Author Archives: Patrick Lamb

I first learned about Gila trout almost 50 years ago when I was Santa Fe Bureau Chief and state capitol reporter for United Press International. The New Mexico Game and Fish Department, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies, had recognized that the colorful native trout of southwestern New Mexico andContinue reading “The tiny trout menace…”

Today is the fifth anniversary of my open heart surgery to replace a bad heart valve that I was born with but had not given me any trouble until about a year before I had the procedure done. I’m glad to stay it’s still working well and I feel very healthy for a guy myContinue reading “Takes a licking and still keeps on ticking…”

I learned last Friday of the death of my brother-in-law, Buzz Murrell, 91, of Cochiti Lake, NM. He had suffered a severe stroke 16 months ago, showed some recovery for a while, but in recent months had continued to go downhill. I know he loved my sister very much and saved her from a darkContinue reading “A sad day…”

(if their event gets approved by the Olympic Committee) You’ve probably never heard of the South America Republic of El Guacador. It’s so tiny it doesn’t appear on most maps — but mostly because the government officials couldn’t afford enough Guacos (the national currency) to bribe cartographers to include the country in their maps. TheContinue reading “Cheer for the El Guacador Olympic Team…”

If you grew up in the rural west or central United States in the 1960s, you probably listened to Oklahoma City radio station KOMA at night. It was the only source many of us early Boomers had for current rock and roll music. I thought of the station last week as a result of aContinue reading “I flaunt(ed) the law and the law won…”

Every year, it seems like merchandisers rush toward Christmas even earlier, hoping they won’t miss out on the shoppers who really really like to get a jump on the holidays. I fear the next early Christmas sale at Hobby Lobby will be on Dec. 26, 2024, when it will be promoted as “Get ready forContinue reading “And you thought they were rushing Christmas…”

When the word “wilderness” is mentioned, I suspect most people visualize a towering range of snow-capped mountains, unending lush conifer forests, broad meadows with rushing rivers flowing through them and waterfalls tumbling from cliffs into a valley below. In the Gila Wilderness of southwestern New Mexico, you don’t get much of that. It’s a placeContinue reading “Tough love…”

We just completed our annual Fourth of July sacrifice of more than $200 in fireworks for the benefit of our grandchildren and some visitors from a state where such shenanigans aren’t allowed. The finale was a device called “Kooky Caterpillar,” which shot crackling sparks of vivid colors out of various orifices, whistled loudly and concludedContinue reading “How about a little combat for a Fourth of July celebration?”

Things continue to improve in the Ruidoso area following the two devastating fires earlier this month. Police have now confirmed that they have now located everyone who was feared missing. The fires are largely contained and rains continue to dampen the area. Stories of kind gestures in the aftermath of the fire are starting toContinue reading “At twenty bucks a bottle, it was apparently worth it…”

The situation in Ruidoso continues to unfold as residents have finally been allowed to return to see if their homes, businesses and favorite places in the mountain community have been destroyed in the devastating fires. At this point, there is good containment of both the South Fork and Salt fires, but officials still estimate moreContinue reading “It shouldn’t take a disaster…”

Growing up in the southern New Mexico resort community of Ruidoso, my father always said he feared that some day there would be a catastrophic forest fire that raced through the canyon and destroyed much of the community. As you’ve probably been reading or hearing on electronic media, that very thing seems to have happenedContinue reading “The sum of all fears…”

The Albuquerque Journal’s Business Outlook section this week had a story about young kids — mostly teenagers on summer break — getting their first paying job. There was a lot of focus about Dion’s Pizza, which has always made an effort to hire teenagers for work in their statewide franchises (including two here in LasContinue reading “Don’t tell any of the cool guys about this…”

For reasons that probably won’t interest anyone, I have rejoined the Boy Scouts of America (soon to be renamed Scouting America) as an adult member of troop 66 in Las Cruces. In order to join, I had to pay dues and various entry fees of more than $100 and take a course called “Youth ProtectionContinue reading “Maybe I’ll compete in the Pinewood Derby…”