Category Archives: Rancho Roly Poly

Our Zephirine Drouhin are in bloom

Posted on October 15, 2010 | Comments Off on Our Zephirine Drouhin are in bloom

It only took seven years for these Bourbon beauties to finally arrive in the fall. I’m not sure it was quite worth the wait for them to become sufficiently established to do so, but they sure are pretty in October. About half the diameter of these blossoms photographed back in May, and not near as abundant. But still radiant. Ah, antique roses.

Comments Off on Our Zephirine Drouhin are in bloom

Posted in Antique Roses, Rancho Roly Poly

Tagged , ,

Those damn deer

Posted on October 11, 2010 | Comments Off on Those damn deer

I feel like a curmudgeon chasing children off the lawn when I yell or clap my hands to get four or five white-tailed deer off the front lawn. But, in addition to their poop, which accumulates, they are stupid enough to try to jump through a window as they did here. Our local pols, of course, are worthless. They have long refused to buck the Bambi/Greens crowd and do anything to get the deer out of the neighborhood.

Comments Off on Those damn deer

Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Scribbles, Texana

Tagged , ,

Say a prayer for…

Posted on September 11, 2010 | Comments Off on Say a prayer for…

Rare reader and longtime blogging pal Snoopy-the-Goon in Israel had a heart attack today. His son emailed me about it and said a stent had been put in the offending artery and the recovery seems to be going okay.

He also advised I should cancel my plans to come visit them in October, but I’m going to think about that before I do it. I might book a hotel and plan to take buses, etc. Maybe pay a short visit to the patient. In the meantime, please say a prayer for Snoop’s continuing recovery.

Refuah Shlema!.

Comments Off on Say a prayer for…

Posted in Blogosphere, Israel, Rancho Roly Poly

Tagged , , ,

Home protection

Posted on September 10, 2010 | Comments Off on Home protection

A friend who has a license-to-carry—mainly because he’s in the diamond business—was the other evening extolling the virtues of the AK-47 for home protection. I said what do you want that peasant gun for, when you could have a nice M-4?

Upon which he began a woeful tale of reduced powder in the 5.56 cartridges, and why the 7.62 has more stopping power. Nevertheless, I like the Tavor TAR-21, made by Israeli Weapons Industry Ltd., much better. Compact enough to fit under the night stand, too.

Via Simply Jews.

Comments Off on Home protection

Posted in Blogosphere, Israel, Rancho Roly Poly, Science/Engineering, Texana, The War

Tagged , ,

Plenty of rain overnight—and almost inside

Posted on September 8, 2010 | Comments Off on Plenty of rain overnight—and almost inside

The strange thing is that TS Hermine, which was forecast to be no more than a depression by the time it swept through Austin was, instead, still a storm. Consequently, we got a lot of rain, and 40 mph winds, and some area creeks are out of their banks, some trees are down and some places are flooded.

More than seven inches of rain at the rancho, so far, with ponding in the back forty, and some threat to the interior of the house which has been overcome  with a makeshift dam and towels to soak up what got through. KVUE’s Mark Murray forecasts that Hermine-the-depression will be well north of us by sunrise, with only lingering showers to spoil Mr. B.’s morning recess at school. So he won”t be happy.

Comments Off on Plenty of rain overnight—and almost inside

Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Scribbles, Texana, Weather/Climate

Tagged , , , , ,

Cold front and rain

Posted on September 3, 2010 | Comments Off on Cold front and rain

The first cold front of the season? Probably. Anyhow, it’s drawing moisture out of the Gulf and producing thunderstorms and steady rain. Over an inch so far at the rancho. Been a fairly wet year. Hope it continues. Had enough drought, after a hot and unusually dry August. But LCRA’s Bob Rose says it’ll return next week.

Comments Off on Cold front and rain

Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Scribbles, Texana, Weather/Climate

Tagged , ,

Nine flags over Precidio La Bahia

Posted on August 21, 2010 | Comments Off on Nine flags over Precidio La Bahia

DSCN0331On our route to and from Port Aransas every summer, we pass the forbidding walls of the old precidio. With its chapel in the background. As for those flags, let’s see now:  Spain, France, First (1812) Republic of Texas, Mexico, Second (1821) Republic of Texas, Dimmitt’s (1835) Goliad Flag, Third (1836) Republic of Texas, Confederate States of America, United States of American. Whew.

Comments Off on Nine flags over Precidio La Bahia

Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, South of the Border, Texana

Tagged , , , , ,