Not Technically Buzzards While vultures live all across the USA, I see way more of them in Texas than other states. People here often call them buzzards, so I figured that was a southern term. Turns out that the word buzzard crossed the ocean with our British ancestors. It used to be a generic European term for hawks. Vultures, however, are not hawks. There are three kinds of vultures in the USA, two of which are found in Texas: California Condors (an endangered species not found in Texas), Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures. Turkey Vultures Were Made to Fly Turkey…
Tag: A to Z challenge
Unicorns of New Braunfels, Texas In 1928, the high school of New Braunfels, Texas chose the unicorn to be its mascot. They did so in honor of the unicorn featured on the family crest of Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Ludwig Georg Alfred Alexander, Prince of Solms, Lord of Braunfels, Grafenstein, Münzenberg, Wildenfels, and Sonnenwalde… or simply, Prince Solms, for short. Prince Solms is the man who founded the town as a German colony back in 1844. What the townsfolk didn’t realize is that Prince Solm’s family crest actually features a lion, but what the hey? For those on a first-name basis…
Texas: Not Just Cowboy Art When I first moved to Texas in 2009, I figured that local museums would mainly feature paintings with cowboys, Indians and longhorns, especially in Fort Worth since that Texas city claims to be, “where the west begins.” Only Michelangelo Painting in the Western Hemisphere So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that north Texas museums have well-rounded collections featuring a wide variety of art – from ancient times up through the present. Fort Worth, in fact, is home to the only Michelangelo painting in the western hemisphere! The painting, filled with fascinating-yet-creepy creatures, was painted…
Bad Santa Sparks Massive Manhunt in Texas One of the biggest manhunts in Texas state history was for none other than Santa Claus. But before I go further, let me set the scene: Dead Bank Robber Reward Program While “Wanted: Dead or Alive,” is the phrase commonly associated with bounty posters, back in 1927, the Texas Bankers Association (TBA) did away with the, “or alive,” clause and began offering a reward of $5000 for each dead bank robber that citizens or law enforcement could produce. Called the Dead Bank Robber Reward Program, this bounty was in response to a massive crime…
Scarborough Fair in Waxahachie, Texas Every spring, Waxahachie, Texas hosts a huge ren fair, officially called the Scarborough Renaissance Festival. Back in 2010, it was the first such medieval reenactment I’d ever been to and – wow – was it ever fun. I had so much fun, in fact, that I returned in 2011 to get married! Not only were we married by the Archbishop of Canterbury, but we literally tied the knot. While renaissance fairs are not unique to Texas, the one over in Waxahachie is a big one: over 35 acres of shops and buildings that remain intact…
Quinceañeras Look Like Brides – But They Aren’t In addition to colorful blossoms, here in Texas you often see teenage girls in fancy ball gowns at your local parks. These young women are accompanied by friends and family, also in formal attire, and there’s usually a professional photographer in tow. While, in some cases, you are witnessing an outdoor wedding, most of the time this festive group is strolling through nature as part of a Quince celebration. Quinceañera Comes from Ancient South American Puberty Rites A Quince celebration is a coming of age party for a 15-year-old girl. Quince means,…