Dear ones, welcome to the 03.2020 edition of Where Bloggers Live. Talking about the Lone Star State this month! This fun series is kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! I mean, who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes and lives? Over the next few months, a group of 7 bloggers will be sharing their work spaces, their homes, towns and today…our states!
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The Lone Star State
I am betting when I say the Lone Star State most Americans know to which state I am referring. Probably almost better than they recognize the motto of any other state. Except maybe their own. As they like to say ’round here, I wasn’t born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could, 11.1988, to be exact. And I had lived in Texas once before, earlier, from 08.1984-05.1985. And cried then when I had to leave.
On that November day in 1988, when we drove into El Paso after driving 700+ across the state of Texas from Texarkana to El Paso, about the furthest point west in the state, I felt at home instantly. Like I should have been in El Paso all my life. Shame it took 30 years to get here but you can be sure, I am here to stay.
Texas
Our state has it all. Big cities like Dallas and Houston, quaint towns like Galveston, San Antonio and Waco. Texas is divided into 7 regions that offer something for everyone. The far west is Big Bend Country, Gulf Coast of Galveston and South Padre, Hill Country where the state flower, the bluebonnet, grows volunteer in abundance. There’s the rich oil country of the Panhandle Plains, the far east, heavily forested Piney Woods, Prairies and Lakes near Dallas, and South Texas Plains bordering Mexico. If you don’t like the geography in one part of the Lone Star State, just drive a bit. You are bound to hit another region you might like better.
Planning This Post
As I was planning this post, I stumbled upon this post on a friend’s father’s Facebook page. Amazing the stuff you can find on social media!
I give you the Lone Star State of Texas as shared by Michael Bray.
10 Fun Facts About Texas
Here are some little known, very interesting facts about Texas:
1. Port Arthur to El Paso : 889 miles. Port Arthur to Chicago: 770 miles. It is 799 miles from my doorstep in El Paso to my sister’s house in Spring, Texas outside of Houston.
My sister, Valerie, my daughter, Brennyn, and me.
2. Brownsville to Texline (north of Amarillo): 956 miles. Texline to Canada: 960 miles. Amarillo is the Spanish word for Cia’s favorite color – YELLOW.
3. El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas. So sad to me because my daughter Brennyn lives in Ft. Worth, just west of Dallas. I could probably see her more and fly more cheaply to see her if she lived in California!
Three girls together on the boom-boom.
4. World’s first rodeo was in Pecos, Texas on July 4, 1883. Cattle are lead down the stockyard streets of Ft. Worth daily.
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Cady admiring the livestock.
Bringing ’round the cattle.
5. The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built over water. It was destroyed by Hurricane Ike in 2008. The hotel was demolished in 2011 and replaced by the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier opened in May, 2012. We have vacationed a handful of times on Galveston Island. Our favorite area is Pointe West, where we usually rent a large beach front home for a long weekend.
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Pointe West, Galveston, Texas
6. The Heisman Trophy was named after John William Heisman who was the first full-time coach at Rice University in Houston, Texas . The Dallas Cowboys have been known as America’s (football) team since 1978. My son-in-law, Mustafa, is the most faithful Cowboys fan ever.
7. Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other area in North America. The state bird is the mockingbird. I really do not like birds at all.
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8. Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America ‘s only remaining flock of whooping cranes. We had my granddaughter Cady’s second birthday in Galveston and decorated with flamingos, her favorite bird. Which has nothing to do with whooping cranes. But is a bird I can tolerate.
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9. Jalapeño jelly originated in Lake Jackson in 1978. You can buy some jalapeño jelly, here. And you can try my baked jalapeño poppers recipe, here.
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10. The worst natural disaster in US history was in 1900, caused by a hurricane in which over 8,000 lives were lost on Galveston Island. Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and surrounding areas on in 08.2017. It was a Category 4 hurricane that left 250,000 people without power. It remained in Houston for four days. Harvey broke the US record for rainfall from a single storm, dumping 51 inches of rain in parts of Texas. [source]
10 More Facts
11. The first word spoken from the moon, July 20, 1969, was ” Houston ,” but the Space Center was actually in Clear Lake City at the time. “Apollo 13” is a 1995 movie that was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It starred Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon and was directed by Ron (Opie) Howard.
12. The King Ranch in South Texas is larger than Rhode Island. Check out this delicious recipe for King Ranch Casserole, here, on Delish.com.
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13. Tropical Storm Claudette brought a US rainfall record of 43″ in 24 hours in and around Alvin in July of 1979. El Paso averages 9″ of rain a year. We’ve had more than 1.5″ this month. Most unusual.
14. Texas is the only state to enter the US by TREATY, (known as the Constitution of 1845 by the Republic of Texas to enter the Union ) instead of by annexation. This allows the Texas Flag to fly at the same height as the US Flag, and Texas may choose to divide into 5 states. The Texas flag celebrates its 181st birthday this year.
15. A Live Oak tree near Fulton is estimated to be 1500 years old. Another very old Live Oak remains standing at the site of the Battle of the Alamo in San Antonio.
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Enjoying our 7th anniversary in San Antonio.
16. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. There is no period in Dr Pepper. Waco is also the home of Magnolia Market Silos. The girls, their girls (including Cami who was in her mommy’s tummy) and I visited Magnolia last summer. It was HOT.
You know where
17. Texas has had six capital cities: Washington-on-the Brazos, Harrisburg , Galveston , Velasco, West Columbia and Austin. The United States has had 9 capitals. Washington D.C. and 8 others.
18. The name ‘ Texas ‘ comes from the Hasini Indian word ‘tejas’ meaning “friends”. Tejas is NOT Spanish for Texas.
19. The state mascot is the armadillo. An interesting bit of trivia about the armadillo is they always have four babies. They have one egg, which splits into four, and they either have four males or four females. Glad I’m not an armadillo. I have 2 daughters that did not split in any fashion.
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20. The Ysleta Mission, located in the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo within the city limits of El Paso, is recognized as the oldest continuously operated parish in the State of Texas. I visited the neighboring Socorro Mission last summer. It was originally completed in 1691. However, the Rio Grande has breached its banks and flooded the mission twice.
Socorro Mission
If you have never visited Texas, I would like to invite you to do so. There is so much here to see, to enjoy. And folks don’t come any better than Texans. Well, Tennesseans are close.
Your Turn
Not only would I like to invite you to visit Texas, but would like to encourage you to hop by to visit the states my sweet blogging sisters are sharing in their posts.
Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Julia at When the Girls Rule
Leslie at Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After
Girls, could I ask you to send up a good thought or prayer for my mama. Heading to Kentucky tomorrow morning, Friday the 13th, to be with mom. She is hospitalized again with pneumonia. We are looking at having to move her again. Just praying she recovers. My sister, Valerie, was able to get to Kentucky today. My brother, Kevin, has been in Las Vegas for a convention and will be back in Lexington on Sunday. PC has been sick with what I was worried was the flu but apparently is just sinusitis. Lauren’s baby Cami is sick, too. It is just a difficult time for our family.
Thank you for visiting. For your support and prayers. May have limited Internet access and little time for blogging and blog reading. But will check in when I can.
Much love,
I am so sorry to read about so much sickness with your family. Praying for you all. This was a fun read; I’ve always wanted to visit Texas! I read a few books one year that all were set in Galveston and really tried to convince the family to give a Texas gulf coast vacation a try.
Come visit Texas, bring the boys!! Look me up while you are here.
That was an interesting post – until today all I knew about Texas was from what I learnt by watching Dallas in the 1970s! You clearly love where you live, now if only you could convince all your family to move there things would be perfect.
Sorry to hear that you have more worries about your mum, such a concern especially with this awful virus spreading around. I hope there is some improvement by the time you get there x
Thank you, Deb, for your continued friendship and prayers. Mom is doing better now that she is in rehab. We are moving her into her nursing home apartment today. Actually, the maintenance people are moving her…they wouldn’t let anyone in to do it.
If Brennyn would move to El Paso I would be in double-pig heaven.
WOW, another great history/geography lesson. Great post.
I have visited Texas quite a few times. My middle son (who grew up in Missouri) was never going to leave Missouri. However, when he finished college his best job offer came from Missouri-Pacific railroad – to work in Houston, Texas. Met a girl, married her – is now a Texan thru and thru. Grandkids in various places in Texas. Got to visit Waco and Magnolia Market (loved it) on one of my visits. My great-grandmother is buried in Waco (another long story). I’ve rambled on your nickle.
Praying for your Mother and for you.
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
Thank you for the sweet message. I knew I liked you for the git-go! You are Missourian and Texan. My mom lived in Bolivar, Sarcoxie and Springfield, Missouri. We have family in Joplin, too. Haven’t been there in years but have many fond memories of Missouri. Or as mom says…’Missoura’.
So sorry to hear about your Mom’s current illness and other sick family members. My thoughts are with you as you deal with this.
Thanks for such an interesting post. We were going to head to San Antonio this Spring but now are postponing the trip until Fall in hopes that the current national health situation will be better under control.
Oh, Juhli, San Antonio is such fun. And the weather might be even better in the fall. Less humidity, maybe.
Thank you for the good thoughts for my mama. If it isn’t one things, it’s ten!! XO
So many fun facts! I liked learning about Texas from you. I’ve been to Dallas and San Antonio!
Thank you, friend. Isn’t San Antonio fun? If you are ever out west, stop by to see me in El Paso!!
I really enjoyed reading about TX, my new home state. I would squabble that “The Sunshine State” is just as well know! I’m glad you cleared up “tejas”, because I have a coffee mug that has that on the side. Best of luck with your mom, I’ll say a prayer! Sorry she is doing poorly.
Hope you are beginning to feel at home in the Lone Star State. I was a Tennessean before I came to Texas. Feel torn between the two now but Texas has been so good to me. Thank you for the prayers for my mom.
Texas is one of the US states that I haven’t yet visited. I learned lots from this post.
I’m joining you in prayer for the recovery of your mom. Sending warm hugs your way.
Oh, Donna, you need to put Texas on your travel bucket list. So much to love here!! You can hike, shop, hit the beach, climb mountains, play at the lake all in one state. Mom is better, thank you. I think all of the folks lifting her in prayer have brought about another miracle. She amazes me.
Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. Hope everyone gets better soon and you have a wonderful visit with your mom!
Thank you, Penny.
Now I have to admit, I knew basically none of these facts, Leslie!! But so interesting. It’s such a huge state, and I always forget that.
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
PS..sending huge hugs to you and your mom.
Thank you for the hugs, my friend. Texas is a huge state with something for everyone. Glad to be a Texan.
You do live in a beautiful state for sure! I love Austin – the music scene, the bats, the food. We also love San Antonio and Dallas. Thanks for all of the Lone Star info!
Thank you for the kind words. I was born in NY, then moved to Boston, then to Memphis and Knoxville and finally, after years in Panama, we found our way to Texas. Have been here since 1988 so it is home. More home than anywhere else except maybe Memphis where I lived in middle and high school. It is a wonderful state to call home.
Thank you for stopping by. El Paso has a rare beauty and charm, too! Come see us someday.
You know I LOVE me some Texas. I wasn’t born here but I’ve lived most of my life here. Currently, I’m so proud of our state and how we are handling COVID-19. Gov. Abbott brought a sense of calm as did the Tarrant and Denton county judges. Besides all that jazz, I love the food, culture, history and the sense of state pride. Texas, My Texas…I will always heart you. Thanks for a great post, Leslie.
I have been very proud of Texas and Governor Abbott’s response to Covid-19, too. We are up to 14 cases in El Paso as of today. Wondering if we will soon close up everything and shelter in place. Ft. Bliss is preparing to take action, so that will be a start. My daughter lives in Tarrant County and is a nurse there, they have had a number of presumptive cases and Brennyn was exposed to the virus on Saturday in the ER. She had on all the protective gear, thank goodness. Apparently all hospitals are requiring their employees to wear a mask at all times. When I was in Kentucky this past week with Mom, the doctors treating her pneumonia didn’t even has access to masks or gowns. And there was a contagion bag on Mom’s door. The doctor just laughed when he saw it.
What a fun post! I have spent a LITTLE bit of time in Texas (San Antonio and El Paso) and my mother was from Corpus Christi, but I don’t think I knew ANY of your fun facts about the state!
I wonder why there are more bird varieties in that one location than anywhere else. Sorry this is not more of a delight for you. My officemate at work is the same way, No Birds for Her!
Mmmm, jalapeno jelly!
Dr Pepper (10 2 4!) is my all-time favorite soda!
I feel like those Gaineses turned Waco around! To me, Waco was always the home of the Waco Whackos, that whole Branch-Davidian siege in the 90s. That’s all I’d ever heard of in Waco, so, Good Job, Joanna and Chip!
VERY interesting about armadillos and their quadruplets! I’ve always found them very endearing…not unlike the pangolin, who now has the bad press of passing the coronavirus onto the first human 🙁 I say LEAVE THE PANGOLINS ALONE! Sorry, this is a bit of a soapbox topic for me.
Anyway, SUCH a delightful post, thanks for sharing, I’m so glad you’ve joined our group…AND I wish your mother and family well <3
xoxo Bettye
https://fashionschlub.com
What a thoughtful comment, Bettye. I am so glad to be a part of this group. When I started writing this post, I had no idea what I was going to write. And then I came across this list of interesting facts and the post kind of took off from there.
When I saw the word pangolin in your comment, I knew I recognized it…but couldn’t remember where. Poor things. I am an animal lover and just cannot understand people in 3rd world countries eating such bizarre things, and PETS! Not that eating a sweet cow or little chicken is any better, really. About to turn vegetarian!
Thank you so much for the sweet words. I am truly enjoying being part of this posse!!
How interesting! I didn’t know that much about Texas, being Australian. it was nice to know more about the state you call home – although I must confess I don’t like Dr pepper at all!
Hope that you are having a lovely weekend! We are having a quiet one here 🙂
Ha!! I think Dr Pepper is one of those things you either love or dislike completely. It has grown on me.
How funny,Just a few weeks ago I said to you that I was curious about your area! How lovely! Your world is so different then mine, so nice to read about yours!
Yes, you did!! I will be doing a home post and a city post, I think, with these girls. I love my home. And my city. Will be anxious to share both with you.
So much fun and interesting information in this post! I’ve never been to Texas and admittedly don’t know much about the state. BUT you have me intrigued with the birds. I love birds. I love seeing and identifying birds. I used to keep a journal of the birds I saw and their latin names. I haven’t done that in a long time but I still like ID’ing them.
I’m also interested in the distances between TX and other areas vs cities in TX to other cities in TX. And I don’t drink soda that much but I love Dr Pepper. And I want to see an armadillo. Anyway, so much interesting info. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you found this post interesting. It was fun to write. Sometimes when I sit down to write a post, I have no idea what direction I will take with the subject or prompt, and then it kind of starts writing itself. That was definitely the case with this one. I just happened on the odd facts on my friend’s dad’s FB page and ran with it!
Thank you from another LONE STAR BLOGGER! I live NE of Dallas and also have a Facebook daily recipe page (Seasonal and Holiday Recipe Exchange). …. Cindy
Going to try to find your blog. So nice to meet you. Love the idea of a seasonal and holiday recipe exchange. We do recipe swaps and blog hops on my blog. Let’s link up!!
The only time I travel to Texas is to Dallas for work. I loved reading these fun facts about your hometown and state! I went to Galveston with my family growing up and have a vague memory of the beautiful beaches.
Jill – Doused in Pink
Well, next time you come to Texas for business, you need to take a few days to check out San Antonio, and Austin, El Paso and return to the beaches of Galveston. We have so much to offer. I could even show you around!!