Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2019 i Texas Highways Magazine

When my family and I moved to the Dripping Springs area three years ago, I remember noticing a few times that we’d left a light on outside—only to realize that the moon really was that bright in the clear sky. After growing up in the suburbs and living in Houston for years, I’d never imagined I’d be able to see the Milky Way from my back patio. It's one of the best parts of living in a rural area and more than makes up for not being able to get pizza delivered to your house or the spotty Wi-Fi. And though there are times when I wish for a few street lights to illuminate my drive home at night, I appreciate that my young children’s most common bedtime stalling tactic…

It’s sprinkling rain and the surrounding desert smells of wet dirt as Jesus “Cimi” Alvarado, an artist and an arts and culture coordinator for the Boys & Girls Club, takes his phone out of his pocket. He taps the phone and points the camera at a mural he painted on the side of El Mandadito de Waneks, a locally owned corner store at Campbell Street and 4th Avenue in El Paso. The mural, titled Barrio Soul, has a background shade of green that almost matches the color of prickly pear cacti found in this part of Texas. Featured on it are enlarged, black-and-white photographs of late El Paso radio personality Steve Crosno and local musical acts from the 1950s through ’70s, including The Nite Dreamers and The El Paso Drifters.…

Texas States Tie $75.00, Designed right here in Texas by Paris Texas Apparel Co., 38809. Sailor Earrings $24.95, Made in Lorena by Margrit Co., 37942. Megan Tote $245.00, Made by hand by Bear Creek Leathers in New Braunfels, 37438. Coaster Set $32.00, Handmade in Texas by Indigo Laine & Co., 37356 True Texas Heroes Mugs (set of 4) $99.00, Hand-thrown in Austin by studio potter Ryan Lucier of Rhyno Clayworks., 37345. Texas Bluebonnets T-Shirt $27.00, Designed by Texas Sweet Tees in Willis, Texas, 38327. Waxed Canvas Dopp Kit $52.00, Made in Austin by Newton Supply Co., 37428. Armadillo Patch $50.00, Made in Austin, TX by Die Trying TX., 37768.…

Winter in Texas means everything from Christmas tamales to New Year’s black-eyed peas, Gulf Coast fishing to chilly northers under cobalt-blue skies. What winter does not usually mean in Texas is snow, at least not in appreciable quantities. The white stuff was plentiful, however, on this January day in 1889 for the Fonte, Cheatham, Farris, Phillips, and Wallace families of Fort Worth. They gathered enough snow to build a monumental, if slightly terrifying, snowman at 1004 Lamar St. (now a downtown parking lot). Their achievement caught the attention of an unknown photographer, who captured the wintery moment for posterity. No doubt there was something warm to drink afterward, probably by a fire with an old hound dog sleeping and dreaming of the spring to come and the rabbits he’d chase.…

When asked to come up with 100 Lone Star–inspired books for every age, book critic S. Kirk Walsh turned to librarians, teachers, fellow writers, and multigenerational Texans. The list began to take shape as she delved into the deep reservoir of literature that defines and contributes to the complex layers of identity of our vast state. For the past 20 years, Walsh has reviewed fiction and nonfiction for several publications, including The New York Times Book Review and The San Francisco Chronicle, among many others. With the curation of this list, which you can find exclusively online at texashighways.com/100TexasBooks, we invite readers to a conversation about the past, present, and future of Texas literature. After perusing the wide-ranging catalog, let us know what books you would add by commenting on…

IN his time as a naturalist at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Scott Whitener loved taking kids on night hikes. Whitener had left his previous job teaching in Fredericksburg partly because he wanted to spend more time outside. On treks up the massive granite dome, he encouraged young people to overcome their nerves as they grew accustomed to the dark, their senses sharpening in the absence of artificial light. A group of high school students from San Antonio made a particularly strong impression. Most of them had never ventured outside the city in their lives; now, they were exploring in the dark and peering at the night sky through a telescope. “When kids see the Milky Way for the first time—that’s a life-changing experience,” Whitener says. Unfortunately, such experiences are…

“LEATHER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LOVE OF MINE—THE SMELL, THE DURABILITY, the beauty” says Randi Hamlyn, the designer and owner of Indigo Laine & Co. “Once I figured out how to create with it, I was hooked.” The daughter of an entrepreneurial family, Hamlyn’s interest in leather inspired her to open Indigo Laine & Co. in 2016. In her workshop, located outside of Corpus Christi, Randi makes totes, clutches, wallets, and other leather products. Some of the bags are exclusively leather, while indigo and studs differentiate others. “Every leather artist brings their own unique style to their product,” Hamlyn says. “It’s almost like their finger print. I think Indigo Laine is known for classic, unfussy shapes and a scalloped edge.” Hamlyn says she finds inspiration in nature, history, and her…

According to chef Larry Delgado, you haven’t really tasted a tortilla unless you’ve tried one made from freshly milled corn and prepared using a technique that predates the Aztecs and Mayans. At Salomé on Main, the restaurant Delgado opened this spring in McAllen, the chef soaks millennia-old corn varieties overnight in an alkaline solution of slaked lime, a powdered version of the limestone bedrock underlying most of Mexico. This process, known as nixtamalization, removes the tough outer hull of the corn kernels, unlocking the rich nutrients and flavors inside. The next morning, Delgado grinds the treated corn into dough for tortillas as well as traditional Mexican delicacies like dish-shaped memelas, oval huaraches, and Oaxacan-style tamales wrapped in steamed banana leaves. Salomé on Main’s tortillas contain no preservatives and arrive to…

WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPING HANDCRAFTED LEATHER GOODS, the designers behind Bear Creek Leather draw inspiration from family members. “Most of our products have been created with a family member in mind to suit their needs, and we will often name our patterns after them. From the first concept to design and actual production, the whole family is involved.” Doug Childers got his start as a one-man shop making holsters, then expanded into totes, leather jewelry, and other products. Along the way, his wife, Betsy, and son and daughter-in-law, William and Angela, joined the business. “We love seeing what our customers come up with to make it personal,” Doug says. Based near New Braunfels, this family business feels at home in the Hill Country. “We love the small towns and…

Readers’ Retreat I’d been out of state for a month and was going through my stack of mail a bit overwhelmed and decided to sit back, slow down, and read a couple of the magazines from the stack. Texas Highways has come a long way! I like the bigger, better articles, and just the whole overall look. We have subscribed for 25 years or so, usually just thumbing through and moving on. It does pay to stop and slow down and enjoy things. I know I sure did. Danelle Dubose Brown, Ingleside Low and in the Pocket Bass is my first love, and I’ve played in local bands for over 40 years [“All About That Bass,” October]. I’m not a frustrated guitarist as some people suggest—I love to hold down…

The Arizona-based International Dark-Sky Association recognizes places for their efforts and success at maintaining dark skies. Here are the classifications as they apply to Texas sites: Dark Sky Communities have shown “exceptional dedication to the preservation of the night sky,” including public-education efforts and rules for outdoor lighting. Dripping Springs, 2014 Horseshoe Bay, 2015 Wimberley Valley, 2018 Dark Sky Parks must be an “exceptional dark sky resource” with strict standards for sky brightness (sky brightness must be routinely equal to or darker than 21.2 magnitudes per square arc second): International Dark Sky Sanctuaries—the IDA’s most rigorous designation—recognizes natural areas in exceptionally remote areas, with even stricter standards for sky brightness (sky brightness must be routinely equal to or darker than 21.5 magnitudes per square arc second): Devils River State Natural…

Twinkling lights on dark, chilly nights have long loomed large in our collective imagination. The concept has roots in ancient midwinter festivals; it eventually developed into Victorian Christmas fantasies of crackling Yule logs, candles, and lighted evergreen trees. While most modern Texans may be a bit short on snow and sleigh bells, we continue to find joy in holiday lights and the celebratory seasonal activities that accompany them. While the major metro areas of the state boast massive, glitzy extravaganzas enjoyed by throngs of urban merrymakers, many small towns create their own special versions of holiday cheer, away from city crowds and traffic. Ranging from homegrown festivities developed and maintained by dedicated local volunteers to professional productions, these events capture the magic and spirit of the season. In addition to…

Since its debut in 1985, Chris Van Allsburg’s book The Polar Express has charmed kids and kids at heart with its tale of a magical train ride to the North Pole. The Texas State Railroad brings the story to life with its own Polar Express Train Ride, a vintage steam-train voyage through the Piney Woods of East Texas. Departing from Palestine, the train makes a one-hour round-trip journey to the North Pole as chefs serve guests hot chocolate and cookies, and passengers read along to The Polar Express. When the train reaches the North Pole, Santa Claus and his merry elves greet passengers, hand out commemorative sleigh bells, and pose for pictures. Visitors may stroll around the North Pole, trim a tree, and visit the gift shop. Then it’s “all…

Stephen Harrigan has written about Texas for most of his life. He was born in Oklahoma and grew up in Abilene and Corpus Christi before moving to Austin, where he graduated from the University of Texas in 1970. He stuck around and started writing for Texas Monthly after it launched in 1973. Over his career, he’s written countless long-form articles about his home state, along with six novels (including the bestselling The Gates of The Alamo and more recently, A Friend of Mr. Lincoln), multiple screenplays, and five nonfiction books. It’s not surprising, then, that University of Texas Press tapped Harrigan to write an updated history of Texas. Six years later, in October, Harrigan released Big Wonderful Thing, a monumental work at 944 pages. The printer’s binding machine broke twice…