Welcome to my blog about all things Texas and the Texas state of mind. From history, to lifestyle, to recipes and the arts, Texas is bigger than life and as a native Texan, I hope to bring you a glimpse into what makes us unique. Hunting and fishing and football Friday nights. Ghost stories. Food […]
April
26
Making Margaritas
posted by itsatexasthang44
Ever since singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffet memorialized this citrus cocktail in his 1977 song on his album Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude, the cocktail known as the Margarita conjures up sandy beaches, laid back attitudes and fun in the sun. Although the recipe is basically the same, amateur and professional bartenders tend to add their own […]
April
24
Nature’s Colorful Canvas
posted by itsatexasthang44
Ah, Spring is in the air. In Texas that means that Mother Nature begins to unfurl her canvas of rich color. Wildflowers. Along the roads and blanketing open fields, or even cultivated in lawns, the spectacular color range from the pale to the vivid. Former First Lady Bird Johnson and Golden Hollywood star Helen Hayes […]
April
23
Surf Fishin’ in Port Aransas
posted by itsatexasthang44
Wading out into the surf and casting into the waves is big sport in Port Aransas. Port Aransas is the only established town on Mustang Island. It is located north of Padre Island and is one of the longest barrier islands along the Texas coast. Corpus Christi Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, the Lydia Ann […]
April
23
The Story of John ‘RIP’ Ford
posted by itsatexasthang44
Born in South Carolina on May 26, 1815, John Salmon Ford grew up on a plantation in Lincoln County, Tennessee. He was studious and went on to study medicine. He moved to Texas in 1836 and joined the Texas army, serving until 1838. He left the army and practiced medicine in San Augustine, during this […]
April
23
The Evolution of the Cowboy Boot
posted by itsatexasthang44
Once a mainstay for working cowboys and cowgirls, the cowboy boot evolved into its own niche in fashion. Elaborate stitching, exotic leathers, a variety of toes boxes and heel design and height, the cowboy boot today has come a long way from the utilitarian footwear of the the mid-1800’s. Earliest history Boot historians cannot definitively […]
April
23
The Ghosts of the Menger Hotel
posted by itsatexasthang44
Over the last century-and-a-half the Menger Hotel, located on the Alamo Plaza in San Antonio, Texas, has been the scene of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders recruitment, a devastating fire, and a host of other strange happenings. History of the Menger This hotel—which once known as the “Finest Hotel West of the Mississippi” has also earned […]
April
23
It’s Bluebonnet Time
posted by itsatexasthang44
Bluebonnets have been loved since man first trod the vast prairies of Texas. Indians wove fascinating folk tales around them. The early-day Spanish priests gathered the seeds and grew them around their missions. This practice gave rise to the myth that the padres had brought the plant from Spain, but this cannot be true since […]
April
22
The Saga of Chips and Salsa
posted by itsatexasthang44
Salsa (combination of chilies, tomatoes and other spices) can be traced to the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas. The Spaniards first encountered tomatoes after their conquest of Mexico in 1519-1521, which marked the beginning of the history of Salsa sauce. Aztec lords combined tomatoes with chili peppers, ground squash seeds and consumed them mainly as a […]
April
22
Georgetown Red Poppy Fest
posted by itsatexasthang44
Seeds from poppies in Europe were sent to Georgetown right after World War I. Henry Purl Compton (known as “Okra”) who served in the American Expeditionary Forces sent them to his mother. She planted them at her home which is now 507 East 7th Street. From there, they were spread (by birds, bees, and people!) […]
