Ain't No God In Mexico

 

Well there is, but whatever, rock on.

Your Old Country Friend,

LSP

Honky Tonk Heroes

 

Honky Tonk Heroes and all hail Waylon and the rest of those outlaws. Speaking of which, I sent HTH to a rock 'n roll pal. His reply? Waylon ROCKS. Yes indeed, forever.

In other compelling news, the pillow guy's been raided by the Stasi FBI for daring to oppose our beloved rulers. About time! What a total Fascist. So take note, oppose our beloved Uniparty and get swatted, or hauled off to jail or kept in solitary for years without trial or whatever punishment fits your heinous crime.

Yes. Enemies of the State should expect nothing less and that's what we mean by tolerance and freedom. Obey us, or we crush you, in the name of the Rainbow. But what hides behind the gaily colored mane, glittering horn and gently thudding hooves? Surely not profit and insatiable greed, a beautiful house in the Vineyard, Mammon.

Ah, Mammon and the insatiable gullet of raytheon lockheed avarice. Consider it, the name Mammon connotes, in my mind at least, a kind of deadness. Vast, huge, and dead, but I won't bang on.

Gentlemen and women, do you remember Our Lord's admonition? Viz. You cannot serve God and Mammon. Choose wisely my friends. One way leads to life, the other leads to death.

Caveat,

LSP

All Hail Texas

There isn't much in Itasca, apart from an eerily impressive war memorial, and Karen's Authentic Mexican Food.

Karen's has expanded its operation and now includes seating, which it never used to have, but it still offers a fine bean and brisket burrito for around $3. You can have red sauce or green sauce on your bean and brisket, that's up to you. 

I opted for red and drove to Blanton, where I pulled up under a tree, put down the tailgate and ate that burrito. Up until a year or so ago there was an outdoor wooden chapel, open at the sides but tin roofed, to give cover to worshipers and mourners at the nearby cemetery. It had three flagpoles, too, and these would fly the Texan, Confederate and POW MIA flags.

The chapel has gone, sadly, though the flagpoles are still there, and it was tranquil sitting on the back of the truck, with $3 worth of tasty-as-you-like bean and brisket in a delicious tortilla. There was even a cool breeze. I thought back on the times I'd spent there over the last 8 years, mostly on horseback. 

It was a good moment in the Texan countryside and I thank God for that.

Some people scorn Texas. Those people are fools.

LSP

Juke Box Saturday

Texans everywhere are rejoicing over the imminent end of almost 150 years of repressive anti-constitutional legislation, that prevented supposedly free citizens from carrying handguns openly.

Loser

That looks set to change, soon. And sorry, Piers Morgan, you lose. Again.

Kick out the Jams,

LSP

Open Carry Passes Texas House of Representatives

Open Carry comes one step closer to Texas, with the state's House of Representatives voting 96-35 to allow citizens to openly carry handguns, provided they have a CHL (Concealed Handgun License).

A similar measure passed the Senate last month, and the two bills must be squared before being sent to Governor Abbott to be signed into law. Abbott has said that he supports open carry and stated, in December, 2014, that he would "sign whichever open carry bill withstands the legislative process and makes it to my desk."

Texas is one of only six states that forbid citizens from openly carrying handguns, thanks to repressive legislation that dates back to the post Civil War Reconstruction Government.

In anticipation of open carry finally becoming law in the hopefully near future, joyous Texans are playing Honky Tonk Heroes on a continuous loop.

If you do not like Honky Tonk Heroes, you are in grave error.

LSP

Squirrelly

Keen-eyed readers of this so-called blog will know that my pal's "squirrel rig" is a Ruger 10/22 with a fixed power 4x40 scope. My squirrel rig isn't so fancy, just an old JC Higgins bolt action .22, with open sights. It was old when I got it 5 years ago at the Gold Nugget Pawn & Gun and I'd like an upgrade. Probably another bolt action, a Ruger American? And a 10/22, for semi-auto fun? And a lever, too, just because they're neat. Anyway.

Out in the Field

Monday morning seemed like as good a time as any to test the rigs against the squirrels, so we set up in some woods and waited.

Woods

I like listening to the sound of the woods after getting into position and being still, senses tuned. Before long the trees come alive with birds and, hopefully, squirrels. After about 20 minutes we starting calling, or at least my buddy did; I'm not sure if my strangled sounding chirps qualified. 

Creek

The effort didn't go completely unrewarded. Outlying Squirrel Force scouts made an appearance, 4 of them, but they were fast and we didn't get a shot. Still, location confirmed, and we moved on, deeper into the woods till we got to a mighty oak (not the tree in the picture, obv.) that leaned over a creek.

It was good to be there, in silence, knowing that that tree had been there well before the land and Ralph's Creek was even mapped. I kept an eye out for the arboreal adversary and Indian artifacts, but didn't see either. Vultures swooped down on the tops of the trees, just visible through the canopy.

High Flyers

We made our way back to my truck, via a V of migrating Cranes, and I shot my friend's "rig" off the back of my rig. Proper little blaster. I like the Ruger 10/22; just a lot of fun to shoot.

Message to market? Get out in the woods and hunt more.

LSP

Tuesday Shoot

"I know," I thought to myself, "Let's go for a shoot." And that's what I did, Tuesday being as good as any other day to load up a couple of guns in the truck and head out to the range. But don't get the wrong idea; the "range" isn't some place that you have to pay to get into. No, it's just you and the guns, out there in the country, surrounded by a tall berm at 100+ yards. 

Watch Out For Snakes

Apart from a small shooting house and some targets, that's it. More serious shooters than myself use it to zero in their rifles from time to time, but mostly (almost always), it's empty. I like that.

The Beach in Spring

Before plinking about, I went for an armed walkabout to scout for squirrels and small game, perhaps a snake or two, but didn't see anything. However, down by a turgid pool of standing water that I call the "Beach," I saw some fresh deer tracks.

I'm hoping that this will translate into "meat in the freezer." We'll see.

If you think Honky Tonk Heroes by Waylon & Willie is bad, you are in serious error.

LSP

Country Magic

Thanks to Global Warming Climate Change (GWCC) it was cold and wet this morning, so I drove to West in search of "Valu Paks" of .22LR and a haircut. The barber was closed, along with most of the town, but the rumored .22 was there. Good result.

Downtown West

I took some time to wander around because I like West and its interesting Czech history. I understand some people still speak the language but regardless, the town's seen better days.

West Has Seen Better Days

Maybe the place will find a new source of income and prosperity, then again, maybe it'll simply continue its slow slide into decay and ruin. Like Detroit, but in rural Texas. Struck by that, I headed back along I35 and stopped at my town's Outlet Mall. 

Dead and Dying Outlet Mall

This was opened in the 1980s, promising wealth and jobs. Today it's mostly empty; here's a review, off of Yelp:

What I have to say about this place is probably the same that I can say about Afghanistan: bombed out and depleted. Like another reviewer mentioned, the only thing that makes this location complete is tumbleweeds blowing across the parking lot.

I took some pictures because I like to record the fall of what passes for our civilization, and was stopped by "Security." 

Mall Security Guarding the Empty Shops

Our conversation went like this:

"You can't take pictures here! No."

"Why not?"

"Well... I'm not rightly sure, sir, but no pictures allowed."

"Look, they're not even real pictures, they're digital."

"Maybe they'll hurt the buildings, sir. I been working here ten years."

"That's a very long time! And it's been a real pleasure to meet you. God bless."

"You too, sir!"

I liked the old man and off he went in his blue golf cart into the empty car park of the empty mall. I didn't ask why or how the pictures would hurt the buildings. 

That was obviously magic, country magic.

God bless,

LSP