nature

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The Horse Crippler Cactus

The Big Bend region of Texas is home to more than 60 species of cacti, giving Big Bend National Park the distinction of having more kinds of cacti than any other U.S. national park. Among them all, none has a more intimidating name than the Horse Crippler.


One look at this small but formidable succulent—with its broad, flattened shape and fierce spines—and it’s easy to understand how it earned its name. Hidden low against the desert floor, it was notorious for injuring the hooves of horses that accidentally stepped on it.

I have found several Horse Cripplers on our off-grid property just outside Big Bend National Park. They are surprisingly easy to miss because they hug the desert floor, blending almost perfectly into the sandy landscape. But the fact that this remarkable succulent thrives in the Chihuahuan Desert tells you everything you need to know—it is built for survival.


Unlike many other cacti, the Horse Crippler stays low to the ground. This helps protect it from the harsh desert sun and drying winds. When drought lasts a long time, it saves water by shrinking and sinking deeper into the soil. After a good rain, it fills up with water and rises a few inches, showing off its crown of spines again.

Like many of the cacti of the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, the Horse Crippler produces beautiful blossoms － in particular pink to lavender blossoms with striking reddish centers. These showy flowers appear in the spring and attract a variety of native pollinators. I have not yet been fortunate enough to find one in bloom, but I hope to one day.

Even more remarkable than its beautiful blossoms, the Horse Crippler produces scarlet-red fruit. After the flowers fade, these fruits develop and often remain on the cactus for weeks. The fruit provides an important food source for birds and small mammals who help disperse the cactus’s seeds across the desert.


The Horse Crippler shows that even in the tough conditions of the Chihuahuan Desert, survival goes to those built to last, no matter their size. Its resilience is a sign of the wisdom of its Creator.

For those fortunate enough to see a Horse Crippler in bloom, it offers another lesson: remarkable beauty can emerge from a life built to withstand difficult environments. Perhaps that is true of people as well.

In the meantime, I’ll continue watching where I step while keeping an eye out for this remarkable little cactus. One day, I hope to find one wearing its crown of pink and lavender blossoms.

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Chasing Clouds in Big Bend

It is rare for me to head to our cabin in Big Bend without a list of projects to tackle. In fact, one of the things I enjoy most about spending time there is planning and completing projects that make our off-grid cabin and property a little more comfortable and enjoyable.

The physical work is always a welcome change of pace. For me, there is something deeply satisfying about working with my hands, seeing progress at the end of the day, and investing in a place that has become a refuge for rest, reflection, and adventure.

However, on our recent trip to Big Bend, my project list was unusually short. Nothing major on my list, just a few projects that could be finished in a matter of hours. It felt a bit strange to arrive with so little to do, but I took it as an opportunity to find new ways to relax and enjoy the beauty of this vast and rugged region of Texas.

Instead of focusing on what needed to be built or repaired, I gave myself permission to slow down. I spent some quality time working on some devotional lessons. Cheryl and I also drove into Study Butte to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant. Of course, we always enjoy sitting around the fire pit to wait for the golden hour, when the waning sunlight turns magical, and the stars start to fill the vast desert skies.


What I enjoyed most, however, was climbing on my electric mini-bike and chasing clouds. For whatever reason, the clouds captured my attention. They looked so dramatic and beautiful against the deep blue sky as they drifted above the mesas and bluffs. I spent hours riding up and down the dirt roads, chasing them across the horizon and stopping to photograph their ever-changing shapes and shadows.


As the day wore on, the clouds eventually joined together to become a storm, complete with thunder and lightning. Cheryl and I loved sitting on the porch of our cabin and watching the desert storm roll across the landscape. In a place where rain is rare and precious, a storm is better than television. As the winds arrived carrying that distinctive fragrance of approaching rain, we found ourselves thinking of John Denver’s words: “You fill up my senses, like a storm in the desert.”


There are few experiences that compare to that moment. The sky darkens, the temperature drops, the wind begins to stir, and the fragrance of rain fills the air. It is one of those gifts that is difficult to describe. You do not simply see the storm—you feel it, smell it, and breathe it in. For a few moments, the desert comes alive in a way that engages all your senses.


As night fell across the desert, the distant lightning became even more dramatic. Flash after flash illuminated the horizon. Every flash revealed the outlines of mesas, bluffs, and clouds that had disappeared into the darkness. The light show was mesmerizing—nature’s own display unfolding in silence except for the occasional rumble of thunder rolling across the desert.


It was a wonderful way to end the day and to spend our final night at the cabin. Sitting on the porch, watching the storm move across the distant landscape, we were reminded once again why we love this place so much. The rain brought refreshment to the thirsty desert, and in its own way, it refreshed us as well.


Sometimes the best moments in Big Bend are not found in accomplishing a project or checking something off a list. Sometimes they are found in slowing down, chasing clouds, and watching a desert storm roll across the horizon.

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Back in the Desert

After celebrating Christmas with family, Cheryl and I packed up the Tundra and headed to our cabin in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert. Over the course of a year, we never spend as much time at the cabin as we would like. But that is what makes the time we do get to spend there all the more special.

For the first time in years, I had a very short list of projects. That was okay, because I wanted some quiet space in which to do some reading and writing before leaving the country again in a few days. There is no better place than the desert for me to de-stress and refresh my always-in-motion soul.


One small project on my list was extending the pavers in our outdoor kitchen and picnic area all the way to the west side of the cabin. A big part of the reason for this was to cut down on dust—although dust is always part of life in the desert. It is ever-present and respects no barriers. It always finds its way in and defiantly settles on every surface.


I brought pavers from home but knew I would need more to finish the project. So after off-loading what we brought with us, we made a trip to McCoy’s in Alpine to purchase the rest. While there, we decided to stop for lunch at Magoo’s Place, known for its home-style cooking.

In all the years we have traveled through Alpine on our way to the cabin, we had never stopped to eat there. However, Rita, my new assistant, highly recommended it. Her husband’s family has deep roots in Alpine and Big Bend and knows all the good places to eat.


After leaving McCoy’s, we drove the short distance to Magoo’s Place only to find it packed for lunch. We stopped anyway and scored the last available table. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger, and Cheryl ordered a BLT—both with hand-cut fries and tea. We were not disappointed. Every bite was delicious. We agreed we would not miss future opportunities to eat at Magoo’s.


As we usually do when we visit the cabin, we scheduled fellowship time with our neighbors. We always enjoy hosting cookouts with s’mores around the campfire. It’s always good to reconnect with our friends in the desert and get caught up on the latest happenings under the Big Bend skies.


I also had time to take a long ride on my mini-bike, exploring the roads around the cabin. There are 1,100 miles of roads on Terlingua Ranch, so there is no shortage of places to explore. But my electric mini-bike keeps me closer to the cabin, where I can make it back before draining the batteries. I had a great time riding in the cool air with views of the surrounding mountains and mesas.


I added another piece of décor to the cabin as well. While visiting Dad, I came across one of my grandfather’s old cigar boxes. This one is different from the others he gave me to store small childhood treasures. It is wooden with a hinged top and a small latch. The name of the distributor in Mission, Texas, is etched on the side. I placed it next to an old photo of my grandfather on his ranch in Duval County.

Adding nostalgic touches to the cabin makes it an even more special place to visit. We want Dos Arbolitos—our place in the desert—to always be a sanctuary, a place of rest and refreshment. We know we are stewards of this place only for a season, and that one day someone else will own it.


We pray that whoever owns our small slice of geography in the Chihuahuan Desert long after we are gone will enjoy it as much as we do. We continue to work hard to make it an inviting retreat. We have made many improvements over the years, but the most important thing is not what we have done in the desert—it is what God has done to refresh us in the desert. That is why we are always happy to make the long drive back to our little slice of heaven in the desert.

Happy New Year from Dos Arbolitos deep in the heart of Texas.

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Manna in the Chihuahuan Desert

Last November, Cheryl and I hosted the first retreat at our cabin for the men from the Manna House. This Christ-centered residential recovery ministry for men addicted to alcohol and drugs is located in the small town of Brookshire. The year long program is designed to lead men to be set free, set apart and set on fire.


The Manna House guys arrived early Thursday afternoon. I rode my electric mini-bike to Little Burro Country Store at the intersection of Highway 118 and Legions Road to meet and escort them the final three miles to the cabin. I have sure enjoyed riding my mini-bike along the dirt roads around the cabin. So much fun!


The guys wasted no time in setting up their tents and getting situated. In the meantime, James and his sous-chefs, Doug and Chris, started meal prep. Prior to their arrival, my friend Kyle and I built a special table for Dutch oven cooking. James is a master of Dutch oven meals so I wanted to improve our outdoor cooking area for him to work his culinary magic.


As in the previous year, we gave each of the men a hydration backpack along with all sorts of miscellaneous gear for day-hikes: first aid kit, emergency whistle, space blanket, caribeners, flashlight and headlamp, compass, paracord bracelet, and more. We sat around the campfire that first evening talking about hiking and preparation for wilderness survival.


The guys enjoyed several hikes on the two days they visited Big Bend National Park. Each night we sat around the campfire for a debrief on the day. So much fun to hear about how much they enjoyed the park. And, of course, the guys lingered around the campfire until the stars and the Milky Way filled the night sky.


The best part of our time out west was the day Raul and Timothy were baptized in the Rio Grande River. Having a relationship with Jesus is essential to their recovery and to taking that first step to be set free, set apart, and set on fire. Having all of the guys witness their baptism made it all the more special.


I am grateful for the Manna House and their commitment to help men in recovery. Over the past twenty years I have met so many men at the Manna House whose lives were changed for the better, who arrived in a state of despair and desperation and left with a new hope and a new future.


Cheryl and I consider it a blessing to host these men at Dos Arbolitos, our little slice of heaven in the Chihuahuan Desert. Our prayer is that God would bless us with many more years of good health to continuing hosting outdoor adventures for boys and for men and helping them to connect with the One who created the beauty of Big Bend.

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A Chihuahuan Desert New Year

It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone. Time seems to fly by faster and faster the older I get. I told a friend that at my age I can’t afford to kill time because time is killing me. I have to make the most of every day.

Once again, Cheryl and I celebrated — or rather slept through — the transition to the New Year out at our off-grid cabin. With a waning moon, the stars were definitely big and bright deep in the heart of Texas. And the nights were cold out in the Chihuahuan Desert where the creosote offers little protection from the north winds.

We headed to the cabin after spending a couple of days with my 95 year-old Dad down in South Texas. Still in great health and with a mind as sharp as ever, Dad is my hero and inspiration. He is an eternal optimist and has remained curious about the world — although he is now resigned to exploring new places by way of his favorite travel shows.

We were excited to meet the Perry family, friends from church, staying at our guest cabin. This was their first visit to Big Bend National Park and they had some fun days planned for their girls. We had the opportunity to share a pleasant night around the campfire before they headed back to Katy.

As always, we had a list of projects, a truck full of materials, and only a few days to make a little more progress on our off-grid paradise. So, we wasted no time.


The first thing on my list was to start on the outdoor cooking area under the solar porch at our guest cabin. The plan is to build half walls clad in corrugated tin to serve as a wind block. I built a cooking counter out of recycled lumber and coated it with spare urethane. I will complete the half-walls on our next visit and then lay pavers to cut down on the dust.


I recently created a shadow box to display my Cub Scout knot board. I made this knot display on March 27, 1967 when I was a member of Pack 60 in McAllen. I recently found it in a box of stuff up in the attic and thought it would be a fun addition to the guest cabin.


I also replenished our firewood supply at the cabin. A couple of weeks ago, my friends Mike and Jeff invited me to join them at Jeff’s father-in-law’s ranch in Navasota where a big, old pecan tree had crashed to the ground and was destined for the burn pile. The three of us spent a morning cutting and gathering firewood for the cabin.


Cheryl tried something new on our little Blackstone grill. Since we don’t have an oven at the cabin, she used the grill as a makeshift oven and baked some really delicious cookies — lots and lots of cookies. We were so encouraged by the success of this experiment that Cheryl will try her hand at making pizza on the Blackstone on our next visit. I am absolutely ready for that!


The rest of our time was spent catching up on a lot of general maintenance items. I installed new light fixtures and added shelves to our (former solar equipment) closet in the main cabin. I also serviced our propane heaters, mouse-proofed our outdoor toilet and shower area, and completed a few others miscellaneous things on the list. Always something on the list.


The weather was amazing. Pleasant days, amazing sunsets, really dark and cold nights, and the soothing and therapeutic silence of the desert. This is a gift — a wonderful gift from God. We are excited about the the year ahead and the opportunity to spend many more days in the embrace of the Chihuahuan Desert and vast Big Bend skies.

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Trailer Parks, Motels and Prison

When we purchased our Big Bend property six years ago, Cheryl and I dreamed of developing a place where we could escape to relax and enjoy the outdoors. We also wanted to have a place where boys and fathers and families could visit to connect with God in the magnificence of His creation.

For the past three years we have hosted a Big Bend adventure for boys from Brookshire — a community with the highest concentration of fatherless homes in the greater Houston area. We have offered this retreat in collaboration with The Hangar Unity Center, a Christian non-profit in Brookshire that exists to mentor and disciple at-risk youth and their families.


Last week, we hosted men from The Manna House in Brookshire. Manna House is a residential recovery program for men addicted to alcohol and drugs. Their year long program is built around three objectives: to lead men to be set free, set apart and set on fire. My friend Ryan Orbin, the new executive director of The Manna House, and I have been dreaming about this adventure for the last year.


The Manna House guys arrived on Thursday afternoon. That evening, we sat around the campfire and gave all of the men their very own outdoor gear, including hydration backpack, first aid kit, compass, whistle, emergency blanket, flashlight, headlamp, and more. We talked about the importance of shared adventure with other men and why alone is dangerous.


Most of the men in the group grew up in tough circumstances and never enjoyed outdoor adventures. So, they were both anxious and excited about going to Big Bend National Park to hike and to enjoy the magnificent views of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Chisos Mountains.


The guys hiked the Lost Mine Trail and the Window Trail at the park and later visited Santa Elena Canyon and the Hot Springs Trail. For many of the men who had never hiked, the trails were challenging. Every man, however, pushed through and completed each hike.


As we enjoyed a meal around the campfire while the sun dropped below the mountains and mesas to our west, one of the guys said that this adventure had exceeded his expectations. He said that his eyes were opened to all he had been missing. “All I have ever known,” he said, “is trailer parks, motels and prison.” And then he remarked that he wanted to stay close to God and finally start living. What a testimony to how God used this shared adventure in his life.


While the Manna guys were on the trail, my neighbors Joe and Lisa spent a couple of days working on the solar infrastructure for our guest cabin. They erected the iron framing that will hold the solar panels in front of our guest cabin. They also added three Lithium batteries that will power the guest cabin and our main cabin as well.


My friends Selim and Rafa, along with a couple of the Manna guys, dug a 150-foot trench between the cabins where we buried the power cables that will connect all of the structures on the property. These solar power upgrades will ensure that we have enough power to carry us through even on days that are overcast.


We concluded our time by inviting our neighbors to join us for a meal followed by a star party led by my friend Yogi — the local guru of Big Bend night skies. He is better than Google and is passionate about sharing his love for the night skies out here in this wide part of Texas.


One reason I enjoy working hard on projects every time we visit the cabin is knowing that what I do will bless the family, friends, and guests who will visit in the future. We are stewards of our little place only for a short while. We want for our short while to make a difference by blessing others. We are thrilled that the Manna House men had the opportunity to experience and enjoy the magnificance of Big Bend.