A campout at Tyler State Park called for some serious cast iron cooking. Armed with a 12-inch Dutch oven, charcoal, and a plan involving mac and cheese topped with pork chops, we entered the cook-off determined not to leave anything to chance.
Continue reading →Editor’s Note (2026) The Gershwin reproducing piano article originally appeared on JimKerkhoff.com. As the Weber Piano Project expanded, it became clear that reproducing pianos belong within the larger story of music, craftsmanship, and musical history at Roy Creek Ranch. I’ve always … Continue reading →
Long before modern audio recording, reproducing pianos captured the performances of great pianists and composers on paper rolls. Today they offer a remarkable window into nineteenth- and early twentieth-century piano performance, allowing us to hear Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Gershwin and many others as audiences once heard them.
Continue reading →My earliest musical memories revolve around a Mason & Hamlin piano, a teacher named Wilda Reiff, and a fascination with making the piano sound. Looking back, those childhood lessons shaped not only my musical life but many of the habits that would serve me for decades to come.
Continue reading →As I considered rebuilding the Weber, a simple question emerged: was the piano worth saving? Research into its history, its original owner, and its place in American musical life led me to an unexpected answer.
Continue reading →A casual suggestion from my piano technician led to a visit with master craftsman Bernard Mollberg and the beginning of a journey I never anticipated. Looking back, this was where the Weber Piano Project truly began.
Continue reading →Winning a concerto competition seemed like a fun challenge. Instead, it led to an unexpected opportunity, a historic 1893 Weber grand piano, and the beginning of a journey that would continue for more than forty years.
Continue reading →An unexpected email from Omaha historian Jeffrey Spencer changed everything. What began as a simple inquiry about an 1893 Weber grand piano soon became a journey through music, history, craftsmanship, and the remarkable people connected to the instrument.
Continue reading →A garden weather station provides real-time local environmental data that can help manage irrigation, rainwater storage, and outdoor growing conditions. This DIY solar-powered project combines 3D printed parts, environmental sensors, and Home Assistant integration for long-term outdoor monitoring.
Continue reading →This article documents the design and construction of a solar-powered garage built to charge an electric vehicle at Roy Creek Ranch. The project adds a 6 kW solar array to an existing system, bringing total capacity to about 10.5 kW and enabling full Level-2 EV charging directly from solar energy. The post explores design constraints, construction techniques, and lessons learned building a solar garage in rural Texas.
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