure.
Lefty
- Wednesday, November 05, 2008 at 09:19:35 (CST)
Gosh! Another Sunday is here! My how time hop, skips and jumps by....! Thought I might mention there are dozens of websites using my jdbedwell.com address. Some mighty goofy stuff, some downright porn. I have nothing to do at all with anything but this one (Western Cartoons). I have cartoons in the PROGRESS newspaper( Three Rivers, Texas). Sometimes not..the editor might not have room now & then. About this site and this CORRAL dept: We used to have it open to the public and it worked well...until the stupid pea brain porn people started filling dozens of pages with filthy ads and lewd comments. So Lefty had to make this a "secret Link" to only friends known to us. The problem with that is, I am sure we are missing making new friends. SOOO...anyhow hang in there and keep viewing our site and thanks for being loyal fans...
J D
- Sunday, November 02, 2008 at 15:11:58 (CST)
Howdy Sportsfans! Janene asked me to make a few corrections: Her dad was actually a truck driver by trade and farmed the place in off time. He, I think, accumulated all the farm relics. But a few months ago they had another BIG auction and got rid of most. The first auction a couple years ago had several auctioneers going at the same time!There was so many dandies for sale. Now the big barn and familiar buildings are gone the way of the bulldozer. They ( Janene"s parents)were just renting the farm and have retired to live in town. I know something about that sort. Choke Canyon Lake here in south Texas, took my family homestead. AND about all the ranchers I cowboyed for have passed away and their land sold for subdivisions or whatever. I have a little chunk of brush country here in Calliham, Texas. So come on over and we"ll tell lies around the campfire some time. But watch fer them rattlers!!
J D
- Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 17:40:03 (CDT)
Buenos dias, Lefty---To DAYTON: There wasn"t any Sunday updates for about a month. At least I didn"t get any. Lefty was quite busy trying to make his storm ravaged home livable . Plus the fact that his mother had health problems. So we did not conspire to leave you or anyone out of the festivites! I also heard from one of our REAL COWGIRLS, Janene Russell,pretty well settled back in her old stomping grounds of rural Nebraska. Her parents are lifelong old time farmers...with a nack for collecting anything of a farming/ranching relic. Whether it is dozens of early model tractors, model T Fords, buggies, wagons and harness. You name it..they have probably got 40 of "em. Anyhow Janene informs me her cow is 14 and still going strong with calves and milk production! Janene works at a store in a small town about 7 miles from her home and she enjoys it!
J D
- Friday, October 24, 2008 at 18:32:02 (CDT)
Welcome back to The Corral. We start this post apocalyptic period with a clean board. You can see the old messages by clicking on the link down below.
Lefty
- Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 16:25:36 (CDT)
To see the old corral, click here