TEXAS: Y'all Come!

Sunday evening we went out to Palo Duro Canyon to the amphitheater to view "TEXAS." It was great. It has been several years since I was out to the canyon for the play. The last time it was a different script. This year, they are back to the original.

The performance is about the earliest settlers in the Texas Panhandle. It is a musical that portrays the end of the "cattle empire" era and the beginning of the influx of farmers. "TEXAS" is in its 43rd Anniversary season.

Sunshine

As I drive around the Panhandle, there is a lot of optimism. There are ethanol plants being built and dairies going in. Houses are springing up around Amarillo like a new corn crop in June. Farmers are excited about the new markets for their crops -- especially corn for making ethanol. The recent moisture even has the cattlemen optimistic about the pasture this spring. When we get a little warmth, the wheat pasture will shoot up overnight and the spring grasses won't be far behind.

You can tell the sun is shining today by the tone of this post. The temperature shot from zero to nearly thirty in about five hours! The snow is melting and people are moving about again.

Isn't it amazing what the sunshine can do for your mood? When you're stuck inside because of the weather -- or if you're working out in it -- you are quickly worn down. But, when the sun comes out and the birds start singing, life seems suddenly much better. I wonder what that tells us about human nature.

When we walk in the darkness, it is as though we carry a weight on our shoulders. When we step into the light, that load is lifted from us. We all need a regular dose of light. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

Hillbilly Willy

You may have noticed that I included a link to Hillbilly Willy's blog over on the right-hand side of the page. It's because Hillbilly Willy is a transplanted Panhandle native. It's amazing where life can lead a person sometimes. Old Willy has been in the same ag related service business just about since he graduated from Texas A&M (quite some time ago). He worked around the Panhandle for awhile after graduating and then spent some time on the Colorado River before ending up in Arkansas. It's a far cry from West Texas to Arkansas. I did get to stop and visit him the other day. I was traveling to Nashville for a convention and his place made a great stopping spot. In fact, just as you could read on his blog, he was the one that got me interested in this blogging. You know, Arkansas is a pretty nice looking place to visit. All the trees and water and hills made me a little claustrophobic though. In the Panhandle you can hunt all day just to find a tree that wasn't planted by somebody! Now, we do have a few lakes, but it's a pretty good hike between them. Don't think that I'm complaining though. What we lack in scenery, we make up for in people. We've got some of the friendliest people in the country. And Hillbilly Willy was one of 'em until he moved to Arkansas. You know, he talks kind of funny in his blog. It makes me wonder if Arkansas is rubbing off on him a bit too much!