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Published: Wednesday, 18 January 2023 11:20
Texas trails and farming
Texas! It's a whole other country! Maybe it would be more descriptive of our state if we said, "Texas is a lot of country!” And how true that is. Texas covers so much territory that the Texas Historical Commission decided to divide the state into Heritage Trails. There were several reasons that the State decided to create and promote these trails. First of all, the Historical Commission wanted to preserve the history and culture of the different regions. Of course, another reason was to promote tourism into the different regions.
If you have traveled across Texas, you know immediately how different each area or trail is. The different regions seem to have a personality of their own. There is The Plains Trail, The Pecos Trail, The Mountain Trail, and The Lakes Trail plus six more. Those of us living in the Rio Grande Valley live in The Texas Tropical Trail. Yes, the trails are unique - definitely different - which makes traveling on those trails so interesting.
Read more: January 18, 2023 - On the Road with Jo
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Published: Wednesday, 18 January 2023 11:18
It was 3:50 p.m. We were 24 hours late, as Justin and Debbie, Linda, and I, the last two vehicles of the "Baja Winter RV Caravan," stopped at the campground gate in Los Barriles, Baja, Mexico. Justin, and his wife Debbie, the Caravan Tail Gunners, had stayed with us while we had our broken trailer springs repaired in a desert workshop outside of La Paz.
At the campground gate, Kathie from our RV Caravan group was waiting.
"Supper is ready; follow me. It's 5 o'clock somewhere, and the caravan wants to hear about your adventure.”
After supper, I began the story…
We located a mechanic. He explained – “It’s the Baja roads; they keep me in business.”
Read more: It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere
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Published: Wednesday, 18 January 2023 11:15
Lamplighter Mobile Home Park located at 2240 S. Bentsen Palm Dr. in Palmview is a senior community that hosts three jams each week featuring either bluegrass, country, or gospel music. I recently attended their Country Jam that is held on Monday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., December through March.
Prior to the jam, park volunteers prepare and serve delicious dinners for a nominal price starting at 4 p.m. Then, at about 6:30 p.m., these same volunteers provide free cookies, cakes, and other treats to all those attending the jam.
During my visit to this jam, there were 27 performers who sang classic country hits from the 40’s or earlier through the 60’s.
Why do they sing these older songs versus today’s country? Simply stated, “So that they will not be forgotten. Once we are gone from this earth, these songs may not be remembered. We want to keep them alive for everyone.”
Read more: Lamplighter Jams ignite passion for classic music
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Published: Wednesday, 18 January 2023 11:06
Maurice Parent’s father died while he was in school and his mother worked to provide for the family.
While his friends were being paid allowances, Maurice wasn’t. Well, that’s not totally true. More often than not, Maurice won some of his friends’ allowances, beating them on one of 15 or 16 pool tables, actually snooker tables, set in the basement of a game hall.
“I let them win sometimes,” Maurice joked prior to the McAllen Parks and Recreation 43rd annual Golden Age Olympics men’s 8-ball competition at Fast Eddies in McAllen. “I didn’t get an allowance so I would take theirs.”
Maurice started coming to the Valley in 2006 and resides at Citrus Valley RV Park in McAllen. When he was in high school “earning” his allowance, they played snooker, a game similar to billiards but played with 22 balls, including a cue ball, 15 red balls and six other balls, called the "colours."
Read more: Winter Texans enjoy some competitive 8-ball
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Published: Wednesday, 18 January 2023 10:56
Winter Texans participate in Texas Citrus Fiesta
Although participation isn’t as abundant as it was years ago, Winter Texans still have fun at the Texas Citrus Fiesta. This year’s Texas Citrus Fiesta Parade will be held on Saturday, January 28 at 12 p.m. in Mission. There will also be a fun fair on Saturday, January 28, and Sunday, January 29 beginning at 10 a.m. on both days. The parade usually runs on Conway Ave. in Mission, from 495 to downtown Mission.
Read more: Winter Texan Times: Looking back 35 years
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Published: Wednesday, 18 January 2023 10:21
Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit at the International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) on Sunday, January 29, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The 11th annual Lunar New Year Festival will feature traditional Chinese, Korean, and Taiwanese crafts, games, and more.
Special performances and activities are scheduled throughout the event for visitors to soak in the cultural celebration that welcomes the arrival of Spring. The community can tap their feet to K-pop dancing by Illusion Dance Team, and “K-Stars” featuring Echo Effect and Levanter Dance Team. Enjoy the sounds of the Lord’s Church McAllen Choir and musical pieces by local violist Young Sin Choi. UTRGV Korean Language students will perform a traditional samulnori,(percussion), poetry reading, and singing. Lastly, Torres Taekwondo Academy will showcase martial arts with a lively demonstration.
Read more: Lunar New Year Festival at IMAS
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Published: Wednesday, 11 January 2023 15:29
My how the world has changed
How many of you remember using a computer for the first time?
In our looking back to our previous issues, and our first season of the Winter Texan Times, we see when our writer Virginia Sunderman first used a computer to write an article for submission. It was printed in the January 15, 1988, issue of the Winter Texan Times.
She writes, “This is my first attempt at using a computer to write an article. I am using a computer at the Speer Memorial Library in Mission. The use of the computer is just one of the many advantages the library has to offer the public.”
Read more: Winter Texan Times: Looking back 35 years
By Kathy Olivarez
By Kathy Olivarez
