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Saturday, August 27, 2011

Newspaper article about CMO

I always dread articles about my place because they're usually so inaccurate. This one from the Houston Chronicle is no exception.

http://www.chron.com/life/article/Christmas-Mountains-Oasis-a-haven-for-birds-2142829.php

I agreed to the article on condition I could proof it first. Of course, that never happened. One of the most glaring inaccuracies is that cottonwood trees grow naturally at my place. Maybe they did thousands of years ago.

Most migrants come in the spring months (Apr-May), though some do come in Aug-Sept.

This is also incorrect: "She had two concrete-lined ponds built to catch rainwater as it flows down an arroyo. A small dam diverts any excess to trees and understory plants." In actuality, the concrete-lined tanks are for storing water that is diverted by dams into them. The tanks (not ponds) do not catch flowing rainwater. And no dam diverts excess to trees and understory plants. All are watered by me by hand with a hose, or from rainfall. Oh, and I built the tanks along with my late husband, Sherwood Kolb. Just to set the record straight.

At least the last paragraph quotes me accurately.

There I got that off my chest.

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5 comments:

  1. heidiAugust 27, 2011 at 7:02 PM

    I hate to say it, but, yeah... that's Gary. Close but no cigar.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Desert Dweller / David C.August 28, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    I have had more inaccurate articles, offer for me to proofread first forgotten, than I've had accurate articles. I am so grateful for the few accurate articles, mostly in the last 4-5 years!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gary ClarkAugust 30, 2011 at 11:15 AM

    Everything in the article was as you told us.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Carolyn Ohl-JohnsonAugust 30, 2011 at 12:48 PM

    Gary, it was very nice of you to write the article and say those nice words about me. I guess I'm not very good about explaining things when I'm talking. For example, two of my three cottonwoods are native to the area (as in the Big Bend area). I guess I neglected to explain that cottonwoods grow naturally along river flood plains, not along high mountain arroyos that run once or twice a year, or not at all. And I can't imagine why I would have said my hummingbird feeders are hanging on a wooden frame, when in fact, the structure is 100% pipe. But, hey, I'm over it. Just shows why I need to proof read stuff before it's published. No big deal. You did good.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gary ClarkAugust 30, 2011 at 1:12 PM

    Thank you, Carolyn.

    ReplyDelete