FORT BEND STRONG

Spring has Sprung in the Bend

It’s March in Fort Bend County – Spring has sprung! There’s new life, renewed vibrancy and a push to get out of the house! Here are some of the things Nancy and I enjoy every March.

We love flowers blooming, especially our official state flower – the stunning Texas Bluebonnet. There’s a myth that you have to drive to the Texas Hill Country or central Texas to see true Texas bluebonnets. If you feel compelled to leave Fort Bend, enjoy paying $3.50 for a gallon of gasoline and driving for three hours, please be my guest. But, if you prefer loading up your car with a picnic lunch and the family dog(s) for a fifteen-minute drive that features Texas Hill Country caliber bluebonnets, they are waiting for you right here in Fort Bend!

The best local spot Nancy and I have found in Fort Bend is in New Territory/Telfair around the lakes by Cornerstone Elementary School and the Museum of Natural Science. There are wide trails suitable for baby strollers and easy access around all the lakes. Feel free to take photographs among our bluebonnets but never pick them – it’s against Texas law. Bluebonnets are Fort Bend Strong!

I have always promised to keep politics out of this column, especially if bluebonnets are involved. I will never break that promise, but I am going to share an “observation” that may seem like politics because it involves the Aggies and the Longhorns.

Maroon bluebonnets blooming in The Gardens at Texas A&M University. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Laura McKenzie).

Photo: https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2021/03/18/hurry-up-and-wait-texas-bluebonnets-are-coming/

In the spring of 2014, a strange thing happened around the iconic tower at The University of Texas. Bluebonnets popped up - maroon bluebonnets. They could not be picked, because they were genetic bluebonnets. They only way to remove these “maroonbonnets” was to dig up the soil containing them and move them, intact, without a single death. The Aggies would neither confirm nor deny any involvement in “maroonbonnets” around the UT Tower. Skip Richter, of Texas A&M Agrilife in Harris County, explained that, “God chose to put the maroon gene in the bluebonnet family. There ain’t no orange one.” Since the largest concentration of Aggie alumni is in southeast Texas, what do you think the odds are of “maroonbonnets” popping up in Fort Bend next spring? Maroonbonnets are Fort Bend Strong!

Spring is not just about new flowers blooming – the Fort Bend skies are filled with birds! While you can see and hear them around your home, it is highly unlikely that you will see 209 species of birds. The only place to experience that is to spend some time at Sugar Land’s Cullinan Park. This 754-arce wildlife oasis is home to herons, egrets, warblers, ducks and woodpeckers, just to name a few. Parking is free. There are restrooms and miles of trails to explore. Cullinan Park is also home to one of the oldest and tallest pecan trees in Texas (Pecan is the official Texas tree). And if you’re really observant and lucky, you will see America’s national emblem – the bald eagle – flying overhead! Spring wildlife is Fort Bend Strong!

It is not just Mother Nature that makes a Fort Bend spring so special. Texas history comes alive in Fort Bend in March. The Alamo fell on March 6th. Goliad was overrun on March 27th. As General Sam Houston strategically retreated east in early March, our fellow Texians followed to avoid the wrath of Mexican tyrant Santa Anna. Towns and crops along the way were burned to prevent them from being used by Santa Anna. This action was called the Runaway Scrape. General Houston went through Richmond around April 1st, 1836. The quickest and best way for Santa Anna to pursue General Houston was to cross the Brazos River in Richmond via Thompson’s Ferry. Knowing that fact, General Houston left a small unit at Thompson’s Ferry to stop Santa Anna. Santa Anna used an Englishspeaking soldier to trick the ferryman to come help a fellow Texian who been left behind. The Mexicans surprised the ferryman and captured the ferry boat. They crossed the Brazos on April 14th. One week later, we whipped Santa Anna at San Jacinto. The Republic of Texas was born! Do not settle for my description – see the site of Thompson’s Ferry yourself in Historic Richmond. Texas history is Fort Bend Strong! What are you going to do to celebrate the arrival of spring in March? Please let me know. I know y’all have great ideas for Fort Bend Strong stories. War heroes, long forgotten high school championships, great teachers, the best parents, maroonbonnets coming to Fort Bend, etc. Please share your stoA bald eagle. Photo by Kyle Carlsen. https://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsite/learn/ ries with me at pete@absolutelyfocusmedia.com. Political sto ries will be fed to the alligators at Brazos Bend State Park. identification/diurnal-daytime-raptors/bald-eagle.php As always, stay Fort Bend Strong!

The Thompson’s Ferry Marker.

http://wateringholdclubhouse.blogspot.com/2015/01/thompsons-ferry-marker.html

By Steve Kursar

2022 SUBARU WILDERNESS EDITION

2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness.

For 2022, Subaru has upped the game for two of their most popular models with the introduction of the Wilderness Editions for the Forester and the Outback. The Subaru brand is known for building cars that are tough and reliable. And now, they have created these new Wilderness models engineered for off-road exploring with upgrades to their ground clearance, drivetrain and all-terrain capabilities.

Both Forester and Outback Wilderness Edition models share similar engineering design features. They both come standard with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, which provides traction in all kinds of weather and trail conditions. Nine inches of ground clearance puts you above rough terrain and a standard front skid plate gives extra protection against obstacles. Standard all-terrain tires allow for improved performance on mud, snow, gravel, and other surfaces and enhanced dual-function X-MODE with settings for Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud makes it safer to navigate through treacherous conditions. Even gear ratios have been revised for improved low-speed climbing power.

Each Wilderness Edition Subaru has redesigned bumpers with improved approach and departure angles for steeper climbing and avoiding larger obstacles and a re-tuned suspension to handle even tougher trails. In the interior, a durable, water-resistant upholstery called Star-Tex helps the interior stand up to the elements along with any combination of passengers, pets and gear. All Wilderness Edition models are easily distinguished from the other Subaru models by distinctive badging and strategically placed bright orange patches.

The Forester Wilderness Edition has a starting MSRP of $32,820, which is about $7,500 over a base edition. The Forester is powered by a normally aspirated 182 hp, 2.5 liter Boxer engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). EPA estimated fuel economy numbers are 26 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.

The larger Outback Wilderness Edition has a starting MSRP of $36,995, which is about $10,000 over a base model. The bigger Outback also gets a more powerful engine, a 260 hp, 2.4 liter turbocharged Boxer engine which is also mated to a CVT. The Outback’s fuel economy numbers are the same as the Forester, 26 mpg city/ 33 mpg highway.

Subaru used to be a car brand that was content building solid vehicles with sometimes quirky exterior designs. Over the last couple of decades, they’ve transformed into a mainstream car manufacturer with compelling designs to which new car buyers are flocking. Expect more models like the winning Wilderness Editions to appear in Subaru dealer showrooms.

2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness interior.

A M A T E U R P H O T O C O N T E S T

March 2022 Winner

“Amongst autumn leaves I await” By Beena Thomas

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