Today, we are visiting the Heritage Center in Lakeway. They are having an open house. This is where all the historical artifacts of Lakeway are kept. Caroline’s of Austin is catering, and Ray Charles is entertaining us.
The Heritage Center was dedicated on November 11th, 2005. The new construction included restoring a portion of the original ranch house erected in the 1930s. The Center includes an archive storage room, the archivist’s office, public restrooms, a small kitchen, and a meeting room.
The Center is named in honor of Byron D. Varner, who wrote the first historical record of Lakeway. It is titled Lakeway: The First 25 Years.
The Rock Room is the only surviving piece of the original ranch house built in the 30s.
Watch your head going into the Rock House.
A fireplace to warm up after working the ranch all day.
A place to play cards and have meals.
Old church bench in the corner.
Now inside the Center itself, volunteers are honored
The walls are lined with historical documents.
The archive is packed full of artifacts.
A display case where more items can be seen.
Another display.
What is an open house without cookies.
A painting of the Fourth of July parade in 2009. (There is a parade every year)
The proud eagle telling us the tour is over
Time to enjoy brunch and the music. I hope you all have a terrific week.
The coffee machine gives me a message that it needs to be cleaned. It is an automated process that only requires me to drop a cleansing tablet into the appropriate hopper when prompted. Knowing full well until the machine is cleaned, there will be no coffee. So the button is pressed, which starts the twenty-minute cycle. What does one do for twenty minutes while a small devil attempts to beat a hole in your head for the lack of caffeine?
Looking at March 29th, 1925, it is one day when nothing much happened. Just as the coffee’s ready, the doorbell rings, sending Twiggy and Tempeste into fits of fur-shedding caterwauling that threatens to shatter the windows. Moving them into a soundproof room with a knuckle bone, the security system needs to be addressed.
Of course, the security system needed to be disengaged before going to the door. The control panel made the process simpler. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gattling guns disengaged, the moat net dropped, and the IUDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The locks on the door are thrown. The final camera check picked up the image of a rabbit chomping on an oversized carrot. “What do you want?” is my greeting through the loudspeaker system . “Hey, Doc. Open the door.”
Heaving the heavy six-inch door open, my first expression was, “Awe, aren’t you cute.”
“Cute smoot, Doc. I’m here on business.”
“What kind of business?”
“I have a message from Linda Hill.”
“Aww, that’s so nice of you.”
“Here, take it.”
The rabbit handed me an envelope and disappeared around the side of the house. Heaving the door closed and resetting the alarm system before opening the envelope. Once done, the message from Linda Hill read: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “awe/aww.” Use one, use both, use ’em any way you’d like. Bonus points if you fit them both into your post. Enjoy!
Fearing the worst after a prop plane was reported overdue for landing in Alaska last Sunday, search and rescue volunteers were relieved when news rang out that all three passengers survived.
The pilot and two children, who were in elementary and middle school, survived a crash landing on the frozen surface of Tustumena Lake and walked until they were seen.
The story first broke Sunday night/Monday morning that a Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser, which departed Sunday from Soldotna Airport near Kenai on a sightseeing trip, didn’t land when it should have.
John Morris, the father of the missing pilot, told CNN affiliate Alaska’s News Source that his son’s cell phone sent its final ping at about 5:00 p.m. Sunday evening over Tustumena.
Alaska’s News Source reports that a National Guard and state trooper search and rescue operation was augmented by volunteers from the community. One family friend posted a notice for help on Facebook that was re-shared 420 times.
Eventually, a Good Samaritan who saw the plane wreckage and three people walking on the frozen lake helped rescuers find them.
The three survivors were taken to a Kenai Peninsula area hospital and treated for “non-life-threatening injuries.”
Dale Eicher was one of the locals who heard the call for help. With a background in assisting search and rescues, he went up in his own plane to look for survivors but had barely arrived in the last known position before he heard over the radio that three people had been reported found.
“I called the troopers immediately because I was still in cell service, and I knew it was a really good chance that the guy who had found him was not in cell service,” Eicher said. ” I was really shocked. I didn’t expect that we would find them. I didn’t expect we would find them alive for sure…it doesn’t always turn out this well.”
The good news here is the community went all out to find the survivors of a plane crash even though it seemed unlikely anyone could survive. Today’s JohnKu talks about hope. I wish you all a super weekend.
“Come on. I have worked it hundreds of times and look at me.”
“I’m looking. What am I supposed to see.”
“A picture of health.”
“So you say you have worked these things and they are safe?”
“Yes sir. Safe as safe can be. Ypu do have to take precautions though.”
“Like what?”
“You can’t just rush in and grab the prize. You have to take your time.”
“Can you show me?”
“I suppose I could but then how are you to learn?”
“I could do the next one.”
“These things only show up once in a while. Next time may be a long time. You’re hungry aren’t you?”
“Yeah I could eat that whole thing myself.”
“You don’t want to do that. You’ll get a stomach ache.”
“Okay I do it. What’s the first thing?”
“See that bar and spring?”
“Yeah.”
“When you step on that pedal it releases that bar and a big ole metal thing is driven by that spring. If you are on the pedal the metal thing will trap you.”
“So what do I do?”
“You come in from the side and get a good grip on the cheese. Then you rip it off the pedal carefully. Done right you have the cheese and the trap is undisturbed.”
“Takes nerves of steel.”
“Yes to match that metal thing. Now go ahead and give it a try.”
This post was originally published on February 17, 2014 by Marie Bailey and me. Since this year’s income tax deadline is fast approaching, I thought it would be good to review.
Top Ten Things Not To Do While Doing Your Taxes
10. While doing your taxes, do not allow the cat to sit on your keyboard. If you do, at best, you may miss a couple of deductions. At worst, your kitty may just add a few zeroes to your tax bill.
9. While doing your taxes, do not have a hot drink sitting on some of your worksheets. If you do, at best, you could tip it over and ruin a few papers. At worst, you could tip it into your lap and jeopardize your love life till you heal.
8. While doing your taxes, do not allow your dog to play with the computer cord. If you do, at best, you may run out of battery. At worst you may need to run out to the vet to help Fido overcome his electro shock treatment
7. While doing your taxes, do not allow the family to play video games on your computer between sessions. If you do, at best, some memory may disappear. At worst, the IRS may get a Madden football game instead of your 1040.
6. While doing your taxes, do not leave your computer without saving your file. If you do, at best, you might have to remember all your half-truths all over again. At worst, you may be unable to reconstruct your perfect return and might end up owing more than you had planned.
5. While doing your taxes, do not think the IRS is okay with rough guesses or estimates of the numbers. If you do, at best, you will never hear from the IRS. At worst, you will have to explain your numbers during an audit to a disbelieving agent with a cattle prod.
4. While doing your taxes, do not forget to sign your return even if you don’t believe it to be true. If you do, At best, the return will bounce back. At worst, the lack of signature will trigger a visit from NSA who will want to know all about you.
3. While doing your taxes, do not try to get away without attaching a check if you owe money. If you do, at best, the government will send you a nasty note. At worst, you will find out how little a sense of humor the IRS really has as the gavel falls on the final auction of your house.
2. While doing your taxes, do not drink alcohol even if you think it will help. If you do, at best, you might be shocked by the amount you deducted. At worst, you may be shocked to find you have already mailed the return on which you took too many deductions.
1. While doing your taxes, do not be discouraged enough to decide not to file. If you do at best, you will never sleep again. At worst, you may get all your living expenses paid, but may have a roommate who wants to go steady.
Today we are going out and about to see if we can find signs of spring. We are catered by Eddie V’s of Austin. Our entertainment is Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole.
Menu
Chilean Sea Bass – Steamed Hong Kong Style with Light Soy Broth
Georges Bank Scallops – Seared with Citrus Fruit, Roasted Almonds, and Brown Butter
Norwegian Salmon – Mustard and Rye Whiskey Glazed with Baby Carrots and Spinach
Parmesan Sole – Parmesan Crusted with Heirloom Tomato Salad and Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce
Jumbo Gulf Shrimp – Crab-Stuffed with herbs and garlic, Lemon Beurre Blanc
South African Lobster – Two Tails Broiled, Drawn Butter
Filet Medallions Oscar Style- Jumbo Lump Crab, Asparagus, Béarnaise
10 oz Center Cut Filet Mignon and 5oz Roasted South African Lobster Beurre Blanc
The coffee machine detects the reality of being away for a while. She asks about the nature of my coffee drinking for the past week. Hemming and hawing did not forestall the answer long. The confession of drinking coffee brewed elsewhere brings a silent rebuke from the machine. “I hope you have a doctor visit on your calendar soon,” is the message scrolling across the touch screen.
Confirming the appointment date breaks loose a cup of the heavenly brew. On the first sip, the clock comes to mind. The setting is for March 21, 1925, and the location is the state of Tennessee. The duration is one hour, and the plunger is pulled.
We arrive in Dayton, Tennessee, which will be the location of the famous Scopes trial in July 1925. For now, though, we arrive just as the Butler Act takes effect.
In the U.S. state of Tennessee, the Butler Act, prohibiting school teachers from denying the Biblical account of man’s origin, took effect as it was signed by Governor Austin Peay. The Act provided that “it shall be unlawful for any teacher in any of the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of the State which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, to teach any theory that denies the Story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals,” had been passed by the state House of Representatives, 71 to 5 and by the Tennessee Senate, 24 to 6. The Act would remain on the books until its appeal on May 17, 1967. Maybe we’ll get back for the trial after John Scopes is indicted for teaching evolution, but the alarm goes off, and we fall flat on the couch.
There is a text from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “calendar.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
“I love how you sneaked calendar into the early p[art of your story.”
“I wanted to get it out of the way.”
“Well, you did that for sure. What made you pick that destination?”
“I have always been fascinated by the idea of passing a law forbidding the teaching of science. The fact that fundamental extremists could influence a state legislature to do so has amazed me since school.”
“So the fundamentalists only wanted the bible version of creation taught?”
” Well, they didn’t want evolution taught. The law didn’t say anything about the bible version.”
“I can’t believe anyone was prosecuted under such a law.”
“High school teacher John Scopes was.”
“Yeah. Did he go to jail?”
“No, he was found guilty and fined $100 by the judge, but that was set aside by a higher court ruling that judges cannot assess a fine above $50. That has to be done by the jury.
“I hope someone doesn’t decide Voo Doo Ranger needs to be outlawed.”
“So if they did.”
“Hello, hoosegow.”
“You call Uber?”
“Right over there.”
Photo by Dan Antion
“Look at that a Camero. At last, a ride in which we can be proud to be seen.”
“We can be proud to be seen. There’s only one problem.”
“What’s that?”
“No engine.”
“What?”
“The guy rebuilt the car and ran out of money.”
“So, how are we supposed to get to the pub.”
“Push.”
“Push?”
“Yup. As you know, the pub is in the valley, so well, just push the car till it gets rolling, hop in, and coast to the pub.”
“Sounds more like a you job than a me job. I’m getting in.”
In the remote mountains of northern Pakistan, four majestic snow leopards have been recorded recently moving through the snow-covered hills in a piece of footage that has ignited a flurry of excitement among conservationists.
These animals are seldom seen alone, much less in a group, and it’s being considered a sign of success for Pakistan’s conservation efforts in the animal’s habitat.
“For the past 15 days, I had been noticing leopard pawmarks. While I was on the roof of my house, I used binoculars to observe the mountains and spotted a female snow leopard along with her four cubs,” the photographer Sakhawat Ali told GNN.
“As a wildlife lover, I was extremely happy to see the snow leopards. I quickly moved closer and filmed them from a distance of about 150 meters.”
Ali lives in the remote village of Hushe and is also a gamekeeper at the Central Karakorum National Park in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, where the sighting was made. Snow leopards thrive here; their coats allow them to blend into the snowy mountains and remain undetected by their prey species.
That a female could have three large and healthy cubs is a sign that as much as the snow leopard population is doing well, prey populations of Siberian ibex, argali, roe deer, and Thorvold’s deer must also be thriving.
Still, the snow leopard is considered vulnerable by the IUCN Red List because of its susceptibility to habitat loss and fragmentation across the mountain ranges in which it lives.
Pakistan, and indeed all 12 of the snow leopard range countries, have made great strides in halting and reversing snow leopard declines over the last twenty years. CNN reported that local villagers celebrated Ali’s footage, even though snow leopards sometimes kill livestock.
Dr. Zakir Hussain, the Chief Conservator of Parks and Wildlife for Gilgit-Baltistan, told CNN that 80% of the region’s communities are engaged in the tracking, monitoring, and reporting snow leopard populations on a citizen science basis.
The snow leopard can be found in Russia, China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, which together make up the Global Snow Leopard Forum, an international platform for coordinating and sharing conservation strategies to protect this borderless wanderer between state wildlife and environment ministries and NGOs like the Snow Leopard Trust.
WATCH them move across a snowy landscape…
The good news here is that conservation efforts are showing results. Today’s JohnKu talks about conservation. I hope you have a super weekend.
More bluebonnets.
