Category Archives: Uncategorized

I hoped that headline would get your attention. It’s the scientific name a spectacular variety of purple thistle that grows only along the waterways and canyons in the Sacramento Mountains of southeastern New Mexico. The common name is “Sacramento thistle.” I’ve always appreciated these plants with their purple puff-ball flower, sometimes growing as tall asContinue reading “Cirsium vinaceum…”

Supply chain issues have been popping up everywhere as a result of the pandemic. Recently, one showed up in our state government that I suspect many people didn’t anticipate. This one affected the Motor Vehicle Department. Those of us who have lived in New Mexico for years have stories to tell about the continuing bumblingContinue reading “Is it my car registration or a job offer?”

You might have read recently that THE Ohio State University has trademarked the use of the word “THE” when the school is referenced. The presumptuous move supposedly means no other university can use the word “THE” (all caps, please) when referring to the institution. Hence, there can be no “THE University of Humor Impaired ofContinue reading “Trademark pending???”

East of Albuquerque, along Interstate 40 near Sedillo Hill, the New Mexico Highway Department placed a directional sign at an exit showing a town named “Albuqueque” was thataway. Clearly, when the signmaker produced the sign, he or she didn’t notice that the letter “R” had been dropped from the name of the state’s largest city.Continue reading “Why “R” people having so much trouble spelling this town’s name?”

As with most cities these days, we’ve seen an influx of homeless people. Because of the inviting shady and lush green park on the east side of our church, St. James Episcopal, we’ve been an especially popular place for the homeless during our recent heat wave. One homeless visitor to the church was particularly entertainingContinue reading “A ministry of exposure…”

Las Cruces has been used as a location for many movies over the years. Some were dreadful, others marginally okay. I can’t really remember a truly good one. Nevertheless, it does bring some income and notoriety to the area. The latest movie to plan on filming in Las Cruces is one that will feature MelContinue reading “Trying to make a silk purse out of a javelina ear…”

Next Monday, my pig sourced replacement aortic heart valve will have been working three years in my ticker. All seems to be going well with regular checkups and EKGs showing it’s doing its job. Seems like I’m a little short on breath on some occasions when hiking in higher altitudes, but I think that justContinue reading “Still oinking…”

My wife and I have been ordering food items online from Wal-Mart since the pandemic. We pick up what we’ve ordered at a special drive-up section at the side of our nearby store, avoiding mingling with lots of people and dodging those expensive impulse buys that double your shopping bill. The pick-up routine requires youContinue reading “You’re nobody, unless you have one…”

Our daughter and our two grandchildren visited us earlier this month and we made the most of their time here by traveling to various sites around the region. We stopped at City of Rocks State Park, the Catwalk near Glenwood, the Organ Mountains and other places in Las Cruces to keep them entertained. Our biggestContinue reading “No zombies…”

About three years ago, out of the blue, I was contacted by an individual wanting to know if I would be willing to allow an oil company to acquire drilling rights from a piece of property near Pecos, TX, that I had inherited. WHAT???!!!??? I never even knew this piece of property existed. After discussionsContinue reading “Just coincidence?”

The City of Albuquerque recently decided to re-implement speeding cameras on several of its high-trafficked streets. The city had used the speed cameras several years ago, but ultimately took all of them down after a series of complaints, legal challenges and questions about their effectiveness. Apparently some drivers still aren’t warming up to the ideaContinue reading “Big Brother is watching!!! — um, well, not any more…”

My good friend Cheryl who doubles as an additional research assistant and fact checker for my blog (I need to increase her salary) came up with some new information about the infamous “Motel Boulevard” that I mentioned in one of my blogs last week. It turns out that a short section of that road southContinue reading “Well actually there aren’t any motels on Motel Boulevard…”

A story in last Sunday’s Las Cruces Sun-News announced that Louisiana had named a section of highway in honor of legendary New Mexico lawman Pat Garrett, who killed notorious outlaw Billy the Kid. The Louisiana Legislature designated a section of Louisiana Highway 9 from the towns of Homer to Junction City as “Sheriff Pat GarrettContinue reading “Only one run down motel on Motel Boulevard…”

A CW Network TV show currently airing is yet another attempt to conjure up stories of space aliens who arrived in Roswell, NM, in 1947. I confess that I’ve never watched it, and at this point don’t really plan on it. What I found amusing in the promotions for the TV show is the pictureContinue reading “Um, that’s not really anywhere near Roswell…”