Jim, a couple of other posts here (and I think in a related thread) picked up on Gaelic or across the pond origins, humorously or not; my parenthetical statement was a generalized response, not specifically pointing at any of them.

Richie, I like your painting. Long ago I was with a field party (ecological) in the Panhandle. We set camp near a fairly broad valley, with a tiny stream (sometimes almost intermittent since the water mostly flowed in the sand), but which had deep valley fill. The stream could have been larger in the 1800s. Lots of wild critters where we were, and good area for cattle.
We were well away from the Palo Duro (formed by early Red River and its system) but still interesting country. The old JA ranch and others operated in the Canyon area and beyond.