Shake, Rattle and Roll

The phrase, “shake, rattle and roll,” came to mind again this weekend.

Probably better stated---“Boom, rattle and roll.”

It has become a way of life in West Texas, specifically around home base here in Snyder, Texas where we experienced yet another 3+ earthquake on Saturday morning while I was sipping coffee and watching my “harvest” shows.

(My harvest shows are the hunting shows on ESPN where hunters are stalking white tail deer or turkey. They like to call it harvesting animals…when we all know they are just killing them.)

Anyway….I was watching Bambi get harvested when an audible boom was followed by the house rattled.

Another earthquake, I thought. It has become a common occurrence here…with over a half dozen events in the past year. Prior to coming here, I only remember two earthquakes in my life----one as a youngster while in the old Bethalto Boys Club (prior to letting girls in) in around 1970…..and another while visiting the Albion Rotary Club in around 2004.

They don’t scare me. In fact, I always think someone has rolled their vehicle into the building….or I go out and look skyward to see if some Air Force pilot has decided to go Mach-one.  

According to locals, Texas geological folk do not attribute these shakers to a fault beneath Snyder.  I find that rather hard to believe since the epicenters are all in a straight line and are moving towards the city from the north.  Others just want to blame the oil industry in some manner. I don’t know enough about it to have an opinion. I just know, they get my attention.

Being a native of the St. Louis area, I was often told that my hometown was in for a huge earthquake like the one that hit back exactly 200 years ago…..I mean exactly 200 years ago….on December 16^th 1811….when the first of several big earthquakes hit the New Madrid Fault. It was in excess of a 7.5 on the Richter scale, and made the mighty Mississippi flow upstream. That’s an impressive event.

Because the region was so sparsely populated with very simple structures, damage -+was at a minimum. But that only means St. Louis is due.

Not to scare my friends back in the 618 area code…. but I felt it important to warn you. I’m packing for my holiday trip into your region this week. I have a date with my first grandson, Carson Andrew Dreith, who is expected to arrive sometime just prior to the New Year.

I hope I won’t be bringing a rash of earthquakes with me.

But becoming a grandpa does have a certain seismic feel to it.

It is sure to shake, rattle and roll my life….

And, I’m sure his birth will spawn a blog or two……

Until then….Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.