Well, I was thinking about Lubbock today…They’ve been in the news a lot lately, with Mike Leach and all. I feel bad about that happening cause Mike turned out some good ball clubs and good players…You know, the people of Lubbock really are about the best people you will find anywhere…I was talking with a gate agent employed by Southwest Airlines..He told me the people going to Lubbock were the nicest, friendliest people on the face of the earth…He said we can announce our flight has been delayed or other things and Lubbock folks just seem to grin and bear it and very seldom if ever throw any hissy fits…That’s nice, huh..says a lot about them….You know what I think..I think it’s cause they have the farmer’s mentality, you can’t rush things, you depend on God, and you can’t control the weather and crap happens, so you just deal with it….We have some kin folks over that way and that’s kind of the way they are…I think it is great…I wish we had a few more folks like that, don’t you?…

We recieved 5 (make that 9) comments from foreign visitors to the site. I have no idea what they said, but I think they may have said, “Ah so, you pretty good writer. You do more foreign,ok?” Well, I’m kidding of course, and please, don’t come down on me for the accent there. In fun…I do appreciate everyone coming by, but if you do use English it will help…I’m from Alabama and I have trouble with real English, but I am getting better…..Ok, Bama folks, I’m kidding again…I love you and you know it….Geez, maybe I better change subjects…Dayton is coming into town tonight and the Lobo’s are a little worried. Dayton returned 10 players from last years team that went into the second round of the NCAA tourney. They have a record of 10 – 2 and probably would move into the top twenty-five with a win tonight…However, I hope Coach Alford and his boys are ready for them….I bet the pit will be jumping again….Speaking of Bama, Mack Brown better have his Texas Longhorns  in shape…Bama had a real good season, won some tough games and they are still pissed about the Sugar Bowl from last year….This one should be a good’un…..I’m ready for spring, enough of winter already….reckon why we have winters?…So us old coggers will have something to bitch about? Maybe… Well, maybe some of you like the cold and snow and to each his own….Spring is what I’m about and summer is ok to..We will get there….Remember to eat your black-eyed peas today….Speaking of which, you know my brother died Dec. 26, 2008. The summer before that I was visiting him and asked him if he was still eatng black-eyed peas. “No,” he says, “we eat crowders. They have a better taste than black-eyes.” So, you see, I been gone a long time from Alabama. I thought black-eyes were still the thing….I still eat them on January 1st, can’t change that now…Happy New Year Folks…..God loves you

You know, I forgot to make mention that on our trip to Branson, MO in October that at most of the shows they honor veterans. They play the songs of each branch and  they ask each veteran to stand while their branch of service song was being played. It was a real thrill for me, and I think for all those present, to be honored in that fashion. I think each branch had  representatives there…I was standing with the Air Force, several of us old coggers stood with the Air Force…Every branch was well represented….Well, that was nice…

One more note on Branson…After the evening show, we went to Steak and Shake for a little snack…..That’s a pretty good place…Try it after your next late show there…In trying to impress the boss, I ordered a low cal shake, well, that’s what I told the waitress..now I am not sure exactly what I got. And on that note, we drove on down to Eureka Springs and among other things, we rode through that beautiful town. There was this T-Shirt hanging out front of one of the stores that said, “Fat people don’t get kidnapped”….So, I was kind of thankful for that low cal milk shake….strawberry, thick and creamery….yum, yum….I’m ready to go back…. I didn’t get kidnapped either…..Pete

Betty, a visitor to my web site today, mentioned among other things, that she loved the pictures at the top of my web site. I would like to thank her for mentioning them, as I too think they are very beautiful. My no. 3 son put this site together  and he did an excellent job on the pictures, don’t you think?  The lights of Albuquerue, Shiprock and the church steeple are all very nice, but since I look at the lights of Albuquerque every time I am out after dark, I am always amazed by their beauty. When we have visitors we normally ride them over to the eastside . From  the Tram at the foot of the Sandia’s, one can look back north, south and especially west and have a special vista. It is breath taking. Thanks again Betty for making mention of the pictures and again, thanks to No. 3 son for making the pictures possible….Pete

Tip off at 7 pm tonight, Dec 29….This should be a good game…Tech 10 – 1 and New Mexico 12 -1 and both coaches Bobby Knight trained, Pat Knight being a son of the famous coach and Alford being an All-American playing for Coach Kinight in the 1980’s. No chairs will be flying around, I don’t think…Both coaches are a little more laid back than their mentor…Tech may have a little more bench than the Lobo’s, but it should be a real good game….But the Lobo have to shoot better than the 29 % they shot against ORU….Popcorn is ready…I’m all set…Go Lobo’s…

I did it….I uploaded the picture of the elk..I had to  print it out and scan to my pictures..I don’t know why..You computers guys probably already know what I was doing wrong. But anyway, now we have it….proof of Elk in Central New Mexico….pretty, huh?

Re: New Mexico Wildlife published by The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish,Vol.54, No. 4 Supplement to Albuquerque Journal, Tuesday Dec. 29, 2009….Restoring Wetlands

I know folks from all over the nation read this blog and I appreciate that. One person wrote that maybe I need to cover a broader range of writing subjects. And I will try to do that as I learn about areas and things I have recently discovered or learned of. Today, I would like to talk about a more local item, again, and hope you find it interesting….The first place I came to in New Mexico was Walker Air Force Base, Roswell, NM….That name alone places me “way back yonder” in New Mexico history. Not as far back as Fort Cummins or Fort McRae or Fort Craig, but pretty far back…My first plane to work on was the B-36…Long time ago, huh? Well, on to today’s subject, The Bottomless Lakes State Park..It was going strong back then. It got it’s name when cowboys took all the ropes they had, tied them together to try and find the bottom of the lake. The currents from underground streams took their ropes to destinations unknown, they just did not or could not have had enough rope to find a bottom as such. Come to find out they are around 80 feet deep, but who knows where the underground stream end up. I don’t. But back to my story…The overflow of the Lea Lake, the largest of the lakes, has been directed back toward the Pecos River and through a culvert under the highway and once again a wetland has been formed in the Pecos River bottom land. The Salt Cedars that had once invaded the area has been removed and seed bearing plants and flowers, the Pecos Sunflower, an endanged plant, is now florishing, bringing back the birds and waterfowl that  used to call this area home many years ago. I am a bird lover and try to keep bird food and water out in my back yard. So, I was very glad to read of the efforts of those people involved in this project and I salute you all for your efforts. The birds and the bees really thank you too..Pete

There is a related article on Big Horn Sheep in New Mexico Wildlife that is excellent reading as well. In 1980, the Bighorn sheep were put on the endangered species list. Today the herds are back to around 500 at 6 different locations around the state…Good news, huh….you can read more about the Bighorn Sheep and wildlife of New Mexico at www.wildlife.state.nm.us ….Pete

With our country nearing bankruptcy and more and more people out to destroy our nation, is it not time to limit citizenship?  Some of these folks are just so different from mainstream America, some of them want to change us and our way of life….We can send help to any country in the world and we already do that for a lot of countries…I think it’s time we became selfish and protective of our own….Times are getting tough and may get a lot tougher…Would closing our borders and ports for a while, not allowing any new citizens, and playing catch-up make sense?…Let me hear from you…Pete

I plum forgot to tell you about Myrtie Mae’s in Eureka Springs….We ate there a couple of time while traveling through last fall…Good food, nice decor and good ambiance….If you are traveling through there you will want to have a least one meal with those nice folks….It’s good….

A while back my number 3 grandson told me and The Boss that the best Mexican food in Albuquerque was Los Compadres. That next week we tried it out and we have been eating there ever since. Wonderful food…Anyway, we asked No. 3 Grandson how he made that assessment of it being the best food. He said, “their Enchilada’s taste like my dad’s” and since we knew his dad was a good cook we had to try it. Yesterday we took my No. 2 son (No.3 grandson’s father) and wife to Los Compadres for lunch. No.2 son loved it…Daughter-in-law loved it…and my wife and I loved it and enjoyed our meal very much and the prices are very reasonable.  And yes, No. 2 son concurred, the enchilada’s do kind’a taste like his, but I think his favorite was the taco…Whatever you order you will love…If you have seen my picture you know that good food is one of my specialities….Try Los Compadres, 424 Isleta Blvd,  but be prepared to keep going back for more…..Pete Hester