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VOLUME 6
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NUMBER 5
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8 Rural Ramblings 56 History & Heritage 58 Texas Travels 62 Gardening Basics
TEXAS FARM & HOME
Navasota’s texas birthday bash celebrates with music and texasthemed activites
IN EVERY ISSUE
SECTIONS
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Washington on the brazos relives the birth of a nation
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52 Cafés Across Texas 65 Texas Events 66 Country As Cornbread
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For nearly 300 years texas history has run through goliad
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Jefferson museums bring early days of city to life
ON THE COVER
Actors portray the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
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editor’s welcome
Christina Cutler Stewart
Keeping busy on the farm H ere it is February, spring is on the way and life on a farm begins to get busy as work moves outdoors to the ever-lengthening days. This isn’t just true for country folks; city dwellers too have more hours of daylight to play with — they just don’t have as much room in which to play. As for us, the kids have some extra time to run around screaming and generally be kids. I’ve always felt kids need room. They need room to run, they need room to scream and play, they need room to see the beauty of God’s creation. Being outside also encourages them to work. We told Claire recently, who turned seven back in the summer, this will be the year where she will begin to work. Her response was, “But I’m only seven.” She was told we are not going to make her go out and cut down trees, chop firewood and slaughter and butcher hogs, but there are plenty of other jobs she can do. So, she has started feeding the baby goats in the morning and evening. She gathers the chickens’ eggs and makes sure they are shut up in the evenings and turned loose in the morning. She helps her Daddy in the garden and serves as a general “gofer” for us around the place when we need her. She is beginning to blossom and thrive in that role and understand the satisfaction that comes from a job
well done, most of the time — as there are a few complaints now and then. She’s not asked to do too much, but enough for her to understand life is not all about play — though you can find enjoyment in your work, which makes any job much easier. I guess that is true for everybody, as going to work every morning is much easier if you truly love what you do. For our job Wayne and I do a little traveling, and it is fun getting to meet the people of Texas. Often we run into people and they tell us, “I wish I had your job where all I had to do was drive around and talk to people.” I count my blessings to have such a job that I do enjoy, but it is not as glamorous as it may seem as most of our work involves sitting behind a computer screen doing graphics work, or trying to find new words to describe something — I guess we could make some up, but then no one would know what we are talking about. In any event, work is a good thing. Even for those who don’t have to, work is a way of staying active, whether it is at a job or digging in a garden — as Proverbs tells us, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece.” In other words, shut up and get to work. I like that, maybe I will try it on Wayne later. TFH
TEXAS
FARM & HOME MANAGING EDITORS
936-687-2424
www.texasfarmandhome.com
Christina Cutler Stewart, cstewart@texasfarmandhome.com Wayne Stewart, wstewart@texasfarmandhome.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Barbara Cook, Jolene Renfro, Lois Marie Guymer, Marilyn Jones, Randy Rollo
PROMOTIONS MANAGER/ ADVERTISING SALES
Linda Moffett, lmoffett@texasfarmandhome.com 512-966-9426
ADVERTISING SALES
DISTRIBUTION SUBSCRIPTIONS
Ansel Bradshaw, ab@texasfarmandhome.com 936-546-6707 Randy Rollo, rrollo@texasfarmandhome.com Lesia Rounsavall, lrounsavall@messenger-news.com 936-687-2424 or Texas Farm & Home, P.O. Box 130, Grapeland TX, 75844
EDITORIAL/SALES OFFICES: 202 South Main St., Grapeland, TX 75844. TEXAS FARM & HOME is published monthly by Nicol Publishing Company L.L.C., Copyright 2014. Subscription price: $24.95 a year (12 issues). Reproduction without permission of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited.
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TALKIN’ TEXAS H
A Glimpse into History.
Library of Congress Photographs Clockwise from top: 1. Baptism near Mineola. Summer 1935. Alan Lomax, photographer. 2. Farmer after loading supplies into his wagon on a Saturday afternoon in San Augustine. April 1939. Lee Russell, photographer. 3. Dorothy Mason, mechanic at city transit company in Beaumont. Her husband was in the U.S. Army. May 1943. John Vachon, photographer. 4. Sawing shingles by means of horizontal circular saw at a small mill near Jefferson. April 1939. Lee Russell, photographer. 5. A woman worker at the International Creosoting plant in Beaumont. This work was formerly done by men, prior to the war. May 1943. John Vachon, photographer. TEXAS FARM & HOME FEBRUARY 2016 7
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rural ramblings
Wayne Stewart
Keeping the floor clean
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hile in the middle of kneading bread for a recipe in this edition of Texas Farm & Home I was discussing something with Christina when suddenly Sam, our 2-year-old little boy bolts into the kitchen from the utility room and exclaims, “I pooped.” Normally such a declaration would not bother us, but this time we took notice because he was not wearing a diaper. Being the inquisitive parents we are, we asked him, “Do you need to poop, or did you poop?” Once again he gave us the straightforward answer, “I pooped.” It’s tough being little, and when you are a 2-year-old trying to get potty trained, it’s easy to get distracted, as inside our utility room lives the family rabbit. Sam was visiting LoLo the rabbit that day when nature called. Upon entering the utility room it became obvious why Christina and I decided not to have any carpet in our house. We were glad about that decision made so many years ago, even before the children came around. Looking back on the situation, it definitely was a cute moment in his little life so filled with many cute moments, just like his sister and all children everywhere — thank God for kids. Anyway, the floor survived, Sam got a fresh diaper and a lot of belly laughs and sister got to tell the story to anybody willing to listen — then she told it again. Only among children are messes celebrated. While Momma worries about the spread of germs Claire bounces around the house singing, “Sam pooped in the floor! Sam pooped in the floor! Sam pooped in the floor!” I thought of sitting down and putting it to music, but I am not much of
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a composer. Still, it will be a story and a scene we will remember forever. This month marks the beginning of something else hopefully every Texan will remember forever, the push toward Texas independence from Mexico. It’s been 180 years since Texas won its independence. It was just slightly more than six months from the time the Texans hoisted the “Come and Take It” flag at Gonzales to when Santa Anna was brought before a wounded Sam Houston on the marshy ground around San Jacinto. It was a revolution changing the course of three nations — Texas, Mexico and the United States. We take a brief look at these historic days in this edition of Texas Farm & Home. The victories and the losses suffered by a ragtag group of Texans are celebrated and remembered even after nearly two centuries. By the grace of God, hopefully Texas will be around for a long time to come, because even the name “Texas” inspires a desire for freedom and an irascible spirit of independence not found anywhere else in the world today. In the end we all exist due to God’s grace. Jesus told us God sends the rains on the sinner and the righteous. In this age of rampant immorality, why not choose to be righteous. For those wondering how to be righteous, that’s easy, believe in Jesus Christ; read His word and it will instruct you on how to live a life pleasing to Him. Have a wonderful February; and try not to worry about what falls on the floor. TFH
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An Independent Texas Washington on the Brazos relives the birth of a nation
Story by WAYNE STEWART, Photography Courtesy of WASHINGTON ON THE BRAZOS STATE HISTORIC SITE
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hat would Texas be if a few rugged and feisty individuals hadn’t braved the wilds of the frontier and built a home in the wilderness?
What would Texas be if the men and women coming here did not have an abiding love of freedom? What would Texas be if these people were not willing to give their lives for the sake of an independent and free Texas? These questions, and many more thankfully, never had to be answered, because Texas was full of rugged individuals seeking new opportunities. It was full of people wanting just to be free. Texas was full of people willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their new homeland. That’s Texas! For people not from here, with no deep ties to this it is hard to understand, and that is why 10 state, TEXAS FARM & HOME FEBRUARY 2016the staff at
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An Independent Texas
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Actors recreate the events leading up to Texas’ independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. This year the site celebrates Texas’ 180th birthday with a series of events the weekend of March 5-6.
Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site works diligently to recreate some of the events in the historic and exciting life of Texas. While Texas had many iterations and masters in the nearly 150 years leading up to Lone Star State finally winning its independence, it never was truly on its own until a group of 59 men signed the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836, in a building without windows. It all happened along a stretch of the Brazos River known as Washington-on-the-Brazos. That was 180 years ago when Texas was ushered into the world as a free and independent nation, something it was for the next 10 years. While the 59 men were meeting inside the cold build-
ing, which became Texas’ Independence Hall, a rider traveling the La Bahia Road brought a letter to the delegates. The letter was from the commander of the garrison at the Alamo, William Barrett Travis. Travis implored the men for aid and reinforcements, boldly proclaiming, “Victory of Death.” Steeled, the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed and Sam Houston almost immediately headed south to come to the defense of the men in the Alamo, and in defense of Texas. The journey the men took to a free Texas began when a group of men in Gonzales challenged the Mexican Army to “Come and Take It,” and get the tiny little cannon the town had, that happened in FEBRUARY 2016
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An Independent Texas October, 1835. The journey continued in December 1835 when the fledgling Texian Army took over Bexar (San Antonio) and the Alamo. The people of Texas gained another victory taking over the Presidio La Bahia in Goliad. In February 1836 the siege of the Alamo began, while the delegates in Washington met to form a free and independent Texas. Then the dark days of the revolution descended on Texas. The Alamo fell with the lives of 180 valiant Texians lost in the battle. In Goliad, Fannin’s men, taken prisoner after the battle of Coleto Creek, were murdered by the Mexican Army on orders from Mexican Dictator Santa Anna. While the battles and timeline of them
is significant, it was the action of the delegates at Washington-on-the-Brazos the laid the framework for a free and independent Texas. For Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site, March 2 means more than just Texas independence; March 2 this year also marks the park’s 100th anniversary. To honor these special anniversaries, Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site, along with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Blinn College and the Brazos State Park Association planned some special events for the Texas Independence Day Celebration, held over two days at the Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site. This year the celebration is set for Sat-
Actors tell visitors about the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence at a birthday celebration for Texas.
urday and Sunday March 5 and 6. Events at the park begin at 10 a.m. and run through 5 p.m. Washington on the Brazos State Park features several enticing exhibits including the Star of the Republic Museum, Independence Hall, a replica building of where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed by the 59 delegates; and the Barrington Living History Farm, once owned by the last president of the Republic of Texas — Anson Jones. The Barrington Living History Farm operates just as it did in the mid-1800s. Anson Jones left a careful journal of how the farm operated and this allowed interpreters as the park to recreate daily life there in great detail. At the Star of the Republic Museum a new exhibit, “A Legacy of Leadership: The Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence,” follows the lives of the delegates who courageously signed the republic’s founding document. The museum also has a large collection with many programs focusing on the early history of Texas from its days as a French and Spanish colonial frontier, to its ties to Mexico, to its fight for independence to the republic years to statehood. At the main visitor center to the park Texas’ path to independence is chronicled, with special emphasis placed on Washington-on-the-Brazos’ place in Texas’
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An Independent Texas storied history. And of course, there is Independence Hall. While the building is not the original, it was built to the original building’s standards, including canvas covering the windows as the glass had yet to be installed in the building at the time the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed in 1836. All of this is just the beginning of the events at the Texas Independence Day Celebration, as it will feature performances by the Texas A&M University Singing Cadets; the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band performing on Saturday; Professor Farquar’s Great American Medicine Show with Polecat Annie, a historical play about the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Descendants of the signers are set to have family reunions on the grounds of the park; there also will be signing re-enactment and other historical performances. One of the most anticipated events at this year’s celebration is the “Ride for Texas Independence,” featuring the cooperation of several different state historical sites. The ride, made on horseback, retraces the route couriers traveled in 1836, delivering William Barrett Travis’ letters from the Alamo to the people of Texas. Riders will be dressed in period clothing. It is set to begin on Feb. 24, and will arrive at Washington on the Brazos on Saturday March 5, during the celebration. The ride takes the travelers from the grounds of the Alamo to Seguin, Gonzales, Shiner, San Felipe, Belmont, Sumlime, Altair and Beard, before reaching Washington on the Brazos. Travis’ letter from the Alamo is perhaps the most poignant piece of prose ever to come out of Texas, and it has become one of the most treasured documents not only of Texas, but the United States. The brief letter follows:
“To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World
Fellow citizens and compatriots, I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa
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Anna I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country VICTORY OR DEATH. William Barret Travis Lt. Col. Comdt. P.S. The Lord is on our side. When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn. We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of beeves. Travis. It was this resounding call that helped spur fellow Texans onward to victory, finally bought on the battlefield of San Jacinto by Sam Houston and the army following him. There are many more events scheduled over the two-day birthday celebration. Admission to the park over the celebration is free. Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site is located on the Brazos River on the ruins of the original town of Washington. It’s physical address is 23400 Park Road 12, Washington, Texas 77880. It is located between Navasota and Brenham off of Texas Highway 105. To learn more about the 100year history of this historic site, and about the events set to take place there, visit their website at www.wheretexasbecametexas.org. TFH
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Live music concerts go on throughout the Texas Birthday Bash in Navasota. Headlining this year’s event is Country Music star Aaron Watson.
Texas Birthday Bash Navasota’s celebrates with two full days of country music and Texas-themed activities for the entire family
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Story by WAYNE STEWART Photography Courtesy of THE CITY OF NAVASOTA
verything is bigger in Texas, including the state’s birthday celebration, and no place celebrates Texas’ birthday in a bigger way than Navasota with its annual Texas Birthday Bash. The bash is two full days of country music and Texas-themed activities designed for the entire family; plus, why not celebrate, as Navasota is just 8 miles from the birthplace of Texas — Washington on the Brazos. This year’s event is set for Friday and Saturday, March 4-5. Friday’s festivities begin at 5:30 p.m.
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Shopping Navasota
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Birthday Bash with a concert near Navasota City Hall. The concert will last to around 11 p.m. Vendors on scene will provide food and beverages for those in attendance. Saturday’s fun begins at noon in front of Navasota City Hall. Guests can enjoy live music and plenty of fun Texas activities. For the kids there are plenty of things to occupy their time at the festival, such as bounce houses, play slides and fun things including a “shooting” gallery; they also have pony rides, a petting zoo and for the more adventurous, a mechanical bull for everybody from 3 years to 70 years can enjoy. What is a Texas celebration without a big bowl of chili. The Navasota Kiwanis Club hosts its annual CASI Chili Cookoff during the Texas Birthday Bash — don’t miss the chance to experience some of the original flavor of Texas. Here in Texas March brings spring, and there is no better time to head outdoors and do a little shopping at the Made in Texas Vendor Show. This special arts and crafts fair features products made in, and only made in, the great state of Texas. One of the more popular events at the Texas Birthday Bash is the South Texas Gunfighters Show. See lawmen and outlaws dressed in period Old West clothing shoot it out on the streets of Navasota, reminding people of the wild days on the frontier in the Lone Star State. For those wanting to indulge in libations, don’t miss the Texas Craft Beer tent, featuring beers from Texas breweries. Some of the featured breweries include the Pedernales Brewery in Fredericksburg, Saint Arnold Brewery in Houston, Independence Brewery from Austin, Deep Ellum Brewery from Dallas and perhaps the most famous brewery in Texas, Shiner Brewery from Shiner. There are many other brewers slated to be at the Texas Birthday Bash, for a complete listing visit the Texas Birthday Bash website at www.texasbirthdaybash.com. One of the biggest draws to the Texas Birthday Bash is the live music held throughout the two-day event. This year’s all-star lineup of music acts include Mike Ryan; William Clark Green; Josh Abbott Band; Clay-
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ton Gardner; Reckless Kelly; Kyle Park; John Michael Montgomery; and Aaron Watson. Admission to the Texas Birthday Bash is free, but for those planning on attending this special Texas event there are a few things to know. Parking in downtown Navasota is limited, so people wishing to attend should park at the Navasota High School, which is just north of Texas Highway 6, along Texas Highway 105. Shuttles will transport people to and from the event location throughout both days of the Texas Birthday Bash. So get in the spirit of Texas and celebrate 180 years of Texas independence, all within a stone’s throw of where it all took place. To learn more about everything happening at the Texas Birthday Bash, visit the website at www. texasbirthdaybash.com. Also, while visiting Navasota, head south to Washington on the Brazos and see the birth of Texas re-enacted, while also learning about the events leading up to the revolution. TFH
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Presidio La Bahia
A Pivotal Role
For nearly 300 years Texas history has run through Goliad
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Story by WAYNE STEWART Photography by CHRISTINA STEWART
n the annals of Texas history, no place looms larger than the South Texas town of Goliad. Since the 1700s Goliad was at the crossroads of colonial Spain and then Mexico-controlled Texas. Those who controlled Goliad controlled the coastal regions of South Texas and also travel from Mexico to the settlements farther north like San Antonio, Gonzales and then opening up into greater Texas. “While Goliad is an important site during the Texas Revolution, its history goes back to 1749,” explained Presidio La Bahia Director Scott McMahon. “The presidio kept an eye on the coast, which was vital during the 1790s, it also helped maintain the cattle herds for the missions and the troops in San Antonio. Their herds were here, and that was important. “Presidio La Bahia played an important role in the life of Texas from the time it was established until it was shut down — it was one of the most fought over pieces of land in Texas.”
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Shopping, dining & Staying In Goliad
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Goliad
Presidio La Bahia Spain put a lot into Goliad. There was a mission there, called Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zuñiga, reconstructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. It was originally constructed in the 1720s on Matagorda Bay, in 1726 it was moved to Victoria, then finally moving to near Goliad in 1749 along the San Antonio River; the Presidio La Bahia was built soon after to help uphold Spanish territorial claims and to help defend and prevent against incursions from France. The mission grew in cattle, becoming
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the first big cattle ranch in Texas with roughly 40,000 head of cattle under its care. Mission Rosario also was located near Goliad and was established in 1754 to work with warring Native American tribes. Its site was on San Antonio River approximately 4 miles west of Goliad. It also grew into a large cattle operation, with 30,000 cattle under its care by 1780, according to the Texas State Historical Association. Today the mission lies in ruins. Protecting the mission and the area around Goliad, of course was Presidio La
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Bahia, eventually this fertile and prominent land around Goliad came into the hands of Texas settlers. When the Texas Revolution began what better place to occupy than this well-built presidio. “The presidio is a true blue fortification,” noted Mr. McMahon. “The Alamo is and was a collection of buildings walled in; Presidio La Bahia was meant to be a fort from the beginning. It was meant to support and protect trade in the area and also protect trade and people coming up from Mexico. The town was largely unoccupied in the
Shopping, dining & Staying In Goliad
Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zuñiga days leading up the Battle of Coleto Creek as many of the Mexican citizens there were forced to leave after being terrorized by some of the Texian soldiers. “The loyalties of the people of Goliad lied more with the Centralist government,” Mr. McMahon explained. “It was quite the opposite with the citizens around San Antonio as their loyalties were with an independent Texas.” In spite of this, Goliad, as it always had been, became a strategic necessity of the Texians if they were going to hold on against the overwhelming forces of Mexico. Texas independence would be dependent on Goliad. The Texans knew this, and so did Santa Anna and the Mexican Army, which is why Santa Anna ordered Gen. Urrea to Goliad and subdue the Texians forces who took the presidio on Oct. 9, 1835, just a few days after the standoff in Gonzales. This marked the first action against a Mexican military installation during the revolution, according to information from Presidio La Bahia. Leading the takeover was George Collingsworth and Ben Milam, who joined up with the Texian forces en route to Goliad after he escaped from a Mexican jail. Over the next few months
Philip Dimmitt and James Fannin oversaw the occupation of the presidio. It was on Dec. 20, 1835, when the settlers of Texas signed the First Texas Declaration of Independence at Our Lady of Loreto Chapel, which serves as the church at Presidio La Bahia. The final and decisive Texas Declaration of Independence of course came on March 2, 1836 at Washington on the Brazos. It was during this occupation of the presidio it became known as Fort Defiance. The Texian Army continued hold Presidio La Bahia until March 19 and 20, 1836 and the Battle of Coleto Creek where the Texian forces fell victim to Gen. Urrea’s advancing army. During that battle, Fannin, along with 350 men were captured then held captive inside the church at the presidio for a week. Many credit Fannin’s poor decision making on his capture and defeat, but Mr. McMahon said he was really in a no-win situation. “Fannin really gets the raw end of the deal,” Mr. McMahon said. “Sure, he could have been more decisive in his decision making, but Urrea’s troops moved through the area much more quickly than expected — more quickly than he could react to.” While the Texians were being held prisoner, with the FEBRUARY 2016
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Goliad healthy in the chapel and adjacent quadrangle, the Mexican Army moved the wounded into the presidio. During their stay there, Santa Anna sent orders to execute all the prisoners. Col. Portilla, of the Mexican Army, received orders the day before Palm Sunday from Gen. Santa Anna, that all prisoners were to be put to death. Portilla received a contradicting order from Gen. Urrea to “treat the prisoners with consideration, particularly their leader, Fannin, and to employ them in rebuilding Goliad.” Portilla, being a good soldier, had to follow Santa Anna’s orders, so the next day at sunrise the men who could march were formed into three groups and taken out of the presidio with one group headed out on the San Antonio Road, another on the Victoria Road and another group on the Copano Road. The Texian soldiers were fed false stories to keep them calm. Each group was taken about a mile from the presidio and were fired upon by the Mexican guards, and the Mexican cavalry. The wounded Texians inside the presidio also were executed, shot while laying outside on the ground. According to re-
Fannin Memorial ports from the incident, Fannin was shot while sitting in a chair. He was asked not to be shot in the face, that his possessions be sent to his family and that he would be given a Christian burial. None of his requests were granted as a Mexican officer
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stole his possessions, he was shot in the face and his body was burned along with many of the other bodies. In all 342 men died in the massacre. Some of the bodies were burned, some were just left where they died and were
not found and properly buried until Texas Gen. Thomas J. Rusk discovered them nearly two months later and buried the remains in a mass grave. Today a large cenotaph commemorating the men who died at Goliad stands at that burial site. Of the men at Goliad, reports indicate 28 men escaped and 17 were spared — many with the help of Francita Alavez, the “wife” of Mexican Army Capt. Telesforo Alavez, under Gen. Urrea’s command. For her kindness, the men called her the “Angel of Goliad.” After Texas won its independence from Mexico and the Mexican Army retreated from Texas, the area around Goliad became a point of contention. “After the revolution the area around Goliad became a no-man’s land up until the 1840s,” Mr. McMahon said. “The area was kind of a buffer zone between Mexico to the south and the larger Texian settlements farther north.” With the Mexican-American War, the fortunes of the area around Goliad began to change with Texas being a part of the United States. One thing that hasn’t changed, much, is Presidio La Bahia. “The presidio has been restored to look like it would have in 1836 when it was
Fort Defiance,” Mr. McMahon explained. “Beyond that, it looks much like it did in 1790.” Our Lady of Loreto, the chapel at the presidio, still has weekly mass at 5 p.m. Sundays. In fact, the Catholic Diocese of Victoria operates Presidio La Bahia. Today, Presidio La Bahia and Mission Espiritu Santo are the only surviving examples of a Spanish Colonial mission-presidio complex in Texas, and according to Presidio La Bahia, one of the very few in North America. The presidio complex is open daily for tours from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. It has special events and re-enactments every month. This year, it has a special two-day celebration the first weekend in April to celebrate Texas Independence. During the event guests can see re-enactments of the skirmishes around Goliad between the Texians and Mexican Army, and also a reenactment of the Battle of Coleto Creek. A special candlelight tour of the presidio will be offered where guests can go through different vignettes in the presidio that tell the story of this historic piece of Texas real estate. “There is a lot going on throughout the day and it’s a great time to come and vis-
James Fannin it,” Mr. McMahon said. “Really, there is a lot of history and a lot of things to see and do here around Goliad. It will definitely fill up a weekend.” ——— To learn more about Goliad and the history of Presidio La Bahia and the surrounding area, visit the website at presidiolabahia.org. TFH
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Telling the Stories Jefferson Historical Museum brings early days of city to life
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ore than 150 years of history reside inside the walls of the Jefferson Historical Museum, visitors. Housed inside an old federal courthouse, the museum contains four floors of exhibits, artifacts and relics from this historic East Texas City that once was a major commercial center of Texas as a flooded Red River provided transportation from Jefferson to New Orleans. A visit to the museum should begin in the basement. There, people can look at the grittier side of Jefferson. It contains a large collection of farm implements, blacksmith tools, cooking utensils plus artefacts from Jefferson’s steamboat era. The basement exhibit gives visitors a
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Story by WAYNE STEWART Photography by CHRISTINA STEWART
Jefferson Area Museums Jefferson Historical Museum
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Jefferson Area Museums Jefferson Historical Museum
glimpse of daily life in the early days of Jefferson. The first floor of the museum presents a Jefferson more familiar to visitors. The first floor is full of Victorian-era china and other fineries of life in the late 19th century in Jefferson. The exhibit contains a collection of dolls from around the world, it also has a large collection of books, fashion and other items from this era of Jefferson. The second floor of the Jefferson Historic Museum contains an extensive collection of Victorian paintings along with marble and bronze statues. There also are several examples of fine porcelain and other Victorian-era furnishings. The top floor of the museum contains a display of homestead life in Jefferson including quilts, clothing, needlework, rope beds, rocking chairs and other items from the mid-1800s. The Jefferson Historical Museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily except holidays.
LEFT: A spinning wheel and loom depict how early settlers had to provide for themselves. RIGHT: A collection of cooking utensils inside the basement depict an early kitchen.
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Jefferson Area Museums R.D. Moses Texas & Pacific Model Railroad
In miniature
Model Railroad takes up honored place inside Jefferson Historical Museum
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Story by WAYNE STEWART Photography by CHRISTINA STEWART
othing can capture the attention much more than a model railroad. It’s the attention to detail, the tuft of grass here, a lamppost there that adds authenticity, and perhaps no better example of fine detail exists than the R.D. Moses Texas & Pacific Model Railroad, housed in a replica Texas and Pacific Depot located behind the Jefferson Memorial Museum. The display is modeled from the 1950s, which allowed the builder, the late R.D. Moses of Fort Worth, to model both steam and diesel locomotives. Mr. Moses’ family donated the model railroad to the Jefferson Historical Museum, which helped bring the Texas and Pacific Railway to Jefferson, just as it did more than 140 years ago.
A model railroad in H-O Scale resides in a replica Texas & Pacific Depot on the grounds of the Jefferson Historical Museum. The railroad is one of the finest examples of railroad modeling. The model railroad has been on exhibit since May 2012. The layout, measures 14 feet by 48 feet and incorporates the rugged terrain of West Texas with the feel of two small, but bustling towns. The mainline of the train runs 193 feet, with many more yards of track devoted to sidings, switching yards and other typical railroad features. The R.D. Moses Texas & Pacific Model Railroad is open year round from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday; from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. The museum is closed on major holidays. For more information visit www.jeffersonmuseum.com
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Jefferson Area Museums Museum of Measurement and Time
Time Collectors
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o visit to Jefferson would be complete without a stop at the Museum of Measurement and Time, a personal collection of Johnny and Edith Ingram. The couple happily welcomes and takes visitors through the museum devoted to clocks, survey equipment and maps, an homage to Mr. Ingram’s work as a surveyor and civil engineer. Mrs. Ingram also displays a large collection of salt and pepper shakers from around the world Clocks in the collection range from the
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T m
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Story by WAYNE STEWART Photography by CHRISTINA STEWART
1700s to the 1900s. The surveying equipment shows how the people who mapped this nation using simple equipment. The items began as a personal collection and grew until the couple decided others should share in what they put together over the years. To learn more about the Museum of Measurement and Time and the exhibits it displays, visit the website at dev. museumofmeasurementandtime.org.
Edith Ingram tells the story behind some of the clocks behind her family’s collection. They can be viewed at the Museum of Measurement and Time in Jefferson.
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Jefferson Area Museums Scarlett O’Hardy’s Gone With the Wind Museum
A Southern Classic
Story by WAYNE STEWART Photography by CHRISTINA STEWART
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o book, and perhaps no movie has ever captured the public’s imagination quite like Margaret Mitchell’s masterpiece, “Gone With the
Wind.” The imagination, the glamour, the beauty and scope of the work is captured magically in “Scarlett O’Hardy’s Gone With the Wind Museum” in Jefferson. The museum is a lovechild of Bobbie Hardy, who has been collecting Gone With the Wind memorabilia for nearly 40 years. The book, written by Margaret Mitchell, was published in 1936. The movie hit theaters in 1939 and tells the story of the old South, its destruction and how it grew from the ashes, from the point of view of a wealthy estate owner that lost it all, then
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From replicas of elaborate gowns, such as the famous curtain gown worn by Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind, to books, dolls and other collectibles, the Scarlett O’Hardy Gone With the Wind Museum pays tribute to this special piece of literature and the classic movie it spawned.
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Jefferson Area Museums Scarlett O’Hardy’s Gone With the Wind Museum
earned it back again through work and a little subterfuge — Scarlett O’Hara. The book garnered Mitchell the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and was the only novel published by Mitchell. The film became the highest earning film during its run, a title it held for the next 25 years, and when adjusted for inflation it is still the highest grossing film in cinematic history. While the movie was not the first color film, it is perhaps the most memorable early color movies. The museum tells the whole story of Gone With the Wind, the book and the movie. There are many foreign language displays of the book and the movie, including movie posters and other selected items. There are many dolls, autographed pictures, books, magazines, model houses and many other items out there for people to see, and remind them of the magic of the movie and the book. “I never started off with the intention of collecting all these things for a museum,” Mrs. Hardy said. “Margaret Mitchell’s work really moved me, and I just started getting more and more items.” That’s how the museum was born and has grown over the years. Some of the things to look for in the museum are a pair of original seats from the Loew’s Grand Theatre in Atlanta, the place where Gone With the Win had its world premiere. There is an autographed copy of Gone With the Wind, a letter from Margaret Mitchell, a quilt of Scarlett and Rhett and many more items, including a cake baked and decorated in the shape of the famed Tara, Scarlett’s family home. For the Gone With the Wind lovers out there, be prepared to spend a few hours walking around the museum, and let Mrs. Hardy tell you her story of the magnificent story of Gone With the Wind. The museum is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by appointment. Please call ahead before visiting to make sure Mrs. Hardy will be there. To learn more about the museum visit the website at www.scarlettohardy.com.
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Old photographs, dolls, doll houses and other memorabilia line the walls and shelves of the Scarlett O’Hardy Gone With the Wind Museum in Jefferson. The museum is dedicated to the great movie and novel written by Margaret Mitchell.
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Jefferson Area Museums Mason Dixon Line Military Museum
A tribute to those who served Museum honors veterans of Civil War and all wars
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very war the country has fought has been full of ordinary people performing extraordinary and heroic
acts. The worst of times brings out the best in people. The Mason-Dixon Line Military Museum in Jeffer-
son pays tribute to these special men and women known simply as veterans. The museum contains artifacts from the Civil War through modern wars. The collection includes uniforms, weapons, flags and other things common to soldiers. The uniforms in the building come from several different countries from around the world. The museum is located at 116 W. Lafayette Street in downtown Jefferson. Call (903)665-1859 for hours of operation and information. TFH A Civil War cannon and a flag from the Confederacy are just part of the collection of items at the Mason-Dixon Line Military Museum in Jefferson.
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SAVE THE DATE H Texas Events
Lovefest Parade
Feel the Love Lovelady Lovefest celebrates 34 years of Valentine’s Day festivities
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hen Valentine’s Day rolls around that means one thing for the people of Lovelady — it’s time for Lovefest. For 34 years Lovelady has been putting on this special festival, one of the few winter festivals around these neck of the woods. There always is a lot of fun and excitement surrounding Lovefest, which is centered around the Lovelady Old Gym and the neighboring grounds known as the Lovelady Community Park. Everything kicks off with a parade, inside the Lovelady Old Gym is an arts and crafts fair where visitors can get inside out of any inclement weath-
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Arts & Crafts booths
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Lovelady Lovefest - February 13
Lovefest Parade er and do a bit of shopping. Outside it’s the sites and sounds and smells of an old fashioned, small town fair. The fair includes fair food, but also offers something for the kids besides just a funnel cake, they can enjoy pony rides, a petting zoo and a carnival. There are plenty of activities to keep the kids busy. For the adults, they have a lot they can do as well such as the barbecue contest. Visitors to Lovefest can see who makes the best barbecue in Lovelady. The competition is smoked and tasty and should not be missed. Of course there are the other fair favorites such as funnel cakes, corn dogs and other delicious fried goodies. The theme this year is Rock Around the Clock, with the 50s theme going on throughout the festival.
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Lovelady Lovefest - February 13
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Lovelady Lovefest - February 13 Other activities include the parade that begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. That’s the big day, even though the Love King and Queen have their coronation the Thursday before. As for all the things happening on Saturday, don’t miss the Baby Beauty Contest. There will be live entertainment throughout the day on Saturday. The festival concludes Saturday night with a dance at the Lovelady Old Gym. To learn more about everything going on at Lovelady Lovefest, or to reserve a booth for the festival call (936)546-4054. To be in the parade call Tammy Cousins at (936)546-1331. To enter a baby in the Baby Beauty Contest call (936)636-7372. To enter the barbecue cooking contest call (936)662-6539. TFH
Lovelady Old Gym
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FARM & HOME
Recipes
Strawberry Bread
A Dish of Comfort Breads and Soups can make the coldest day feel just a little bit warmer
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Recipes by WAYNE STEWART Photography by CHRISTINA STEWART
n case no one has noticed, it is still winter, but it’s also February, and for all amorousminded out there, February is Valentine’s month, so why not prepare some comfort food for comfortable couples. Christina and I have been married long enough we are comfortable around each other. We no longer feel the need to impress the other one, that makes life easier and things like food more enjoyable because we can focus on the things we love – and that’s what we are sharing with our readers this month. What are some of our favorites? Well, for this time
of year it’s pizza, potato soup, bread sticks, tomato basil soup and strawberry bread. The pizza recipe offered is simple and delicious, and works great if you have an extra-large cast iron skillet as it makes a great deep dish pizza pan. The bread sticks feature fresh mozzarella and homemade Italian bread. As for the rosemary-potato soup, what makes a better meal when the weather turns cold? Tomato basil soup makes a wonderful Valentine’s Day meal, and is complimented exceedingly well with the bread sticks. Want a great dessert, or a breakfast bread, try our recipe for strawberry bread. FEBRUARY 2016
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FARM & HOME Recipes
Italian Bread 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons salt 3 packages active dry yeast 5 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon butter Water Cornmeal Olive oil 1 egg white
Bread Sticks
Combine sugar, salt, yeast and 2 cups of flour. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm butter and 1 3/4 cups of water until warm (about 120 degrees). Beat liquid into dry ingredients until blended. Beat about 2 minutes. Beat in 1/2 cup of flour to make a batter, beat with mixer about two more minutes. Stir in about 2 more cups of flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead about 10 minutes, until dough becomes smooth and elastic. Cut dough in half and cover with a bowl and let rest about half an hour. Grease cookie sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll each half of dough into a 10 by 15-inch rectangle, then tightly roll, pinching the ends to a point, place on cookie sheet seam side down. Brush loaves with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees and cut three diagonal lines on the top of each loaf. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, brush loaves with egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon of water. Bake loaves an additional 5 minutes.
Bread Sticks 1 loaf Italian bread 2 tablespoons butter 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt Fresh mozzarella Shredded Parmesan
Rosemary Potato Soup
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Cut Italian bread into about 3/4-inch slices. Cut Mozzarella cheese into same amount of thin slices as bread slices. In small skillet, melt butter and sautĂŠ garlic, until garlic begins to turn brown. Spoon garlic butter over bread slices. Top bread slices with Mozzarella cheese slices, sprinkle on Parmesan. Place bread slices on baking sheet. Set oven to a low broil, place bread
slices about 4 inches below broiler, cook until cheese just begins to turn brown and bubbly – do not overcook. Serve hot.
Pizza 1 1/3 cup warm water (105 degrees ) 1/4 cup non-fat dry milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 cups flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 package dry yeast 2 tablespoons olive oil (for dough) 3 tablespoons coconut oil for pan
Sauce
1 can (8 ounce size) tomato sauce 1 teaspoon dry oregano 1/2 teaspoon marjoram 1/2 teaspoon dry basil 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Pizza Toppings
7 slices Provolone cheese 1 cup cooked Italian sausage 1 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese 1/2 onion, thinly sliced Pepperoni Parmesan Put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in a large bowl. Add water and stir to mix well. Allow to sit for two minutes. Add oil and stir again. Add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed. Turn onto a dough board and knead for about 10 minutes. Divide dough in half. Roll dough out to fit a 13 or 14-inch pan (the other half of dough can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for two or three days to make another pizza), place 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in the pan spreading it evenly. Place dough in pan. Coat the outer edge of dough with olive oil. Cover with a cloth. Place in warm area and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Sauce: Combine ingredients and let sit for 1 hour. For the pizza, preheat oven to 500 degrees. Spoon 1/3 cup sauce on dough and spread to within an inch of edge. Place the Provolone slices directly over the sauce, then sprinkle on the Italian sausage. Sprinkle with all the Mozzarella cheese, then place Pepperoni and onion slices over Mozzarella, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake in oven
about 15 minutes. If you like mushrooms, they go great on this pizza.
Rosemary Potato Soup 1 large onion, chopped 3/4 cup chopped celery 1/2 stick butter 5 to 7 cups cubed, peeled potatoes 2 cups milk 1 cup heavy whipping cream 2 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 2 tablespoon fresh Rosemary Salt and Pepper to taste
Saute onion, celery and Rosemary in butter for 5 minutes. Add potatoes and chicken broth, add water as needed to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in a cup of milk, whipping cream, salt and pepper. Combine flour and remaining milk until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Add cheese and bacon, stir until cheese is melted.
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FARM & HOME Recipes Editors Note: In the last edition of Texas Farm & Home this Kolache recipe from The Village Bakery in West was incomplete. Making a kolache is not easy, and according to Mimi Montgomery Irwin, owner of The Village Bakery in West there is a Czech saying to go with the kolache, “Without work there are no kolaches.) For those wanting to give it a try, The Village Bakery offers up their kolache recipe with an apricot or posipka topping.
Kolache Dough
1 (1/4 ounce) envelope active dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees) 3/4 cup milk 1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 large eggs Sifted powdered sugar for garnish
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Apricot Filling
2 cups coarsely chopped dried apricots 1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Posipka Topping
3/4 cup sugar 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted In a small bowl dissolve yeast in the warm water. In a 2-quart saucepan heat the milk, butter, sugar and salt to 115 to 120 degrees over medium heat, stirring until butter almost melts. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Combine milk mixture and 2 cups of flour, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add yeast mixture and eggs, beating well. Stir in 2 cups of flour. Turn onto a lightly floured board. Knead in enough of the remaining
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flour (about 1/4 cup) to make a soft dough. Continue kneading until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat dough ball with grease. Cover and let rise in a warm place (80 to 85 degrees) about an hour, or until doubled. Prepare the apricot filling by combining apricots and 3 cups of water in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Drain, and return apricots to saucepan. Add 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of butter and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until butter melts and sugar dissolves, mashing apricots with
a fork. Combine cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water, stir cornstarch mixture into apricot mixture. Cook 1 minute or until thickened and clear. Cool 10 minutes. For the Posipka Topping combine all the ingredients and mix until it looks like a coarse meal. Back to the dough, after it has risen punch dough down and divide into two portions. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Shape each portion into nine balls. Place 3 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Flatten each ball into a 3-inch circle. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees. With your fingers, make a 1-inch indentation in the center of each circle. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling into each indentation. Sprinkle Posipka topping on top of each kolache. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool about 30 minutes before serving.
Strawberry spread 1 package cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons strawberry jam
Strawberry Bread 1 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract 4 eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup strawberry jam 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Cream butter, sugar and extracts in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda. In another bowl, combine sour cream and strawberry jam. Add dry ingredients and sour cream mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, alternating each mixture while mixing. Place in flour loaf pan. Bake in 350-degree oven for about an hour, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans about 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack. For the spread, combine the softened cream cheese and strawberry jam. Spread over warm bread. Makes a great dessert or breakfast bread. TFH
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TFH
CafĂŠs Across Texas
Story By Randy Rollo
Ricocos signature dish Molcajete Caliente
Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza
Ricocos: An Authentic Latin Grill
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ith February upon us, I am headed to a town in Williamson County for Latin food. Williamson County is located in the central part of Texas, north of Austin. It is an interesting county because it made up of two distinctly different types of land divided roughly by Interstate 35. The west half of the county consists of rocky hill country, and the eastern portion of the county is Blackland Prairie, made up of fertile farmland. I am visiting the city of Taylor that lies squarely in the Blackland Prairie section of Williamson. Taylor is the birthplace of Bill Pickett, the black cowboy who invented bulldogging. Governor Dan Moody, born in Taylor in 1893, gained statewide recognition when he successfully prosecuted the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s.
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TFH
Cafés Across Texas
Pictured are Coco Torres, right, and her niece Neftaly Vasques. Coco and her Husband Richard own Ricocos.
Taylor is a hustling vibrant town with a population of around sixteen thousand people. Taylor was named after Edwin Moses Taylor, a railroad official, and like many towns in Texas, it was originally a railroad town in the late nineteenth century. Taylor today is still a stop on Amtrak railway line. It is home to the Moody Museum and one of the largest downtown redevelopments in the state; however besides the culture, I am visiting because of the best pure Latin food in Texas. Located in downtown Taylor is a small restaurant with a large menu called Ricocos Latin Grill. The owners are Richard and Coco Torres (thus the name Ricocos) and Executive Chef Armando Vazquez. They have been in business for ten years. The original idea of the restaurant was bringing authentic Mexican-Latin cuisine to central Texas. After scouting several towns in central Texas, they landed in Taylor. Coco and Armando have over fifty
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years of experience in the food industry and that experience serves them well in daily operations of Ricocos. The menu is very extensive with over sixty food choices. Although they specialize in authentic Mexican dishes, Ricocos offers something for everyone. They have a children’s menu, a large selection of salads, and even offer four fabulous pasta dishes. Ricocos has popular Tex-Mex features such as Quesadilla, Fajitas, and Chile Relleno, but I traveled to Taylor to sample the real authentic Mexican cuisine. First, I was served chips, salsa, and Caribbean Cabbage while I browsed the menu. The salsa is very tasty and has a noticeable spicy kick. The Caribbean Cabbage is a mix of cabbage, tomatoes, jalapeño, and very light sauce; it compliments the spicy salsa very well. The Caldo De Pollo is delicious; it is a chicken soup made with tender chicken and vegetables served with onions, cilantro,
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avocado, tomatoes, rice, and tortillas. The Carne Asada consists of a thin fillet of steak seasoned with Ricocos special spices and served with a splash of green sauce accompanied with your choice of beans, Spanish rice, garnished salad, and tortillas. I tried the Molcajete Caliente Combo, which is Ricocos signature plate. It is chicken, steak, and shrimp in a green sauce garnished with tomato, green onion, lemon, and special spices served in a large black bowl that stands on four legs. It has an outstanding flavor that really challenges your taste buds. It is a complete symphony of flavors all in one dish. I must admit when Ricocos served this dish it looked like enough for four, but it was so good that I finished the entire bowl. Molcajete Caliente is served with rice, beans, guacamole, and tortillas. Everything was fresh, however, the refried beans were by far the best I have ever tasted. The beans were hand crushed, topped with white cheese, contained no lard, and had a flavor that tasted homemade. Ricocos is located at 121 E 3rd St, Taylor 76574, in a corner building near the center of town. They cater for groups of twenty plus, have daily lunch specials starting at $5.99, and they will be open late on Valentines for a Sunday evening dinner. If you need more information go to Ricocos.com or call (512) 352-9300. The restaurant has a full bar which serves beer, wine, and has thirteen different Margaritas. Ricocos is an outstanding restaurant that I highly recommend. Their food is freshly prepared. Ricocos is serving up the best authentic Mexican in Central Texas. TFH
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TEXAS HISTORY + HERITAGE
PAYING THE PRICE FOR FREEDOM TEXAS HERO SAMUEL MCCULLOCH STRUGGLED FOR AN INDEPENDENT TEXAS AND PERSONAL LIBERTY
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dear price was paid for Texas independence. The entire garrison of the Alamo died in battle, and in Goliad hundred were brutally murdered by the Mexican Army. A few weeks before these historic battles, the first Texas blood spilled in its fight for independence belonged to a freedman named Samuel McCulloch Jr. Mr. McCulloch, an African American originally from South Carolina was of mixed race as his father was white, was born in 1810. In 1835 his family moved to Texas, and soon thereafter Samuel joined the Matagorda Volunteers. It was on Oct. 9, 1835, in a fight to take over Presidio La Bahia in Goliad, that Mr. McCulloch took a bullet to the shoulder, becoming the first official casualty of the Texas Revolution. These bare facts are just the beginning of Samuel McCulloch
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Jr.’s story as he displayed a fighting spirit that served young Texas well, even if the powers that be in the halls of power at the time did not recognize his enormous contributions to a free and independent Texas. The wound came as Texians soldiers stormed the Mexican officers quarters inside the presidio. The wound crippled him for the rest of
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his life, though he was more than capable as he fought in the Battle of Plum Creek near Lockhart; he also served as a scout for the Texas Army, under the command of Col. Clark Owen, when Mexican Gen. Adrian Woll invaded Texas in 1842. Life in the Republic of Texas in the years before statehood was hard; it was even harder for a free black man trying to make a life
in a country that was not exactly welcoming him into the fold. There were several things working against Mr. McCulloch, and other free African Americans at the time in Texas. One thing was the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, passed in 1836. It contained, according to the Texas State Historical Association, a provision barring Africans and the descendants of Africans and Indians from citizenship in Texas; it also required all free blacks to apply to Congress for permanent residence in the Republic of Texas. Notice it said permanent residence, not full citizenship in the fledgling country. Ever the fighter, Mr. McCulloch petitioned the state for citizenship for himself and his family and for the right to receive grants of land, due him because of his military service to Texas, and the fact he was the first man wounded in the Texas Revolution. During that year, a law was passed by the Texas Congress giving permanent residence to all free blacks living in Texas at the Time of the Texas Declaration of Independence, signed of course on March 2, 1836. Seeing how the new law granted McCulloch the right to residence, according to the Texas State Historical Association, so his petition was ignored. That was not the end of Mr. McCulloch troubles, though, as in 1840, Texas passed the Ashworth Act, requiring all free blacks to leave the republic within two years or be sold into slavery. At its passing, Mr. McCulloch submitted a petition to the Congress asking that he, his three sisters and another relative be exempted from the law. In November of 1840, the Texas Historical Association said a relief bill for the McCullough family passed, allowing them to stay in Texas as free people. In spite of some of the hostile actions taken by the state toward free blacks in Texas, Mr. McCulloch continued his life in the republic, fighting Comanche at the Battle of Plum Creek, and the incursion by Gen. Woll.
Eventually the Texas Congress allowed Mr. McCulloch his grants of land he richly deserved for his service to Texas. He located his land on the Frio Road along the Medina River. His final home was in Van
Ormy, in Bexar Country where he farmed and worked his own cattle. He died on Nov. 2, 1893 — a Texas hero, and a man who loved his state in spite of the hardships he encountered. TFH
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TEXAS TRAVELS El Paso Zoo – El Paso Photos courtesy El Paso CVB
Cameron Park Zoo - Waco Photos by Marilyn Jones
— g n i t u o g n i r p s The perfect
! o o Z e th Story by MARILYN JONES
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would hate to guess how many zoos I have been to, because I go as often as I can when I travel. Big, small, public and privately-owned, I appreciate the current trend of conservation, education and improved habitats, and I love animals! Texas has many wildlife refuges and safari-style preserves. There are also many traditional zoos across the state. This month I would like to highlight three traditional zoos. Caldwell Zoo – Tyler Pathways twist and turn past animals and birds and giant rock formations — all adding to the experience. More than 3,400 animals reside in carefully created habitats in the 85-acre attraction. One of the most popular areas of the zoo is the Wild Bird Walkabout. The free-flight aviary allows guests to interact with and feed brightly colored parakeets and cockatiels as they fly from tree to tree in their naturalistic habitat. This seasonal exhibit features more than 600 birds. The North America Herpetarium is right next door and features
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n i a
a T i o A g o l a s
g e O t b e k
Caldwell Zoo – Tyler - Photos by Marilyn Jones
s i s a C
El Paso Zoo – El Paso Photos courtesy El Paso CVB
El Paso Zoo – El Paso Photos courtesy El Paso CVB
Cameron Park Zoo - Waco Photos by Marilyn Jones
El Paso Zoo – El Paso Photos courtesy El Paso CVB
native Texas fish and numerous reptiles including snakes and lizards as well as amphibians and invertebrates. The North America animal exhibit accommodates white-tailed deer, bison, Texas longhorns and wild turkeys. Hanging out near the pond, you’ll find a variety of water fowl, sand hill cranes and turtles. A family of coatis — that look like giant guinea pigs — a red fox, bald eagles and other birds of prey, river otters, mountain lions and bobcats also reside here. There also is an alligator pond where you might see a ‘gator relaxing in the sunshine. Gazing out over the African Savanna guests can observe zebras, giraffes, elephants, lions and other exotic wildlife. Other popular residents in this area of the zoo are the mischievous meerkats and black-footed penguins. And what African exhibit would be complete without monkeys and big cats including a lion? South America is a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, shape and color. At home in this section of the zoo are high-spirited squirrel monkeys, roseate spoonbills, gray and black crested screamers, and pink Chilean flamingos. Noisy macaws, silent
giant anteaters, meandering capybaras and king vultures all call this area of the zoo home. Caldwell Zoo is open all year and is an excellent destination for day trips and staycations. Cameron Park Zoo - Waco Waco’s 52-acre Natural Habitat Cameron Park Zoo is located along the Brazos River and is beautifully designed for animals and guests alike. Creative use
of flora and fauna along with sculptures, fountains, waterfalls and winding trails creates an exotic destination right in the heart of the city. There are more than 1,700 animals, representing 300 species. Just inside is Gibbons Island where white-handed gibbons frolic and entertain guests. Past the lemurs guests come upon the Asian Forest designed to resemble an abandoned jungle temple. Here orang-
Caldwell Zoo – Tyler Photos by Marilyn Jones
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TEXAS TRAVELS utans, komodo dragons and tigers can be seen. The African Savanna is next. Giraffes, tiny dik-dik antelopes, elephants, white rhinos and lions are located here. In South America, mammals, birds, and reptiles are featured including the king vulture, squirrel monkeys, capybara, sun conures and two-toed sloths. Next enter Brazos River Country with its 50,000 gallon saltwater aquarium and animals including the American black bear, cougars and Jaguars. Cameron Park Zoo is another excellent example of the wonderful animal destinations in Texas. The zoo is open all year with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. El Paso Zoo – El Paso The El Paso Zoo is home to more than 500 mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds as well as 700 fish and 500 inverte-
What’s Online GLOBETROTTING
TEXAN
Discover over-the-top opulence at Biltmore House and Gardens By Marilyn Jones
I can’t imagine anyone traveling to Asheville, North Carolina and not visiting Biltmore Estate, the largest home in America. And as I queued up to buy my ticket it became obvious few do. Just inside the gate is the visitor’s center where you purchase your ticket and can watch a short film before driving up the long, curving road toward the epic mansion. There is a constant stream of men, women and children entering and exiting the large building with Disney-like enthusiasm. It’s a long drive through a beautiful wooded landscape before you park and take a shuttle to the house; and oh what a site this mammoth manor is. It was Christmas 1895, after six years of construction, numerous buying trips to Europe to fill the 178,926
brates; all in specially designed habitats resembling the surrounding when they would live in the wild. A member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the zoo has taken on an active stewardship role encouraging people to think and act both locally and globally to help wildlife. The zoo is divided into sections including the Reptile House, South American Pavilion, Americas Aviary, Cisneros Paraje, Birds of Prey, American Biome, Forest Atrium, Asian Grasslands, Asian Endangered Walk and an Elephant Complex. This enables visitors the opportunity to observe more common animals as well as endangered ones including Asian elephants, siamangs, Malaysian tapirs and critically endangered Malayan tigers, Sumatran orangutans, Przewalski’s horses and the zoo’s rarest large animal — the critically endangered amur leopard from
square-foot, 250-room mansion, and hiring a staff to care for his showplace, that George Washington Vanderbilt was ready to welcome guests. Although those guests were the rich and famous of the time, today, Vanderbilt’s descendants welcome more than a million visitors every year to the estate located just south of Asheville in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains. Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil, the only daughter of George and his wife Edith, and her husband John Cecil opened the estate to the public in 1930. The home was designed by Vanderbilt’s friend, architect Richard Morris Hunt; and the gardens by Central Park designer Frederick Law Olmsted. Today the house is a National Historic Landmark. Touring the House The 250-room French Renaissance chateau is as impressive today as it was more than a century ago. Admission includes the selfguided house and garden tour, but for an extra fee you can take an audio tour, and
Russia and China. For the kids, the zoo features family attractions including African Star Train, the Hunt Family Desert Spring water feature and the Foster Tree House Playground. The zoo is a beautiful destination for anyone wanting to have a fun day learning about the world’s wildlife and is open year round with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
If you go:
Caldwell Zoo: 2203 Martin Luther King Blvd., Tyler; (903) 593-0121; www. caldwellzoo.org. Cameron Park Zoo: 1701 North 4th Street, Waco; (254) 750 - 8400; www.cameronparkzoo.com. El Paso Zoo: 4001 E. Paisano, El Paso; (915) 212-0-ZOO; http://www.elpasozoo. org. TFH
guided tours are offered including the Premier Biltmore House Tour for an extra $150. George and Edith Vanderbilt’s luxurious family home is a marvel by any standards. The self-guided tour includes three floors and the basement. All the opulence of the house, its furnishings and art, and Vanderbilt personal possessions are laid out before you to gaze upon in wonder: artworks by Renoir, Sargent, Whistler, Pellegrini and Boldini, 16th century tapestries, the library with 10,000 volumes, a banquet hall with a 70-foot ceiling, 65 fireplaces, an indoor pool and bowling alley. Upstairs on the second and third floors, in addition to luxurious bedrooms, are areas where guests once played parlor games and took afternoon tea. The fourth floor, opened in 2005, features maids’ bedrooms. Downstairs is a main kitchen, two specialty kitchens, large laundry complex, refrigeration systems and pantries. The swimming pool, bowling alley and gymnasium are also located downstairs.
To view full story and more photographs visit WWW.TEXASFARMANDHOME.COM
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GARDENING BASICS
let’s get growing — tips for February
MALLOW DRAMA Start planting now for late summer beauty Story By Barbara Cook & Jolene Renfro
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Crockett Garden Club & Davy Crockett Master Gardeners
o misquote William Allingham when he said “Autumn is the mellow time”, Autumn is also the mallow time. Late summer/ early autumn is when these plants in the Malvacae or Mallow family like to show us their stuff. So why write about plants that bloom in summer and autumn in February? Because this is when you get started growing these plants so they will give you those blooms later. In this family are GENUS SPECIES EXAMPLE plants that have some confusion of • Althaea officinalis Marsh Mallow names, but all share the characteristics • Hibiscus mutabilis Confederate Rose of having alternate, syriacus Rose of Sharon hairy leaves, and dasycalyx Neches River Rose-mallow flowers with 5 parts (or multiples of five). coccineus Texas Star Hibiscus Here is a brief outline moscheutos Dinner Plate Hibiscus of some of the most well-known members • Alcea rosa Hollyhock of this family and how they relate to each • Glossypitum darwinii Cotton other: • Abelmoschus esculentus Okra
Malvacae Family or Mallows
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The marshmallow of S’mores fame originated with the production of honeysweetened whipped confections made from a mucilaginous extract from the root of the Althaea officinalis, or Marsh Mallow which was given as a remedy for sore throats. Eventually a concoction of whipped sugar, egg whites, and corn starch was substituted for plant extract to make the treat we enjoy today, but the name Marshmallow stuck. To grow this Mallow, place the seeds in moist soil in a Ziploc bag and store in the refrigerator for 4 weeks (called stratification), then germinate indoors, and transplant into moist rich soil outdoors when the weather warms. They are happy in sun or shade. Talk about confusing names! Consider the Confederate Rose. It is not a Rose, it is a Hibiscus and it is not a native of
the South, it is a native of China. Also a Hibiscus, the Rose of Sharon is not a Rose and not from Sharon, but from China/ India and sometimes is called an Althaea. Both of these members of the Mallow family are easy to grow, and easy to root and pass along to friends, making them perennial favorites in Southern gardens. They are easily propagated by taking a “stick” from the plant that is about the diameter of your finger and a foot or more in length and place it into a bucket of water inside the house. As it overwinters, roots will emerge from the base and the rooted plant can go directly into the soil outside when spring comes. Our native plant, the Neches River Rose-mallow is on the threatened and endangered species list and is considered one of the rarest plants in East Texas due to habitat loss and herbicide use. The plant produces a number of attractive blooms that are white with a purple throat. The Rose-mallow grows in wetlands in full sun, and once established will return year after year. There are only a few thousand of these plants left in the wild in very limited areas of Houston, Cherokee, and Trinity Counties, but they can be obtained through SFA University or other organizations that support native plants and should be planted in your yard to help conserve them. A number of native bees use the nectar for food, and other insects eat the leaves, so if the plant disappears, these insects begin to lose ground, as well as the birds and other animals that feed on the insects ---the domino theory.
Another plant that you, as a Texan, will enjoy having is the Texas Star Hibiscus. It is a native plant that from June to October produces a bright red bloom which looks somewhat like a pinwheel. This plant will return in the spring after being frozen back in winter. This plant can be easily started from seeds by planting indoors in pots of soil that is kept moist, and transplanting into the garden in the spring. Place in the back of the garden bed as the plant will reach 7 feet tall at maturity. If you are looking for the WOW factor, be sure to plant some Dinner Plate Hibiscus. The bush will support many dazzling flowers that are 8-12 inches in diameter and come in a number of color varieties. It will return year after year if given some winter protection. Even though everyone’s grandmother probably had some in her garden, old fashioned hollyhocks are not used much today. Perhaps this is because many varieties are biennial (grow one year, bloom the next) and we are an impatient society--- wanting to have flowers soon after planting. But once established, hollyhocks reseed themselves, so will provide blooms year after year even though that primary parent plant only lives 2-3 years. Sow the seeds in the ground about a week before the last frost, or plant seedlings about 2 weeks after the last frost to start hollyhocks in your garden. So Mallow Out, and plant some of these showy, easy to grow plants in your garden this spring, and enjoy their beauty for years to come. TFH
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SAVE THE DATE H Texas Events
Transforming Sand into Art
Sand sculptor Christy McDonald Atkinson
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ead to Port Aransas the last weekend in April and take part in the grittiest festival in Texas. Along this stretch of Texas beach the limitless sand gets transformed into works of art as people from across the world come to take part in Texas Sandfest. This year marks the 20th installment of the annual festival that began as just a day for people to come out and play on the beach and create something in the sand. Texas Sandfest is the largest sand sculpting competition in the United States. Over the years interest in the special festival grew, now it is a three-day festival featuring some of the most creative sand artists in the world descending on this Texas beach bringing thousands of spectators to the area, just before the summer season kicks off. Sandfest is an island festival featuring island-themed arts and crafts including jewelry. There also is plenty of live music during the festival with plenty of food vendors satisfying the hunger needs of thousands of beach goers. For those attending Sandfest there are numerous lodging opportunities within walking distance of the festival. Those wishing to stay in these places should make their reservations early, as these accommodations tend to fill up quickly. Admission is required for Texas Sandfest with adult tickets for $5. All children under 12 are free. Away from the beach there still is plenty to do in the Port Aransas area as there are myriad fishing opportunities. There also is nightly entertainment, beach combing, waterside golf, numerous
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art galleries, shopping, camping, surfing, and plenty of chances to try some island cuisine. There are plenty of things to do for the nature lovers out there as Port Aransas is near some of the best bird watching sites in the United States. Port Aransas, located on Mustang Island just off the Texas mainland. The island got its names as it was a place where Spaniards brought wild horses. As Texas became more settled the area around Port Aransas and Corpus Christi became a major entry port into Texas. Over the years storms have devastated Port Aransas, with the 1919 hurricane nearly destroying the town, but it came back. One of the more popular attractions to Port Aransas, besides its beaches, is the Lydia Ann Lighthouse, authorized by the Texas Congress in 1851. The lighthouse, built of brick, was finally completed in 1857, and is octagon shaped. It was damaged a few times over the years, but always rebuilt. Over the years the channel moved, and in 1952 the lighthouse officially was closed by the Coast Guard, after nearly a century of operation. After being restored by grocery magnate Charles Butt, the lighthouse returned to service in 1988 as a private aid to navigation. There are plenty other recreational opportunities around Port Aransas. To learn more about Texas Sandfest visit their website at www.texassandfest.org, to learn more about Port Aransas, visit their website at www.portaransas-texas.com. TFH
TEXAS EVENTS February
13 — ENNIS: Ennis Czech Music Festival Sokol Activity Center, 2622 Texas 34 E. www.ennisczechmusicfestival.com 972/878-4748 PRAIRIES AND LAKES 15-27 — ROUND TOP: Annual Quilt Exhibit held at the Winedale Historical Complex, 3738 FM 2714, www.winedale.org PRAIRIES AND LAKES 20 — HOUSTON: Greater Houston Train Show The Stafford Center. http:// sanjacmodeltrains.org 713/376-0684 GULF COAST 25-28 — PORT ARANSAS: Whooping Crane Festival This celebration of the endangered Whooping crane includes birding bus tours, exhibits, seminars and demonstrations. www. whoopingcranefestival.org 361/7495919 GULF COAST 27-28 — BOERNE: Boerne Antiques Show This event features more than 60 booths offering authentic American antiques. Kendall County Fairgrounds. www.texasantiqueshows.com 830/329-2870 HILL COUNTRY
March
2 — HUNTSVILLE: General Sam Houston Birthday Celebration. Celebrate General Sam Houston’s birthday and Texas Independence Day with special activities at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Sam Houston Statue, and Oakwood Cemetery. For more details call 936-435-2497. FOREST COUNTRY 5 & 6 — WAHSINGTON ON THE BRAZOS: Texas Independence Day Celebration. 2016 will be an especially important year for Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site: not only is it the 180th anniversary of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico in 1836 at Washington on the Brazos, but it will also be the state park’s 100th birthday. Annual two-day celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with live music, food, traditional crafts, living history presentations, historical encampments and commemorative programs. wheretexasbecametexas.org PRAIRIES AND LAKES 4 & 5 — NAVASOTA: Texas Birthday Bash Celebrate Texas Independence
with a birthday bash filled with two days of country music & Texas themed family fun activities in hisotric downtown Navasota. www.texasbirthdaybash.com PRAIRIES AND LAKES 17-20 — GOLIAD: Goliad County Fair, Carnival, PRCA Rodeo & Dance Goliad County Fairgrounds, 925 S Hwy 183 361-645-8204 PRAIRIES AND LAKES 18 & 19 — TYLER: 35th Annual Tyler Quilt Show presented by the Quilter’s Guild of East Texas. “Scraps!” Quintessentially American. This judged show will display over 200 hanging quilts, have demonstrations in quilting, an “Old Fashioned Bed Turning”, vendors, a Country Store and Donation Quilt with the proceeds benefitting two local charities. Admission $7, Seniors and children $6. Hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Harvey Convention Center, 2000 West Front Street, Tyler, TX. For more information please visit www.qgetx.org or email tylerquiltshow@hotmail.com. FOREST COUNTRY 18-20, 25-27, April 1-3 — PALESTINE: 78th Annual Dogwood Trails Celebration. This long-time celebration takes place the last two weekends in March and first weekend in April. Enjoy the delicate beauty of the dogwood trees in Davey Dogwood Park and the surrounding area. Activities are scheduled each weekend to compliment the Celebration, including the Dogwood Trails Festival, the first weekend. Don’t miss the Piney Woods Excursion and Dogwood Brunch Train at the Texas State Railroad, the Dulcimer Festival, the Main Street Farm & Flower Market, a play at the historic Texas Theatre & much more. www. texasdogwoodtrails.com FOREST COUNTRY
the Crockett Garden Club; 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Old Filling Station across from First United Methodist Church of Crockett. Renew your flower beds for spring and summer enjoyment. Money made from the sale goes into community beautification projects. FOREST COUNTRY 9 — HUNTSVILLE: Herb Festival at the Wynne Home hosted by the Texas Thyme Unit of the Herb Society of America. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1428 Eleventh Street in Huntsville. There will be a large selection of herbs, camellias, butterfly and hummingbird plants for sale. Speakers, local artists, musicians, children’s activities and vendors will round out the day. The event is free to the public. For more information, call 936-891-5024 or visit Texas Thyme Unit - Herb Society of America FOREST COUNTRY 15 - 17 — GRANDVIEW: Antique Alley Texas and 30 Miles of Shopping The towns of Grandview, Cleburne, Sand Flat, Alvarado, Maypearl and Venus offer this biannual community 30 mile flea market.Pasture sales with
100’s of vendors between Grandview and Cleburne. Each town has their own style of festival. Check web for complete information. Official Maps are given out at 300 E. Criner Street in Grandview. DO NOT PARK ON HIGHWAYS. Pull into pasture shows where free and safe parking are provided. Book rooms in Alvarado or Hillsboro because the show is big and too much to shop in just one day. This may be your first Antique Alley Texas but it will not be your LAST! 817-240-4948, AntiqueAlleyTexas.com PRAIRIES AND LAKES 29 - May 1 — PORT ARANSAS: Texas SandFest Sculpting. Coastal. Memories. Run completely by volunteers, the popular invitational event draws visitors from around the globe to participate and to watch the fun. www. texassandfest.org GULF COAST 30 — GONZALES: Dutch Oven Cook Off held at the Gonzales Pioneer Village, 2122 N. St. Joseph Street; Contestants must cook a meat, bread and/or dessert. 830-857-4102, gonzalestexas.com SOUTH TEXAS
April
1 & 2 — GEORGETOWN: Quilt and Stitchery Show “Poppy Panache” 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Community Center in San Gabriel Park, 445 E. Morrow Street in Georgetown. Featuring a silent auction, vendors, raffle quilt and tea room. Admission $6; www. handcraftsunlimited.com PRAIRIES AND LAKES 8 — CROCKETT: Annual Spring Flower and Bulb Sale hosted by
TEXAS EVENTS is a list of festivals and happenings occurring around the
state. We recommend that you call before traveling to an event to verify the time and date as sometimes dates change. If you would like to submit an event to the calendar, please send to P.O. Box 130, Grapeland, TX 75844 or e-mail to cstewart@texasfarmandhome.com. Please submit information at least two to three full months before the first of the month in which the event will take place.
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COUNTRY AS CORNBREAD H By LOIS MARIE GUYMER
Scorched Beans
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hen I was a kid it seemed like my brother and I went around all winter with a cough, cold, or runny nose. Sometimes, if we ran a high fever our parents would carry us to the doctor. Otherwise they just kept us at home and slathered our chest with good old Vicks salve at bedtime. To enhance its curative powers, my mother would iron a piece of soft flannel until it was hot enough to burn, then quickly tuck it inside our sleeping shirt right on top of the aromatic blend. The heat was not only warming on a cold winter night, but served the dual purpose of melting in the salve and releasing its potent vapors. And believe me, if you’ve never had the privilege of being “greased up” before bed then you’ve missed something, for those vapors really had a way of opening up the old sinuses! Once in a while we were also allowed to drift off to dreamland sucking on a piece of peppermint or a lemon drop, both simple remedies to soothe a sore throat or ward off a nagging cough. I’m reminded of all this because this past week I’ve honked, hacked, coughed, and been thoroughly annoyed over losing my voice. Not the most pleasant topic for a story, I know, but it put me to remembering one particularly rough winter when our whole family caught the old-timey flu. Back then it didn’t have a fancy name or make headline news. When you “came down with it” you just ached and chilled, then moaned and sweated your way to a slow recovery. For us, it took about a week of living on toast and tea before we finally began to recuperate enough to notice the time of day. My mother finally decided we had rounded the bend to recovery when she started hearing a strange rumbling coming from the vicinity of our
stomachs. Taking it as a good sign, she got up and put on a pot of pinto beans to boil. At some point during the afternoon, being weak herself, Mama laid down for a short nap and awoke to realize her beans were boiling dry. Springing into action, she staggered to the kitchen to ward off impending doom and save our supper. That night we all sat down to a meal of good old beans and cornbread. Being the first real food any of us had eaten in quite a spell, it tasted wonderful. Sometimes it is just amazing how good a bite of something simple can taste to a person who has gone without for a while! We ate until we were full, but still had some leftovers. By the next day our sick sinuses had really started to clear up, and our sniffers were making a steady comeback. Around noon, Mama brought out the rest of the beans and put them on the stove to warm (no microwaves back then). But as they heated we began to notice a scorched smell rising from the pot. “That’s funny,” Mama puzzled as she dished up our plates. At supper nobody had noticed a scorched taste. But burned they were, and it only took a bite to prove it. Those wonderful beans tasted so bad that we couldn’t stand to eat them. Apparently the night before we had still been too stopped up to discern the potent aroma and terrible flavor! Needless to say, we were all shocked at the difference twenty-four hours could make to our sense of taste and smell. Today, despite spending the week praying my brain wouldn’t become too oxygen deprived inside my stuffy head, it is still funny to me to remember the way we all pigged out on those scorched beans and relished every bite! TFH
You may purchase a copy of Mrs. Guymer’s book, Country As Cornbread, for $12. Please send payment to Lois Guymer, 362 CR 4401, Jacksonville, TX 75766 and specify for whom you’d like the book autographed.
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