News Around Texas

Feliz Navidad!

Frohe Weinachten!

However you say it, we wish you blessings as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, wife of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, served as First Lady of the United States from 1963-1969, but she remained the beloved “First Lady of Texas” for the rest of her life. December 22 was her birthday.

There was nothing Lady Bird Johnson loved better than wildflowers, so it was fitting that the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin opened to the public in 1982 on her 70th birthday. Lady Bird, herself, conceived the idea of a national center for the study of wildflowers and native plants and the preservation of the ecology.

If you’re in the Austin area, the national Wildflower Research Center is well worth a visit!

If you’re looking for holiday gift ideas with a Texas twist, how about jellies made from cactus pears, jalapenos, and even mesquite beans? This is a time-consuming project, but the red, green, and golden jars will look great in sets or individually. A variety of recipes are easy to find online!

Here are two holiday displays you won’t want to miss!

December 9-10, 2011

6-9 pm

Candlelight at the Ranch, an annual event at the National Ranching Heritage Center on Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock, captures the traditional spirit of a pioneer Christmas. Step back in time as you walk along paths lit with luminarias. Enjoy the songs cowboys might have shared around a campfire on the open prairie over a century ago. Or warm up with hot cider and fresh popcorn as historical interpreters trim the tree with homemade decorations.

The event is free, but donations to are welcome. For more information, call (806) 742-0498.

November 23-January 1

A feature city in the annual Trail of Lights that reaches through the Pineywoods into northern Louisiana, the Wonderland of Lights in Marshall, Texas is the granddaddy of them all!

Crowned with over 10 million lights, the display begins the night before Thanksgiving and lasts through New Year’s Day.

It’s never too late to take a family drive through Marshall.

Christmas time is always a good time to schedule a trip to San Antonio!

First stop–Paseo del Rio. The downtown river walk transforms into a holiday festival of lights and sounds during la Fiesta de las Luminarias each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday December 1-18. Boatloads of carolers drift through the twinkling reflection of colored lights draped from centuries-old trees as you stroll, shop, and sample delicious foods from a variety of cultures. Check the River Walk website for coupons and details.

While you’re there, why not enjoy the Institute of Texan Cultures? No matter where your family came from or how long ago you arrived in Texas, you’ll find a tribute to your cultural contribution at this interactive museum dedicated to telling the stories of Texans.

Of course, a visit to the San Antonio missions is always interesting. Plan your trip to include not only the Alamo, but also Missions San Jose, San Juan, Conception, and San Francisco de la Espada. San Antonio visitor information will help you plan your trip.

And finally, my personal favorite! No trip to San Antonio is as memorable as it could be without a visit to the Guenther House, home of Pioneer Flour Mills. Every item on their breakfast, lunch, and brunch menu has passed the tests of time and taste. While you wait, you can tour the historic home that houses the restaurant, browse their enticing gift shop, or simply enjoy the gardens that overlook the San Antonio River and King William district.

If you’re looking for ways to celebrate the holidays Texas-style, look into the Wonderland of Lights in Marshall, now in its 25th year or the Paseo del Rio and Fiesta de las Luminarias along the San Antonio Riverwalk!

Even if you’re a tea-totaller, the Texas wine industry is one to take note of. Rising from humble beginnings, Texas now ranks as the 5th largest wine-producing state.

It’s not too surprising, perhaps, to find vineyards in the Hill Country where many German immigrants settled, but vineyards can be found in almost every region.

Grapes are harvested in the fall. Contact a winery near you for a great field trip!

Our family recently signed up for a new adventure. We offered to host a foreign student from the local college, inviting her to our home for meals and generally making her feel welcome during her time in Texas. That, plus an article I read in the archives of Texas Highways Magazine about “True, Texas”, inspired me to think…

• If you wanted to show an out-of-state guest a big Texas welcome, where would you take them?
• What foods would you serve them?
• If you put together a welcome basket, what Texas treats would you include?

Please feel free to comment on this post. I’m open to suggestions for ways to make visitors feel at home!

Ask anyone what they think of when they think of Texas, and chances are they’ll say, “Cowboys.” This month, two of the biggest cowboys around are throwing two of the biggest shindigs in Texas!

Big Tex welcomes you to the State Fair of Texas in Dallas (Sep 24-Oct 17). Tons of exhibits, a livestock show, great entertainment, and that none-like-it State Fair atmosphere make this event fun for the whole family.

For a savory sampling of cowboy culture, try the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering & Western Swing Festival (Oct 22-24). Ranch rodeo, chuckwagon cooking, wagon train and trail rides, cowboy music and poetry competitions, and more–right in the heart of downtown Fort Worth. Well worth the trip if you can make it!

And if you can’t, maybe there’s a fair or rodeo in a town near you. No better place to get a taste of Texas!

Autumn is the time to pick cotton in Texas.

With the drought this year, it may be difficult to find a field being harvested, but if you see one, pull over and watch for a while as the big machines comb the rows, tossing the bolls into huge hoppers. They’ll compress the cotton, bale it, and mark it for the gins.

If there’s a gin in your area, this would be a great time to inquire about a field trip.

Cotton is a major agricultural product in Texas. The simple fact that it may be difficult to find much this year is an indication of how dependent farmers are on water and how much it hurts our economy when there is little rain.