I grew up in the drought of the '50s on a ranch in West Texas.  People were still shocking feed for hay when they were fortunate enough to have made any. Most everyone burned pear for their livestock to survive.  Small square bales were in full swing when it rained, but big round hay bales were to come much later.  Stetson hats and leather were in style especially while riding a horse.  Nylon ropes weren't around yet, but spurs, bits, horseshoes, and  chaps-the regular ones down to the ground-hot and heavy, were.  Screwworms were abundant; I can still smell them and the medicine used to doctor the unfortunate animals.  In fact, I still have a little bottle of it somewhere to smell for reminders.  Gooseneck trailers had not been invented, but Bobtails and regular cattle trucks had.  "Pots", potbellied livestock trucks of our modern livestock transportation industry had not yet come out of the blueprints.  My pickup with side bars was used to haul my saddle-horse from place to place.  It was faster and easier, but I had to teach my horse to jump in and had to find a ditch or low place to back him out when unloading.
   The eradication of the screwworm, gooseneck trailers, big round bales, and protein feed blocks revolutionized the ranching industry in Texas during the following decades.  These discoveries allowed for one man to move large numbers of livestock over longer distances in less time.  With no screwworm problem to tie up the cowboy's time, not considering the loss in livestock numbers, he was able to concentrate on other needs.  The new hay bales and protein blocks would help him potentially feed and care for larger numbers of livestock for a greater length of time. It all cut down on man hours to be spent worthy elsewhere.
     But brush growth of all kinds:  mesquite trees, cedar, and cactus would take its toll on the ranching world robbing precious moisture from grass growth.  Stagnant livestock market prices would never keep pace with the inflation of nonagricultural products. Livestock prices are basically in the same region today as they were in the 50's.  A pickup would cost between $1000-2000 and gasoline was selling in the 20 cent range.  On a brighter note, some bank back in the late 50's started giving 1-2% interest on a savings accounts!  Those who still had a little money in the bank thought they had become rich overnight!!
     Finding the time to paint was sometimes scarce.  Most of the time it was after hours or some rainy day.  From childhood, I've always been drawing, painting, and later, sculpting bronzes.  I devoured books and  periodicals on art.  Finally some workshops & weekend painting demo's with Bettina Steinke, Richard Schmid, Joseph Mendez, Ben Konis, and Bruce Green round out my education on art.  The B.S. degree in Agricultural Education and the Biology teaching certificate never rooted perennially.  I probably spent too much time ranching!   Though I'm not cowboying anymore and haven't for almost a decade, a man may ride more than one horse in a lifetime!