30 November 2009

Field Report: Witchita Mountains



Greetings everyone. I truly hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. Mine was fine. Spent it with my dad. My older brother and sister were here to help out.

Anyhow, while I am gearing up for the premiere of Land of the Zia: Season Five [tentatively scheduled for February 19th-ish...featuring a special appearance by....ah ah ah you'll have to wait and see...], field reporter T-Rob - who was gracious enough to ride shotgun with me on a few adventures - has filed this report from the Witchita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Oklahoma near Lawton.






The refuge was established in 1901, comprises over 59,000 acres and provides habitat to such animals as American Bison, Rockey Mountain Elk, white tailed deer and Texas Long-horn cattle. The black capped verio, an endangered species, resides here as well [I threw that in for K-Mo, woo hoo!!] .
















This looks like a beautiful area and it is probably quite something in the spring.

Thanks again to T-Rob for a cool report.

Here's wishing ya'll a great holiday season!!!

I'm out.

28 November 2009

high enough

MJ is simply...amazing.


26 November 2009

gobble

HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone!!!!

My best wishes for everyone out there!


20 November 2009

copy cat

A local channel here has started a local program on 'adventures in New Mexico'.... sounds familiar....hmmm... wish I had thought of that....

15 November 2009

In Memoriam



In memory of my ma, Alice Mary.

21 April 1931 - 15 November 1990.

Loved always.

11 November 2009

The Story of G.I. John




He was 17 when he went into the Army/Air Corps at the end of WW2.

He was sent to Europe where he fell in love with Deutschland and its people despite the war.

When the war ended he became a member of the search and rescue unit off the coast of Florida, visiting Cuba many times in the years before Castro took it over.


After his tour he got out of the military and became a business man operating a bar/restaurant called the Desert Winds in Winslow, AZ where he met a young woman named Alice, who he would marry.

Although out of active duty for a few years he joined the Army National Guard [the Army Air Corps had been merged with the Air Force].

He missed Korea; however, his unit was activated during the Vietnam War. He would do two tours of duty, one of which he became a POW.

The price he paid in Vietnam was exposure to Agent Orange which led to the failure of his kidneys later in life. He has been on dialysis now for over five years.

This GI's name is John. He, is my father.

The past few days my dad has been laid up in the VA hospital.

I've spent the past few days there with him and the three other veterans who shared a room with him: Don, Ray and Paul. Nice fellas all.

It is amazing how close you can become to some people in just a few days. How men in an enclosed room can share their life story in just a few hours. Talk of regret. Talk of duty. Talk of fear. Of hope.

Of how close they have come to death.

"What ever you do," Ray said to me, "don't get old."

"Too late...I'm half way there", I replied.


While they were there, a group of elderly women came into the room and presented hand made American flag blankets to all four men.



To these ladies I say, Thank You!


To Ray, Don, Paul, veterans and active duty men and women and especially to my dad I say not only thank you, but that I am eternally grateful for your service and the freedom you have given me.

To my dad I also say I love you and will do whatever I can to take care of you and make sure the time we have left together are good times.

I'm out.



postscript:



10 November 2009

Ok...I admit it. I'm liking the new V.


07 November 2009

THE BEST OF:



Another year has come and gone.

All my adventures are linked at the right, the highlight being Walkabout 2009 when I toured the southwest, what an amazing trip.

I'd like to thank my guests T-Rob and Dale for stopping by and musical guests Angus and Julian Stone, Brett Dennen and of course the Drive By Truckers.

I have a couple of ideas planned for next season, including Walkabout 2010

For now, feel free to browse the archive links at right.

I will post a few blogs between now and the spring so keep checking back. Winter can be harsh here in central New Mexico and road trips can be dangerous, especially on roads into the north country.

One of my favorite journalists was the late CBS Sunday Morning host, Charles Kuralt. He would always end his program with a few minutes of sound and images. A moment of tranquility.

In homage to him, I leave you with the following.

I'm out.