Speaking of jobs, we could use some rebuilding of a grand old place here in Texas

[texastoast]

It's a place where I spent a lot of time misspending my youth among the tall, cool, misplaced pines rolling more than a few fatties at the picnic table below (courtesy of the CCC--the table, not the fatties). The gentle hills are just the best place to bike. It's called Bastrop State Park, and it's just gone now. I feel pretty sure that a lot of the masonry will be standing. New roofs can be built. The cabins can be repaired. New trees can be planted, but I'll never live long enough to see them as grand nor whisper as loudly.

Arbor Day has called for donations to replant all the fire ravaged parks, so if you feel so inclined, please donate to bring back the trees.

I want to thank all the firefighters who are tirelessly working across the state to contain the fires, many of which have been discovered to be the work of arsonists.














Watch it burn.

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/article/172030/288/Video-Flames-rapidly-burning-Bastrop-State-Park?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Ct

My heart is just broken.

[Trajan]

1. You make Texas seem so wonderful .....

and I regret the losses you have suffered ....

[Mojeoux]

2. The beauty of the Austin area has always been the treasured jewel in the heart of Texas.

I only lived there a short while, but it still hurts hurts bad.

[Lithos]

3. I think only 1-2% of the park remains intact

If I read the news correctly.

Very sad, I have a lot of good memories as a kid of Bastrop and Buescher

While it will recover, it will be 20+ years. A blink in the eye of Mother Nature, but enough so it will not be a memory I can pass down to my children like my dad did.

L-

[gateley]

4. How sad. nt

[GrannyK]

5. The lost pines of Bastrop State Park and immediate area

are a unique stand of pines that shouldn't be there, it's said. I've forgotten most all of the particulars and I'm too tired and lazy to go look it up. I've got to get in the bed ASAP. But they are at least 100 miles west of East Texas Piney Woods.

What a shame. Thanks for posting the news clip. Forest fires really are fast. I spent some time out west and witnessed that speed. I told my husband tonight that we really should get a 'bug out bag' put together again. We're about 90 miles north of Austin and surrounded by crop land. Corn, hay, wheat, etc. None of which made this summer, so it's now just dead dry stubble. Fires are just popping up everywhere. It's so dry here the clay soil is cracking so much our house has shifted and the front door is sticking really bad.

Mr. Granny is upset with me because I wouldn't mow all of the gaillardia (Indian blankets) that I've been working on for 10 years. This year they covered almost the whole acre along with so bluebonnets. The grasshoppers were in them this year and as soon as they set seed, we mowed the front yard down. So those hoppers just hopped up on the porch and began chomping on my tropical plants so I didn't want them doing the same on the plants on the back deck.

Of course they are as dry as can be so he's right. We've got some help coming tomorrow so we will remedy some of this.

[cutlassmama]

6. K&R...and shame on Perry for cutting the fire dept budget!