Is This How Texans View Texas?

Saw that which you see here, on Facebook.

And thought it to be amusing. 

After living in Texas for a couple decades one does make note of the fact that many Texans are Texas-centric, seeing their state as somehow uniquely special, compared to the other 49 states.

Much is made over the fact that Six Flags have flown over Texas. Resulting in theme parks named Six Flags Over Texas.

Those Six Flags are France, Spain, Mexico, the Confederate State of America, the United States of America, and most importantly, for a few years, the flag of the Republic of Texas.

The United States of America flag has 50 stars on it. The state flag of Texas has one star on it. Hence the Texas nickname of being the Lone Star State...

Poteet Strawberry Festival April 11-13 with Burlington Berry-Dairy Days June 20-22

Poteet, Texas, a small town in Atascosa County, in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area, is known, in Texas, for its strawberries.

This coming weekend, April 11, 12 & 13, the 2025 Poteet Strawberry Festival takes place.

I have never been to Poteet, nor had a Poteet strawberry. However, the Poteet strawberry reputation for being exceptionally good, that I have been aware of.

Poteet does not produce enough strawberries to export many berries outside Poteet's immediate vicinity, unless there is a bumper crop.

I remember a few years back, whilst I still lived in Fort Worth, news arrived that Central Market, in Fort Worth, had received a limited shipment of the rare Poteet strawberries. If I recollect correctly, and sometimes I do, my friend, Elsie Hotpepper, managed to get herself some Poteet strawberries from Central Market.

I had previously told Elsie Hotpepper that I found the strawberries available in Texas, those being Driscoll strawberries, from California, to be flavorless, that blind folded I would not be able to guess it was a strawberry.

When Elsie Hotpepper had herself a Poteet strawberry, she told me she now understood what I was talking about. 

Thing is, I grew up in Western Washington, in the Skagit Valley, famed for its various agricultural products; berries, like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, and other agricultural products, like corn, that is so good when one gets the corn ears fresh from a roadside stand.

The town I grew up in, Burlington, in the Skagit Valley, was sort of strawberry central, back then. There were a couple canneries in town, processing the berries.

And during strawberry season Burlington's Berry-Dairy Days took place, with a parade and a giant strawberry shortcake, a sample of which was free.

I have no idea if the free strawberry shortcake still takes place.

But, Berry-Dairy Days still happens, a couple months later than the Poteet Strawberry Festival, with the Burlington event taking place June 20-22.

The Skagit Valley, and Western Washington, does not grow strawberries at the production level of back in the previous century. I know the Skagit Valley has greatly amped up blueberry production. Blueberries can be picked via a machine. Strawberries are labor intensive, as in a human has to pick the delicate berries.

You can click the links to go to the Poteet Strawberry Festival & Burlington Berry-Dairy Days websites...

Saturday's We the People Want Hands Off Our Democracy Downtown Wichita Falls Protest

I have wondered a time or two if my local location of Wichita Falls, Texas will be participating in the National Day of Protests Action.

I blogged about this on one of my other blogs in Final 2025 March Saturday At Sikes Lake.

Well, this morning's Wichita Falls Times News Record has the news that there will be a protest on Saturday, in downtown Wichita Falls.

The info from the Times News Record...

The Wichita County Democratic Association will host a "Rally for Democracy" 1-3 p.m. Saturday at the park at Eighth Street and Scott Avenue in downtown Wichita Falls.

The theme is “We the People Want Hands Off Our Democracy.”

The release said the Wichita Falls rally is one of more than 500 planned for Saturday nationwide.

“This is the next in a series of rallies and protests aimed at making our point that we oppose getting the U.S. out of NATO, we support Sheppard Air Force Base, we support U.S. postal workers and we oppose cuts to programs that would affect so many of our friends and neighbors,” Stephenson said in the release. “It’s urgent that we show where we stand as the president and Elon Musk dismantle our government.”

Wednesday Wichita Falls Texas Fog Day

Before 5 o'clock, this afternoon of the final Wednesday of the first month of 2025, I ventured outside in the near zero visibility conditions to make my way to ALDI.

This morning the precipitation was in form of a drizzle. By afternoon this turned into a dense fog, a dense fog of the sort I used to regularly experience when living on the West Coast, with the Pacific Ocean, and Puget Sound nearby.

Wichita Falls is hundreds of miles from the nearest large body of water, that being that body of water which used to be known as the Gulf of Mexico.

I have no idea what is producing this thick fog at this North Texas location.

Thunderstorms are currently predicted to begin booming in about an hour. Tomorrow, the next to last day of January 2025, more thunderstorms are predicted, along with heavy rain, so heavy as to present a flash flood danger. Oh, and possible tornadoes are on the weather menu for tomorrow.

I forgot to mention that the photo documentation you see above is the view through my vehicle's windshield, upon arriving at the ALDI parking lot, looking north through the fog, at a gas station, selling gas a lot cheaper than I suspect the price of gas is for some of those reading this...

Texas Governor Abbott Should Reprieve Innocent Inmate Rodney Reed Off Death Row

All across Texas, and the rest of the world, people are calling for the immediate reprieve of Death Row inmate Rodney Reed.

Irrefutable evidence has proved Rodney Reed innocent of the murder for which he was sentenced to execution.

Demonstrators demonstrated in support of the release of Rodney Reed at the Texas governor's mansion.

The clock is ticking on Rodney King's execution date.

How can any governor, with a conscience, and even a small iota of common sense, of any state, with the power to do so, not immediately grant clemency to a citizen shown to be innocent?

Saturday July 13, 2019 Parker County Peach Festival in Weatherford Texas

The second Saturday of July arrives this coming weekend.

Which indicates Saturday, July 13, 2019 the annual Parker County Peach Festival, takes place in Weatherford, Texas.

Rumor has it that conditions have been perfect to produce a bumper crop of super tasty, super sweet Texas peaches this year.

The Parker County Peach Festival is a one day event. The entry fee is a bargain $5, with this being a bargain because the festival is so BIG with so much to see, along with multiple stages with multiple entertainments of various sorts.

And those Parker County peaches, in a variety of iterations, from Peach Julep, which you see above, to Peach Ice Cream, to Peach Smoothies, to Peach Cobbler, to Peach Pie, to Peach Jam, to Peach Salsa, to many other Peach themed treats.

Go early, stay late, follow the signs to the various parking locations.

And remember your sunscreen...

2018 Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup

What with today being the second Thursday of March, if history repeats itself, today marks the start of the annual Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater, Texas.

The Eyes on Texas have only seen the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup once, early in this current century.

A video was made from that visit, along with a Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup webpage.

There are many people who object to what they believe to be the barbaric practice of rounding up rattlesnakes, to be milked, butchered, skinned, and eaten.

Every year we receive multiple missives from people who somehow think we are involved in the rattlesnake slaughter to which they so vehemently object, including many people from the United Kingdom, such as the individual who sent, yet again, a missive received a couple days ago...

If you're wondering, we're still on your case.  Leave those Rattlesnake alone!!!!

Signed., Robert Piller <cates1980@hotmail.co.uk>

Well, Robert, we really were not wondering if you were still on our case, or not, but we can assure you we will not be harming any rattlesnakes.

Below is the video of the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup from way back in 2002, or was it 2003?