on seeking "success" in this world...

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

first cut alfalfa

Ben's "dealer" in Alpine just got a new load of alfalfa in last week and posted a picture of it on Facebook.  Ben sent me up there today to grab a few bales.  62,75,65,0,W

a friday night film

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skin pinned

Pinned the rattlesnake skin (scales down) to dry after soaking in the tanning solution for 6 days.  92,95,53,0,B

twenty years later...

...and 934,000,000 miles away.

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Meade LX90

It has been a little over 5 years since the last time I broke out the ol' telescope.  I bought this about 13 years ago and have barely used it.  Bound to be something good I can do with it for a YouTube video.  Just got the parts I need to mount my Canon T3i to it...but it looks like I have some cleaning to do before I try some deep space imaging.  95,97,75,0,B

a monday matinee...

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seeds

James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.  15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.  16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.  17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

wintab

So I fought with the new borescope and my little Samsung tablet computer for a couple of hours.  Ultimately it turned out my tablet is one of the few models that simply won't work with the scope.  I was able to get it to work with my PC but that doesn't do me much good out in the field.  Now I could have just returned it but I am determined to use it for looking into tiny places.  So what did I do?...bought another tablet.  Found a pretty good deal on an eight inch tablet that runs Windows 10 instead of Android ($87.99 including 2nd day shipping).  Downloaded some free recording software and everything is a go now.  Disclaimer: This is just the tablet's home screen wallpaper - not an endoscopic view of a tiny miraculous underworld at TFL.  72,75,60,0,W

a friday night film

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the good tripod

Been fighting with 3 cheap broken down tripods for years.  These were about 20 bucks each at Walmart and the heads are either stripped or at least a leg or two has to be held in place with duct tape.  Finally upgraded to a Zomei - the illegitimate (and much cheaper) cousin of the Gitzo...which was the workhorse in the industry for this type of tripod back in my photo days.  Note: A Gitzo tripod with a ball head costs almost $1000.  94,97,59,0,C

what is it?

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almost...

Was really hoping for a gusher yesterday afternoon.  Even had my GoPro set up down in the canyon to catch the flash.  Nice big red blob on the doppler radar was heading right for me out of the north and then it wimped out.  Storms come and go pretty quickly out here.  89,92,54,0,B

a monday matinee...

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Warm and fuzzy?

Want to teach your children about Easter?  1.  Skip the bunnies and eggs and first teach them about what Christ had to endure - crucifixion was a grotesquely cruel form of execution.  2.  The day of His resurrection represents the hope He gave every single person who lives on the planet - since that time and forever in the future.  3.  The gift offered through this incredible sacrifice and unimaginable suffering is only available to those who open their hearts to Him.  4.  Teach them this verse.

How I know George...

Little George is still thriving and no longer the smallest bunny in the bunch.  He recently learned that Ben's range cubes are pretty tasty.  Still not in to cuddling - but he comes when I call him.  Aside from that - I can tell him apart from all the other bunnies out here because he has a tiny notch in his ear.  Not sure how he got it but he may have gotten nibbled on by one of the bigger kids.  I first noticed it about a week after his release.  84,88,63,0,B

a friday night film

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when pigs fly...

Chupa is pretty excited about the next friday night film... 

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no rain

Still dry as a bone here and the chances of rain look pretty slim.  70,81,61,0,B

prepping

Storm chances have dwindled...but I am ready.  81,84,64,0,B

a monday matinee...

Palm Sunday

John 12

April shower...

Way overdue for a good shower.  Last one I had, I thought my pump was broken and only got a trickle.  Took the pump apart this morning and discovered it was clogged with dead bees.  Now I am fresh and clean for at least another month.  87,94,55,0,B

a friday night film

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production still...

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Crazy Aunt Jean

The six foot tall palo verde is loaded with blossoms for the first time since I started it from seed 6 years ago...68,73,45,0,B

FSBO

For sale by owner.  I have a 10 acre tract for sale way out in the middle of nowhere in an area known as The Solitario.  It is about 6 miles SW of TFL.  Section corner marked on the big map is the SE corner of the property - the border map is the view looking south. Not for the faint of heart, this property is about an hour off the beaten track (highway).  It borders a 20 acre tract I am holding onto for now as a future paramotor camp - but may eventually be for sale as well.  $2500...cash only.  I have marked all but the deep canyon corner (NE) by GPS.  Serious inquiries only.  Buy a cheap chunk of the real "Badlands, Texas".  83,86,47,0,B  Update:  The tract is SOLD!

a monday matinee...

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new every morning...

Lamentations 3:22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

beeline

Beeline.  n. also bee-line, 1838, American English, from bee + line (n.), in reference to the supposed homing instinct of bees in the field.  TO LINE BEES is to track wild bees to their homes.  One who follows this occupation is called a bee hunter. [Bartlett, 1859]

Was pretty easy to track my bees from their water source back to their home...in a pile of tires in my junk yard.  Just watched which way they were coming and going and walked a short distance until I found the swarm.  Placed my old bee box on top of their tire condo.  From what I have read, lemongrass oil is a powerful attractant so I have some coming Monday.  Will they move into the penthouse?  82,85,54,0,W