A few years ago I took some pictures down ’round Portales and Rogers. I took one picture of a driveway turnoff to a wooden fence and a field of sunflowers. Back amonst the trees you could make out an old house place…..Somebody’s home…..Now just a lonely old place out in the country. I love the painting and I have given it to my no.2 grandson who has it hanging in his house. I’m glad he wanted it…And here is a photo of the painting. click on the picture to enlarge it. The photo was shot at an angle and it makes the frame look unsquare, however, it really is a square frame……Pete

The Jemez Publeo is trying to locate an off reservation casino in Anthony, NM (near El Paso, TX). Of course it is not yet approved but they are pushing for approval. I want to remind you folks that just last year or two years ago now, Governor Bill Richardson said no to the Fort Sill Apaches about a new casino over in Lordsburg, NM. For your information,  the Fort Sill Apaches are the remnantsof the Warm Spring Apache and the Chiricahuas Apache, desecents of Victorio and Cochise and Geronimo, who roamed southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona, until we captured them, took them prisoner and relocated them to Florida, then Alabama, then Oklahoma…..For 27 years we kept them captive, watched and punished them because they fought for their homeland and yes, their freedom and was the last tribe to give into the American push westward. Some  of them joined the Mescalero Apaches near Ruidoso. The rest of them stayed in Oklahoma as the Fort Sill Apaches….So then they wanted a casino built in their homeland of New Mexico near Lordsburg. Governor Bill said , “No way”. …Now, we continue to punish them, rubbing in their face that we are going to consider the Jemez Publeo Tribe of Northern New Mexico over them for a new casino in southern New Mexico…..I am not too interested in a new casino in New Mexico and neither is the Mescalero Tribe who have a casino near Ruidoso…But for New Mexico to say yes to the Jemez and no to the Fort Sill Apaches is a little to much…And to me, it really is another slap in the face of the Apache people…..

This evening we got together to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. It truly is a time for celebration. We had lots of grateful citizens there tonight and even one member of the New Mexico National Guard. He does not know if his unit will be deployed again, but I certainly hope not. It was good to visit with him and with the others gathered there tonight. Many of them we have been friends with for years but we only see each other a few times per year, not really often enough to get our visiting done. But it made you feel good on the inside to see them, to visit with them and learn what is presently going on in their lives. Also, making some new friends with solid folks that add another joy to our lives. How blessed we are to live in America, to have the right to assemble ourselves, to have generous amounts of wonderful food and deserts available for our enjoyment and the ability to do it all without any fear of interference of any type from police or outlaws. Our thanks to the all the families who brought the food and drinks tonight. A great time together…..

Catch of the week….Several of them this week. At Elephant Butte, Jackie Allison of Tallahassee, FL landed a trophy striper, 41 pounds 6 oz and 46 1/2 inches long. That is the largest fish caught at the Butte this year(Ms. Allison, what are you doing fishing in New Mexico? I mean we are happy to have you, but Florida to New Mexico?)……At Quemado Lake, Dominic Chavez of Belen caught three large tiger muskies, 31 1/2 inches, 30 1/4 inches and 27 inches all on his homemade spinner. (He may want to market that spinner)……At Bluewater Lake, Stan Kosiewicz of Los Alamos caught and released a 40 inch tiger muskie that weighted 20 1/2 pounds. (the smoke and fire probably chased him out of Los Alamos…Hope his place is ok)…..At Shady Lakes, Aaron Wedemeyer of Tijeras caught two trout over 20 inches. Biggest was 22 1/2 inches and 4 1/2 pounds. (He was using a woolly bugger.) And Hayden Mathis age 10 of Albuquerque landed a 21 inch, 4 1/2 pounder with a gold Panther Martin lure. (Way to go, Hayden). And Katherine Earl, 18, of Albuquerque caught a 21 inch 4 pound rainbow on night crawlers. By the way, at Herron Lake, the salmon have started schooling. No reports of class cutting or absenteeism so far. CAUTION…Game and Fish reports that due to forest closure and fire dangers, the best bet is to stay away from Jemez River, Cochiti Lake and Fenton Lake. Let’s honor their wishes folks…Hopefully the monsoon will be here soon and we will be good and wet from all the rain….

My fellow Americans, I think we are on the brink of a major disaster…..The Democrats do not want to make spending cuts and the Republicans do not want to make any tax  increases…..You guys are just going to have to have a little give and take I think. When Bush gave the tax break to the rich and powerful a few years ago, it was a temporary thing as I recall. We have all seen the net profits of the oil companies and other major corporation, and we need them to be profitable and make money, but they are going to have to belly up to some increases, times demand it. We have seen the federal government spending, fighting wars and more pork barrels, and help us poor folk but we are also going to have to belly up and get use to some skimpy times. You see what is happening in Greece. That could be us in a few month time. CBS News reported tonight that 40% of all Americans think America is on the decline. And we are…..But listen, if both political parties and you and me all agree that we are facing some hard times and reckon we are going to have to take a hard line and do something about it, we can pull it out….In other words, do something Americans have trouble doing, pulling together. There is some middle ground we can take and save America, some give and take…..I don’t see that happening…Neither side wants to give….But if you don’t I shudder to think what will be happening next year…..We have had a pretty steady climb from 1776 to 2011, things have been good for the most part…a few bad years….and best case for us would be a few more “few bad years” and not a downfall of a nation. Gloom and Doom…..It does not have to be…..But some of us have to do some thinking, some giving and yes, some praying but we have asked God to leave our schools, our government, even some of our businesses, so can we get Him back?…..I think we can…. 2nd Chronicles 7:14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land”….Amen?….Yes, Amen! Think about that America……

It’s watermelon buying time again. You can put watermelon thumping into the search on the home page of hesterbooks.com and my posting from last August will come up. I had several requests to repost it but I don’t know how. This should work if you are interested in thumping melons…..maybe….well, sometimes….it has worked

They also won the soccor game….Pasadena, Mexico, er, I mean, California…..The Mexican played their air horns and threw beach balls during the playing of the National Anthem of the United States of America….Apparently, all of them are residents of the state of California and they acted like this. Sounds like they are really happy to be here. Happy they can berated the great Nation that feeds them, harbors them, protects them and they show it by disrespecting our flag and anthem. They beat us on the field, and that’s ok, but to disrespect us and our players in such a fashion is totally unacceptable. Victor Sanchez of Monrovia, Calif. said, “I love this country, it has given me everything I have and I am proud to be a part of it. But yet, I didn’t have a choice to come here. I was born in Mexico, and that is where my heart will always be.” Victor, why did you not try to stop the horn blowing and beach ball throwing during the Anthem?. And if your heart remains in Mexico, maybe that is where your ass should be also. Seems to me all of you Mexican love Mexico while draining America of its resources. I am not racist…I love the proud Americans who are of Mexican descent and they are proud to be Americans same as me. I am an American and proud of it.  People take and take from the USA because we give and give….Folks are getting tired of it….You won the soccor match Mexico but I don’t think you won any friends…….What dream act?…..

information from the Albuquerque Journal Sports Page, Red, White and Boo by Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2011

Did any of you visitors to the site attend the 4Given Quartet  concert at Coal Fire AL, Baptist Church today, 6/26/2011? …If so, why not give us a report on the performance and the attendances…. I hope you folks in Coal Fire gave them a good old Coal Fire reception….I look forward to hearing from someone on the concert….Listening to their web site sounds like a great group…..

Did you know that 76 % of Americans are Christians? And did you know of that 76%, that 24 % (72 Million) are Catholic, 16 % (48 million) are Baptist, and 7 % (20 million) are Methodist. 1.3% ( 4 million) of that number of Mormon. And I mention that because the percentage of those members that attend church, the Mormons do best. 71 % are regular church attenders, while Baptist are 50 % and Catholics are 48%. ……I just figured you guys had always wondered about that….soooo, now you know.

I was raised Baptist, but we attend Calvary Chapel when we attend, which since Sweeties hip replacement we have slowed way down. Unless you get to that church early you almost have to park in the Caterpillar dealers yard. Well, slightly exaggerated, but its a long walk if you are not early. Well, last night we went early and got a decent parking space and really enjoyed Skip Heitzig message. “That boy can preach.” You know Christ commanded Peter to “feed my sheep”. That is what Skip does, he feeds me and Sweetie. If you go to Calvary and don’t get fed, you are sleeping through the sermon. Anyway, a very good message. I hope you went to church today. It just makes you feel better, don’t it…..Well, it does me anyway… One more did you know item……Did you know Calvary Chapel has over 13,500 adults attending their serivces? That’s why it is so hard to find a close parking space. One other “did you know”….Did you know Calvary has a Saturday night service and three Sunday morning services?

Tonight I read, Free Indeed: The Testimony of Lynn Wilder…..She tells a wonderful story of being converted to Mormonism and after years of devotion to the Mormon faith, she was born again, becoming a Christian again and leaving the Mormon church. I did not know the Mormon did not believe in being “born again”. You Mormon folks need to read the Bible, I say read the Bible folks….It tells you all about that….It tells you about the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit being one person….You can go to heaven by believing in Jesus Christ when you claim Him as your Savior…..I have not read anything about me becoming a God or about you becoming one either…That ain’t gonna happen….The Bible tells it straight….Believe it…Oh, yeah…You folks don’t recognize the cross? You don’t wear the cross? You do know that Jesus died on a cross for your sins and mine, huh? He shed his blood for us, on a cross, to cleanse and pardon our sins….You did read about that, didn’t you?….Reading this article by Mrs. Wilder really disturbed me….Maybe I should have already known that stuff, but I did not….Shame on me…

President says he is bringing 33,000 troops home….That is good….Waiting until 2012 to reach that number sounds bad to me, but on the other hand if a troop shortage jeopardizes the remaining troops then we should wait.I mean that we want to have enough there to watch each others back… I think the military commanders will have a better feel than such as I about that. I want them all safe, no matter where they are…The safest place on earth Right now is America in my opinion. I am sure our boys and girls on the battle field would share that opinion. And home is where they need to be as quickly as possible.

A whole bunch of folks besides me were upset with NBC leaving, One nation, under God out of   our pledge last Sunday. Why do some folks have such a problem with using or even saying God or Jesus in public. Do they think our lives end with death? Hey, that’s just the beginning.Read the bible or Heaven is For Real, word from a four year old about heaven. It is for real and each of us will go to one of two destinations…I choose heaven. I think most of you do as well….Can I get a big Amen?….

National Treasury Stuff….Can we pass the plate for the Federal Government? We may have to…We’re broke, with a lousy credit rating and head over heels in debt, but most of us want the treasury to keep the money flowing. Soooo, in that effort, the flowing money I mean, we need to pass the plate, take up a collection and send some of it back to the Feds. That’s about the only way I can see out of this mess we are in…..Democrats say raise taxes, Republicans say cut spending and they are both sittings on their big fat tushes and doing nothing to resolve the issue…Go ahead and put me down for the first dollar and I might can do a little better if it really gets to be crunch time….

Post Office closing small offices in New Mexico stuff….The post office needs to save some money and want to close small post offices around New Mexico. I remember our little store in Coal Fire, Alabama serving as the post office. The rural carrier would drop off and pick up mail at this store and I don’t think the store owner was reimbursed for that service. It did bring in a few more customers on a daily basis. Could that work again and here in New Mexico? I guess only if the small store owners would be willing to spend the time doing it, huh? In today’s climate there are a lot of liabilities to consider I guess…Oh well, just a thought….

NBC was putting the nation to test on Sunday….Would anyone notice the absence of, One Nation, Under God…It appears as though many of us did. I mentioned it to sweetie when it happened….Why should we be surprised! More and more we leave God out of everything and if we keep on He may take his loving hand off America. But NBC, just so you will know, we the American people still feel that we are, “One Nation, under God”….Go ahead and tell ABC and CBS and CNN and FOX so we don’t have to come down on them….

Our National anthem stuff…..I have not commented here on the celebrities singing our National anthem before sporting events and forgetting or not knowing the words to the song. They are paid big bucks to sing it, to sing it properly and with reverence and they cannot remember the words, or they make up the tune as they go and a host of other miscues. Let’s go back to instrumentals and the crowd singing  for the National anthem, don’t you agree? I am tried of these singers screwing it up..It certainly is not stage fright as they perform before thousands  regularly…They are just ill prepared and a lot of us don’t like it….

Bring our boys and girls home stuff…Enough….we have done enough…on every front, let’s bring them home…and lets keep them home and unless a there is an attack on our territory or on one of our allies, like England, then we will fight….These other folks don’t care if an American boy dies…Heck, they strap explosives to theirs and send them on their way….Sorry, I don’t want one more boy or girl to die or be dismembered….Let’s bring them home…..No more….