Posted in Trellises Installs on Stewart-Rigo Winery in Eustace Texas, tagged Celebrate Life on Cedar Creek Lake with a future vineyard and winery, Eustace, How to of Vineyard installs in East Texas, Stewart-Rigo Winery, Texas, The Beginnings of a vineyard in East Texas, The Dream of Stewart-Rigo Winery in Henderson County Texas moving forward, Trellises installs on Stewart-Rigo Winery in East Texas on February 15, 2015| 1 Comment »
Trellises Installs on Stewart-Rigo Winery in Eustace, Texas, copyright 2015, John J. Rigo co-owner
The picture of several trellises installed this date of February 15th, 2015 is the beginning of 22 rows of such trellises that will be 200 feet long. They are faced running North and South at 10 degrees to maximize sun exposure.
Posted in A Deeply Sad Childhood Memory of a Texas' Poet, A Memory of Physical Abuse, images from my childhood: father beating mother, Poetry, Texas' Poetry, tagged A Childhood memory of physical abuse of a parent, A Sad Memory from Childhood, man beating woman, Physical Abuse in a family, Poetry, texas poetry on February 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Courtesy of tatoodonkey.com
Posted in Air-Heads working home improvement counters in the Cedar Creek Lake Area of East Texas, tagged Air-Heads abound at Loew's and Groom and Son, Air-Heads abound in the home improvment business in the Cedar Creek Lake area of East Texas, counter personnel of Groom and Son in Mabank Texas, counter personnel of Lowe's, Give me the old days when it comes to home-improvement, young woman working home-improvement counters on February 13, 2015| Leave a Comment »
“Young pretties working home-improvement counters of local hardware stores” copyright 2015 John J. Rigo. Image courtesy of Google Image Search
“Give me the older, more mature home improvement order personnel in hardware stores” copyright 2015 John J. Rigo. Image Courtesy of Google Image Search
I have been a resident of Gun Barrel City, eight years now. Six of those eight years as a weekender, the last two as a retiree (If I ever get thru my wife’s project goal lists). Generally when it comes to any purchase of a home improvement project or supply over a hundred dollars, I generally get three bids for the items and or work.
What I have observed lately is a disturbing tread in home improvement stores in the area, to wit, Loew’s and Groom and Son in Gun Barrel City and Mabank respectfully. Both stores seems to have their order counters abounding in young pretties, woman 25-30, who in my humble opinion are “Air-Heads.” They have no place behind the counter of a hardware store of any kind.
It must be a new marketing approach of upper management and owners of these local franchisees in the area. Truthfully, as an old crusty business man in my early 70’s, I do not think with what is between my legs when it comes to spending my money. I am not impressed with pretty young things attempting to do price quotes or handle my home or farm improvement projects for my homes or investments in the area.
Give me the “Old Days” when that counter sales person was a “Crusty-Individual” like me, who actually knew what they were talking about and doing in that profession. Lowe’s and Groom and Son in the Cedar Creek lake area of East Texas, get back to being professional again!
Posted in "My Magic Red Shoes" a poem by John J. Rigo, A Christmas Gift for 2012, A Poem by Texas' Poet and Commentator John J. Rigo, My Magic Shoes to Take me to the Past, Overcoming Our Current Stresses, Remembering One's Youth, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged a binding of hearts, A McKinney Poet, A McKinney Texas' newest poetry work, A new poem by a McKinney Texas' poet, A Published McKinney Texas Poet, A published poet who has won the Collin County Texas Poetry Award, dealing with stress, My Magic Red Shoes, Our Memories: A Place of no Stress, Poetry on February 10, 2015| 2 Comments »
Courtesy of favena.blogspot.com
Posted in Calling Out an Abuser, Calling out an Abusive Relationship, Some Woman need to Learn to Keep their Traps Shut, Verbal Abuse: A Two-Way Street in Relationships, tagged abusive relationships, Christianity, Christmas, God, Jesus, Lord, Poetry, Religion and Spirituality, Should Woman be considered luggage?, Some religions are on the right track when it comes to the treatment of woman, Texas, The Abuser, There nothing Worse than the Evil Tongue of a Wife on February 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »
“The Abuser” A Poem by John J. Rigo
Posted in God Forgives and Forgets, One of Seven Poems of "The Master's Series of Poems" by John J. Rigo, Poetry, Texas' Poetry, The "Master Series of Poetry", upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged Galilee, God, Master, Master of My Life, Night sky, Sea of Galilee, Sin, Texas, The Master Series of Poems by John J. Rigo on February 9, 2015| 1 Comment »
“………..pointing to a star”
Posted in The Foundation Trellis for a New Vineyard in Eustace Texas, tagged New Vineyards in Henderson County Texas, The Beginnings of a vineyard in East Texas, The Dream begins for Stewart-Rigo Winery in Eustace Texas on February 8, 2015| 2 Comments »
Unloading VSP Trellis for vine wire. Average weight 300 lbs. Hole for each nine inches each. Will encompass an acre and a half. Copyright 2015 John J. Rigo, Stewart-Rigo Winery in Eustace, Texas.
VSP Trellis for wine wire hanging system. Start of planting project for acre and half. Copyright 2015, John J. Rigo, Stewart-Rigo Winery in Eustace, Texas.
Starting a vineyard is much more than starting a vegetable garden. The success or most of time, failure of such a dream is common. Many a started vineyard today has rows of wood posts with wire and no plants or at best the dying remains of once was a dream in a vineyard.
We have prepared long and hard for our dream. 185 hours of study thru UC at Davis, out of California. Knowledge is power in the wine growing business. There are no short-cuts. Finding the right soil in the right location, with the right water is a must. That is why our search took two years when the dream started over twenty years ago.
Two years ago, we found our farm. It is on the Wilcox Aquifer, some of the greatest water in Texas, it was number one in our search for a farm. What you see above is pictures of the VSP Trellis System being unloaded. There will be three more loads like this for the complete system.
It is two and seven-eights inch new pipe. It was a purchase of brand new pipe costing about $5,000 and taking two men, two months to cut and fit this piping. This system will be there for a hundred years for this vineyard.
(Special Note: Infrared and daytime camera’s constantly patrol the property for an instant alarm in an attempt to tamper with said equipment. The instant alarm goes to the Henderson County Sheriff Department. The “Castle Law” applies in any and all trespassing).
Posted in Poetry, Texas' Poetry, The Perfect Poem, The Perfect Poem by John J. RIgo Texas' Poet, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged Arts, Devil, God, Online Writing, Paradise, Poetry, Romance, Texas on February 6, 2015| 1 Comment »
Courtesy of guardian.co.uk
Posted in Reviews of "Freshly Pressed" Selections by WordPress, tagged A Review of a "Freshly-Pressed" Selection by WordPress, Commentary by John J. Rigo Texas' Poet and Commentator, Insights to Poetry from a Texas' Poet on February 5, 2015| Leave a Comment »
John J. Rigo, WordPress Blogger, Texas’ Poet and Commentator, copyright 2015 John J. Rigo
It has been a while that I have visited “Freshly Pressed” on the WordPress program. Several years ago, I had issues with some of the selected WordPress blogs, hence a form of disconnect on my part on this portion of so-named WordPress high-profile selections. I found this selection “interesting” in pointing out the various forms of poetry from ancient history. It is hard reading, but bits of insight to poetry writing can be found if one practices patience in its reading. To my way of thinking the best of what should represent the best of “Freshly Pressed” should come from the “Most humble of us WordPress Posters.” The majority of us are not professional writers, nor art-enabled posters who wish to demonstrate the “higher priced” programs WordPress sells in its marketplace. Again, this my own “humble take with seven years now with WordPress; WordPress is my only “social network.”
Looking for some great short medieval poems which are easy to read? Look no further than this, our latest post…
Medieval poetry can be a daunting field to dip into (to mix our metaphors terribly). Although Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Dante’s Divine Comedy are masterpieces and essential reading, perhaps the best route into medieval poetry – as with any poetry – is to start small. What follows is our pick of the best short medieval poems written in English.
They are all presented in the original Middle English, because here at Interesting Literature we believe that that’s the best way to read the poems. This does mean that several words/phrases need glossing, so we’ve done this briefly before each poem. All of these poems were written (or at least written down) some time during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries: our source for them is the excellent Penguin book of Medieval…
View original post 1,117 more words
Texas Poetry 
“Lowe’s of Gun Barrel City, Texas Will Not Extent 10% Discount to Working Farm Veterans!” copyright 2015, John J. Rigo, Texas’ Commentator and Poet
Posted in Loew's of Gun Barrel City Texas not honoring AG tax exceptions and Discounts for Veterans, tagged A Commentary on Loew's of Gun Barrel City by a Texas' Commentator, A Lowe's Corporate Rule beyond Common Sense, AG Tax Exception certificates not honored by Lowe's with a Veteran's Discount?, Is Lowe's of Gun Barrel City Texas Dishonoring Working Farm Veterans?, Is Lowe's of Gun Barrel City Texas treating Veterans fairly?, It is true? Lowes does not honor vets with working farms in Texas?, Lowe's of Gun Barrel City Texas, Lowe's of Gun Barrel City Texas renders poor choice for farm Veterans, Lowe's of Gun Barrel City Texas: Problem in Honoring AG Exception certificates on February 11, 2015| 1 Comment »
Lowe’s Logo courtesy of Google Image Search. “Is Lowe’s of Gun Barrel City Texas dishonoring working farm Veterans?” copyright 2015 John J. Rigo
There is no doubt about it, Lowe’s the home improvement store located in Gun Barrel City, Texas has the “Only Game in Town.” This is especially so in this Cedar Creek Lake Community 45 minutes North of Dallas, Texas. What is especially interesting that this area is also known for having a large population of “Honorably Discharge Veterans.”
Many are recent returnees from war zones in foreign lands who thru retirement or various disabilities have settled to the Cedar Creek Lake area of Texas. Many of these individuals live on small farms in the area, seeking to make a living off the land in the area with an AG exception in place.
As to myself, I am an honorably discharged Air Force Veteran with four years of active service. My period of service is 1959-1963. I do not fall into the category of a recent veteran from war, but like other honorably discharged members of the military, I qualify for Loew’s 10 percent discount on what Loew’s classifies as “Personal Purchases.”
With my recent retirement at age 70 with my wife of a State Farm Insurance Agency out of McKinney, Texas two years ago, I became additionally blessed with the purchase of a 30 acre farm with an in-place AG exception, nine miles from our eight year ownership of a lake front home in Gun Barrel City. We spent our time between these two homes. The farm produces award-winning hay and is currently in the process of planting a vineyard.
I may also point out that over the last eight years between the extensive remodeling on our lake home and equally extensive remodeling on our farm and ranch, my wife and I have spent a good-sized fortune with Lowe’s in Gun Barrel City, Texas. Up until this past Monday, we were always pleased with Lowe’s and her service
My background is fifty years experience in sales and sales training has served me well over the years and has brought me to the observation that one of the huge problems with our current economy in the United States is that “Bean Counters” control the county, as well as corporate America, many times to their disadvantages.
Hence we come to a Lowe’s Corporate rule that I came across this past Monday while making a substantial purchase of home improvement material for our farm which currently has an in-place AG tax exemption. It seems Lowe’s would not render me “Both the exception from taxes on my farm material purchase ‘AND’ still give my ten percent veteran’s discount.” A corporate program, I personally find both “stupid and ridiculous.”
When I asked to speak to the actual store manager regarding this, all I found myself was surrounded by what I felt were a bunch of ill-informed and “flunky-type, so-called assistant managers.” After an hour of being given the “run-around” I elected to take my ten percent discount and withdrawn my tax exception certificate for use on our farm.
Discounts in the area for veterans are common place in the Cedar Creek Lake area because of the huge veterans population. Even the local Denny’s gives a ten percent discount to Vets on meals. With all the current governments noise about serving “returning vets,” it would seem to me, that in a county where we have declining farms and job opportunities for vets, that a veterans who owes a farm with an in place AG tax exemption should be able to have their tax exemption honored and receive their ten percent discount. What is your take on this?
Share this:
Read Full Post »