And a tribute to Stephen Bly
By Molly Noble Bull
An artesian water well on the Santa Rosa Ranch in Kenedy County, Texas
An aquifer could be described as soft, porous rock in layers and just below the service of the ground that takes in and soaks up water. My husband and I lived in the Texas hill country west of San Antonio for over twenty years where an underground lake, called the Edwards Aquifer, constantly flowed under our feet.
In drought-filled South Texas where I was born and where we live today, water was often a problem. While a plentiful supple of water was just below the surface in the Texas hill country, ranchers drilled deep wells to find water for their animals and their families in South Texas. Often one drought melts into the next one.
But some ranchers, even in South Texas, were fortunately enough to have a flowing supply of water called an artesian well at some locations on their land. Above is a photo taken in the nineteen thirties or forties of an artesian well on the Santa Rosa Ranch in Kenedy County, Texas.
I cannot end this article without mentioning author Stephen Bly who recently relocated to Heaven. Each month, my Bustles and Spurs articles were right before his, and he often left comments after my posts. I will miss his kindness, but his talent for storytelling will go on and on.