Now that I have had my customary 24 hour cooling off period that any Irishman needs, this "silly twerp" would like to invite you up. I'm only 2 hours away, in Mason County.

If you accept my sincere invitation, I will promise you complete satisfaction. PM me when its convenient for you to come. I will meet you on the City Square and perhaps you will learn some things you didn't know. Can also help defray your expenses if necessary.

I anxiously await your reply, "don't be skeert" :):):):)

Johnny Reb

Is there a duel in the works here?

Good post, we should all gun down everyone who does not think just like you do.

mike is one of the best guys you could meet.

you guys who want to jump on mikes ass should step back. i've met a lot of folks here on the fire and Mike is a fine guy. i don't always agree with him 100%. i would not have a problem with him having my back need be.

Golly, Forrest Gump was right, life really is like a box of chocolates...

You got all bent out of shape over being called a "silly twerp" ????

Right after stating outright that, in the War Between the States, I would have hired someone else to go into combat in my stead ????

...and now you ask me to drive two hours out of my way to go and possibly fight some guy who actually calls people out on the 'net, over being called a "silly twerp" ???

*SIGH*......

Look, I wish you no ill will. We're both on the 'Fire, and we ain't far away, chances are we may meet eventually anyway. If anything happens it will happen when it happens, if anything does I hope whatever it is for both our sakes that it's legal.

Maybe you should just hire a lawyer and sue me instead.

Birdwatcher

Had dealings with him but never seen him face to face. We would be welcome to put his feet under my table any day of the week.

This could be the biggest thing to hit Mason county since the hoodoo war.

Mikes a swell guy. Heck he used to come by and see me where I gunsmithed.

Heck BW, I thought he was going to buy you a meal, if you make it up that far, I just may join you guys for that meal. I'm always driving into and out of that little town.

Right down the road from you, in Pontotoc Cemetery, my GG Grandfather rests with a CSA headstone marking his grave. My Southern roots run pretty deep in your neck of the woods where my family homesteaded. Many still are there.

But, the war is over.

And Mike is as fine a gentleman as you will ever encounter. (Not to say we have always seen things eye to eye, but in the end, having a cool one after the discussion is what it's all about.)

I was confusing Menard with Mason, but anyways its only 30 minutes away.

The old Presidio San Luis de las Amarillas, AKA Presidio San Saba, 1758-1777, and Jim Bowie's own inscription ca. 1832

"Bouie" was actually how he himself spelled his name.







I wish I could have seen that area in 1832.

Birdwatcher

I think oldgunsmith may very well be talking about the rich
history of (Fort)Mason, the HooDoo Wars and the many Johnny Rebs
that settled there - as far as "learn some things you didn't
know". I consider birdwatcher my friend.

Not knowing how this got started, cut me some slack. But I did not read the OP as a challenge in any way. Rather, he said that after cooling off, he'd be happy to meet with birdwatcher. No threat stated or implied, as far as I could tell.

In other words, a cooler head has prevailed. Goodness knows a cool head is rare enough in this weather - and in Texas!

Hell!!! 1757 when the garrison housed 300! I did two archaeological
Field schools there!!!

No threat intended--- I told him don't be skeert :):):) I think this is exactly how the Civil War started.... and I truly believe BW and I would enjoy each other's company. I'm an old history buff myself and this county has more history than most people would dream. The HooDoo War that kaywoodie was speaking of was white against white, nothing but greed and hate. Isn't that what they are all about in the end???? So I hope BW comes on up for an excursion and I can tour him around the county. You won't be the first person on the fire to come up and visit an old man and have some tea on the porch.

There is no danger here except the usual rattlesnakes and cacti.

I can share some history with you, that is dying with the passing of each old person. I have slept many a night on the floor with my friends whose parents were slaves and learned from them. I have a thirst for knowledge of the past and love to share with folks. I don't make a good internet person. Real life does me better !!!!

kaywoodie ---- in your digs, did you get to meet Wibby Shearer???? Another good man gone...... he was a walking history book and a TREASURE to this county. Miss him so much, he was my arrowhead buddy

Well that sounds like an awesome time for sure!

Threads like this just leave me shaking my head...

To the posts above from people who know Mike, I will only add that I think that he is a pretty shrewd judge of character.

Well heck, just fer that, I'm gonna let you win

Sir, put that way, I would say a visit is a certainty.

Right, who's in? Seems like there's enough of us close enough that love history that this could become a serious endeavor.

Birdwatcher

Depends when you guys decide to set it up, drive down to Brownwood area for the evening, next morning mosey on down to Mason.

i''m in if there is plenty of shiner.

Hell I worked with Wibby while I was at TxDOT! He was the maint. Supvr. when I was in traffic Ops at the district. Worked with all the maint. Supvrs after him too!!! Up to Elba Nail! Wibby was such a great guy! And he had the stuff!!

I'm around Junction this weekend, would be fun to meet more folks.

And yeah, Birdwatcher is a fine gentleman

Wibby had a that stuff he found up at Fort Mason that was simply awesome!!!! He has a US Marines button circa 1855 from up there!!! Dunno how it got there!!

Anytime in the first half of August works for me.

School inservices, family and a crapload of overdue honey-dos got me pretty well booked up through July.

I'm on vacation the first week of Aug, after that you may have a week of FREEDOM left, maybe then, during the week if oldgunsmith is free.

would love to sit around that table and hear the stories recounted.

but it's a pretty fair piece down the road for me.

Dang, I gotta date with a whole bunch of tourists at the Alamo.

If I woulda known how good 1836 looked on me I woulda been sporting these duds long ago.....

i'm not going fishing with Leighton till sept.

Count me in, when and where? sounds like a hell of a good time. Rio7

short hope in a jet.

Look you guys, I'm on Social Security and can only feed one of you at the time !!!!!! I schedule history tours like I do deer hunting, one at the time :):):):) But...... always love to visit. You guys keep in touch.

Yep, hes a great guy, even if hes not as smart or good looking as moi, but that goes for most of yall.

This is so annoying, they expect me to show up at school again on August 17th.


August 1 is a Saturday, second week of August (when Gordon can't make it) starts August 10th.

Do you think it is allowed to shoot guns and stuff in Mason County?

People like me because I have flintlocks.


edited in to add.... Sorry, just now read the one at a time deal.

of course we shoot in Mason County, I shoot off my front porch. That's where my shooting range is.... its closer to the reloading bench and my wife can bring me coffee so I don't have to get up !!

I'll have the calendar ready to schedule whoever decides to come. One at a time !!!

Hey Birdy, you look like you might have once been almost kinda handsom quite a while back.

we do our own cooking and only need a place for a bed roll.

He's smilin' 'cause he hooked up with the looker on the cell phone.........

*Sigh*, I get this a lot, usually from the tourists....


....but look, I just don't go visiting anyone, OK?

Cooking? bed roll? I sleep in my boxers on ant piles.


But seriously Mr. OldGunsmith, I can guarantee that the local Campfire crowd are great guys and Texas gentlemen who tread lightly, and expect very little beyond good company and fine conversation.

Besides which, when enough of 'em show up at any given gathering most anywhere, I often get to eat for free....

Birdwatcher

PM sent.