On the road again...

We left Midland today after staying at "1270 RV Ranch" for 1 month. Actually nothing more than a caliche slab filled with oilfield workers, but the only place we could find to park within 75 miles. We had planned to stay for only 2 weeks but had some unexpected dental work.
We had a great visit with all the kids, saw Savannah in "Water and Ice" and MCT and then enjoyed Debbie in "Jesus Christ Super Star" at the Yucca theater.
Best of all, Savannah stole the show with her dance number at the Pickwicks Variety Show with Logan to the music from "Chicago." She never hesitated on her jumps and slides, plus her smile absolutely lights up the entire stage. We are so proud of her.
We only drove 250 miles since we were late getting on the road, takes time to get propane and fuel, and other stuff after you've been parked for a month.

Wonderful scenery after we passed Colorado City. There's a spot that I find postcard worthy... dark red soil layered with white gypsum and dotted with dark green cedar and bright green mesquite foliage. The farther east we drove, the more wild flowers adorned the roadsides. Acres of Pink Texas Primrose, Verbena, Galardia, Englemann's Daisy, plus myriads of other DYC's, and finally Blue Bonnets and Indian Paint Brush. Green grass was another pleasant site, evidently more rain east of Abilene than Midland and Odessa have seen this year.

I love traveling with online access... the tiny little town of Putnam, pop. 88 (2000) has quite a history. Originally named Catclaw, the name was changed when the railroad came through in 1880. Israel Putnam was a revolutionary soldier from Connecticut. Most interesting was the grafting of the Burkett Paper-shelled pecan in 1903. The original tree belonged to a man named Orr, but when the Burkett boys returned from a day of squirrel hunting with the pecans in their pockets, their father recognized a good thing. After several years of attempting to graft to the native pecan trees he was successful. The parent tree was destroyed by fire in 1910. The original grafted tree is marked by a fence and sign near the Eastland County line just north of I-20 and 1/2 mile E of Farm Road 880.

Also, Larry L King, author of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas was born in Putnam in 1929.