If you were born in Texas, then you have an internal GPS unit that automatically points you to San Antonio and The Alamo. Yep, we all have 'em. Have you heard the phrase, "Remember the Alamo!" before? We're partial to it, because Texans feel that the battle for the Alamo symbolized a heroic struggle against impossible odds — a place where men made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. (Remember my post yesterday about needing room to roam?)
This is the Alamo, a place all Texans should visit...more than once.
One of our mottos here in Texas is that "Bigger is Better." We proudly state this for all to see with our state capitol building. It's a replica of the U.S. capitol building in Washington D.C....only it's bigger...and better (made out of pink granite). You sense a common theme here?
Our capitol building is in Austin, where I lived for nineteen years. I miss you, Austin!Our state animal is the Longhorn. It's one of the biggest state animals out there (of course). Have you seen the size of it's horns? Bigger is better...
Our state flower is the Bluebonnet. They are planted along our state highways due to Lady Bird Johnson, the late President Johnson's wife. They bloom every spring and thousands of Texans make their kids squat in the midst of them for pictures. It's a tradition 'round here.
We all have a tendency to exaggerate some, and the tall tale gene is rampant among native Texans. We're the biggest state (well, Alaska is bigger, but we're better). Did you know that Dr Pepper was invented in Texas? Texas has been under six flags; Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States and the United States.
The word Texas comes from a Caddo Indian word Tejas, which means friends. We here in Texas are friendly...and bigger and better.
26 comments:
You sure are a friendly Texan!
Good information.
Just one question:
Have you been to the basement at the Alamo?? LOL
I'm betting that you LOVE your blue bell ice cream too!
my sister lives not too far from you (i know where you live because of my statcounter, but don't worry I won't stalk you!) But she didn't grow up in Texas. Its cool how many traditions and cultures there are in our country.
My best friend lives in San Antonio - and she sends me gorgeous pictures each year of her kids in the blue bonnets. I wonder if blue bonnets would grow around here? I can create a meadow of them in my back yard just for photo opportunities. And I use "I" in the loosest sense. "I" meaning someone else...
Even though I grew up in Tennessee and live in Alabama, I have atender place in my heart for Texas. I have lots of family there. :)
The thing I love most about blogging... is that you get to meet people from all over the world!!! I would SOOOOO Love to hear your accent! :-) xx
Except where my sister lives in texas, which was the rudest people I had ever met. She's in Keller, near Dallas/Fort Worth area.
She sent me some bluebonnet seeds. I'm wondering if I can get them to grow here. Would be very pretty.
Yay Texas!
Cool post! I didn't know all of that!
:D
Crystal Chick - I had no idea what you were talking about with the whole basement in the Alamo thing and I had to look it up! Sad, I know. I HATE PeeWee Herman. lol
Kiera - I do love Blue Bell. It's by far the best. :o)
Tearese - Site Meter takes all the fun out of it. lol That's cool your sister lives near here! There are a million little towns in this area, and I'm still trying to learn them all.
Kat - You should definitely create a meadow of bluebonnets (or, yes, have someone do it for you. hehe). San Antonio is such a unique place as well. A fun place to visit! I was born there (because it was the biggest hospital near the little town my parents lived in).
Valarie - Very cool you have lots of family here. Texas is awesome.
VBF - I love hearing about things from your neck of the woods...down under.
Burfica - I'm sorry you had a bad experience with rude people in Texas. I don't know where Keller is, but it must be near here.
Kieraanne - Thanks for the Texas shoutout!
Crazy4Danes - Glad I could teach ya somethin' new about Texas. :o)
Thanks for visiting!
As Grandma Diana would say, "That's Texas Alright!" To which Charlie and I always crack up because Laredo is definitely it's own country.
I used to live in East Texas. Oh the stories I could tell!
Dr Pepper came from Texas?
Wahoooo!!! I knew I'd finally find something about that state I liked.
Bwahahahahaha
OK, before you get your shorts all up in a bunch I have two aunts and numerous cousins that live in Galveston.
I just stopped over from Burfica's blog. Love the photos! Thanks for sharing.
Carrie - Laredo is definitely it's own country. We used to go there a lot to cross over the boarder and go shopping.
East Texas is also it's own place. Texas is so huge it's got tons of little cultures all within. lol
Jeff - My shorts were definitely getting in a bunch! lol Dr Pepper rocks.
C - Thanks for coming by! Glad you enjoyed the photos.
Love the photos Rhea. And holy cow! That baby has ginormous horns! With a set like that, cows must find it hard to get through barn doorways. No wait.... they build the barns BIGGER in Texas too, right? LOL
Jules - Thanks! The Longhorns are pretty amazing with those gigantic horns. lol And, yes, of course our barns are BIGGER here!! lol You're catching on!!
I've been to Corpus Christi, TX. I loved it.
Amanda - Hi! I haven't spent must time in Corpus Christi, but I have been there once or twice. :o) Thanks for coming by!
Yay for Texas! I miss Austin, too. I forgot about Bluebell ice cream....my dad mentions it occasionally. My non-Texas friends thought it was funny that we had a whole year of Texas history.
You forgot to mention the one-handed wave thing with the wrist propped on the steering wheel(at least in certain parts of the state). It takes me a while to get used to it. At first, I keep thinking "Oh hi-wait!?! Do I know them?!?" :)
I met Lady Bird Johnson briefly one time. She came to visit a friend at the rehabilitation hospital that I worked at in Austin. She was lovely.
That's right, the lazy wave while driving. lol
I've met Ladybird as well. Her great-grandson was on my son's baseball team...and apparently my husband's family knows them really well because a family member was LBJ's personal attorney and friend. The Johnsons were invited to our wedding and sent some neat personalized wedding gifts to us.
I'm from S.A. and if I have to go to the Alamo ONE more time, I'm gonna slit my wrist!! J/K
Chatti Patti - You can definitely get too much of a good thing. lol No more Alamo trips for you! I like the place, but I don't want to go there over and over and over again.
When my parents and sister moved from NY to TX 20 years ago, I thought it was the strangest place! People spoke funny, they drove funny (people on the highway would SLOW DOWN to let you on -- how confusing!), and so on.
But I came to love it and ended up going to Rice for grad school. People think I'm strange because now I have a tender place in my heart for Houston....
Gwyneth - I bet Texas was quite the shock after New York. Very different places. But, so glad you ended up loving it! Houston is such a big city, so humid, but full of neat stuff. Thanks for coming by!
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