Home, Sweet Home

I grew up in the small farming/ranching community of Claude, Texas. I was the son of a share crop farmer and we had to depend on God to provide the water for the wheat and grain sorghum that we grew. Life was simple (I didn’t live in a house with an indoor bathroom till I was 11 years old!) but it was also a time that was happy and one that shaped my values. Everyone knew everyone else and the community was one large support system---meaning you couldn’t do anything that wouldn’t be reported to your parents! I remember the cold, clear water that our windmill pumped, low humidity and cool nights (even in the middle of the summer) and the pleasure of working the soil.

My parents have been dead for a number of years and I have lived in the Dallas area for 44 years; yet I still think of Claude as my home! My brother Von and I are going to a reunion there in July and I told him that we would see a lot of old people. His reply was that we would be in good company! FYI: The Paul Newman film Hud, which won several Oscars, was filmed in Claude and my green 54 Chevy convertible is in the rodeo scene!

Culture Shock Is A Good Thing

Culture shock can be a good thing; such as when you leave the heat, wind, humidity and horrible traffic of Dallas and go to Northern New Mexico! What do I get in exchange?

Well, lets start with the beautiful scenery in the Carson National Forest where my family and I go every year. The pines are majestic; many of which will grow to be over a 100 feet tall! Then there is the cold rushing water in the river, where the rainbow trout reside that I love to catch and eat! How about the wild life—stellar blue jays, grouse, woodpeckers, cardinals and eagles. But the most fun to watch are the raucous magpies, the pesky crows and the wonderfully colored hummingbirds! You’ll also see chipmunks, and occasionally a deer, raccoon, bear or badger. At 8,300 hundred feet altitude, the temperatures range from the middle 70’s during the day to around 40 at night (which sure beats the 100+ degree days in Dallas!).

With all that said, I can tell you that the most impressive sight is the nighttime sky! With little ambient light, the milky way can be viewed in all its glory. Year after year, it continues to put me in awe of the fact that God made everything we see just for us!