CollectIn Texas Gal: 09/2010

9/29/10

B is for...BEEF...Alphabe~Thursday

Where's The BEEF?

Look Mama, SHE's doin' it AGAIN!

What's that SweetPee?

Usin' us Heifers on CollectInTexas Gal Blog Thingie!

Oh, PoopPatties, are you serious? Now what's SHE sayin'?

Surely SHE's not gonna go over that PooFuel thing again...that's so embarrisn'!

Now, the Barnyard Bash was kinda fun, and we had plenty of Chips for makin' CowChip Cookies!

Mama, are we BEEF?

Ya know, SweetPee, I do recall our TwoLegger Rancher comment somethin' about how my Rump would sure make a fine piece of Swingin' Beef and Tasty RumpRoast. I was pretty flattered and just started Swingin' my Butt a bit more and Swishin my Tail at the flies with a little more finesse.

Well, Mama, I think we might be in some real serious trouble this time. Whatda ya make of this.....

OMGosh, SweetPee, is that Mabel? Ya know that day SHE was here with that thingie SHE called NeatONikon and kept saying "Smile Heifers", and Mabel was posin' and actin all uppity like she was the only Heifer in the Herd....I knew in my Brisket somethin' was not right!

Mama, are the Longhorns Beef, too? Cause my friend TBone's Mama has one heck of a Swingin'Rump and his Rancher says Longhorns are endangered in Texas. Mama what's a Ranch?

The word ranch is derived from Mexican-Spanish rancho, which denotes the home (headquarters) of the ranchero. Cattle ranching has been a major Texas industry for nearly three centuries. As early as the 1690s the Spaniards brought in stock with their entradas. Ranching as such dates from the 1730s, when herds were loosed along the San Antonio River to feed missionaries, soldiers, and civilians in the San Antonio and Goliad areas.

During the Civil War Texas furnished beef to the Confederacy. Cattle multiplied until they were estimated at eight per capita of the population. Unbranded cattle by the thousands roamed the range. At the end of the war, steaks and roasts were selling in eastern markets at twenty-five to thirty cents a pound, while a mature, fat Texas steer could be bought for six to ten dollars. The same steer was worth thirty or forty dollars at the end of the trail. Texas was cattle rich, but the way to market was through storms, across swollen rivers, and into hostile Indian country. In 1866 Texas trail herds began marching to Montana gold mines, New Mexico Indian reservations, and Kansas railheads. Within two decades more than five million head had been trailed to outside markets. In the late 1870s, after the Indian menace ended in Texas, the cattle industry leap-frogged to fresh pasturage in the Davis Mountains, the Big Bend, and on the plains of west Texas.

Today, Texas beef producers have adopted modern technology in their operations. They use electric branding irons and hire "helicopter cowboys" to round up and drive cattle to corrals. Ranchers employ computers to enhance management and to obtain information on prices and markets and Purebred producers are responding to consumer demands for leaner beef. The day of the longhorn and the sprawling Texas Ranches have been replaced by the rise of commercial feedlots, sophisticated slaughter and meat-packing industries, spreading use of computers, and an intensive search for export markets. On many ranches hunting leases have replaced cattle raising.

Mama what's a Hunting Lease?

I don't know for sure SweetPee, but I see those signs posted around our pasture that say

NO HUNTING!

So maybe that means theres' NO BEEF Here!

Mama, what's Alphabe~Thursday?

I'm not sure, SweetPee, but CollectInTexas Gal says it has somethin' do with the Letter B and BEEF, so we will let HER Post a
NO BEEF HUNTIN'
sign by Jenny's Alphabe~Thursday sign.

Click on Jenny's Button for more about the

Letter B

PS...Read more about the History of Texas Cattle Ranching HERE.

9/24/10

Rest In Heavenly Peace

When the clouds part and a ray of sun shines through
We look to the sky; and think of you.

You see our tears and feel our ache

We breathe you in with each breath we take

There is no need to miss, what is not gone

For you are right here, where you belong.

You are the suns warmth on our face

Guiding us through this dark place

You are the whisper of the wind through the night.

That gentle sparkle in a stars light

You are the colours of the rainbow after a summers rain

Dazzling, vivid colours, nothing could ever tame

You are the elegance found after a first snow

That small, beautiful,blinding glow

You made your own path from the start

And we continue to carry your footprints on our heart

When we stop to think of all we miss

Look around and think of this

Something so special & rare could never fade

& That is how we know you stayed

Because when the clouds part and that ray of sun shines through

We will smile, knowing that glimmer is you.

9/23/10

A is for .... A's in Arithmetic and Agave!

Ya know, starting school has sure changed since 1953-54. The rules are all different...well in the State of Texas anyway. Back then you had to be Six years old before September 1st and had to have your small pox vaccination that left a big ole scab then a quarter size scar...mine ended up as dime size on my shoulder even though they poked my upper arm. Some kids had to wear a plastic cup over their scab...I didn't...maybe that's why it ended up on my shoulder. Anyway, back then there was no Pre-School....nope, you turned Six...waited til September 1st and went straight to Real-School starting with First Grade.

Here's what I knew about the Letter A....Nothin'! At least I don't rememer knowing anything about the Alphabet and I surely don't remember knowing that 1+1=2 was called Arithmetic. But as you can see by my First Grade Report Card, I did learn about Arithmetic, and was pretty good at 1+1=2 with All A's.

Well, that was a looooong time ago, and I'm sure the first thing I learned about the Letter A was APPLE. However, we don't grow Apples much in West Texas, so when I think of the Letter A today....It's gotta be Agave.

Chiefly Mexican, agaves grow in the southern and western United States...TEXAS... and in central and tropical South America. They are succulents with a large rosette of thick fleshy leaves, each ending generally in a sharp point. Along with plants from the related genus Yucca, various Agave species are popular ornamental plants.

Agave grows slowly to flower only once. During flowering, a tall stem or "mast" grows from the center of the leaf rosette and bears a large number of shortly tubular flowers. After development of fruit, the original plant dies, but suckers are frequently produced from the base of the stem, which become new plants.

It is a common misconception that agaves are cacti. They are not related to cacti, nor are they closely related to Aloe whose leaves are similar in appearance.
Agave species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species.

Primarily known for its integral role in the production of tequila, agave juice is becoming popular in Western kitchens for its healthy properties as a diet food and a natural sweetener. Made from the core of the agave plant, agave juice--which is poisonous when raw--is processed by heat and enzymes into agave nectar. Read more: What Is Agave Cactus Juice?

One species of the Agave is the Century Plant

Century Plants bloom only once in their life, the blooming spike is so large and grows so fast that it saps all the resources of the plant, which then dies, leaving a tall wooden seed stalk. The plant is called the "century plant" because of this "once a century" bloom (actually the plant lives an average of 25 years). It was also an important plant to indigenous people, being used for medicines, fiber, needles, and food. The stalk is often used as an ornamental decoration in desert landscaping or as a Christmas Tree.

I'm really happy I learned my ABC's in 1953-54 in the First Grade so that I am well prepared for participating in ...

...I'm even happier that I learned Arithmetic so I knew that the

Letter A was #1 and the place to Start
Round 2 of Alphabet Thursday with Jenny!

9/21/10

Iowa Farm Girl Dirt Diggin' Genes/Jeans

My Iowa Farm Roots grow deep in Texas.....

My Mama was an Iowa Farm Girl and her Mama was an Iowa Farm Girl.

No wonder digging in the dirt has long been a favorite past time of mine....I guess you might say it runs in our DirtDiggin' ~~Genes~~ Jeans.

My first dirt digging was a yummy creation of Mudpie Pancakes that my brother was served for breakfast in our dirt floor playhouse. Through the years I found lots of things that deal with dirt. Let's see, there's Dirty Laundry, Dirty Words, Dirt Poor, Dirt Farm, Dirt Devil, Dirty Jobs, Dirt Road, Dirt Dobber and Dirt.com .....Really!

Then there's related dirt words...Muddy Mess, Mudslinging, Mud Worm, Mud Wrestle, Muddy Water, Mud Puddle, and Mud.com....Not Really!

As a Texas Gardner...fancy name for Dirt Harder Than Rocks Farmer...I have accumulated a few tools handed down from the Iowa Family Farm. However, my Great Uncles scythe...even in it's sharpest day...would not help much in clearing Texas mesquite. It's now over 100 years old and hangs on my backyard fence.

Then there's the Corn Row Seed Planter....that's it ~~rustin'~~ restin' on the side of my house. It planted many a row of Iowa corn in it's day in Iowa. When it moved to Texas, it refused to drop a single seed in the rock hard Texas dirt. That's okay, cause the year I raised corn I started the seeds in the green house in February and transplanted them in April. Uncle Eugene...Iowa Corn Farmer and Seed Planter user said, "You can't plant corn like that!" Really, I said, nobody told me I couldn't, so I did!

That was the sweetest corn I ever ate. Wonder if it could have been from the sugar ants in the green house dirt.

My Mama and Her Mama will always be Iowa Farm Girls...and Me...I'll always be a Born In Iowa Raised In Texas Gal with Iowa-Texas Dirt in my ~~Genes~~ Jeans.

PS.... I'm proud to have Iowa Farm Girl Dirt Diggin ~~Genes~~ Jeans...just look who's wearin' them and Diggin' Texas Dirt now!

9/20/10

Is It Fall In Texas...Yet?

Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away...Lengthen night and shorten day...Every leaf speaks bliss to me...

Fluttering from the autumn tree. Emily Jane Bronte

The Pomegranate Tree that hangs over My Backyard Fence says.....Almost!

The Huisache Daisies that bloom around My Backyard Fence....Some Say Yay and Some Say Nay!

HiHoney says....Let the Rusty Rakes KeepOn Rustin'....along His Backyard Fence.

Ruby and Dolly say...When the Autum Joy blooms by Their Backyard Fence...then it's Fall Ya'll.

CollectInTexas Gal says...

When the AC MeterReader Falls over the Backyard Fence.

9/14/10

High Drama at The Lily Pond

The White Lily Drama Queen and the Texas Connection.

The beautiful White Lilies of the San Angelo International Lily Pond are by far the most Dramatic with their high contrast in the inky dark water and theatrical reflections.

Are Ya'll thinking....UhOh....here SHE goes with another Tall Texas Tale?

Lillie Langtry (13 October 1853 – 12 February 1929), born Emilie Charlotte Le Breton, was a British actress born on the island of Jersey. A renowned beauty, she was nicknamed the "Jersey Lily" and had a number of prominent lovers, including the future king of England, Edward VII. (Wikepedia)

Her Texas Tale...One notable admirer was the self appointed Judge Roy Bean of Texas, who after falling in love with her picture changed the name of his town to Langtry and renamed the bar come courthouse that he owned 'The Jersey Lilly Saloon'.

Whilst playing a Texas theatre the Judge sent Lillie with a real live bear, fortunately for her though, the bear escaped when the cage was opened to show her the unique gift.

He never actually met Lillie but dispensed justice in her name.

A film of Judge Roy Bean starred Paul Newman and today the original Jersey Lillie Saloon is the showpiece of a visitor centre in the town of Langtry Texas.

By the time Lillie went to Langtry Texas the Judge had passed on, however, she was presented with his gun which she bequeathed to the states of Jersey and is currently on display with many of her personal effects in the Jersey Museum at St. Helier.

I know that's a lot of Links to pop in and out of, but I think you'll enjoy reading about Lily and The Judge.

Judge Roy Bean was known as

'The Law West of The Pecos'.

The Pecos River marks the County Line between Pecos County and Ward County.

Have I told you about my Ward County Texas Ancestors?

Well, I guess I'd better....so just one more Link...

Tracks of My Texas Ancestors

The picture is of my Dad in 1938 in Ward County, Texas

My Great Grandparents were early settlers in Ward County, and Tracks of My Texas Ancestors are stories based on facts from the early days in Ward County.

I'm joing A Southern Belle With Northern Roots

for

Story Tellers

click HERE for

Shannon's Week Three

Story Tellers

9/12/10

This Week...Buzzing The Lily Pond

Today is Sunday~All Day Long! Yesterday was Saturday! Tomorrow wil be Monday! What Fun...What Fun!

The Migrating Monarchs are still making their way to Texas enroute to Mexico. NeatONikon was all ChargedUp and Good ToGo last week....then Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Hermine delayed the Monarchs and gave Texas a Soakin'.

So back to the PhotoArchives and the 'FlyingThings Folder'.

Introducing The San Angelo, Texas International Water Lily Collection!

Where Flying Things are Buzzing and Lilies are Bloomin'

The Regal Victorias of
The San Angelo

International Water Lily Collection,
are the Crowning Glory of the collection of LovelyLilyLadiesInWaiting.

The giant water platter Victoria has captured the imagination of the world from the very first glimpse of it in its wild South American home in l801. Named for Queen Victoria, it was nearly 50 years later that it was first brought to bloom in "captivity" in England, inspiring a wave of enthusiasm for its size and the beauty of its flowers. Victoria Amazonica

In This Pond the collection of Victoria Amazonica's reside in all their Regal Splendor. This photo was taken in July 2009, and when I visited this past July only two large pads had survived the harsh Winter of 2010.

The Collection is open to the public at no charge and has active flowering displays from April to October every year.

The International Waterlily Collection can be found at Civic League Park, between Beauregard and Harris Avenues on North Park Street.

Lily Fest 2010 ~ September 18th

And Now....NeatONikon ZoomZoomZooms at the Lily Pond

I hope you have enjoyed the first day of the Lily Pond Tour.

I'll be here all this week with more from the 'Flying Things Folder'....more buzzers....not buzzards....and colors...omgosh...you won't believe the Lily Colors!

Today is Sunday~All Day Long! Yesterday was Saturday! Tomorrow wil be Monday! What Fun...What Fun!

9/11/10

9/11 Pink Saturday...Remembering

Where were you when you heard the news?

I had just opened my shop...Sue's Quilt Shop in Historic Downtown Fort Stockton, Texas. Had the coffee on, the cash register ready, the blinds raised, and the sewing stations ready for the StackNWhack quilting class. The ladies began to arrive and started setting up to sew. While we waited for the last lady to arrive, we visited, had coffee and donuts, passed out the pre-cut StackNWhack kits, and set up to sew. Cindy came bursting through the front door appologizing for being late and saying, "I couldn't take my eyes off of CNN and the unbelieveable disaster in New York." We all looked stunned and confused as she explained what had happened. I immediately turned on my computer as I had no TV in the shop, and watched the early reports on the monitor. Class was postponed. We all went home and wept.

The Patriot 2001...My NineEleven Memorial Quilt...