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Welcome Home WINTER TEXAN • • • November 4, 2020
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We’re just connecting the dots.
VOLUME 6 • ISSUE 4 • November 4, 2020 • • • your official connection to the rio grande valley • • •
hello FROM KRISTI
I
t’s finally here! The season has officially started! Every summer, I count down the days to November for a variety of reasons, but primarily because it marks the return of our Winter Texan friends. You also bring with you muchappreciated, cooler weather, and the monarch butterflies are right behind you. And sometimes, when you hint long and hard enough, one of your Winter Texan friends from Wisconsin brings you cheese! Our reunion tour last summer took us to Wisconsin, where we visited the Burnett Dairy Cooperative, and we accidentally went in hungry. Long story short, they gave us samples, and we subsequently sent 25 pounds of cheese back home! Don Uecker lives close to the Dairy, and he made my day by bringing a bit of Wisconsin back home to me.
The Market Square Event Hall was home to an open-air market from the 1850s until the 1940s. The land where it sits was donated to the City of Brownsville by Charles Stillman
Explore and Experience Brownsville’s
Historic Past
Story and Photos by Eryn Reddell Wingert
It makes me wonder...what do you miss about the Valley while you’re up north? Drop me a line and let me know what your ‘mostfavorite’ thing about the RGV is! • We’re just connecting the dots,
Kristi
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Built in 1911, the Bollock Building on Elizabeth Street was owned by German immigrant Pauline Bollack. It was known as a modern department store at the time.
W
hat do film actor Robert Duvall and Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz have in common? A connection to the Brownsville Historic District. Duvall shot scenes for the 2013 film A Night in Old Mexico at the Old City Cemetery and Diaz reportedly plotted his takeover of Mexico within the vicinity. Old City Cemetery was established in 1853 on land donated by one of Brownsville’s founders, Charles Stillman. But there are headstones in the cemetery that date back even further; these graves
EXPLORE HISTORIC BROWNSVILLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 >>
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November 4, 2020 • • • Welcome
Home WINTER TEXAN • • • www.welcomehomergv.com
WINTER
TEXAN • • • OF THE • • • WEEK
Welcome Home
We Winter Texans!
®
WINTER TEXAN
your official connection to the rio grande valley
Publisher
Kristi Collier kristi@welcomehomergv.com
Administration
Amie Gray agray@welcomehomergv.com Colette Brookins colie@welcomehomergv.com
Calendar Submissions! For more information on submitting your events and activities, please email:
Event Manager
Teresa Howard by Rocio Villalobos
Converted Texan Shares Joy of Line Dancing at Trophy Gardens Resort
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eresa Howard’s love for line Currently, Howard instructs about dancing dates back to before she 20 others--both men and women-was a teenager. As luck would have and said one of the best parts about it, when she first came down to the job is seeing people improve and Alamo’s Trophy Gardens RV Resort enjoy themselves. in 2015, the park was in search of a “Those that are really good and catch on like to go to advanced volunteer line-dance instructor. lessons; they enjoy “I started in the the challenge,” 1980s when it she said. “It’s good became popular,” “It’s good mentally camaraderie. And she said. “My and physically. what’s nice is you passion has always You’ve got to learn don’t have to have been dancing and a partner. If you music.” the steps, the turns. Though she was a It makes you feel good.” want to get up and do a line dance, little out of practice you get up and do because she traded • Teresa Howard • a line dance.” line dancing for She adds partner dances when she met her husband, Howard anyone of any age can learn. Last took a few months to practice and season, a 92-year-old woman get back in the groove before taking attended the classes. Though Howard has mastered the on the role. “It’s good mentally and physically,” craft, she still enjoys challenging she said. “You’ve got to learn the herself and learning dances to steps, the turns. It makes you feel new songs. She hopes to see line dancing added to Senior Olympics good.” Howard and her husband moved in the future. For now, she and her to the Valley full-time from Paola, dancers get the chance to show off Kansas, in 2017 and enjoy attending their work during Alamo’s annual the park’s dances year-round. And Independence Day Parade. though the pandemic has put such “We always work up a theme events on hold and the Community as our big finale to the season,” Hall remains closed, Howard Howard said. “Last year, we had a continues her lessons weekday medley from the 20s to the 2000s. mornings outside in the parking lot. The crowd loved it, and we had so “It’s definitely a cardio workout, much fun.” especially in the sweltering heat,” For anyone wanting to learn how she said. “We mainly do country, but to line dance, Howard recommends visiting copperknob.com. • I mix it up with rock and roll.”
If you have someone you’d like to nominate for Winter Texan of the Week, please visit our website, welcomehomergv.com/wintertexanoftheweek, and complete the application. We’ll be in touch with you if your nominee is selected.
Anne Marie Martin events@welcomehomergv.com
calendar@welcomehomergv.com
The deadline for submission is Mondays at 5:00pm. •
Business Development
Stacy Madden sales@welcomehomergv.com Curt James Riester curt@welcomehomergv.com
Weekly e-Blasts
Kristi’s e-Blasts are sent weekly October - March to our subscribers. Find out what’s happening across the Valley. These e-Blasts include helpful links and fliers for “Featured Events.” Sign up today at:
Travel Division
Kristy Meyer travel@welcomehomergv.com Stella Riester stella@welcomehomergv.com
info@welcomehomergv.com
Accounting
Follow Us
Anna Talbert accounting@welcomehomergv.com
on Social Media!
Editor
Chris Ardis news@welcomehomergv.com
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Welcome Home RGV has several ways to join the action on social media. Our WHRGV Facebook page is dedicated to community events and information that will appeal to people of all ages. Our Winter Texan page is more specific to our Winter Texan target market. Finally, our latest addition is our Winter Texans RGV group. Member parks and business partners can send event fliers to us at:
Jenny R Carpenter artwork@welcomehomergv.com
Social Media / Photographer Eryn Reddell-Wingert eryn@welcomehomergv.com
Promotional Division
Elizabeth Seal elizabeth@welcomehomergv.com Sarah Scott sarah@welcomehomergv.com Sabina Adames sabina@welcomehomergv.com
news@welcomehomergv.com
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www.facebook.com @whrgv @wintertexan www.facebook.com/groups/wintertexansrgv
Activity Coordinator
Fran Adams fran@welcomehomergv.com
www.youtube.com Find on YouTube Channel “Welcome Home Rio Grande Valley”
1st Responder Coordinator Rita Huether rita@welcomehomergv.com
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Tom Stocker tgstocker@gmail.com
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Welcome Home WINTER TEXAN • • • November 4, 2020
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The magical mariposa reminds us that life and death are cyclical and should be celebrated in nature. Enjoy the Sticks & Bones Trail at Quinta Mazatlán through November 14. Advance tickets and timed entry are required Thursday afternoons and Saturday, two of the five visitation days.
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he annual celebration of Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is not as spooky as it sounds. It is a celebration of life beginning the eve of October 31 until its culmination November 2. It is a vibrant and colorful celebration, not about fear or sadness but the return of the souls of friends and family, where the dead are welcomed with colorful costumes, food, drinks, and celebration. A special aspect of this holiday is the monarch butterfly, or Quetzalpaplotl, who return every year, and the native people believe they represent the souls of family and friends rising from heaven. Like the early 19th century painter and cartoonist Jose Guadalupe Posada and his re-envisioned Mictecacihuatl (an Aztec goddess as a female skeleton, recognized today as La Catrina), we share with you She’s Smiling by artist Rene Lopez on the trails of Quinta Mazatlan. Artist Cele Castillo created another art installation, Butterfly Lady, in honor of the fall monarch migration, which coincides with the monarch descending on Michoacán, Mexico, in time for the Day of the
Dead festivities. Like the Monarchs migrating to Mexico, make your journey over to Quinta Mazatlán to celebrate life and remember your loved ones. The Sticks & Bones Trail is up through November 14 during park hours, Tuesday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday nights until 7:30 p.m. For extra health measures, advance tickets and timed entry are required Thursday afternoons and Saturdays only. Please visit quintamazatlan. ticketleap.com/sticks-and-bones-trail for your tickets. Follow Quinta Mazatlán on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube @QuintaMazatlan to learn more about programs and our natural and cultural heritage in the Rio Grande Valley. For more information, please call 956-681-3370, and thank you for keeping our community safe by following health and wellbeing practices in the park. •
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>> EXPLORE HISTORIC BROWNSVILLE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
were relocated from the original cemetery, which was too small to accommodate the losses from yellow fever. The historic cemetery isn’t the only property with a connection to Charles Stillman. Stillman and his wife, Elizabeth rented a brick Greek Revival house on Washington Street in the early 1850s, built for Stillman’s partner, Henry Miller. Miller later sold the house to Manuel Trevino de los Santos Coy, the Mexican Consul to Brownsville. In 1875, the house became the site of a secret gathering, where Trevino, Porfirio Diaz, and others met to plot the overthrow of Mexico’s then-president Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada. A year later, Diaz’ reign over Mexico began, and it lasted until 1910. The Trevino family occupied the home for 100 years, until they sold it to Stillman’s great-grandson Chauncey Stillman. Chauncey donated the house to the city of Brownsville for the purposes of turning it into a museum. The Stillman House still stands today, open to the public and contributing to the sharing of Brownsville’s fascinating story. Next door to the Stillman House Museum is the Brownsville Heritage Museum, home to interesting artifacts from the city’s past and that of the legendary figures who visited and lived here. One large example is the German MAN vehicle, known in the area as the Porfirio Diaz Car. The remarkably large vehicle takes up an entire room in the museum and has a fascinating oral history. The opportunities to learn more about the city are plentiful throughout the Heritage Museum. Many of the historic sites in the downtown area are within walking distance, and opportunities to experience the culture of Brownsville are also on the menu. The executive director of the Brownsville Historical Association, Tara Putegnat, says the association not only preserves history but also showcases the cultural arts that are unique to South Texas. Painting, pottery, dance, music, and food are all part of traditional everyday life in Brownsville’s past and present. The Brownsville Historical Association offers guided tours and supports independent walking tours of the district. To take a tour of these historic sites and to experience the culture of Brownsville, make your first stop the Brownsville Heritage Museum. Staff are readily available to share information and insight into Brownsville’s amazing history. Visit brownsvillehistory.org or call 956541-5560. •
Military veterans from every American war, except the Revolutionary War, are buried in Brownsville’s Old City Cemetery.
The Stillman House was built for Henry Miller and rented to Charles and Elizabeth Stillman in the early 1850s. The Trevino family lived here for 100 years.
The Gem/La Joya building, also known as Roser Custom Service, is one of the oldest commercial buildings in Brownsville. The building served as a bookstore during the Civil War.
The Stillman House was built in the Greek Revival style. It is one of the oldest structures in Brownsville.
The Southern Pacific Railroad Depot (circa 1980s) was established in 1928. The Photo of the construction of the Brownsville Federal Building taken July 4, 1932, by Depot has since been restored and is now the Historic Brownsville Museum. (Photo A. Rogers Studio. (Photo courtesy of Brownsville Historical Association) courtesy of Brownsville Historical Association)
Tara Putegnat, executive director of the Brownsville Historical Association, shares more about historic Brownsville on the Welcome Home Rio Grande Valley YouTube channel.
www.welcomehomergv.com
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Welcome Home WINTER TEXAN • • • November 4, 2020
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November 4, 2020 • • • Welcome
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Freddy Fender - Let’s Go by Gretchen Losi
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et’s face it. Most of us have had a chapter in 2020 where “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” could easily have been our theme song. So it’s only proper that we pay tribute to the Rio Grande Valley’s Freddy Fender for giving us the anthem. Born into humble beginnings to an absent, immigrant father, and his wife, Margarita Garza, Fender learned early to bravely face life’s challenges with a grin and not a groan, a quality that served him well through life, according to his daughter, Tammy Huerta Fender. “He would talk about his childhood struggles and laugh. He was fearless. That’s a reason so many were drawn to him,” Huerta said. Bring up the name Freddy Fender in parts of the RGV, and someone within earshot is sure to have a story. They’ll also be quick to point out that their relationship was special because it wasn’t with Fender, it was with their neighbor or friend, Baldemar Garza. It wasn’t until the artist moved to California that he changed his name to match his beloved guitar. Legend has it that he added ‘Freddy’ because it would “sell better with the Gringos.” The
rest, as they say, is rock ‘n’ roll history. Drive to his birthplace of San Benito and you can’t miss when you’ve arrived. Freddy’s big, humble smile greets you on the town’s water tower. But the groundbreaking recording artist we all know and love had far more layers than most realize. He was also a feverish reader who constantly craved knowledge. “We would be at the dinner table and ask him to name the presidents,” Huerta said. “He would name them backwards and then also know their party and political views.” He also had the ability to look at an aircraft and disassemble it in his mind, she said. Gifted and determined, even as a child, the self-taught artist was recording at radio station KGBT in Harlingen at the ripe age of 10. If you can find it, the song is “Paloma Querida (Darling Dove). “He didn’t really need a guitar or microphone, just his voice,” Huerta said. “The genius would just pour out of him.” While Fender’s busy life took him all over the world, he always made FREDDY FENDER CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 >>
The story of Freddy Fender is too colorful and rich for one simple article to do it justice. Thankfully, Tammy Huerta Fender is working to keep her father’s legacy alive and has authored Wasted Days and Wasted Nights. The two-volume series is chock full of entertaining stories about the life and career of the artist and also delves into his darker years of drug addiction, jail time, and divorce. Huerta invites her father’s fans to contact her directly if they would like an autographed, original edition at Texmexprincess.com. Volume 2 is expected to be released in early 2021. She said she is also currently working on a Netflix pilot she hopes to generate support and financial backing for in the near future. Additional e-books, excerpts, and worldwide shipping are available at Tammyhuerta.com.
www.welcomehomergv.com
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Welcome Home WINTER TEXAN • • • November 4, 2020
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McAllen Holiday Parade, Presented by H-E-B Newly Reimagined for 2020 Broadcast television production with no spectators means fun and excitement for viewers at home during telecast Special to Welcome Home RGV
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he City of McAllen recently unveiled details of this year’s newly reimagined McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden & Fiesta Dealerships. The seventh-annual presentation of the world’s and Texas’ Best Parade will be celebrated Saturday, December 5, in a broadcast-television production with no spectators in attendance The parade will start at 6:00 p.m. from Oval Park at the McAllen Convention Center. The event will run live on six local networks and will later be re-broadcasted on the top 31 U.S. Hispanic markets and throughout Texas Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, and H-E-B is so proud to be a part of the family and cultural traditions of this beautiful holiday,” said Tony Gonzalez, director of merchandising and marketing, border region, for H-E-B. “Now, more than ever, we do need to find ways to celebrate Christmas, and H-E-B is proud that the newly reimagined presentation will not only delight the entire Rio Grande Valley community but also help
keep the wonderful, warm spirit of Christmas alive in McAllen, the true Official South Pole of Texas.” Parade organizers promise to keep all of the dazzling and sensational elements of the previous six presentations of the parade, including the colorful, animated, and iconic illuminated floats and the giant character and specialty helium and cold-air balloons. Some features, including bands and celebrities, will be presented in entirely innovative and unique ways. It will also snow along the parade route, which this year will run from the west side of Oval Park and head south, before turning north east, traveling a total of 689 feet from start to finish. Once again, it will celebrate as its theme McAllen: Official South Pole of Texas. “Everybody loves a parade, and the McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B, is no different,” said McAllen Mayor Jim Darling. “Just because we can’t enjoy the parade in person does not mean that it will be any less special or beautiful. The true meaning of Christmas is love and family, and watching the • • • Exclusive to Welcome Home RGV
Ron Captures Palmview Palmview, Texas CAPTURES
October 2020
Photos by Ron Kowalczyk
This week, Ron Kowalczyk shares photos of some smaller local wildlife. Ron says, “Don’t panic. The spiders are beneficial and harmless.” Ron shares his images from his Valley home at Green Gate Grove in Palmview.
McAllen Holiday Parade together with just family will make it more special. In fact, now everyone will have the best seat to enjoy the magic of the McAllen Holiday Parade.” While an audience may not be physically present for the McAllen Holiday Parade, viewers will have unique watch-and-win opportunities during the live telecast and in the weeks leading up to the parade. Winners may register in various manners, including on the website
McAllenHolidayParade.com, through social media contests, and by texting to win raffles. Stay tuned for a list of prizes and more information on how to get signed up. “Christmas is a time to share and give with love and peace in our hearts,” said Marsha Green, vice president of marketing for Bert Ogden and Fiesta Dealerships. “For Bert Ogden and Fiesta Dealerships, McALLEN HOLIDAY PARADE 2020 CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 >>
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THROUGH
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ERYN’S LENS Exclusive to Welcome Home RGV Photos: Eryn Reddell-Wingert
McAllen Fall 2020
Pollinators have been in full-on work mode in South Texas. All kinds of bees, butterflies, and moths have been taking their fill from native plants in gardens and parks. While the Valley sees butterflies year-round, this time of year is the most popular as many species call the warmer climate ‘home’ during the cooler months and others pass through on their way to Mexico.
Max Vityk’s Warriors of Light Opens at the IMAS Special to Welcome Home RGV
JOIN THE FUN!
T
he International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) presents Max Vityk’s Warriors of Light, on exhibit in the Main Gallery now through March 28, 2021. Warriors of Light is part of the figurative series of artist Max Vityk. In this series, Vityk investigates the narrative elements and figures of ancient rock engravings and mythological and folk symbols. “The emotional vulnerability of the Warriors of Light fuels their plea for change; it is something akin to going into battle naked...a certain nakedness protected only by an unfaltering conviction of ideals. Vityk’s work feels less like a personal enterprise and more like an ode, or an act of adulation to the spirit of change--a spirit plagued by credulous hope for something better... something happier,” said Nahla Samaha, Cairo, about the exhibit. Through Warriors of Light, Vityk seeks to modernize the archetypal mystical material to convey current events onto the plane of the internal struggle between good and evil. The paintings explore the historical, revolutionary events the artist lived
PARK YARD SALE
Saturday, November 21st 8:00 AM to NOON
*Social Distancing and Masks Required*
DANCE
Diego & Edith
Saturday, November 28th
An IMAS visitor admires “Desert Guardian” (2016) by Max Vityk in the Warriors of Light exhibit, on display now at the museum.
through during his stay in Ukraine and Egypt between 2011 and 2015. The exhibit is comprised of 12 large, acrylic paintings. Warriors of Light is on loan from Vityk. The IMAS galleries are open weekly Wednesday through Saturday, with modified hours—10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 2 - 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, along with sensory-
friendly Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Currently, admission is $1 for guests ages 4 and up, and IMAS members and children under 4 receive free admission. Visit theimasonline.org for the most upto-date visitor information. •
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM Tickets $9.00
(Sold at the Door)
BYOB * Snack Bar Available
*Social Distancing and Masks Required*
4770 N. Mayberry Road Mission, TX 78573
877-550-7961
Terry Miller • Activity Director
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November 4, 2020 • • • Welcome
Home WINTER TEXAN • • • www.welcomehomergv.com
McAllen Public Library Invites You to Meet Libby Special to Welcome Home RGV
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ould you like to carry a library book in your pocket? Now you can! Simply download the free Libby app from the PlayStore or iTune Store and follow the steps in the graphic. You’ll be reading--or listening to an audiobook--in no time. Don’t see what you want? Let us know your suggested title, and we’ll do our best
to get it for you. If you don’t have a McAllen Public Library card, it’s easy to get one. Just go to mcallenlibrary.net/services/ borrowing or call MPL for friendly assistance at 956-681-3000. We are here for you, whether in person or online. •
Yellow-blooming Flowers Make for a Busy Butterfly Garden Story and photos by Anita Westervelt, Texas Master Naturalist
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yellow garden is full of sunshine…and butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. An important aspect of a butterfly garden is to have something blooming year-round so butterflies visit longer. Color variety is important, too, but let’s hear it for the yellows. Four native, nectar-rich, butterfly-attracting plants that thrive in full sun are presented below in descending order of potential height. Mexican caesalpinia, Caesalpinia Mexicana, is a somewhat slowgrowing, small tree in the pea family but can grow to six to eight feet within a couple of years, depending on the soil; mature trees can reach upwards of 15 feet. This tree is a plentiful bloomer producing tight little spires of yellow flowers several times a year. It is one of the Valley’s plants that will bloom after a rain.
The flowers turn into hundreds of three-inch-long, green peapods that soon turn a golden wheat color. When mature, dried pods twist open with an audible pop and rocket seeds around the mother plant. Seeds propagate easily. New starts can be potted up when they are between 12 and 18 inches. Dig deep to keep the taproot intact or leave the volunteer
Anita Westervelt
plants to grow and form a grouping. Young trees bend with the wind, if not staked. Esperanza, Tecoma stans, has its banner blooming seasons beginning in early fall and lasting through the winter, bringing butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to the vibrant clusters of bell-shaped flowers. This is a shrub for a park-community butterfly garden as it can easily grow to eight-feet tall with a hefty girth. It is drought tolerant, although a weekly soaking during summer is advised. It requires well-draining soil. Esperanza is a larval host to dogface butterflies and the plebeian sphinx moth; caterpillars will feed on the leaves of both but not harm the plant. Both caesalpinia and esperanza can be left to grow as they desire or pruned into a tree shape by removing lower foliage and branches, a strategy that opens the understory for other plants like skeleton leaf golden eye or hairy wedelia. BUSY BUTTERFLY GARDEN CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 >>
>> FREDDY FENDER FROM PAGE 6
sure to come back home. And when he did, he was eagerly embraced once again. “Every time he came back to the Valley, people would come out of their houses to greet him, and he would remember every single name,” Huerta said. She called it his ‘insightful gift.’ “He would remember everything there was about each person and their stories, including the day of the week, time, what they were wearing, and what the topic was.” After his death, the city of San Benito honored Fender with a marble monument showcasing his many accomplishments and contributions. Huerta said the marble came from
Italy and took some two years before arriving. “Those years were really rough for us. If we left anything there for my dad, people would steal it,” she said. But this is exactly where he wanted to be. In his hometown, with his people, in the least expensive coffin available. The words on his tombstone sum him up: ‘From My Humble Beginnings To A Humble End.’ “This is what he wanted,” Huerta said. San Benito is where his first and last teardrop fell. •
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New Mission Food Park Open for Business Five Things We Learned from Our Opening Weekend
Special to Welcome Home RGV
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id you make it out to our Grand Opening October 16 - 18? We hope so. Here are five things we learned from Mission Food Park’s longawaited debut:
1. People show up hungry. Really hungry. Hungry people showing up to a food park? This should be expected, but not even we anticipated the amazing turnout we’d see at our opening weekend. Unfortunately, with big crowds comes a bigger chance that food will run out. This is what happened at several of our food trucks. As you know, local businesses have taken a huge hit due to COVID-19 and recent shut-downs. A sold-out night may be an inconvenience for those hoping to sample these delicious foods but can make all the difference in how well a food-truck owner can manage his/her bills for that month. Bottom line: Please be patient and understanding when it comes to our food trucks. It takes hours of preparation to get geared up for a few hours of selling, and it can be impossible to predict how many patrons will show up on a given night. We can assure you it is
their goal to serve you and serve you well. We promise. 2. RGV food trucks are locked and loaded. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to all of the vendors who participated in our opening weekend. And we’ve got more good news. We are currently meeting with several food-truck owners who want to be a part of Mission Food Park. We are striving for a diverse variety of cuisine, from your classic food-truck fare to healthy options to accommodate every type of foodie. If you are interested in setting up shop at our Mission Food Park, contact us here: bit.ly/missionfoodpark2020 3. Seating should NOT be limited. We absolutely LOVED seeing a huge turnout at this event, but with a huge turnout comes the need for a huge amount of seating. If you attended our Grand Opening and were left without somewhere comfortable to sit, we are sorry. But we are working every day to improve our Food Park, and we will be adding more seating in the weeks to come. Thank you for your patience. MISSION FOOD PARK AT THE CEED CONTINUED ON PAGE 17 >>
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November 4, 2020 • • • Welcome
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UTRGV CHAPS Program Showcases
Fort Brown Museum Exhibit and Trail Guide Remains Special to Welcome Home RGV
T
he McAllen Heritage Center reopens to the public on a limited basis November 4 after closing for an extended period due to Covid-19. The museum is pleased to be able to welcome visitors with restrictions, such as requiring face masks and social distancing in the facility. MHC will be open to the public Wednesday through Friday from 1 – 5 p.m. until further notice. The Community Historical Archaeology Project with Schools (CHAPS) Program at UTRGV has developed a traveling museum exhibit, Discovering Fort Brown, that showcases all historical eras of Fort Brown history. This exhibit was designed to travel easily to many different venues throughout South Texas and beyond. It will stand at the McAllen Heritage Center on South Main Street in Downtown McAllen through December 4. The project was created in part by UTRGV anthropology and history students as part of an upper level course, Public Heritage of the Rio Grande Valley. The project also includes a new audio podcast featured in a mobile web app, map guide, and brochure. All aspects of this exhibit project are bilingual. Since the exhibit launched at the UTRGV Special Collections Library Colonnade in Brownville in April of
2018, it has traveled around the Rio Grande Valley, including Port Isabel, Harlingen, San Benito, and Rio Grande City. The CHAPS Program team has been envisioning this project since August of 2017 and is excited to have it all come together so nicely. The trail guide and audio podcasts have been completely overhauled and offering it all in both English and Spanish is a wonderful addition to historical tourism in the Rio Grande Valley. This bilingual exhibit accommodates our friends south of the border who are very much a part of the history of our region. The students who developed this traveling exhibit created it with the goal in mind of giving the greater community a better understanding of all of the different aspects and uses for Fort Brown throughout our region’s vast and interesting history. The CHAPS program was established in 2009 in an effort to provide regional educators with curriculum to teach Rio Grande Valley K-12 students and to create archaeologically and historically literate citizens. For more information about the McAllen Heritage Center, call us at 956-687-1904 and visit our website (mcallenheritagecenter.com) and our Facebook page. •
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Encouraged
•••
Welcome Home WINTER TEXAN • • • November 4, 2020 13
Special to Welcome Home RGV
W
e know these days are different for everyone. All of our schedules are changing daily, and the “howto” of things is in a constant state of change. But we have learned that, in these times, one thing that isn’t changing is the wonderful number of friends we have; those people we can talk to and share life with are the greatest treasure we have. We would love to introduce you to one of our very special friends, Barbara. She has been part of our story since the beginning. Barbara is a KnitWit. There. Now you know the most important thing about this inspiring woman. You see, around here, being a KnitWit is a good thing. It is short for Knitting a Witness for Christ, and she certainly does that! Barbara learned to loom knit about 15 years ago and hasn’t missed a stitch since. Every week, she makes about 30 hats and fringe shawls for anyone who asks. She has also “lent” us her sewing room to store bags of donated items until they are ready to be sent out. Her hats, along with other lovely donated items from our donation chest, are all over the globe now. Barbara is such an encourager to those she comes in contact with, always offering help on
the loom and prayers for others, and you can count on her for a joke to lift your spirits. She reminds us that “we have today, so let’s put this time to good use.” We are constantly grateful for the encouragement Barbara has given us in every step of The Lamb’s Loom journey. From the early days of our beginning to today, when the world seems to change every minute, Barbara is a true blessing to us all and proof that, at 86, there is still more to do!
We do hope you’ll come join in with us and become a PEG! Pray, Encourage, Give. Remember, The Lamb’s Loom is not just a yarn shop; it’s a ministry and a mindset. The Lamb’s Loom is located at 1102 Tamarack in McAllen. We are open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Additional parking is available in the rear via Upas Ave. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram and on our website at thelambsloom.com. • #loveineverystitch #LambsLoomFun
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November 4, 2020 • • • Welcome
Home WINTER TEXAN • • • www.welcomehomergv.com
>> BEST BUTTERFLY GARDEN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
Skeleton leaf golden eye, Viguiera stenoloba, begins blooming profusely in fall and into the winter, attracting butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. The shrub grows to three feet in height and forms a wellrounded, dense mound covered in yellow, daisy-like blooms. Seed pods turn dark brown and are a treat for seed-eating birds. Although drought tolerant, shearing off six inches of dead blooms and watering this plant will keep it blooming. A row of skeleton-leaf golden eye makes an excellent border. This plant easily self-propagates. Hairy wedelia, Wedelia acapulcensis [Zexmenia hispida], is worth looking for with local native plant growers. This low-growing,
small shrub can get as tall as 18 inches and fill out to a neat spread nearly three feet in circumference. It blooms spring through winter. After the blooms fade at the end of winter, cut it back to promote regrowth. Hairy wedelia is a larval host to bordered patch butterflies. For a list of local native plant growers visit this website: rgvctmn. org/rgv-plants. •
(956) 421-2663
Photo by Eryn Reddell Wingert
Parade Float (McAllen) T
his past summer, the City of McAllen rolled out 4th of July parade floats and positioned them around town. This patriotic Reliant Energy float was visible at the McAllen Public Safety building at the corner of Bicentennial Boulevard and Pecan Avenue. •
Rick W Bassett, M.D.
1601 Treasure Hills Blvd. | Harlingen, Texas 78550
Exclusive to Welcome Home RGV
in the
Summer 2020
Anita Westervelt has more than 5,000 volunteer hours as a Texas Master Naturalist with the Rio Grande Valley chapter in San Benito. Her specialties are butterflies and native plants. She is a retired U.S. Navy chief journalist, freelance photojournalist, and workshop and presentation leader. Her degrees are in communication and art.
To all our patients and people who need care for their knee and hip pain. We are still here to service you! Using special precautions and ultra clean rooms, we have seen more than five hundred patients at our clinic in the past four months. With laminar air operating rooms and minimally invasive surgery, ninety percent of our patients have gone home in 12 hours, walking after a knee replacement or hip replacement. Same day surgery (outpatient). Those patients who need to stay in the hospital have a private room. Not one person has had an infection. Thank you, Rick W. Bassett, M.D.
• • • sp tted RGV
www.welcomehomergv.com
•••
Welcome Home WINTER TEXAN • • • November 4, 2020 15
Written by Seth Welliver, Oleander Acres RV Resort
G
reen parakeets are one of the 500+ species that have been found in the Rio Grande Valley. Here at Oleander Acres in Mission, we have added a 10,000-square-foot bird
area, complete with a bird blind to enjoy our local wildlife. Some of our most-enjoyed birds are painted buntings, green jays, and hummingbirds. •
>> McALLEN HOLIDAY PARADE 2020 FROM PAGE 7
Welcome Home Winter Texans!
MARKHAM’S WHEEL ALIGNING Wheel Aligning & Spring Shop
Proudly serving the Rio Grande Valley for over 70 years
Cars • Trucks • RVs • Trailers • Motor Homes
For All of your Automotive Needs!
513 W Business 83 • McAllen, TX • (956) 686-7661
www.markhamsautomotive.com
Your Safety is our business. God Bless America.
• Suspension Specialist • Complete Spring Shop - U Bolts • Brakes • Oil Changes • Radiator - Engine - Transmission • Flushes • Tuneups • Balancing • Alignments on Cars, Trucks, RVs, Trailers, Motor Homes
there is no greater gift for us than to be able to deliver the McAllen Holiday Parade to everyone in McAllen, the Rio Grande Valley, and Texas as we celebrate the best of our community. Even if we are separated by social distancing, we are all joined together to show the world how McAllen comes together to rejoice this holiday season.” The McAllen Holiday Parade will be seen live on TV and streaming options for the City of McAllen, including McAllen Cable Network Spectrum Cable 1300 for McAllen residents, on the McAllen 3-1-1 mobile app, or over the air antenna channel KAZH-HP 57.1. Viewers may also watch the parade on Azteca Valle, CBS-4, Telemundo 40, Telexitos, and Unimas. The McAllen Holiday Parade has been named the Best Parade in the World and the Best Parade in Texas three years in a row by international and state eventindustry organizations. The McAllen Holiday Parade is presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden and Fiesta Dealerships, Budweiser, Reliant, and Driscoll Health System/Driscoll Health Plan. Other sponsors include McAllen Public Utility, McAllen International Bridge System, McAllen Recycling, Metro McAllen, McAllen International
Airport, McAllen Chamber of Commerce, Peña Eye Institute, McAllen Economic Development Corporation, Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, IBC Bank, AEP Texas, Chick-fil-A, PepsiCo., Tres Lagos, Lacks, University of Texas-RGV, McAllen I.S.D., Hermes, Laredo Taco Company/ Stripes, Taco Palenque Group, KSA Engineers, Corollo Engineers, S&B Infrastructure, MedCare EMS, Plains Capital Bank, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Ambetter Superior Healthplan, and Matt’s Building Materials. Media partners for the event include Telemundo 40, CBS-Ch. 4/KVEO-Local 23 and Nexstar Digital, KRGV-Ch.5 and Azteca Valle, Entravision TV and radio stations, R Communications radio stations, IHeartRadio, Univision Radio, Más Music Radio, Advance News-Journal, El Periódico, U.S.A., Revista Expresión, Welcome Home RGV, and The Monitor. •
16
November 4, 2020 • • • Welcome
Home WINTER TEXAN • • • www.welcomehomergv.com
saving you more!
COUPON
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3 $ 00 3
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Our weekly coupon section will help you SAVE while you are
here. Visit our website www.welcomehomergv.com for more printable coupons. •
DOLPHIN WATCH & ECO TOURS SUNSET CRUISES PORT OF BROWNSVILLE NATURE TOURS DEEP SEA FISHING - RED SNAPPER BAY FISHING
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•••
Welcome Home WINTER TEXAN • • • November 4, 2020 17
Fall Beach Conditions While You Coastal Distance on South Padre Island Special to Welcome Home RGV
October
has provided plenty of days with perfect beach conditions on South Padre Island. Fall is one of the favorite times of year to be on the island for locals and guests alike. The weather is perfect, the crowds diminish, and the water is still the perfect temperature for a dip. This year has been no different. The current water temperature in the Gulf is 82 degrees, an ideal temperature for a swim or a nice walk on the beach. The average temperature for October has been 78 degrees with very little rain. Water clarity is another thing that gets better in the fall. For most of October, there has been clear, emerald-blue-green water. This has been the product of the current and tides being less dramatic and the winds not blowing too hard. It is best to take note of the current beach conditions every time you get to the beach. You can find a sign with flags indicating the safety of the water at every beach access. The different colored flags will tell you what to take notice of that day. The yellow flag indicates there are moderate rip currents, the blue flag indicates dangerous marine life, such as jellyfish, and the red
flag advisory system HEAVY SURF/ DANGEROUS CURRENTS CALM TO MODERATE WATER (DOES NOT MEAN SAFE WATER)
PRESENCE OF VENOMOUS MARINE LIFE
flag indicates hazardous water conditions, like strong rip currents. It is important to understand these warnings to keep your family and friends safe. All city and county-beach accesses are currently open, providing plenty of room to “coastal distance.” The city beach has over 25 public-beach accesses with various amenities. The county also has 30-plus miles of open beach on the north end of the island you can access with fourwheel drive. Hotels, restaurants, and bay and beach bars are now open to the public, as well. Be sure to stop by the Visitors Center (321 Padre Boulevard) to get more information on beaches and other activities to do while on Texas’ Best Beach. •
>> MISSION FOOD PARK AT THE CEED FROM PAGE 11
4. Baby steps. Like a baby giraffe finding his footing, we stumbled several times during our opening weekend. But each misstep was a learning opportunity, and we’re confident we will have all the tools and resources we need to make each weekend at Mission Food Park bigger and better. 5. Totally worth it. No number of missteps can take away from the smiles we saw on people’s faces opening night. From families who were happy to be enjoying a night out after months of quarantine to friends reuniting to small business owners beaming after months of
closures and uncertainty, we are delighted so many RGV residents got to experience the magic of Mission Food Park’s Grand Opening. We can’t wait to see your faces in the weeks to come. The Mission Food Park is located at 801 N. Bryan Road at the Mission CEED building. The Food Park is open Thursday from 4 – 10 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. – 12 a.m., Saturday from 2 p.m. – 12 a.m., and Sunday from 2 – 10 p.m. For more information, call 956-585-0040 during normal business hours. •
18
November 4, 2020 • • • Welcome
DELICIOUS RECIPES
Home WINTER TEXAN • • • www.welcomehomergv.com
ZESTY BITES
RECIPE CONNECTION
INSTANT MEALS
Looking for that amazing treat that will satisfy your craving! Each week we will offer you a variety of recipes that you can try from those who truly enjoy food and want to share! •
Entertaining at a Distance • • • with Sandy Olson • • •
These
are perfect “distance” snacks. They are tasty, individual balls of cheese with a pretzel handle. The entire thing is edible, so no toothpicks will be scattered around. Put them all on a large platter, and allow people to come one at a time to help themselves to several since they are small.
Ham and Cheese Pretzels The sausage in this dip is a matter of your personal preference. Try regular pork sausage, chorizo, Italian sausage—either hot or sweet-or any other ground sausage you enjoy. • 2 packages (8 oz. each) good cream cheese, softened • 2 cups chopped deli ham • 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish • 1 teaspoon dry mustard • 1 cup finely chopped pecans • 96 thin pretzel sticks Combine all of the ingredients except the pretzels. Stir gently to make sure everything is well mixed. Chill for about 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge and form into little balls, about 3/4-inch in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and return to the fridge for several hours. Just before serving, remove from fridge and insert a pretzel stick into each one as a “handle.” Makes a lot of good snacking. NOTE: If you prefer dried beef over the deli ham, just substitute it. • Lifelong foodie, restaurant reviewer, cooking teacher, and summer Iowan, Sandy Olson spends the Winter-Texan season at Palm Shadows RV Park in Donna. This season, Sandy will be sharing recipes for appetizers you can serve your guests while entertaining and social distancing. You
can contact Sandy at midwestfoodie@gmail.com.
•••
Some Like It Hot
APPETIZING DELIGHTS
•••
Chicken Vegetable Gumbo – South Texas Style
Submitted by The Junior League of McAllen, Inc.
Serves 12
• 2 whole chickens • 1 (16 oz.) package frozen corn • ½ head cabbage, shredded • 1 (16 oz.) package frozen cut green beans • 3 large onions, chopped • 1 cup raw rice • 1 (16 oz.) can peeled tomatoes (or fresh) • 4 tablespoons black pepper • 1 stalk celery, chopped • 4 tablespoons garlic powder or garlic cloves • 1 package carrots, sliced • Texjoy seasoning to taste • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped • 2 tablespoons oregano
Boil chicken in 1 gallon of water. Remove chicken. Add all ingredients, except rice; cook 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bone chicken. Add chicken and rice. Bring to a boil. Simmer until rice is cooked. • The Junior League of McAllen, Inc. envisions significantly improving the quality of life of the children and youth of our community by preserving the innocence of childhood, encouraging responsibility, and promoting a safe environment. Cookbooks can be purchased through the Junior League website at www.juniorleaguemcallen.org, as well as at Barn White and Quips & Quotes in McAllen.
•••
The Border Cook
•••
Pork Tenderloin in a Pressure Cooker Submitted by Randy Hoelscher, The Border Cook
This recipe has absolutely
nothing--nada, zero--to do with Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine. It has everything to do with the easiest way to prepare a flavorful, moist, perfectly done pork tenderloin using one of my favorite appliances-my “quick pot.” It is easy here to get tangled up in brand names since there are numerous brands of “quick pots” available. All are versatile, counter-top appliances combining many functions into a modern appliance. I personally own a Crock-Pot six-quart Express Pot, and I love it. In this recipe, you will use two of the pot’s settings. You start with the sauté setting to brown the tenderloin and to soften the onions. Then you will use the meat or stew setting to cook the meat. Lastly, you will return to the sauté setting to make the gravy. For the rub: • 1½ tsp. dried thyme • 1 tsp. kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper to taste • 1 tsp. dried oregano, preferably Mexican For the tenderloin: • 1 approximately 3-lb. package pork tenderloin, unseasoned • 2 Tbsp. olive oil • 1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced • ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth (using bouillon cubes or crystals is fine) • ¼ cup finely chopped onion For the gravy: • Pan broth with drippings • 1 Tbsp. water • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch Dry the tenderloin with paper towels and trim off any large pieces of fat and loose membranes. Sprinkle the rub on the tenderloin. Place the olive oil in the pot and set to sauté. Add the tenderloin to the pot, coiling the pieces to fit, and sauté them for about four minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove the tenderloin and add the onions and garlic. Stir until the onions soften, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the broth to the cooker and turn it off. Add the tenderloins to the pot. Do not use a trivet; the pork sits in the broth. Lock the cooker lid in place and set the seal for pressure cooking. Select the meat setting and high heat and turn the cooker on. If your cooker has a timer that allows you to select a cook time of one minute, select that time. (My timer will only go as low as 15 minutes. In my case, the timer starts counting down from 15 minutes when the pressure seals the valve, so I have to watch it and turn the cooker off when it reads 14 minutes.) However your pot works, you want the meat to cook on high heat for one minute once the pressure valve seals. After one minute, turn the cooker off and allow the cooker to release pressure naturally for five minutes. Release any residual pressure per your cooker’s instructions. Once pressure is released, open the cooker and check the meat temperature. The ideal temperature is 145 degrees F. If it needs to cook longer, close the lid and just let it sit for a couple minutes longer in the cooker. Remove the pork to a clean cutting board and allow it to rest. Turn the cooker back to sauté. Mix the water and cornstarch together. When the broth starts to bubble, add the cornstarch and stir until thickened. Slice the tenderloin and spoon on some of the gravy. Enjoy! • Randy Hoelscher is a transplanted Texan living in the Rio Grande Valley. He enjoys being “The Border Cook,” spreading the word about Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine on his website, TheBorderCook.com, as well as on Facebook: The Border Cook.
www.welcomehomergv.com
•••
Welcome Home WINTER TEXAN • • • November 4, 2020 19
bon appetit! with
Executive Chef Bettina
Tolin
Hot Apple Fritters
What is not to love about snacking on a fresh warm apple fritter on a
crisp beautiful fall afternoon? If you don’t have an apple festival on your calendar, which most of us don’t in these here sandy beach parts, fear not. This batter is super easy to make on your own and the frying part is not a big deal at all. Be sure to use a deep pot and a candy thermometer to help monitor & maintain your oil temperature. Bon Appétit! • • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon salt • 2/3 cup sugar • 2 teaspoons cinnamon • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted • 1 cup milk • 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and small diced • 1 quart canola oil (for frying) • Cinnamon sugar for topping
• • •
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Slowly mix the wet mixture into the dry mixture until the mixture is completely moistened. Gently fold in the diced apples. Heat the canola oil to 375 F, using a candy thermometer to monitor the oil temperature. Using a cookie scoop or a teaspoon, drop the batter into the hot oil. Use a slotted spoon to turn them after about a minute. Cook until golden brown. Be sure to maintain the heat at 375 F, to ensure the fritters will cook completely through. Avoid overcrowding the pot with too many fritters at once which will slow the cooking process. Use the slotted spoon to remove the fritters from the hot oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. As soon as they begin to cool, roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Enjoy them right away while they are warm, or keep warm in a low oven before covering with cinnamon sugar.
• • • • • • • Bettina Tolin is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Austin Texas. She has cooked in the kitchens of the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, Florida. She is currently the Executive Chef and owner of Marcello’s Ocean Grille & Spirits overlooking the historic lighthouse in Port Isabel, Texas. Marcello’s Ocean Grille & Spirits was recently written up in Texas Monthly magazine as the new trending restaurant for dinner and brunch in the South Padre Island area.
This Week’s Recipe is Brought to You By: Marcello’s Ocean Grille & Spirits
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November 4, 2020 • • • Welcome
Home WINTER TEXAN • • • www.welcomehomergv.com