La Lechuza - which road?

As we approach Halloween - I am provoked by the interesting names given to my daily path. From Old Cheapside Road on the way down Lover's Lane and to The Devil's Backbone - hanging over the road and dwarfing it from both sides - were some large pecan trees- at the river bottom (the low lying area around the Guadalupe River). Some thick ivy vines hung from the trees. It must have been a harrowing site "La Lechuza" or Witch birds hanging over the road on the way to Hell's Gate Bridge. I have never been a fan of the "holiday" or the things that are celebrated. I am more comfortable with "The Bridge Over Troubled Waters" and "The Bridge Over The River Kwai". The Lechuza were supposed to be able to talk.

Once one crosses Hell's Gate, they must chose between Cheapside Road and the road to Lindenau (FM 953). If they chose Cheapside Road, then they must again chose to stay on it or exit to Bellevue Cemetary Road. All these choices, and the only good one is the road to Lindenau. The small german farming community in the hills. It must have been frightening driving through those trees on a dark moonlit night with the witchbirds hanging from the trees over the slow moving Model T or old ranch truck. It is still really quiet, even now - except for the occasional punctuation of the air by the coyote's cackle or the wolf's howl. The sounds at night can be menacing. It seems like any other choice is cheap or deadly. One often sees deer and other varmints on and along the road.

The Chupacabra has been seen and filmed in Dewitt County. The goat blood sucking creature made national headlines recently. The You tube sheriff's video is quite something. I could imagine these critters crawling around The Devil's Backbone!

In addition to the story of the strangled 10 yo girl in 1973 (see previous posts) - I was amazed to hear another story of a man (Ray Garcia?) who dove off Hell's Gate Bridge in 1980 and hit a log under the water. He was subsequently paralyzed from the neck down, but somehow survived.

The truth has much more weight than freaky death stories, but one could imagine that the stories would have swayed the minds of those years ago. Now it seems that even the Wiccan Religion is making a comeback. It is amazing - the peace we can have when we no longer live in fear and are no longer enchanted, but rather repulsed by gangrenous evil. Freedom, victory, love, growth, forgiveness, grace, mercy, healing, and hope - not to mention faith - are much greater concepts to live and fashion our lives around. We don't face Hell's Gate, but we do face eternity - that's a pleasant thought for some (will be on Lover's Lane at a great Supper), but a very scary nightmare for others...as they cross Hell's Gate.
We will be in the ever after...

Looking for a cigar to compliment the season, I found an American owned wonder. The Lonewolf Sungrown toro. The Lone Wolf Cigar Company was founded in 1996 by cigar lovers Chuck Norris and James Belushi and now owned by David Weiss. The name is interesting and the owners are particularily conservative - specifically - Chuck. Mine came in cellophane in a slide lid box and had a particularly earthy brown color to the wrapper (which was Indonesian - a Sumatra?). The binder and filler are Dominican. The cigar lit and burned well, especially with a brisk cool northern wind. It was a tad bit spongy, but not uncomfortably so. The taste started off woody and earthy and graduated to a spicy wooden sweetness with medium finish. I could really taste the Dominican filler. It was a nice compliment of earthy yet sweet spiciness, which has suited the autumn taste buds.

May we always chose the better path...