Christmas memories and a Happy New Year
Brrr! It’s been cold. Too cold for me to go exploring. My South Texas blood is just not ready for winter weather. And was it ever cold and windy at the beach. A few hearty souls walked the beach probably looking for that prize shell that all of us hope to find. Those angry, wind tossed waves surely must have brought a real find to some adventurous soul.
It’s time to travel
I hope you stayed warm, cozy and safe for your Christmas celebrations and that you were able to visit with your family and special friends either by phone or in person. And now what do you do with the leftovers? Even before Christmas, I had made a huge pot of turkey and corn soup from the leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Easy as pie and so, so good on those cold days. Just add the chopped up leftover turkey to a can of celery soup, a can of whole kernel corn, a can of cream corn and a can of water. And if you had any turkey drippings, add them in and bring all to a boil and then simmer.
Looking forward to a new year and new tours
Another year is quickly coming to an end in just a few more days and our calendars will turn to 2023. It’s time to think of travel again. Sometimes I schedule myself on a tour just to see what changes have been made in a hotel along the highways. I really like to get out with my travelers and see the trip through their eyes.
Right now there is only one more tour scheduled for the rest of this year and it is a good one, especially if you have never been on the tour or if you have visitors who want to visit the famous King Ranch – one of the largest ranches in the United States.
Founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King, the King Ranch boasts almost 1,000 acres. You will learn all about the Ranch, the flora and fauna of the area as your guide introduces you to a very special part of the history of the Rio Grande Valley. The last trip of the year is scheduled for December 29, 2022. Don’t miss it.
Find someone to give to this holiday season
DECEMBER – What a beautiful month. December is a time for giving, a time for sharing, a time for remembering. December is a good time for cooking all those wonderful dishes from family recipes that have been handed down for generations. Memories are made – never to be forgotten.
Giving and sharing brings pleasure to those who give and happiness – especially to the youngsters when they receive the toys and clothes you may have donated.
What a magical time of year. This is a time when traditions are born, and memories are made. It is a time of giving, a time of sharing, a time of remembering. Maybe your memories go back a long, long time before we had rural electricity and all the lights and glitter that make Christmas come alive. Houses and yards are decorated with lights and inflated figures to delight us all. Why not take a nighttime ride through some of the neighborhoods to enjoy the decorations. And while we are enjoying the lights a little history might be added to the entertainment.
How was your turkey? Believe it or not, I cooked two turkeys on two different occasions. It had been a long time since I cooked a turkey so for me, it was almost like I was a new cook in the kitchen. That first turkey – a huge twenty-four-pound monster received rave reviews. Some of the diners called it an ostrich because it was so large. I was holding my breath and just sure it would be a disaster.
First of all, my refrigerator keeps things too cold, so the monster turkey was not completely thawed. Did you know, you can cook a turkey even when not completely thawed? That was a new experience for this cook. See, we are never too old to learn.
Since this cook was a little flustered and anxious about the results, I made just a few mistakes – at least they seemed like mistakes at the time. Actually, the mistakes seemed to turn out to be the right way to cook a turkey.
Read more: November 30, 2022 - On the Road with Jo - Enjoy the Holidays
Be thankful and generous
What a lot of changes have occurred in our lives. For instance, how about computers! Do you remember when computers were first introduced to us? A computer for a business was so big that just the computer alone needed a whole room. Now your cell phone can act as a computer. In fact, we did not have cell phones when computers were introduced. Telegraphs were used to send messages. Well, lots of things have changed. One of the changes that has occurred recently is the introduction of electric cars. Or how about a tour to Mars?
One of the things that has not changed since its beginning is our observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. This special day is unique to the United States. And we have so much to be thankful for: a beautiful world, the birds, flowers, friends and family. Tomorrow we should all take time to be thankful for the life that has been given to us to enjoy the talent, the love and the beauty that surrounds us.
By Jo Liston
Welcome home. It is that time of year when our friends from the North are coming South! We missed you during the summer. We are glad that you have chosen the Rio Grande Valley for your Winter Home. We appreciate all that you do to help us. Anyone from outside the Valley who comes to visit even for a day helps us economically and many of you stay much longer than a day.
If you have been doing any car travel recently, you are no doubt experiencing a different kind of roadkill. You have probably noticed on your car's grill work the remains of the orange-colored wings and bodies of the Monarch Butterfly. Those remains really make a mess on the front or our cars. How sad it is that so many of these beautiful migrating butterflies will never reach their wintering sanctuary in the state of Michoacan, Mexico.
It’s time. Yes, it’s time to venture out and get acquainted with all that our Magic Valley has to offer. Fall weather is generally perfect for exploring. So, let’s hook ‘em up and head ‘em out to the King Ranch Hand Breakfast. The breakfast itself is composed of mouth-watering scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, biscuits and gravy. The cooks? Who else but the King Ranch cowboys!
It's that time of the year. Our Winter Texan friends are departing for their summer homes. No doubt your friends and family missed you while you were gone. But we are going to miss you also. Please have a safe trip home and come back again next winter. We will be waiting for you.
Our local golf courses have been attracting a lot of attention. It seems that most every golf course has made some improvement - more holes, water fountains or a re-sodding of the greens.
Some of us may not be golfers, but it must be a great game. Golfing is a fun way to exercise and a fun way to enjoy your friends and the outdoors. Now that we are having beautiful, sunshiny days, it is time to enjoy the wonderful South Texas weather.
There is a whole lot to see and do in South Texas. Those of you who want to know all about this area just need to go exploring and you can become a walking historian. History can be fun, entertaining, and educational. Why not set yourself a goal to visit every attraction in this area. This should keep you entertained for the whole year. Or maybe even more.
Time marches on. If you were exposed to covid and quarantined, you may feel that time dragged on. It doesn’t have to drag on - now is the time to do all those things you have been planning to do but just never had time. Well, now you have time so let's get on with it.
You can take control and believe me - time will fly if you take time to complete all those projects. The very day that my daughter and I learned that we had been exposed, we were out in my car exploring. It had been a year since I had been down past Space X and to Boca Chica Beach. So off we went.
Welcome home. By now most of our Winter Residents have arrived and we are so glad to have you back in the big, wonderful state of Texas and the sunny Rio Grande Valley. If you drove down, then I am sure you were once again impressed by how big - and varied - Texas is. If you flew in - especially if you came from Canada - you were probably just a little shocked when you stepped off the plane. What a big difference it is between European Quebec and the tranquil palm lined roads of the Rio Grande Valley. It is quite a shock. From East to West and North to South, all these different areas have their own personalities. Yep, Texas is a Whole Other Country.
