Thursday, May 7, 2009

way behind but still ahead

Got way behind on getting caught up today. Another HOT one ...Low of 58 - High of 108, 7% humidity with just a light breeze from time to time. Inside high was 85 with 40% humitidy. Still an unnacceptable high temp for inside even if it was 108 outside. Breakfast at the Grub Shack - met a couple of folks looking for the Field Lab when I came in. Since so many folks seem to track me down there, I just thought of another admission charge to visit the Field Lab - you buy me breakfast or lunch at the Grub Shack. That way I get a free meal and Betty gets a piece of the action.

Lulled away the day tweaking Pepino - getting closer to the goal but not quite there yet. Killed more time Terlingua Style by having lunch at the Grub Shack. Late afternoon I set up a shaded bird bath for the 200+ cowbirds that frequent the bird feeding station twice a day. They had a major pool party. Managed to peel off without too much trouble, the EVERGREEN vinyl lettering and stickers on the NW container. They are slowly getting prepped for a primer paint job.










Photo of the day from May 17, 2008. Last year right about now we had a half inch of rain in the morning. Here is the pre-dam spot with a couple of puddles. If it happens again soon this year you can bet I'm gonna catch at least 3000 gallons before that water makes its way to the Rio Grand. Lots of loose rock in the area from when my friends Chris (Brooklyn) and Dan (Austin) came out to help prep the spot in April '08. Dan and I worked in NYC for the Chris Callis Studio back in the late eighties/early ninety's. Check out the Chris Callis photos from their trip. http://www.chriscallis.com/TempWeb/WebWestTexas/ Bonus photo - Here they are in my go-Kart from that trip (Chris at the helm). This was back when my first two containers were resting out at the end of my driveway.

10 comments:

David said...

Chris' pictures are terrific. Nice to get some sense of the area, Alpine, Study Butte, etc. Thanks for posting them.

Bob from Athens said...

Better be careful with those high admissions, pretty soon some govt bureau crap will come looking for his share.

rj said...

Excellent pictures from Chris. Especially liked the "unmasked" field lab guru...Click HereSome of the haze shown in a few of the long shots is actually smoke from Mexican crop clearing files hundreds of miles away. We have some of that now when the winds are from that direction.

Bob O said...

Climate is what you expect..weather.is what you get...

Allen Hare said...

Some very nice photos from Chris. I especially liked the long exposures at night- starry sky & you in front of the casa. I liked your photo of the pre-dam spot enough to save it as the desktop wallpaper on my computer. Glad to hear you're going to paint the containers. Good luck with the Pepino. I just turned my A/C on for the first time this season here at my house in Dallas. Of course, the humidity here is up around 80%, so it's way uncomfortable with out it. Again, Good Luck with everything.

Thunder Britches said...

108..!!??
ONE OH ATE..!!??
108..!?
GREAT GOOGELY MOOGELY!!
HOT-HOT-HOT
I just can't imagaine how all of you down there "deal" with the heat? I'm starting to guess now about that phrase you keep mentioning.."Terlingua Time"..guess it is move slow and aim for the shade.

neil said...

I was going to post a Google map link for The Grub Shack. But then thought that should be up to John.

I have booked my flight to Chicago for July 28 and plan on road tripping with my 15 yr old son. Some possible stops include Durango CO, Taos NM, Rachel NV, Salt Lake City UT, and Bend OR.

It's going to be like "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" but without the metaphysics or the motorcycle. I would love to visit the lab. Maybe you should start taking bookings.

I would hate to pass you by only to find myself on the west coast saying "I shouldda taken a left turn at Albuquerque!"

MsBelinda said...

Lol, John your admission charge keeps on going up but I think it is well worth the prize.

I am with Neil on this one...you should start taking reservations.

I can hardly wait to see what you are going to do with the containers.

Keep cool and remember Terlingua Time is not so bad.

Jason21 said...

My uncle told me when he was a kid they would bury a 55 gallon drum for their swamp cooler water supply. He said it made a big difference. He grew up in Turkey, TX. Which is close to Memphis and Childress and those two spots are usually the hottest in the panhandle. Of course I don't know how rocky or hard your ground is.

Bob O said...

Good idea on burying the water...it will always keep a constant temperature....

Hey, a six-pack and breakfast, sounds like a plan to me.

Great photos, I enjoyed them. Hasselbald?