Our Terrible Sacrifice

Our Terrible Sacrifice

Captain Assault RifleJust to make things clear, I was born in the Intermountain West and raised in a military family. Most of the people I knew growing up owned and used guns. Even so, I’m convinced they are appalled by what the gun lobby does to make our children less safe.

When did it become acceptable for people, mostly men it must be said, to strut around in public with assault rifles, weapons of war? Despite what the NRA says it seems obvious that many consider military style arms to be nothing more than expensive if deadly toys. Carrying a flag and a gun is about all it takes to style yourself a hero these days.

Gun PlayMeanwhile children are paying with their lives for our lack of gun regulations. They are in the terrible position of having to learn to hide from gunmen at school and sometimes dying. Even though Americans have always owned guns this is the first generation to be subjected to the real possibility of violent mass death at school.

White People HelplineGuns are a problem. They need to be regulated in a serious responsible way. However the bigger problem is the lack of respect and care with which we treat the lives of our children.

Cinnabar Mine

Cinnabar Mine
Cinnabar Mine - Study Butte Texas

A century ago cinnabar mining was common across the Big Bend region in Texas. Thousands of people were engaged in back breaking manual labor, digging, transporting and refining red cinnabar ore into mercury. Every part of the process is dangerous; some such as handling the mercury are deadly. Even so, honest work is a rare commodity in the wild Texas/Mexico borderlands.

Today these abandoned mines are nearly as deadly as they were when in production. They are largely ignored and unmonitored. Little grows on the contaminated land. The wind blows mineral laden dust into the homes of everyone living within miles of the mines.

Terlingua Cemetery
A short distance from this site is the historic cemetery in Terlingua. There you get a sense of the price paid by miners to feed their families. The graves, mostly hand made by relatives or friends shelter those laid to rest. They are evidence of traditions stretching back into the distant past.

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Wildflowers Pontotoc Texas

Wildflowers Pontotoc Texas
Spring Wildflowers Pontotoc Texas

My favorite place to photograph wildflowers is the Hill Country of Central Texas. The bloom along highway 71 from Brady to Pontotoc can be spectacularIn good years flowers often stretch uninterrupted for fifty miles or more. Spring in the Hill Country is usually cool mornings and evenings with warm afternoons, perfect for visitors. Fair warning, on weekends the back roads can be busy places in the best viewing areas.

With wildflowers timing is everything. Texas is a very large geographical area encompassing multiple climate types and zones. In spring you can follow the wildflower bloom as it progresses across climate regions for several weeks. The State of Texas even operates a website to help you find the best areas to visit.
 
Who should we thank for all the Spring flowers? My pick is Lady Bird Johnson. She worked her whole life to make Texas a better and more beautiful place.

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