Thursday, 3 March 2011

A Taste of Texas Beauty

There is no question that we Texans suffer from a certain amount of ‘pardonable’ national pride.

Hardly surprising for a state that has lived under six different flags

and for a time existed as an independent ‘nation’.

Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession
.Above all, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word.

And there's an opening convey of generalities. A Texan outside of Texas is a foreigner.”

John Steinbeck quotes (American Novelist)

For better or worse, Texas looms large in the minds of it’s citizens..native born or not.

So strong is our love for our state’s identity and heritage…

that though my family moved here when I was two….

I spent the next 16 years attempting to live down my Yankee/Hoosier roots.

I took a lot of good natured ribbing in school.
That’s OK, we don’t blame anyone who wants to be a Texan. How could we?

The Sun is riz..

the sun is set..

and here we is..

in Texas yet..

(A saying taught me by my mother on the long drive to get OUT of Texas to start a vacation!)

Our symbols, like our land and our dreams..are big too… and important to us,

though sometimes shared with other western states.

“Some folks look at me and see a certain swagger,

which in Texas, is called "walking."”

George W. Bush Former President of the United States

The cowboy is an iconic image in Texas along with oil fields,
Colt peacemaker six-shooters, and our beloved horses.

by Donna

So prevalant is this stereotype …. that my German born DIL fully expected to see
every man wearing a hat, riding a horse, and carrying a gun when she first arrived.

credit

Imagine her delight on first seeing the mounted police in The Woodlands Waterway shopping center. LoL!

What can you say about the spirit and determination of a people whose favorite epitaph is ..

Well..He sure died with his boots on!

I can only say that I certainly hope I do too some day…

I never realized how much I was attached to the dry, rugged plains of the Hill Country

and the hardy splashes of colorful beauty that dot the roadside fields with wildflowers each spring

…not, that is..until we moved to Florida for a year. It felt claustrophobic in comparison.

I was SOoooo glad when we moved back home!

No huge expanse of deep blue sky, no sunsets reaching as far as the eye could see…
(except at the beach of course) :o)

over golden fields of wheat or hay………

or deep golden gorges broken by occasional clumps of craggy trees

goats frisking in their pens….and hardy cows quietly chewing their cud.

Florida has it’s own intoxicating beauty…. but I missed the quiet loveliness of the rural landscape…

Peaceful…sleepy…timeless beauty…

I have to say that ….I wasn't BORN here in Texas,

but I got here as quick as I could!

Note: These photos were taken by Rebekah Rodgers..

of our home and neighborhood in Willis, Tx. and the city of Brenham, Tx

...and the route along the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM6NRhg_Xoc

Want a little video tour? This music video tour put to the song Texas by George Strait is the best I've ever seen. He expresses our love for Texas and just perfectly. You'll feel like you've really been here after listening to this. :o)