I'll Gather my Geese

[SHANEA]

Book Review:  I just got finished reading "I'll Gather my Geese" by the legendary and late Hallie Stillwell.  I'll give it two thumbs up.  It was a very easy read and the only problem I had with it is that it didn't go into enough detail and then kinda ended abruptly when her husband died.  Must be the reason for the second book she wrote.

The book chronicles her adventures in the West Texas Trans Pecos Region around Black Gap and Marathaon from the turn of the century - the last century - born ~ 1898.  

She was something remarkable and was not a prim and proper lady of the time as she could do anything any rancher or cowboy could do - from wrestling cattle, hunting mountain lions, playing bridge, etc.

[Vince T]

I spent an afternoon at the Stillwell store in 2004 and had a great visit with Hallie's grand daughter.
I bought a tape that was recoreded by Hallie that had a lot of the stories that are in the book you referred to...great stuff.

Vince

[Doc Savage]

Wife liked that book to, but I think she enjoyed Burros on my Doorstep, Lizards on the Mantle better. What is cool about that also is that we almost always stop at the Hot Springs and check out the house where the author lived for awhile.

Robert

[East Texan]

Just finished reading this book and will continue with "My Goose Is Cooked" - the sequel.
What an amazing woman Hallie was.  It's hard to understand how those people survived all the hardships out there and yet loved it so much they refused to leave for better pastures.

If you read the book and are curious about the candelilla wax camps, I found this link that explains the process:

http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/waxcamps/techniques.html

[Peach]

I read both I'll Gather my Geese and my Goose is Cooked after my last BB trip.  Great books! 

[SHANEA]

You are missing a real treat if you have never gone by the Stillwell Store and checked out the Hallie Stillwell Hall of Fame Museum  Hallie's origional house is long gone, but her memory lives on here. 

Come enjoy a piece of the last frontier where you can find solitude in a rustic land where no modems roam and cell phones can find nary a signal…

[Vince T]

You are missing a real treat if you have never gone by the Stillwell Store and checked out the Hallie Stillwell Hall of Fame Museum  Hallie's origional house is long gone, but her memory lives on here. 

Come enjoy a piece of the last frontier where you can find solitude in a rustic land where no modems roam and cell phones can find nary a signal…

I agree with you Shane.
I had been to the park at least 20 times before I finally decided to make that right turn and head down there.
When I was there, they handed me a key to the museum and said "Go check it out".
They mentioned that for years it had been left unlocked, but some thief came in one day a took a few things, so they keep it locked.
I wonder if things have changed...that was probably '04 or '05.

Neat place though...they had an urn...storage vessel sort of thing in there that they attribute to the early Spanish Conquistadors.  I am pretty sure they specifically think it was from De Soto's party.