Flying the Texas Flag and pride in our state (Republic)

Did you know, that by Federal Law, the Texas State flag can be flown at the same height as the U.S. flag?  It is because we were a Republic (an independent nation) before we were a state.

Think about that for a moment.  If the U.S. flag is flying @ 20 feet in say, Maryland or California or any other state, then your state flag flies at, say 17 feet.  In Texas, our flag flies at 20 feet, right along side the U.S. flag!  Texas is the ONLY state that can do this!

Our president of the Republic of Texas and first governer of the state of Texas, Sam Houston, once said, "Texas can make it without the United States, but the United States can't make it without Texas!"

And, being a Texan is as high as being an American.  Our capitol is the only one in the country that is taller than the capitol building in Washington, D.C. (taller by 23 feet).  We can become a republic again if the voters of Texas choose, and we included this as part of the deal when we joined the union. 

Texas is the only state to enter the Union by treaty instead of territorial annexation.

Texans are a proud bunch.

Mexican Shrimpers Beached

Yes, we get a tropical storm through South Texas, and the shrimp boats end up on our beach!

So, here they sit, days later, hoping the tide will pull them back into the gulf.  Where are the tugboats to pull them out?

School has started

In Texas, like most places, the school day is started with the pledge of allegiance.  Unlike any other state I know though, the kids also recite the Texas Pledge:

Honor the Texas Flag.  I pledge allegiance to thee.  Texas, one state, under God.  One and indivisible.

Every morning, the US Pledge and the Texas Pledge.  Never forget your Texas roots!  Do other states even have a state pledge?  I grew up in WI and know of none.

Fall/Winter Garden Prep

Being in South Texas means that I can have a garden nearly 12 months of the year.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are a wonderful addition to my holiday table, and I love bragging to my northern friends when I'm pulling tomatoes and peppers off my plants in January.  :)

Today, as we're currently hovering around 98F w/ a heat index reaching up to 110F, I started my seeds inside.  4 different peppers, 2 different tomatoes, various herbs, lettuce, pole beans, watermelon and butternut squash were the seeds I started today.  They won't go into the ground for about a month or 5 weeks, once the heat relaxes a bit so that my plants don't stress.  Come October, I'll add even more!

I love that about Texas, especially South Texas.  We rarely freeze, so I can grow my plants year round.

Bluebonnets

In Texas, people will pull to the side of the interstate, run off the road and plop their kids down in a field of Texas Bluebonnets for that quintessential spring picture.  Every child born in this great state must have their picture taken in a field of bluebonnets!

Since we live so far south and don't have many fields here, I planted one.

We may sing about the Yellow Rose of Texas, but we take pictures in the Bluebonnets.

What I want to bring to this blog

I want to highlight some of the wonderful things about the great state of Texas in which we live. 

There are many Tex-isms that make me love our great state.  I want to capture those in one place, sort of a chronicle of interesting things, places, and people we come across here.

For anyone who might find my blog...Enjoy!  It's my first attempt.