Ok, so let us jump from the big city of Claunch, NM to the bigger city of Coal Fire, AL. Right on highway US 82, between Columbus, MS and Tuscaloosa, AL lies this quiet community. It has been quiet since most of us cousins left there a few years ago. There may have been a few others in between. For me, a few years in this context could be fifty years or so, longer for a few,  shorter for others. One or two cousins are still close to home, others at some distance. At 1212 miles, I might be the one furtherest (is that a word) from Coal Fire.  All of the cousins plan a get together in July, 2009. A little history on Coal Fire. At one time, according to my Dad, there were 3 steam sawmills operating in Coal Fire and at that time the population was around 800. Dad operated a barber shop for several of those years in down town Coal Fire. Between our house and the small store, at the time I first remember, there was a built up area that Dad said was where the railroad tracks that ran from the main line to the mills located north of US 82 and slightly west. Anyway, in the next few days I will make other post on Coal Fire, including comments on the creek that all of us cousins remember so well, the coldest dad-gum creek that I know of. I doubt that it has warmed up any. You folks write me if it is over 65 degrees now-a-days. With global warming, maybe it is warmer now. You remember how our lips would turn blue in just a short time?…. Let me know……..

What is it about Chapter Four that bogs me down on my writing? I have my main man down in El Paso now, ready to go to work on a ranch and then just, blank, nothing, nil….. Maybe I need one of those real cowboys to give me some work information on ranching since that is a very foreign to me. I mentioned round-ups to some folks down in Claunch the other day. He said yeah, we (his wife and himself) go out in what ever pasture they are working and blow an air horn and here come the cows. He routinely does that when he is feeding them and the cows associate the air horn with food. So he blows the air horn and bingo, round-up done. Maybe thats over stating it somewhat, but that is what he does. Did they have air horns in 1881? I could have my main man jump in his chevy pick-up and get after them thar cows!!! Tooting that air horn as he went…… well, maybe not…

Well, some of you might be ready for a new subject matter. You can just forget it for a while. The memories are just too fresh and vivid for me to move on now. I want to tell you about some folks I met and visited with. First, I want to tell you about two cowboys, real cowboys, not your city slicker, clothes buying type. I mean horse riding, steer roping, stepping in the cow shi….I mean stepping in the manure type cowboys. First, two young men that are something else, they have your cowboy boots, blue jeans, cowboy hats, and all that, but they walk the walk and talk the talk and both of them are four years old, Tye and Ernie, butTye let me know he was the oldest. Ten years down the road they will be molded into some fine young men. That’s the only two I will name is this post but, of the others,  the first one I met was there with a pickup load of stuff for the new baby. I know you think I’m lying, but as the old saying goes, no sir-ree-bob, I ain’t. Four of us went to unloading that dang pickup. And other that my host, of course, I met a couple of cowboys who had been branding all day and came over to visit. Both of them were your gen-u-wine type cowboys as well. Later, a family came over, a couple and their three sons, all student down at Carrizozo and all real cowboys, and they had been branding all day. There were some of my family members there, better said, some of my wife’s family members and they are all musican singers. The music went on way past my bedtime and I stayed up later than normal. It was such a good time. It will be etched into my memory for a while….. ok, I’ll try to move on to other subject matter, but I reserve the right to bring up Claunch again if another serious story hits me……..

The cyclone that I mentioned in reference to my Claunch visit was a very strange phenomenon. My host had some trash that needed burning, in a safe area, cleared of any  grass and brush, with several 55 gallon barrels for burning, with a large screen to cover them. He asked me to just sit in the pickup until he did the deed and then we would check some other things around the ranch. He was just behind my line of vision. The day was clear, no wind to speak of and very still. Suddenly, I heard a loud bang, then a 55 gallon barrel goes sailing though the air (we checked later and determined it was thrown 45 feet.) I only saw the barrel after the bang go sailing though the air. My host said, it was picked  up, slammed back down into the ground, then tossed through the air. The brush around us gave no indication of wind and the dust did not kick up. I stuck my head out of the window and called, “what the hell did you do” thinking that maybe a propane torch or something exploded. It was a very narrow strip of wind apparently that did this. Had that barrel hit either of us with the force that it had, could have inflicted serious injury. All this made me wonder why that happened, it was just so strange. Anyway, I read this morning in the Good Book, in Psalm 34:11, COME, MY CHILDREN, LISTEN TO ME; I WILL TEACH YOU THE FEAR OF THE LORD. Sometimes we forget the power of God and the control he has over the wind and all of natures forces. Well, He certainly got my attention again…….

Sorry, folks, but one post will not cut it for Claunch. That is a busy place, lots going on. Round ups, cyclones (or something) showers (baby kind) music playing and singing and most of all some mighty nice folks serving some mighty good food. I am so dang tired from all the stuff going on I am going to make 2 0r 3 posts on this visit. I very seldom see my neighbors around here and those folks come for miles to shake hands, say howdy and greet one another. Word gets out on it and Claunch may start growing again. Well, more later, I got to rest up some from all that visiting…… It plum tuckered me out…..

Have you ever been to Claunch, NM? Well, me neither. I’ve lived in New Mexico since… well, a long, long time and have never even heard of Claunch until a short time ago. Lately, at every turn someone is talking about Claunch. I heard a few days ago that two people moved into the town and it boosted the population by 25%. Now that’s growth, folks!!! Anyway, I’m thinking about touring the place this weekend, but I understand Motel 6 does not have a facility there. Dang…. You reckon that’s right??

Yesterday I recieved a comment from a young lady I used to work with. She has read every one of my books or manuscripts. So yesterday, she gave me a thumbs up on “Apaches, Buffalo Soldiers, That Female Reporter, And Me”. What do you think about that “Mr. Editors who have turned me down?” It really is a good book folks. I just write terrible query letters and synopsis.        if i just knew someone important…… oh, well….

Since “Apaches, Buffalo Soldiers, That Female Reporter, And Me” is going absolutely nowhere, I am having trouble getting into my next book, you know what I mean, no excitement at all in my writing. I have four chapters written and a mental outline, but it is slow going. El Paso, TX area is the center of the story, 1881, when Dallas Stoudenmire was town Marshall. He was known for his “shoot and ask questions later” style of justice. Three railroads have just made it into town and the boom is on. I really need to get on with the story. When the words hit me they generally explode like a bomb,  but so far, not even a firecracker.

Number two son had his Mom and me over for Mother”s Day dinner yesterday. Great meal, both Grandma’s were there as were Number two son’s wife, daughter and two sons. Lots of visiting, good food and planning. One grandson is a huge fan of the Atlanta Braves. We discussed my attending a reunion down in Pickens County, Al this summer, July as a matter of fact. Grandson jumped on the computer and learned that the Braves were going to be at home during that time frame. Now, maybe a bunch of us will be headed toward Alabama with a brief sojourn over to Atlanta to see the Braves play. Both grandson want to see how many major league ball parks they can visit in the next few years, etc, so really both of them became excited over the “reunion”. Me too, because I would really love the company and I hate to fly any more. So, the Mother’s had a good day, my granddaughter announced plans for a San Franciso trip to see the Cowboys play in preseason (amongst eating a dab of great sea food), so she had a good day,  and us boys started planning for the reunion. It was really a good day for all.