Back in Sugar Land

Well we are finally back in Texas.  We decided to drive home a long way.  We had lunch with Boyd, Helen, Ken and Mo this summer and decided we should go back to our Kansas roots and see the plots of farmland that were left to us by our Dad. He left two plots of 160 acres (1/4 sections) that have been sharecrop farmed in grain.  Both plots have had an oil and gas lease to various companies but nothing had been done about this.  Dad always said that there would be oil there!! Well about a year ago, an oil drilling company decided to use newer techniques to drill on an adjacent plot to one of ours and to extend horizontally into our land.  And they found modest amounts of oil and gas.  We are not going to be like the Beverly Hillbillies, but each of us is now getting a monthly check for our share. So we had to go see what was happening. So the three Nies brothers along with Cory (Ken's son), Boyd Jr., Lorrie and Craig all met in Wichita, KS. There we met with a cousin of ours (Clifford Nies and his wife Joan) who graciously spent an evening and a day touring the area. Clifford is a well-known home builder in the area (Nies Homes!!) who is still very active.  He is about Boyd's age. We also had our farm manager, Tim McKinney showing us the plots.  It was really fun to see everyone and another part of the country. Here are some pics.

Nies Cousins

Nies Bros

All of us with Clifford

One of the plots

Clifford looking at oil stuff

Grandfather Nies

Grandmother Nies

Kansas Cemetery