The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 154, No. 101, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 14, 2008 Page: 4 of 18
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Page 4A ★ lD\t Bastrop Idocrtiscr
Thursday, February 14,2008 u
Memories of growing
up on the Colorado
It is a dreary day outside, 39
degrees, overcast and windy.
Inside it is warm and toast}
and quiet, a good day to con-
template life and remember the
past.
At advanced middle age
(83) I realize how lucky I have
been. I have a good wife, bet-
ter than I deserve. Our kids
and grandkids give us pleasure,
most of the time. I had a carer
(marine biologist) that a lot of
people would envy and I have
lots of memories, mostly good.
I, like many of my genera-
tion, have been privileged or
condemed to see and hear
main things. Overall the expe-
riences have been positive with
a few notable exceptions.
A lot of my memories
involve Bastrop, my home
town. I was a river rat and a
late bloomer socially so it is
only natural that many of my
memories involve Bastrop and
the Colorado River.
1 certainly remember the
flood of 1935 when our peace-
ful stream became a raging
beast, up nearly to the floor of
the Old Iron Bridge and at the
back doors of Main Street busi-
nesses. I remember seeing big
trees being swept down stream,
Simmons
Remembers
Ernest Simmons
hitting a laige whirlpool below
the bridge and disappearing,
only to resurface further down-
stream.
But the tilings I remember
best were the turtles, the grass-
hoppers and the red ants. The
river, east of the main stream,
was a backwater with hardly
and current. Grasshoppers,
trapped by the rising water, had
landed on tree trunks. There
they became easy prey for
turtles. It was comical. A turtle
would swim up to a tree, a long
neck would reach out and jaws
would snap on a grasshopper.
We kids could watch by the
hour.
The turtles survived and so
did the red ants. Those native
ants were much laiger and less
vicious than the later introduced
fire ants. When their beds
were submerged the ants sim-
ply floated to the surface and
congregated in huge clumps.
We kids waded in the water,
avoided clumps and were never
stung.
Just as I recall the little
tilings of the 1935 flood, so do
I recall them from a somewhat
smaller flood in 1936 or 1938.
I certainly recall the unusual
sight of entire fields of hay-
stacks and watermelons float-
ing by, but what has stuck in
my memory is the guy on the
gas tank. Apparently he had
welded the cap and seams of
the tank and was riding it like
a horse. He waved at us and
we waved at him and then we
watched as he disappeared
down the river. I wonder if he
made it.
I have many good memories
of staying all night on the river,
fishing trot lines and waiting
for a bell to ring when we had a
fish. That was always exciting,
and the occasional landing of a
large flat head yellowcat made
all the work worthwhile.
I certainly remember
my first snake bite. Alvin
McAfee and I were seining
bait when I saw a large snake
swimming right where we
wanted to seine. I chunked a
rock at it. On the next drag,
just as we were reaching
shore, the snake bit me on
my ankle. The place bled,
and I sat up most of the night
waiting to swell up and die.
Actually the snake was just a
common water snake which
could bite hard but was not
poisonous.
I was bitten several times
after that but never by a poison-
ous snake.
Of course many of my
memories are of places way
from Bastrop and the Colorado,
but that's a different story.
Community
30 years in Bastrop
L. Wayrie Ross, D.D.S, celebrates 30 years in Bastrop with his team. They were
recently selected as one of the "Top Dentists" in the greater Austin area by Austin
Monthly Magazine.
China exhibit to open Feb. 16
The exhibit committee will
officially open the Railroad
China Collection on Saturday,
Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Elgin
Depot Museum. The exhibi-
tion will feature china pieces
of the Southern Pacific and
Missouri Pacific rail lines.
Clif Jones of Bastrop, a
member of the Austin Steam
Train Association, has been
collecting railroad china
for about six years and rail-
road memorabilia for 15
years. Museum volunteers
are also putting together a
photograph exhibit of steam
trains, rail line depots, repair
shops and other items from
the museum's collection of
train-related photographs.
The Elgin Historical
Association and Depot
Museum will also official-
ly open the Charlie Goertz
Library of railroad books on
Feb. 16. This is a collection of
books about railroad compa-
nies, trains, parts, schedules
and related topics.
The books cannot be
removed from the museum.
but visitors are welcome to rest
and read. Goertz and his fam-
ily gave the collection to the
museum last year. The muse-
um is open every day except
Monday, from 2-5 p.m.
Beatihe Rush,.i
Tune-Up your mowers, weed eaters,
cha\nsa\NS and other
small engines now.
10% OFF
Small Engine
Repairs
with this coupon.
Expires 02/29/08
B & B AUTO
& SMALL ENGINE
1101 Chestnut St. • 321-2122
Sales • Service • Parts • Accessories
AUTO PHOTS STORES
Simmons shows a 43-pound catfish caught in the
Colorado River.
FREE BOOK!
Drug Free Health Choices
DrEdsF reeVideos.com
P
☆
TERRY ★*
ICKERING
YOUR PICK FOR SHERIFF
UK BASTROP COUNTY
A PROVEN, RESPECTED AND RESOURCEFUL LEADER
bux
W
thank you • thank you • thank you!
Family Crisis Center extends its most heartfelt
appreciation to all who helped make
the 16th Annual Dinner & Dance Gala,
"Cruisin' The Cosmos... An Out Of
Galaxy Experience" an "Outta Sight" success!
A law enforcement professional with over 30 years experience.
A proven leader and manager in county government.
FBI National Academy Graduate, 206th Session, Quantico, Virginia
Leadership & Command College Graduate, Law Enforcement Management Institute
of Texas
Drag Unit Commanders Academy Graduate, Drag Enforcement Administration,
Quantico, Virginia
Licensed Master Peace Officer and Certified Instructor
SWAT Team commander, Narcotics/Organized Crime Investigator
WWW.PICKERINGFORSHERIFF.COM
Pd. Pol. Ad by "Terry Pickering Campaign Fund", Stan Hibbs Treasurer, 164 Elm Wood Dr., Elgin, Tx. 78621 512-663-4907
E
VOTE for
Derek Van Gilder
for
423rd District Court - Bastrop County
[
Licensed to practice law in Texas, California and Washington, D.C.
• 26+ years courtroom experience throughout Texas
• Argued in 1st, 3rd, 14th Court of Appeals for Texas
• Practiced in Federal Courts & U.S. Patent Office
Education and Distinctions
• Law and Engineering degrees - University of Texas
• Master of Business Administration - University of Houston
• Registered Professional Engineer - 4 states
Community Service
• Active and Committed Community Leader and Volunteer
• Veteran - U.S. Army
• Active Church Member
I ask for YOUR VOTE on March 4
Political ad paid for by Derek Van Gilder Campaign Fund, Art Kownslar, Treas., 916 Main St., Bastrop, TX 78602,512-303-4747.
]
EVENT SPONSORS
25th Anniversary Year Sponsors
Bluebonnet Electric Coop.
LCRA Employees' United Charities
Voss Charitable Trust
"Amazing Asteroids"
Carmine State Bank
Gaeke Construction Company
Saunders Insurance Agency
"Majestic Milky Ways"
First National Bank of Bastrop
Bob & Susan Wendel
"Sparkling Stardusts"
BEFCO Engineering, Inc.
Brown Distributing-La Grange
Jeremiah & Priscilla Jarvis
M & S Distributing-La Grange
Sanford Schmid Trust
Schulenburg Lions Club
"The Supernovas"
Aqua Water Supply Corp.
Buford & Betty Farris
The Falls Golf Club & Resort
KVLG/KBUK Radio
KTEX Radio
"Mighty Meter or ites"
Colorado Valley
Communications, Inc.
First State Bank Granger-Elgin
Raymond & Sandra Matthijetz
Pumpco, Inc
IN-KIND AUCTION & PRIZE DONORS
9E Ranch Bed & Breakfast
Aerocare-La Grange
Alize'-The Premier Salon
Ashley's Attic-Giddings
Auto Zone-La Grange
B&B Auto/Farm Supply-Giddings
B&B Auto Supply-Bastrop
B&W Grocery-Giddings
Baxter's on Main-Bastrop
Bayer PharmacySmithville
Bea's Hair Shop-Giddings
Bits & Pieces Retail Thrift Store-
Bastrop
Bloomin' Junction-La Grange
Blossoms & Bows-Giddings
Blue Donkey Studio-Bastrop
Ernie & Barbara Bogart
Brookshire Brothers -Giddings
Care Inn-La Grange
Jo Castillo
Circle W Restaurant-Giddings
Bill & Peggy Colbert
David Connor
Sheryl Cox
Curves-Giddings
Curves-La Grange
D&Z Mans Shop-La Grange
Farmers Lumber Company
Fastenal-Giddings
Fayette Electric Coop
Fayette Medical Supply
JoAnn Felter
Flamingo & Frogs-La Grange
Flowers by Laverne-Giddings
Frisch Auf Valley Country Club
Gerline's Quilting Angels
Eliza Gilkinson
Gruetzner's Inc.-Giddings
Hands & Tans-Giddings
HEB-Bastrop
Healing Hands-La Grange
Healthwise Home Health
Bob Heinsohn
Hill Country Home Health Houston
Museum of Natural Science
Jaeger's Inc.-Giddings
Keilers Restaurant &
Lodge-Fayetteville
Sheriff Keith Korenek
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Lady Bug Glass-Smithville
Jo Mazza Lagattuta
Latte on the Square-La Grange
Lee County Ace Hardware
Lee County General Store
Lee County Peanut Company
Lehm Berg Winery-Giddings
Lone Star Confectioners
M & S Distributing-La Grange
Gary McGabe
Celina Fabela-Event Chair
Sonja Amaya
Bob Barker
Bonni Baty
Peggy Colbert
Tim Craig
JoAnn Felter
Elva Fertsch
Jim Fertsch
Levi Garlick
Dana Hall
VOLUNTEERS
Rick Hicks
Vera Preston-Jaeger
Judge Ed Janecka
Albert Matus
Margie Matus
Margie Collier-McKee
Larry Moomey
Prince Murphy
Joe Newman
Adam Nietsche
Linda Nietsche
Roy Nietsche
Tina Nietsche
Felicia Rodriguez
Amber Spacek
Don Steinmann
Mark Ulrich
Doug Winters
Judy Winters
Matthew Zimmermann
Lee Fritsch - Auctioneer
Bridgett Mesecke
Monument Hill Nursing Center
Movie Gallery-La Grange
Nancy's Card & Gift-Bastrop
Oakland Manor Nursing Center
Oasis of Healing
Orsag's-Giddings
Scott & Neta Parker
Charlotte Pietsch
Pine Forest Golf Club
Vera Preston-Jaeger
Reba's Village Deli-Giddings
Chrysa Rice, LMT
Kristy Sager
Sanford Schmid
Sears-Giddings
Smithville Florist
Sophie's Beads
Star Locksmith-Giddings
Peggy Supak
The Bugle Boy-La Grange
The Grapevine-Giddings
The Pickett Fence-Smithville
The Wine Shop-Round Top
Two Blessings-Mary Ann Busch
Doug & Judy Winters
Patricia Wolf Designs-Smithville
Yoga on the Go-Ruth Jansa
Yukon Liquors-Bastrop
Zimmerhanzel's BBQ-Smithville
Special Thanks to John
& Betty Burkland for
donating the 4 Wheeler
for the Live Auction
Fayette Savings Bank &
Heritage Hallmark for
selling tickets ...
...and all who attended
the gala, purchased
items, or contributed in
any way to the event.
Your generosity and support is greatly appreciated!
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McAuley, Davis. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 154, No. 101, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 14, 2008, newspaper, February 14, 2008; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth252457/m1/4/: accessed July 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Bastrop Public Library.