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A to Z Texas: Z is for Zoo in Fort Worth

Fort Worth Zoo – An Award Winning Top Attraction The Fort Worth Zoo consistently ranks among the top ten zoos in America, occasionally taking first place. Zagat Surveys even named it 19th out of the 50 Overall Top-rated Attractions in the entire USA! The zoo has come a long way since it first opened in 1909. Back then, it only had a handful of exotic species. These days, the zoo is teeming with animals. It is easy to spend an entire day here, and still not make it to every exhibit. In summer, you’ll find lots of shade, which is…

A to Z Texas: XXX & Texas, Texas, Yee Haw!

X is for: XXX Brand Root Beer The XXX brand name first appeared in 1895 in Galveston, Texas as the moniker for a keg beer stored in oak barrels labeled, “XXX.” Hence, the name! (They could just as well have been stamped Gurglthwang, in which case I would have had to choose something different for this letter.) Years later, during the Prohibition Era, when alcoholic beverages were made illegal in the USA, the beer brewery shifted its focus towards soda pop. Although the company brewed a variety of flavors, such as cream, lemon lime, orange, chocolate and even a cola,…

A to Z Texas: W is for Wind Power

For many, Texas is synonymous with oil production; however, did you know that Texas produces more wind power than any other state? Wind farming has even revitalized communities such as Roscoe  and Sweetwater, where farming has become challenging due to drought conditions. According to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the wind farms of Texas continue setting new records for power output. Additionally, of course, all this wind is great for flag flying, sailboating, and, of course, kiting. More A to Z blog posts This was my post for the letter W of the A to Z blogging challenge.…

A to Z Texas: V is for Vulture

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…

A to Z Texas: U is for Unicorn Pride

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…

A to Z Texas: T is for the Torment of St. Anthony in Fort Worth

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…