Frohe Weinachten!

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

Merry Christmas! is a post from: News Around Texas

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!

Lady Bird’s Garden is a post from: News Around Texas

Holiday Gifts with a Texas Twist is a post from: News Around Texas

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 Lights at Lubbock and Marshall is a post from: News Around Texas

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.

Fiesta de las Luminarias in San Antonio is a post from: News Around Texas

‘Tis the Season! is a post from: News Around Texas

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!

November is Texas Wine Month is a post from: News Around Texas

• 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!

A Big Texas Welcome! is a post from: News Around 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!

Two Big Shindigs! is a post from: News Around 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.

High Cotton is a post from: News Around Texas