TEXAS TRIPS for EVERY TASTE Port Aransas • Fredericksburg • the Big Thicket Bar H Dude Ranch • Texas Rangers Baseball

LOCAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE EDITION SEPTEMBER 2008 MARX BROTHERS IN TEXAS MEDITERRANEAN COOKING HIT THE ROAD

TEXAS TRIPS FOR EVERY TASTE Port Aransas • Fredericksburg • The Big Thicket Bar H Dude Ranch • Texas Rangers Baseball

September 2008 VOLUME 65 NUMBER 3

FEATURES

8 5 Great Getaways: Texas Trips for Every Taste By Texas Co-op Power staff Texas Rangers Baseball Bar H Dude Ranch Port Aransas Fredericksburg The Big Thicket

FAVORITES

Footnotes By Clay Coppedge Texas Marx the Spot 37 Recipe Roundup Crossroads of Flavor and Health 38 Focus on Texas Perfect Pets 42 Around Texas Local Events Listings 44 Hit the Road By Camille Wheeler Corsicana to Athens 46

37 38 42 8

TEXAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Ray Beavers, Chair, Cleburne; Darren Schauer, Vice Chair, Gonzales; Kendall Montgomery, Secretary-Treasurer, Olney; James Calhoun, Franklin; Steve Louder, Hereford; Gary Nietsche, La Grange; Larry Warren, San Augustine

PRESIDENT/CEO: Mike Williams, Austin Texas Co-op Power is published by your STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Roland Witt, Chair, Coleman; Bill Harbin, Vice Chair, Floydada; Roy Griffin, Edna; Kim Hooper, Bluegrove; Steve Young, Hamil ton; Robert A. Loth III, Fredericksburg; Melody Pinnell, Crockett electric cooperative to enhance the qual- COMMUNICATIONS STAFF: Martin Bevins, Sales Director; Carol Moczygemba, Executive Editor; Kaye Northcott, Editor; ity of life of its member-customers in an Suzi Sands, Art Director; Karen Nejtek, Production Manager; Andy Doughty, Production Designer; Sandra Forston, Communications Assistant; Melissa Grischkowsky, Communications Coordinator; Kevin Hargis, Food Editor; Camille Wheeler, educational and entertaining format. Staff Writer; Ashley Clary, Field Editor

COVER PHOTO by Stephan Myers September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 3 VOL. CLVII....No. 30,000 The Stauer Times “It’s About Time” News Flash…. Government Gets Something Right

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a thermostat set at 68, the return air was about 72 letters degrees—at its warmest. It was drafty and uncomfortable, and the house was always PHOOEY ON HEAT PUMPS cold. The only time the air was RE: Letter from John D. warm was if the auxiliary or POWERTALK Bennett in the July 2008 emergency heat was operating, issue. There is no heat from and the electric meter on the heat pumps. I built a house side of my house spun like three years ago and did every- crazy. Whenever we had freez- thing possible to make it ing precipitation it would melt energy efficient. The only mis- down into the fan and com- take was installing a heat pressor and impair its already pump. In the winter all it does poor performance. is blow cool air and what little John D. Bennett’s recom- heat comes from the small mendation (July letter) that heating coil in my system. The Congress mandate their use is compressor runs and ices up an insult to our freedom of in cold weather. So now I choice. switch to the emergency heat MARSHALL VALENTINO setting, which bypasses my Comanche Electric Cooperative compressor in winter. I have also purchased a small room HOW COULD YOU OMIT electric heater so I can take THE KING’S INN? off the winter coat I have to Oh, my goodness! How could wear inside. We keep our Camille Wheeler, in the June upstairs bedroom at 58 2008 edition, take the trip degrees and downstairs at from Corpus Christi to the King around 70 degrees. If you Ranch without stopping at the need heat don’t buy a heat best restaurant ever—the WHERE TO TAKE YOUR CFLs pump. You will be sorry you did King’s Inn at Baffin Bay? I when it really gets cold out. wouldn’t consider a trip to Good news on the environmental front! The Home O.R. JORDAN Corpus without stopping there Depot will accept unbroken consumer compact fluores- United Cooperative Services for dinner! cent lightbulbs (CFLs) at all locations. The service is free ANN-MARIE HOLLE and the first such offering made so widely available in United Cooperative Services this country, according to the retail chain. BOUQUET FROM NEW READER Customers can simply hand over any expired, unbro- Just wanted to throw you a ken CFLs to the clerk behind the returns desk. The bulbs bouquet. After reading your will go to an environmental management company magazine for the first time responsible for coordinating CFL packaging, transporta- (May issue) at a friend’s tion and recycling to maximize safety and ensure envi- house, I was delighted: Not only an article about Willie ronmental compliance. Nelson, but a wonderful recipe According to the EPA’s Energy Star program, if every for strawberries in balsamic American swapped one incandescent bulb for a CFL, it vinegar syrup. It doesn’t get would save enough energy to light more than 3 million any better than this! Good for homes for a year, save more than $600 million in annual you, and please keep up the BOO FOR HEAT PUMPS good work. energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to I had the misfortune of own- JANICE MUNDY the emissions from 800,000 cars. ing a house in North Carolina CFLs contain small amounts of mercury, a toxic sub- with a high-efficiency heat pump and was sadly disap- We want to hear from our readers. Send stance. But according to the chief health officer at letters to: Editor, Texas Co-op Power, 2550 pointed with its wintertime S. IH-35, Austin, TX 78704, e-mail us at Environmental Defense, a conservation advocacy group, performance. The air coming [email protected], or submit online at the amount of mercury in a CFL is very small, only 4 to www.texascooppower.com. Please include from the vents was only a few the name of your town and electric co-op. 5 milligrams. This is almost 1,000 times less than what degrees warmer than the Letters may be edited for clarity and length and are printed as space allows. Read addi- is in mercury thermometers. ambient air in the house. With tional letters at www.texascooppower.com.

6 TEXAS CO-OP POWER September 2008 HAPPENINGS Come celebrate more than 150 years of Central Texas Wendish heritage at the 20th annual WENDISH FEST WHO KNEW? on September 28 in Serbin. Event organizers expect more than 1,500 people to attend the fest in this tiny town 7 miles southwest of Giddings. The festival honors the immigrants who sailed from Lusatia, in eastern Germany, to Galveston in 1854. Seeking religious liberty and the right to speak in their native Wend- ish tongue, the immigrants settled in what is now Lee County. The event will feature worship services in English and German in St. Paul Lutheran Church, which has been in continuous use since 1867. Demonstrations and activities on The cost and supply of trans- tap include noodle- and sauerkraut-making, sausage stuffing, portation fuels and natural gas blacksmithing, and washer pitching and cross-cut sawing con- get the headlines, but there’s tests. Kornelia Thor of Leipzig, Germany, will demonstrate how to decorate Wendish another kind of gas in really Easter eggs, many of which will be for sale. Children’s contests include the klettern pfosten, short supply. The world’s lar - in which children try to climb a greased pole. gest reserve of helium, outside For more information, call (979) 366-2441. Amarillo, likely will be depleted within the next decade, according to Washing ton University in St. Louis. A TOUCH OF HIGH CLASS IN DALLAS This is not only bad for For years, the Adolphus Hotel had the blimps and balloons but also for distinction of being Dallas’ tallest building. a broad array of scientific appli- Today, the ornate building on Commerce cations. In this case, recycling and Akard streets downtown is dwarfed is the only solution, because a by neighboring steel-and-glass towers. ready supply of additional But the nearly century-old edifice is still helium isn’t available—on among the city’s most beautiful. Earth, anyway. It’s estimated Including additions tacked on over the that the moon’s surface holds years, the Adolphus, built in beaux-arts a huge supply of the gas. style by Adolphus Busch of the famous brewing family, stretches for a block. The original 19-story building, finished in 1912 at a cost of $1.8 million, features bronze details in

French Renaissance and baroque styles. The Adolphus also boasts one of the country’s Texas Co-op Power (USPS 540-560) is pub- most impressive hotel-owned collections of art and antiques. lished monthly by Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC). Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX —From Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler’s Guide, and at additional offices. TEC is the statewide association representing 74 electric coopera- Texas A&M University Press, first edition, 2007 tives. Texas Co-op Power’s website is www .texascooppower.com. Call (512) 454-0311 or e-mail [email protected]. Subscription price is $3.84 per year for individ- ORGANIC LEDS HOLD PROMISE ual members of subscribing cooperatives. If you energy into heat, clock in at 13 are not a member of a subscribing cooperative, OF EFFICIENT LIGHTING lumens per watt. Fluorescent tubes, you can purchase an annual subscription at the nonmember rate of $7.50. Individual copies and Organic light-emitting diodes the most efficient and widely avail- back issues are available for $3 each. (OLEDs ) could outshine incandes- able lighting technology, produce 50 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Co-op Power (USPS 540-560), 2550 S. IH-35, cent and CFL bulbs in the not-too- to 90 lumens per watt. Compact flu- Austin, TX 78704. Please enclose label from this copy of Texas Co-op Power showing old distant future. The OLEDs have a orescent lighting lands somewhere address and key numbers. promise of 10 times greater effi- between fluorescent tubes and ADVERTISING: Advertisers interested in buying display ad space in Texas Co-op Power and/or ciency than old-fashioned incandes- incandescents. in our 30 sister publications in other states, cent bulbs. Conventional LED bulbs currently contact Martin Bevins at (512) 486-6249. Advertisements in Texas Co-op Power are paid Experimental OLEDs are made on the market are not as efficient as solicitations. The publisher neither endorses by layering glass or plastic sheets their experimental counterparts and nor guarantees in any manner any product or company included in this publication. Product with organic compounds that lumi- are costly when compared to other satisfaction and delivery responsibility lie solely with the advertiser. Direct questions or com- nesce when electrified. They can options. ments about advertising to Martin produce 102 lumens of light per The U.S. Department of Energy has Bevins, Sales Director. © Copyright 2008 Texas Electric Cooperatives, watt, according to Universal Display set a goal for OLED systems, which Inc. Reproduction of this issue or any portion of it is expressly prohibited without written per- Corporation, a New Jersey company. are also being developed by General mission. Willie Wiredhand © Copyright 2008 By comparison, incandescent Electric, to produce 150 lumens per National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. lights, which turn most of their watt and be available in 2015. FUTURE TALK

ILLUSTRATIONS BY EDD PATTON September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 7 TEXAS TRIPS FOR EVERY TASTE

Gas prices may be high, but it’s still hard to rein in the old wanderlust. Want to get away for just a weekend or maybe for a full week? Saddle up for one of our destinations scattered about the state, just like our readers are. There’s something to suit virtually any taste from a BAR H DUDE RANCH #TEXAS RANGERS BASEBALL baseball game, the seashore, a # THE BIG THICKET shopping mecca and a working # #

ranch to a world-acclaimed FREDERICKSBURG # PORT ARANSAS ecological crossroads.

NORTH TEXAS GETAWAY THIS TRIP’S A BIG HIT Rangers Baseball & Six Flags, Arlington From the baseball diamond to full-service hotel treatment, this vacation has all the bases covered.

or a fun and easy weekend get- Faway with kids, sometimes you need to look at the obvious. That’s what my family ended up doing five years ago, and now it’s a summer tradition for my siblings and me and all our children. Our annual summer trip to Arlington includes a Texas Rangers baseball game—complete with fireworks—and a nonstop day at Six Flags Over Texas. Combine those treats with the ease of staying at a full-service hotel, and the whole family has a weekend to look forward to as soon as the school year ends. Part of the excitement of this trip for my children is sleeping in a hotel. Whether staying on a Texas beach or in the middle of the Metroplex surrounded by pavement, each child has unique traveling habits. The oldest picks an area in the room and designates it off-limits to everyone else, neatly arranging her clothes, iPod and any other travel accou- trements. My middle one appropriates one available drawer for clothes and immediately dons a bathing suit, anx- ious to jump in the pool. The third and EVERY KID NEEDS THE BASEBALL EXPERIENCE.

COURTESY TEXAS RANGERS/BRAD NEWTON youngest stares out the window scan-

8 TEXAS CO-OP POWER September 2008 have tried several of the hotels, but we legs, walking around inside the stadium keep returning to the Sheraton Arling- will provide you and your kids with a ton Hotel (formerly the Wyndham) multitude of activities and food choices. because of its proximity to all the activi- Of course, we carve out one full day ties that we schedule. Once you pull into for Six Flags. The park has rides and the hotel’s parking lot, you can forget entertainment for all ages. An occa- about driving and depend instead on sional indoor show will cool you off shuttles. The hotel also has a pool for long enough to re-energize you for the kids, with most of the water only a few next big ride. And bragging rights will feet deep. Hotel employees are poolside go to anyone brave enough to endure to deliver food so parents can keep a the newest thrill ride! watchful eye on their swimmers. And outdoor movies often are shown on the TIP: Bring sunscreen. side of the pool house after the sun sets. FYI: For a complete schedule and list Book rooms early, because the most of activities at the Rangers Ballpark, popular weekends fill up fast. visit texas.rangers.mlb.com. Check out The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is www.arlington.org for package deals within walking distance. We usually pur- and coupons. COOL OFF AT A SIX FLAGS SHOW.

COURTESY SIX FLAGS chase a row of about 15 tickets in the WHERE: On I-30, 20 miles west of “cheap seats” so we and others in our Dallas, 15 miles east of Fort Worth ning the new view. The higher up we are, extended family can get the best view of COST: Tickets starting at $6 the longer he stares. the fireworks display that follows a week- MARTIN BEVINS As frequent visitors to the area, we end game. If you need to stretch your sales director

PANHANDLE GETAWAY COWBOYS MAKE WORK PLAY Bar H Dude Ranch, Clarendon The Western ethos endures on the Rolling Plains.

round the first of June, when sun- Maryland, including a pathologist, an Aflowers blanket the prairies and architect and an international environ- the grass is still green, ranchers on the mental consultant, who call themselves Rolling Plains round up their cattle as the Segunda Vida (second life). The they have done for more than 100 entire group—all men except for years. McIlvenna—was composed of smart, Since 1992, the Bar H Dude (and successful people who were ready to it ain’t the traditional definition of kick over the traces of sedentary life “dude”) Ranch in Clarendon, about 60 and saddle up for adventure. Guests miles southeast of Amarillo, has been come to the Bar H from around the inviting guests to help with its spring world, Thailand to Switzerland and cattle drive. As Caroline McIlvenna, a everywhere in between. blood analyst from England who has The guest cowboy or cowgirl should been coming to the roundup for 16 be up for an exhilarating challenge. No EVERYBODY’S A COWBOY AT BAR H. years, says, “This is a proper working pampering here. The desire and ability JENNIFER NICHOLS ranch.” No placid, nose-to-tail trail to ride a horse for several hours a day rides here. figures in, too, as does a love of the out- ing the roundup. Did I say Princess was And just who in the heck is attracted doors and Western heritage. also expecting? Sweet, sweet girl. to a vacation of action, adventure and I gotta admit that I am a city slicker When it came to the hard, hot work, I hard, hot, dusty work in the Pan- and usually ride on one of those practiced my excellent observation handle? Spring roundup 2008 enticed English-style, postage-stamp saddles. skills by happily sitting on the fence two Brits, two Germans, two retired But I loved Princess, my ranch horse du and watching the branding. New Jersey policemen, a carpenter jour, who took me everywhere safely At the Bar H Dude Ranch, everyone from Georgia and a group of nine long- while still watching out for her 4-year- who is game gets in on the action. That time friends from Delaware and old son, Whiskers, who was also work- includes chasing breakaway cattle,

September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 9 herding cattle over rough terrain and branding. A German dental surgeon practicing in Britain helped vaccinate calves. Robert Hyberg, a retired infor- mational technologist who worked for IBM, had never ridden a horse prior to taking lessons in February but proved to be a great hand flanking calves. Flanking calves—bringing a squirming, resistant, 200-pound calf to the ground by hand for branding—takes strength, timing and coordination. It’s all in a day’s work. While seated on the corral fence watching the young cowboys, ages 11 to 15, wrestle calves during branding, I said to Bill Wilson, a working cowboy who’s been cowboying for 40-plus years, “Those young guys make work play.” Then, just like in TV Westerns, the lean and leathery Wilson slowly turned around and softly said, “All cowboys make work play.” That sense of joy and the love of the GUEST WRANGLERS COME FROM GERMANY, GREAT BRITAIN AND THROUGHOUT THE U.S. work bonds the working cowboys and JENNIFER NICHOLS the guest cowboys. Both take pride in a job well done. Both enjoy testing their the rope and never throwing a rope If you are game for eating a cowboy skills. Both are modest about what they “without catch” (missing). Once the calf breakfast at 5:30 a.m., being saddled do. All true hands take pride in the was roped, a team of working and guest up for the roundup by 6:30 a.m., and work, the gear and the horses. And, no cowboys laid it down for quick brand- working until time for a late lunch, matter his skills, no real cowboy brags. ing, vaccinating, ear tagging and cas- siesta and quiet time for practicing He lets his work speak for him. trating. The idea is to be smooth, fast roping skills and telling stories, you, Roping is an art. I watched one cow- and efficient so that the calf is up and too, can learn the art of making work boy after another efficiently and back with the others ASAP. The calves play. Shoot, even if all we do is herd our smoothly select a calf from a group of are the ranch’s inventory, and harsh computer mice and round up e-mails, two dozen milling around in a small methods are not good for the ranch’s we, too, can learn this lesson from the pen and then rope the chosen one. No investment. cowboy culture. fuss, no muss. A good roper must strive Of course, no working cowboy starts The Bar H Dude Ranch also offers for the economy of motion that would the day without a cowboy breakfast. nature tours, bird-watching, including make a Zen master proud. Old-timers Sausage from the ranch’s own pigs, bis- for the lesser prairie-chicken, horse- prided themselves on a simple toss of cuits baked over an open fire in a Dutch back rides through beautiful country oven, and gravy and eggs cooked in and hunts for game including wild skillets the size of wagon wheels start turkey, quail, pheasant, wild hog, deer the day. All food is consumed with and bison. lightning speed as the sun rises. And what’s for dinner? Masses of TIP: If you plan on horseback riding, fire-cooked food. The steaks are hand- spend some time in the saddle before cut from the ranch’s own beef. Tender your trip. and crisp calf fries—yes, they’re what FYI: Frank and Dee Dee Hommel, you think they are—start the meal. owners, Bar H Dude Ranch, Box 1191, They are simply the best I’ve ever had Clarendon, TX; 1-800-627-9871; thanks to a sauce with horseradish, www.barhduderanch.com; Tabasco and ketchup made by Doc [email protected] Bryant, father of rancher Dee Dee WHERE: Clarendon, 60 miles southeast Hommel. Baked potatoes cook over the of Amarillo open fire so that the skins are deli- COST: $85-95 daily, $540-630 weekly ciously hot and crunchy. Homemade SUZI SANDS HUNGRY HANDS NEED LOTS OF PROTEIN.

JENNIFER NICHOLS peach cobbler finishes the feast. art director

10 TEXAS CO-OP POWER September 2008 SOUTH TEXAS GETAWAY A SHORE THING Port Aransas

From fishing and bird-watching to playing in the waves, visitors are hooked on this hot vacation spot.

hen my car tires bump over the friends who sailed, the historic Tarpon Shores Resort Condominiums for spe- Wmetal plank and onto one of the Inn was just the ticket. Within a block cial occasions such as the Fourth of ferries that transport visitors from of the harbor, the two-story Tarpon Inn July, Christmas or New Year’s. Usually Aransas Pass to Port Aransas, I am has been catering to people who love I’m not a fan of multistory condo build- exhilarated by the tang of the salt air the sea since 1886. Franklin Delano ings. But the redeeming quality of Gulf and the sight of dolphins playing in the Roosevelt stayed here on a fishing trip Shores and dozens of other nearby con- ferry’s wake. Five minutes later I am on in 1937. dos is immediate access to the beach. Mustang Island. Under new owners, the Tarpon Inn (Of course, this being Texas, you don’t I’ve seen prettier places and more has been spiffed up with fancy bed have to rent a room to go to the beach. dramatic coasts, but for enjoyment and linens. No in-room telephones or TVs, Just park right on it, by golly, and stay convenience, Port A is right for this however. The best recreation is rocking for a day.) Central Texan. It’s accessible, has rela- in the shade of the first- or second-floor It’s fun watching people fishing, fly- tively reasonable food and accommo- veranda or walking over to the harbor ing kites, running their dogs, throwing dation costs and grows just enough to see the boats come and go. Frisbees, picnicking and tanning. each year to keep the visit fresh. When In recent years, friends and I have Walking on the beach in winter and I was on a tighter budget and had rented a condo unit or two at Gulf lying in a big king-size bed, looking

THE BEACH AT PORT ARANSAS IS ENDLESSLY FASCINATING FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES. COURTESY OF THE PORT ARANSAS CHAMBER COMMERCE

September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 11 out at the Gulf of Mexico through the usually an alligator on view at my favorite its. There’s more than enough to do wall-to-wall window of a tastefully lagoon, as well as nutria, which make a poking around Port Aransas. appointed sixth-floor condo unit, are chilling mewing sound like an aban- my favorite vacation pastimes. Mean- doned baby in the reeds. TIP: Try not to return via ferry on the while, others in my party are playing You can sign up for a half-day boat Sunday afternoon of a holiday week- Scrabble, visiting the shops, supervis- ride north to view whooping cranes at end. Long lines are no fun. ing children on the beach, seriously the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge FYI: Make a point to dine at the exqui- fishing and scouting the fish market for when the giant, endangered birds are site Venetian Hot Plate, (361) 749-7617, a great dinner in case the fishers come in winter residence. Or you can drive where you have to reserve a helping of back empty-handed. about 10 miles south to the Padre lasagna on Saturday nights because At dawn or twilight, bird-watching is Island National Seashore, where there the dish is so popular. For a full listing great at several sites. I like the wooden are spring and summer season releases of food, lodging and fun, go to walkway and elevated viewing area next of newly hatched Kemp’s ridleys, the www.portaransas.org. to the water treatment plant. You’re likely most endangered of all sea turtles. WHERE: Central Texas Gulf Coast, to see pelicans, marsh hawks, American On the mainland to the north are 30 miles northeast of Corpus Christi bittern, roseate spoonbills and lots of the charming artists’ enclaves of Rock- COST: The beach is free just like a state ducks. Port Aransas is on the Great Texas port/Fulton and to the south is Corpus road. Coastal Birding Trail with 350 species of Christi, the “Sparkling City by the Sea.” KAYE NORTHCOTT resident and migratory birds. There’s But these other cities are for other vis- editor

CENTRAL TEXAS GETAWAY FOLLOW THE CROWD Fredericksburg

In Fredericksburg, you learn to walk sideways on the weekends.

hat observation by a downtown Tbusiness owner applies to anyone trying to navigate through the throngs of visitors who descend on this Hill Country town on the weekends, where there is such an array of things to do and see, one could easily feel overwhelmed. For decades, fans of history, nature, food, shopping or simple leisure have found fulfillment in this community founded by German immigrants in 1846. Approaching Fredericksburg from Johnson City brings you past the LBJ Ranch and through Stonewall, home of peach orchards and vineyards, with roadside fruit stands and wineries worthy of a stop. Both the Becker Vineyards and Torre di Pietra wineries, just off U.S. Highway 290, offer product samples, but that’s not all. Torre di Pietra regularly features live music, and Becker sports a bed-and-breakfast and a lav- ender farm. In town, several shops offer tastes of locally produced wine, and one new vintner, D’Vine Wine, makes small batches of young wine, low in sul- FOR SHOPPING AND GERMAN AMBIENCE, FREDERICKSBURG IS THE PLACE.

STEVE RAWLS fites, in the back of the store. Try the

12 TEXAS CO-OP POWER September 2008 It takes a pure breed of Texan to know how things are supposed to be done here. ‘Cause it’s just not like anywhere else. At RVOS Insurance, we say what we mean and do what we say. We’ve been serving Texas homeowners, farmers and ranchers the same way for over 100 years. And that’s no bull. So if you’re ready for straight talk, competitive rates and friendly agents give us a call or visit us online.

t3704$0.$001 Great Insurance. No Bull. chocolate port—yum! If you want to hike away from peo- more than 100 bed-and-breakfasts and Along Highway 290 east of town, ple and off the sidewalks, a few miles hotels in and around the city. They swappers and bargain hunters alike north of town is Enchanted Rock State range from budget-minded cabins with gather on the third weekend of the Natural Area, home to a 425-foot, 640- kitchens to make your own meals to month for the Fredericksburg Trade acre granite dome that beckons rock luxurious spa retreats with full break- Days, a huge market featuring hun- climbers. It’s surrounded by more than fast service. dreds of vendors and acres of antiques, 1,000 acres of Hill Country scrubland If, after a good night’s rest, it’s time flea market bargains and more. Across on Big Sandy Creek, where campers to leave, head west down Main Street the highway is another shoppers’ and hikers can play. Making it to the to see a message long delivered by resi- haven—Wildseed Farms, which claims summit of the billion-year-old dome is dents to visitors in the first letters of to be the largest working wildflower more challenging than it seems from the cross streets: Crockett, Orange, farm in the country. Besides seed from the ground. A little closer to town is the Milam, Edison, Bowie, Acorn, Cherry, more than 90 varieties of wildflowers, Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, Kay (COME BACK). you can find decorations and imple- which has acres of green space and a ments to suit even the most well-provi- popular golf course. TIP: If you’re planning to stay the sioned gardener. After the sun sets, a hearty German weekend at an area bed-and-breakfast, As you drive into town, one of the meal at Friedhelm’s Bavarian Inn or the consider making an advance reserva- first things that catches your eye is the Aüslander Restaurant & Biergarten or tion. Also, many area B&Bs require a distinctive facade that rises over the a pint at the Fredericksburg Brewing two-night stay on festival weekends. former Nimitz Hotel, now a part of the Company, which features a variety of FYI: For more information, or a free National Museum of the Pacific War. fresh, site-made brews on tap and some packet of visitor information, e-mail The museum, formerly named after tasty pub food, could be your next the Chamber of Commerce at native son and World War II Fleet move. [email protected] Admiral Chester A. Nimitz, is a trea- When you’ve satisfied your appetite, or call (830) 997-6523 or 1-888-997- sure trove of artifacts and information amble over to the Rockbox Theater, 3600. Write to the Fredericksburg from the battle for the Pacific. On some where a troupe of talented singers and Convention & Visitor Bureau at 302 weekends, historical re-enactors at the comedians puts on a different produc- East Austin St., Fredericksburg, TX museum’s Pacific Combat Zone offer tion every week. The family-friendly 78624, or visit its website, www visitors a taste of what an island inva- show, heavy on classic rock ’n’ roll and .fredericksburg-texas.com. sion might have been like with live country tunes, always features a trib- WHERE: Texas Hill Country, 70 miles demonstrations of weapons and tactics. ute to the men and women of the northwest of San Antonio Machine gun fire and explosions can be armed forces. KEVIN HARGIS heard for blocks—but don’t be alarmed, Retreat for the night at one of the food editor they’re just blanks. Lining both sides of Main Street west of the museum is what is known locally as the “golden blocks,” a collection of galleries, boutiques, gift shops, restaurants and watering holes sure to keep browsers busy and well fed. Park the car and join the crowds filling the sidewalks and ducking into candy shops and bakeries for a quick snack or cold drink. Venture west of the golden blocks to check out The Patio Shoppe, an acre crammed with pottery, ironwork, gifts, trinkets, furniture and one-of-a-kind items, where you can see something different around every corner. Some of the newest kids on the scene are a symbiotic pair: a vintner, Water into Wine, which allows you to taste, then create your own custom vintage, next to a cheese shop, Fromage du Monde. One can purchase a hunk of cheese and go next door to find a com- plementary vintage—or start with the FAMED FREDERICKSBURG PEACHES ARE REASON ENOUGH FOR A VISIT. wine and pair it with a cheese. WOODY WELCH

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September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 15 EAST TEXAS GETAWAY IN THE THICK OF IT Big Thicket National Preserve

The canoeing and viewing come easy in this national preserve of biological wonder.

thought it might be hard to find a 97,000. That’s a worthy effort, because I had not expected to see white sand IBig Thicket getaway for people like many forested areas that abut the pre- beaches on Village Creek, but they are me who prefer not to hike long dis- serve are being sold for development. finer than most saltwater beaches in tances and don’t have camping equip- The Big Thicket’s complex biological Texas—great for picnicking, camping ment. But it turns out one can easily diversity is a thing of wonder, whether or just stretching one’s legs. The creek have a wonderful Big Thicket experi- you approach it intellectually through is mostly shallow, but there are many ence, including wheelchair-accessible the excellent dioramas at the Preserve pools deep enough for swimming. trails, without working up a sweat— Visitor Center or just start walking or My second priority was to see car- unless, of course, you go during the navigating one of the Thicket’s nine nivorous plants. The Big Thicket oppressive heat of summer. I traveled to land units and six water corridors. The National Preserve has four of North deep Southeast Texas for three days in Thicket is a biological crossroads of America’s five species, but only two, the the glorious month of April. I spent all international repute, with many differ- pitcher plant and the sundew, have three nights at the Ethridge Farm Log ent pristine environments coexisting trails dedicated to them. According to Cabin Bed & Breakfast, a genteel blue- cheek by jowl. Just naming them botanists, these plants grow in muddy berry farm outside Kountze, 20 miles evokes the mystery and wonder of the bogs too poor in nutrition or too acidic north of Beaumont. Kountze is just area. Pine forest slopes and arid sand for most plants. The carnivores need south of the Big Thicket and 45 miles hills transition to sloughs and bogs and insects for sustenance. The sweet- northwest of Orange, where I wanted to baygalls and black-water swamps. smelling pitcher plant lures in its prey visit the recently reopened Shangri La There are 300 bird species, 85 tree so deeply that the hapless creature falls Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. species, more than 60 shrubs and into its sticky maw and is dissolved by Without any sense of hurry, I enjoyed nearly 1,000 other flowering plants, enzymes. Mixed in with the tubular a four-hour canoe trip down cypress- including 26 ferns and 20 orchids. pitcher plants was another pitcher and tupelo-lined Village Creek, walked My first priority was to glide in a plant variety, the Texas trumpet, yellow in four different units of the Big Thicket, canoe down Village Creek and soak up and orchid-like on a spindly stalk with ate beaucoup seafood and had a day in the birdcalls, the scents and the languid petals that serve as a bucket for catch- Orange at the Botanical Gardens and pace of the clear water. Three years after ing seeds. the Stark Museum of Art. Hurricane Rita, which downed millions The Big Thicket sundew, about the The Big Thicket National Preserve is of trees here, you can see more sky than size of a 50-cent piece, flat with many one of the country’s best-kept secrets, usual. My guide joked that the area rosettes, could easily be overlooked. I says U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, who could be called the Thin Thicket, but wish I had taken a magnifying glass, recently introduced a bill to add as soon nature will come bounding back to because it is gorgeous up close. The many as 100,000 acres to the present make for a Thicker Thicket. pinkish-brown petals have hair-like

THE CARNIVOROUS PITCHER PLANT BOBCATS ROAM THE BIG THICKET THE CARNIVOROUS SUNDEW STEPHAN MYERS BIG STOCK PHOTO NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

16 TEXAS CO-OP POWER September 2008 CANOEING PLACID VILLAGE CREEK WITH ITS CYPRESS TREES AND SANDY BEACHES IS BLISSFUL. STEPHAN MYERS tentacles with little sticky globs that revamping the formal gardens. Then FYI: For more information, call the sparkle like jewels in the sunlight. The Hurricane Rita struck three years ago, Big Thicket National Preserve Visitor creatures these wondrous flowers toppling native trees, wreaking havoc Center at (409) 951-6725 or go to digest are microscopic. on the grounds and postponing the www.nps.gov/bith. For more informa- Shangri La Botanical Gardens and reopening until March of this year. tion about Shangri La Botanical Nature Center complemented the Big Fortunately, rescued hardwoods and Gardens and Nature Center, call (409) Thicket tour with an exceptionally submerged bald cypress were used as 670-9113 or go to www.shangrila beautiful bird blind looking out over a building materials. The structures, gardens.org. For canoeing, go to tranquil lagoon that serves as a rookery designed by Lake/Flato Architects and www.fun365days.com/canoeing.php. for cranes, egrets, herons and other Jeffrey Carbo Associates, are magnifi- Interesting lodging is limited near water birds. High-grade binoculars are cently modern and earned the top rat- the Big Thicket, although camping is supplied, and there are even two video ing from the U.S. Green Building available at the preserve and at Village cameras providing close-up views of Council. Creek State Park. Try to get a reserva- nests. Poor Shangri La has been Stark also founded the impressive tion for Ethridge Farm Log Cabin through tough times. Timber baron Stark Museum of Art, which has fine B&B (The Cabin on Blueberry Hill is Lutcher Stark set aside the 252 acres in Western art and Audubon prints, my favorite accommodation), (409) the middle of Orange for the botanic including five of the master’s double- 246-3978, www.ethridgefarm.com, or specimens he imported from all over elephant portfolios. Pelt Farm Bed & Breakfast, (409) 287- the world. In 1958, a freak snowstorm 2279, both in Kountze. damaged his tropical paradise and, TIP: Take a daypack for water, sun- WHERE: 85 miles east of Houston heartbroken, he let it revert to its natu- screen, bug repellant, guides and maps KAYE NORTHCOTT ral state. In 2002, his foundation began on your expeditions. editor

September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 17 If you suffer from Q Stress Q Constipation Q Stiff Muscles Q Headaches Q Back Pain Q Poor Circulation Q High Blood Pressure Q Diabetes Q Insomnia Q Arthritis Q Neuropathy Q Sleep Apnea Q Fibromyalgia Q Edema Q Joint Pain

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Drafty Doors Require LABOR SAFELY THIS Thoughtful Replacement LABOR DAY

DEAR JAMES: We have an old sliding or many people, Labor Day is a day patio door. It is chilly near it during Fof rest. For others, it’s a day to catch winter and hot during summer. It is up on outdoor home projects before the often drafty, and outdoor noise comes season changes. Faulty extension cords through. What type of door should I are often a source of injury when work- replace it with? ing outside, as are metal ladders com- —Ron A. ing into contact with an electrical source. By following the tips below, you DEAR RON: The discomfort and ineffi- can “labor” safely on Labor Day. ciency problems you describe are typical with an old sliding glass patio door. Extension Cords and Power Tools In a home of average efficiency, that ≠ Check power tools and electrical one old sliding glass door can waste cords to make sure they are in good more energy year-round than all the condition. walls in that room combined. ≠ Extension cords should be The discomfort you feel when sit- designed for outdoor use. Those are ting near the door results in a double thicker, more durable and have fea- energy loss. First, the old door wastes When it’s time to replace your patio doors, tures for preventing moisture damage. energy. Second, this inefficiency often you’ll find many energy-efficient options. ≠ Use three-wire extension cords makes you set the central thermostat with three-pronged plugs. Never higher during winter or lower during though it is not as airtight as a com- remove the third prong from a plug. summer just to stay comfortable. pression seal, it will be better than ≠ Look for the amperage rating of There have been tremendous your existing patio door. the extension cord to make sure it will improvements in energy efficiency, French doors are easy to swing open, meet the power demand of the tool. security and styling of replacement but they require a fairly large open area ≠ Do not plug one extension cord patio doors. Some of the new high-tech for swinging clearance. A sliding door into another. Use the proper length for glass in these doors has an insulation requires no open clearance area. Sliding the job. value as high as R-10 in the center of doors also provide a more unobstructed ≠ Never leave an extension cord the glass. It has special coatings on the view of the outdoors. plugged into an outlet when it is not glass surface that reduce heat transfer The best type of glass for your in use. Unplug the cord when you are and block the majority of the sun’s fad- home depends upon factors such as finished. ing ultraviolet rays. In addition, climate and orientation to the sun. In resilient weatherstripping greatly general, the minimum efficiency level Ladders reduces air leakage, and multipane you should select is double-pane glass ≠ Use fiberglass or wooden ladders glass—with a heavy, inert gas between with a low-emissivity coating and when working around electrical the panes—blocks sound transmission. argon gas between the panes. sources. Metal ladders conduct elec- Any type of efficient door can be The frame material is also impor- tricity and can deliver a fatal shock. installed in place of the old patio door, tant for efficiency and smooth opera- ≠ Lower the ladder when carrying it but a sliding door or French doors are tion. A pultruded fiberglass frame is or moving it. most common. The costs are not sig- very strong and stable. Vinyl door ≠ Never work on a windy day, as a nificantly different, and the installa- frames reinforced with internal steel gust of wind could shift the ladder into tion time is similar. supports are good insulators, mainte- an overhead wire. Hinged French doors are more nance-free and reasonably priced. ≠ When placing the ladder on the stylish and are particularly popular Solid wood frames are attractive and ground, make sure the distance to the today. Hinged doors close on a com- strong, but they require regular main- nearest overhead wire is at least twice pression weatherstripping seal, often tenance. Choosing one with exterior the length of the ladder. making French doors more airtight. vinyl or aluminum cladding minimizes ≠ Make sure the ladder is placed on Sliding doors rely on noncompression this maintenance. solid, level ground to prevent sliding. types of weatherstripping. Even © 2008 James Dulley —Christine Grammes

22 TEXAS CO-OP POWER September 2008 ELECTRIC NOTES

Remodeling Your Kitchen? FALL IS TIME TO Be Sure To Keep Safety in Mind PLANT FOR ENERGY

looring, countertops, sinks and Fstoves come to mind first when EFFICIENCY it’s time to remodel your kitchen. But lighting and electricity are just as important. ell-planned landscaping can purify Keep safety in mind when design- Wthe air, add beauty and value to ing or remodeling your family’s your home, block out noise and, most favorite room. Some tips: importantly, save you money on your ≠ Proper lighting can prevent energy bill. injuries in the kitchen. Don’t stop with By shading your home from the When remodeling, be sure to put as much overhead lights; add task lighting to sun, trees and shrubs can keep your thought into electrical safety as paint color. your favorite work spaces. home cooler in the summer and pro- ≠ Keep electrical switches, plugs room exit and away from cooking tect it from harsh weather in the win- and lighting fixtures far away from equipment. ter. In fact, landscaping for energy water sources. Install them in areas ≠ Choose faucets with anti-scald efficiency could reduce your where you are unlikely to touch them devices to prevent burning, or lower air-conditioning costs by as with wet hands. your water heater’s temperature to much as 15 percent, ≠ Add additional outlets if needed 120 degrees. Heating water to a lower, according to the U.S. to avoid use of extension cords. safer temperature also saves energy. Department of Energy. ≠ Protect every electrical receptacle ≠ Install smoke alarms. The best time to with a ground-fault circuit interrupter, ≠ The cooktop or cooking surfaces plant trees is in the which will shut off the electric current should not be located near windows. fall, giving roots enough if it senses a power surge or if mois- Curtains and other window coverings time to take hold before the ture is present. could easily catch fire from a grease winter cold. ≠ Keep a fire extinguisher near a splatter. When deciding which trees to plant, consider what purpose you most want them to serve. Deciduous trees not burning a fire. will block sun in the summer but NO-COST WAYS ≠ Activate “sleep” features on com- allow the winter sun to shine through. puters and office equipment that power Evergreens, though, will offer protec- down when not in use for a while. tion from harsh weather yearround. TO SAVE ENERGY ≠ Turn off equipment during longer Plant trees on the east, south and periods of non-use to cut energy costs west sides of the home for optimal and improve longevity. shade from summer sun. ≠ Turn off everything not in use: ≠ Dress appropriately for the Plan for the mature size of the tree lights, TVs, computers, etc. weather, and set your thermostat to the when choosing the tree variety. Tall- ≠ Check the air-conditioner filter lowest possible comfortable setting in growing trees may eventually end up each month and clean or replace it as winter and the highest comfortable set- shading too much of the yard. They needed. Dirty filters block air flow ting in summer. also pose a hazard if they grow into through your heating and cooling sys- ≠ On winter nights, put an extra power lines. No matter the size of the tems, increasing your energy bill and blanket on the bed and turn down tree, always check with your electric shortening the equipment’s life. your thermostat more. cooperative to identify any under- ≠ During hot months, keep window ≠ In summer, use fans whenever ground power lines before digging to coverings closed on the south, east possible to reduce AC usage. plant them. and west windows. In winter, let the Inexpensive fans allow you to raise the Trees aren’t the only plants that sun in. thermostat temperature and still offer energy savings. Planting shrubs, ≠ Glass fireplace doors help stop remain comfortable. bushes and vines close to the home heat from being lost up the chimney. ≠ To save hot water, take five- creates a layer of insulation to lock in Also, close the fireplace damper when minute showers instead of baths. heat or provides summer shade.

September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 23 Tangled Up in Bliss OBSERVATIONS

I can’t remember t takes a full 20 minutes to comb through her curls. I sedate the riot of hair with handfuls of slick conditioner and sit just outside the tub on her yel- doing anything quite low footstool, combing through the long, black strands that spring back into Iringlets after every pull. so methodical as I never imagined I’d have the patience for this before I had children. When I think back to my life before my daughters arrived, I can’t remember doing any- mothering. thing quite so methodical as mothering. Nothing has ever been as demanding of skills I didn’t possess. I’d never faced so many moments when I was at the end of my rope, where I was driven to shouting at another human being, at my own child, BY WINTER D. PROSAPIO only to apologize later, much too late, much too little. The comb catches in a thick nest of twists and turns, and I pull her hair slightly. She rarely protests when this happens. Genetics must tie the curly haired gene with the tough scalp one. This genetic combination did not include the gene that extends graciousness to curious strangers, however. Her naturally curly hair draws compliments everywhere she goes; strangers come up to her with hands extended, trying to touch the spirals framing her tiny face and black eyes. Only a few get away with it—most times she warns them off with a staunch “no touch!”, her arms crisscrossing her head in a protective shield. Still, strangers reach for the curls in restaurants, on sidewalks, in doctors’ offices. I’m lucky. I can touch them every day. We sit in the quiet bathroom. She’s focused on her floating toys, I on untan- gling, smoothing. I’ve become such a different person since I had children. I’ve become quieter, more careful, more aware of small moments. I’m acutely aware of the chasm between my friends who don’t have children and my friends who do. I’ve leaped the canyon, never sensing the moment my feet were in the air, only a few of the closest friends jumping with us as honorary aunts and uncles. Now I understand why I never saw people once they had their children, why they stopped calling, how they disappeared into thin air. I recognize the way the strange, wild space between us grew with every step their children took, toward solids, toward school, toward adolescence, toward leaving, toward never really being gone. Across the vast chasm I see my childless friends moving on quickly as I sit here, still sit here, time turning in on itself so I can see both ends of it, beginnings and endings, all wrapping around my fingers. I risk a higher starting point on her head, thinking I’ve worked out most of the

24 TEXAS CO-OP POWER September 2008 knot. But it’s no good. I’m back to the thick tangle, prying the teeth of the comb within it. She turns looking for something; the cloth has slipped back into the tub. I hand it to her wordlessly; she takes it without a glance and returns to her cups that need filling. My father, a veteran of many marriages, always said he would never marry a woman who hadn’t had children. “They are too selfish,” he said. And I wondered, as a single woman in those days, how selfish I was. When he married a woman with three young daughters, my stepsisters, I wondered whether he would be able to share her with them. I lean back for a moment, feeling the dull burn in my back and clean the comb out. The fine black hair, slick with the conditioner but still twisting, coats my fingers as I brush it off onto a paper towel. Stretched out, a single curl is long enough to reach her waist, yet it will bound back to her shoulder when it’s dry. I’ve never had her hair cut, nervous that the metal will somehow break the bonds of this mir- acle flowing from her crown. Before mine were born, I had never really noticed children before. Now, when I meet them as I’m out without my own—in the office when someone brings her son, in the store when a 4-year-old bounds into my path—I stop purposefully. I kneel before them, look into their eyes and say hello. They smile, usually, recognizing some universal quality I’ve gained. Or maybe I just look silly, crouching like a frog. All the tangles are out, and I take great pleasure running the comb through her hair again and again, separating strands into perfect spirals. She looks up at me. “All done?” No. Never. “Yes, baby. All done.”

Winter D. Prosapio has written several essays for Texas Co-op Power.

ILLUSTRATION BY MONTSE BERNAL GARDEN VALLEY Mercy Ships’ TEXAS USA Heart in Texas

A landlocked With its medical system in tatters after 14 years of civil war, Monrovia, V Liberia, greeted the arrival of the 500-foot hospital ship Africa Mercy with Texas town is dancing on the quay and a massive health screening held in a stadium. Instead of bombed-out hospitals, unsterile operating rooms, spo- headquarters radic electricity and a national medical staff numbering in the mere dozens, the May 2007 docking of the Africa Mercy—which sails for a global charity called for overseas Mercy Ships—meant the sudden appearance of a sterling 78-bed ship with six modern operating rooms and a full medical staff included in its 450-member-plus crew. medical missions. Those in the screening lines were testament to the West African nation’s stag- gering poverty: men disfigured by massive facial tumors; children limping on club feet or with war wounds; young women suffering from childbirth injuries render- by Thomas Korosec ing them incontinent and outcast from their homes and villages. “In a country with 85 percent unemployment, there are a lot of needs,” Mercy Ships CEO Samuel Smith said. “You will go to an orphanage with 250, 300 kids, and they are standing there with two shoes that don’t fit, tattered T-shirt and shorts, and that is all they have.” People from more than 30 countries volunteer to work for Mercy Ships, which has been sailing hospital ships to the world’s neediest corners for 30 years, deliv- ering free world-class health care and community development services to the for- gotten poor. Mercy Ships recently retired two smaller ships as the Africa Mercy came on line, leaving it as the only ship in active service. The Africa Mercy, the world’s largest charity hospital ship, doubles Mercy Ships’ former capacity. Since 1989, when the faith-based Mercy Ships charity moved its headquarters from expensive California to modest Garden Valley, a tiny hamlet on Wood County Electric Cooperative lines northwest of Tyler, it has taken on more of a Texas twang, with Texans heavily represented among its volunteers and supporters. Dr. Glenn Strauss, a 53-year-old Port Arthur native, is among the most thor- oughly committed Lone Star volunteers, having closed his long-established oph- thalmology practice in Tyler at the end of 2004 to work full time for Mercy Ships, along with his wife, Kim. “Some of the earliest medical mission trips I went on were mostly well-wish- ing,” Glenn Strauss recalled. “You made a representation that you cared, but as an eye surgeon you can’t accomplish much without the proper facilities.” Mercy Ships’ strategy of bringing the hospital to the patients, complete with a staff that does not need to worry about finding safe food or adequate shelter in parts of the world where both are rare, meant that he could make the most of his time with patients, Strauss said. In 1997, Strauss started making short-duration trips on ships, working in sub- Saharan Africa and Central America. After their children were grown, the couple made the leap to join the organization full time.

26 TEXAS CO-OP POWER September 2008 “While we in this country suffer from diseases of excess, like heart disease, they suffer from diseases of lack of access,” Strauss said of West Africa. “What this means is that minor problems become horrendous problems. A small facial tumor might eventually suffocate someone. A cataract here that makes it maybe a little frustrating to drive at night, you get it taken care of. There, they grow so thick and dense and they can’t see light. They go blind.” In African tribal societies, people with deformities such as cleft palates or linger- ing maladies are seen as cursed and often banished from their families and villages. “The blind are a burden to their families and the whole community,” Strauss said. “The way they look at it, this is fate. They need to be put out. So when we restore someone’s sight, we restore them to their community. That is the basic strategy for the types of cases we do and why we do it.” On the Africa Mercy’s initial trip to Monrovia, Strauss performed the first eye surgery in one of the ship’s two operating rooms dedicated strictly to eye care. His Dr. Glenn Strauss screens possible eye patient, Suah Paye, a woman in her 90s from a small village called Oil Town, had patients in Liberia, West Africa, during a gone blind with cataracts three years earlier. Although neighbors scared her with 2005 visit. stories about how she would most likely die on the operating table—or have her eyes removed and washed with soap—more sophisticated family members living in the capi- tal city guided her to the ship. Her sight restored by Strauss before she left the operating table, she danced through the operating suite singing and praising God. The largest nongovernmen- tal hospital ship in the world, the Africa Mercy is capable of performing 7,000 surgeries annually, with an emphasis on cataract removals, cleft lip and palate reconstruction, orthope- dics, tumor removal and repair of birth injuries that afflict more than 80,000 African women each year. Like most Mercy Ships volunteers, from doctors to cap- tains, the Strausses pay their own way to serve. So far, contri- butions from former patients, neighbors, relatives and medical colleagues going back to when Strauss taught at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston have kept the couple in the field. “Every volunteer will tell you the same story: It’s a labor of love,” Smith said. “Everybody is here for no other reason than to help people in need.”

For more information, go to www.mercyships.org. Thomas Korosec is a free- lance writer living in Dallas. PHOTO COMPLIMENTS OF MERCY SHIPS INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER, GARDEN VALLEY TEXAS

September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 27 “The color and clarity of DiamondAura™ rivals that of a flawless D-colored diamond”. —Steven Rozensky Noted jewelry expert

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September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 29 L ll Constru O The Largest Stilwe ction N BARNS, SHOPS, GARAGES, SHEDS, STALLS, ETC. E Tractor Package S 1-866-211-8902 T www.stilwell-const.com A Dealer in the R USA!» v GPS TRACKING DEVICE † M $0 DOWN ON ALL NEW 5003's VEHICLE OR EQUIPMENT A • 5103 45HP Pkg $21,998 or $357/mo Wallet sized/Covert Installation R 5203 56HP Pkg $23,498 or $381/mo K 5303 64HP Pkg $24,998 or $406/mo info at: www.booneGPS.biz 5403 74HP Pkg $27,498 or $446/mo E T All New 5003 Series with 4WD only $119 more a month!

»Offer ends 10/28/08. See dealer for complete details. Option for 4WD 5003 Series is $119 more per month for each package. Example: 5103 2WD package is $ $357 per month or $476 per month for 4WD package. Taxes, freight, set up and delivery charges could increase the monthly payment. Price, payment, and financing subject to change without notice. †Offer ends 10/28/08. Subject to approved credit on John Deere Credit Installment Plan. Example: based on a purchase of $21,998 with $0 down payment, monthly payment of $357 at 4.9% APR for 72 months. Taxes, freight, set up and delivery charges could increase the monthly payment. Price and model availability vary by dealer. Price, payment, and financing subject to change without notice. John Deere's green and yellow color scheme, the leaping deer symbol, and JOHN DEERE are trademarks of Deere & Company.

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September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 31 L O N E S T A R v M A R K E T

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36 TEXAS CO-OP POWER September 2008 FOOTNOTES IN TEXAS HISTORY

BY CLAY COPPEDGE Texas Marx the Spot

Not long ago in these pages, we extolled the mule’s essen- tial but underrated role in early Texas life and history. To further strengthen the case, we suggest that mules— specifically Texas mules—were responsible for perhaps the funniest comedy troupe of all time, those zany Marx Brothers. And to the many Texas boasts we humbly submit another: The Marx Brothers weren’t funny at all until they came to Texas. They weren’t known as the Marx Brothers when they toured Texas in 1912 as part of a vaudeville act. Some sources say they were known at the time as the Four Nightingales and that the group consisted of Groucho, Harpo, an older brother named Gummo and a female singer billed as Miss Janie O’Riley. Or they may have added the brothers’ mother and aunt by that time and were performing as the Six Mascots. Either way, all sources agree that they took to the stage at the Opera House in Nacogdoches one summer night as seri- ous singers, musicians and actors. Thespians, as it were. The Nacogdoches audience was less than enthused with the act’s classi- cal music and dramatic readings. That was made clear when someone on East Main Street hollered “Runaway! Run- away!” This must have seemed preferable to the entertainment on stage, because the theater emptied when everybody went to see some runaway mules. Really, who wouldn’t want to see them, other than the obvious exception of the person who might be standing in their path? Some modern accounts have it that just one mule was on the loose in Nacogdoches that night, not a whole team. The know about it. Groucho did just that, and the Nacogdoches old-timers, like former District Attorney Bob Murphey, audience loved it. always said it was a team of runaway mules that caused the “Probably the Marxes didn’t realize it then, but they were commotion. working a true vein of Texas humor,” Dallas columnist Frank The mule or mules were eventually caught and the X. Tolbert wrote of the incident many years later. “Other patrons returned to the theater, but it was a hard act to fol- Texas theater managers heard of the hit the Marx Brothers low, these runaway mules, none with even a smidgen of clas- made as impudent comedians, and the troupe got a raise to sical training. $75 a week as they moved on to Denison and Clarksville on The appalled thespians, especially Groucho, were none the Red River.” too pleased with an audience so fickle and inattentive that it So while we’re not claiming the Marx Brothers as Texans, could be lured away from a performance of high art by a we don’t mind taking credit for setting them straight and bunch of mules, or even one mule. Groucho made up a little helping them find their true calling as comedians. And let’s impromptu verse to express his feelings: not forget to give those mules (or that mule) some credit, too. “The City of Nacogdoches is full of cockroaches …” Along with a good-natured Texas audience, they just may Groucho called the audience “(expletive) Yankees” and have given the Marx Brothers their start in comedy. opined that “the jackass is the state flower of Texass.” If there is one thing Texans can generally appreciate, it is Clay Coppedge frequently writes odd bits of Texas history for somebody who is ticked off and doesn’t mind letting you Texas Co-op Power.

ILLUSTRATION BY ALETHA ST. ROMAIN September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 37 RECIPE ROUNDUP

1 large eggplant, cut in half lengthwise, Crossroads of Flavor then sliced Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and Health 2 medium onions, sliced 4 large cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, lightly BY KEVIN HARGIS Eating crushed healthily and enjoying rich flavors 2 green bell peppers, sliced don’t have to be mutually exclusive. 2 medium zucchini, sliced Take, for example, the cuisine from 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and the area surrounding the Mediter- sliced ranean Sea. 2 bay leaves The sizable body of water covers 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf about 950,000 square miles (the parsley, plus additional for serving 1 size of 3 1/2 Texases) and for cen- /4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus turies has been a crossroads of additional for serving exchange among many cultures. 1/4 pound green beans, trimmed This trade brought foodstuffs from (optional) different regions to the people living 1/4 pound small okra, trimmed (optional) along its coast. Stir together tomato paste, water, vine- From grains and spices found on gar, sugar, cinnamon and paprika. Set the northern rim of Africa, Middle aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and Eastern dishes loaded with garlic and cooled oil a deep earthenware baking dish. by yogurt sauces, or classics from European chefs, the food of Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the region exhibits a wide variety and a mix of influences. large nonstick skillet over medium-high And because of the wide use of heart-healthy olive oil, fresh produce and heat. Add eggplant slices in one layer whole grains, the Mediterranean diet is considered one of the most beneficial and cook each side until lightly browned. around. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to You can find a generous sampling of recipes from all areas of the Mediterranean in baking dish. Martha Rose Shulman’s Mediterranean Harvest: Vegetarian Recipes from the World’s Reduce heat to medium, heat remain- Healthiest Cuisine (Rodale, 2007). In it, she writes that the heart of Mediterranean ing oil, add onions and cook until tender, cooking “is produce, with bread and grains as backbone. ... Used in small quantities, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and meat adds flavor to many dishes, particularly sauces, soups and stews. But the day-to- coriander. Cook, stirring, until garlic is day diets of the Mediterranean have always been sparing of meat.” fragrant, about 1 minute. Add green pep- The book touches on the many regional cooking styles and talks about the pers and zucchini. Continue to cook, benefits of the food, citing several studies that prove the point. stirring often, until vegetables are limp “In July 2006, Spanish researchers found that people following a Mediterra- and zucchini is just beginning to color, nean diet that included a relatively high amount of fat from olive oil and nuts, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and and also a certain amount of saturated fat from cheese and whole milk yogurt, pepper and scrape into baking dish. had lower cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar than those following a Add tomato paste mixture to skillet, low fat diet,” Shulman writes. bring to boil and scrape with wooden “The widespread use of olive oil is only one of a number of characteristics spoon to deglaze. Add to baking dish that links the Mediterranean diet with longevity. Just as significant is the fact along with tomatoes, bay leaves, parsley, that this is a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables.” mint, and, if using, green beans and Besides health benefits, Shulman’s book delves into cooking techniques, okra. Season generously with salt and explains how to use herbs and spices and make blends, and shares some stories pepper, cover and bake until vegetables of the culture surrounding food. are very soft, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring Here is one of several versions of ratatouille, or eggplant stew, offered in the book: occasionally. Taste and adjust season- ings. Discard bay leaves before serving. Cool slightly before serving with TURKISH RATATOUILLE (TÜRLÜ) 1 teaspoon sugar yogurt and additional chopped fresh 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon herbs. Serves 6. 1/4 1 cups water 1 teaspoon sweet paprika Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 222 calories, 6.6 g 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil protein, 10 g fat, 33 g carbohydrates, 420 mg sodium, apple cider vinegar (divided) trace cholesterol

38 TEXAS CO-OP POWER September 2008 HOME COOKING

st CAROL BARCLAY Nueces Electric Co-op 1 Prize-winning recipe: Aegean Shrimp Nueces The recipes you all sent in for the Mediterranean Food contest were universally delicious. But this garlicky, cheesy concoction featuring shrimp and balancing the rich flavor of feta cheese with the sharpness of tomato rose above them all. ...makes a healthy addition. “This is a family favorite and it uses the bountiful harvest of our beautiful Gulf of Mexico,” wrote Barclay of Portland, across Nueces Bay from Corpus Christi. “My husband retired from the Marine Corps, and we have lived here for DOES MEAL 30 years and have enjoyed this recipe immensely.” PLANNING DRIVE YOU NUTS? Think pecans. A cool salad is the AEGEAN SHRIMP NUECES parsley, sesame oil, salt and pepper. perfect antidote to a hot Texas after- 1 onion, chopped Cook 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat noon. Add crunch to this Mandarin 1/2 cup extra light olive oil and mix in uncooked shrimp. Put in 12- 3 Spinach Salad with roasted pecans. /4 pound tomatoes, chopped by-7 1/2-by-2-inch baking pan. Crumble 2 cloves garlic, crushed feta over top. Arrange olives on top of 1 bay leaf feta and squeeze lemon over all. Place in DID YOU KNOW? 1 One ounce of pecans has about /2 teaspoon dried basil oven for 15 minutes. Serve over rice. the same amount of fiber as a medium-sized apple and 1 teaspoon dried oregano Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 448 calories, 26.2 g 1 provides 10 percent of an /4 cup parsley, chopped protein, 32.6 g fat, 10.7 g carbohydrates, 2.4 g fiber, adult’s daily needs. 1/2 teaspoon hot sesame oil 708 mg sodium, 178 mg cholesterol Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste TZATZIKI PITA PIZZA MANDARIN-PECAN 1 pound shrimp, shelled 2 pita bread rounds SPINACH SALAD 1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled 2 cucumbers, sliced thin 1 pound fresh baby spinach 8 black olives 1 tablespoon oregano 1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges in light syrup 1/2 lemon Black olives Pecan-Orange Dressing Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large Toast pita, spread Tzatziki Dip (see page 1 cup roasted pecans, chopped skillet or wok, sauté onion in olive oil 40) on it as if you were making pizza, 1/2 cup red onion, chopped over medium-high heat until soft. Add garnish with cucumber, sprinkle with (optional) tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf, basil, oregano, oregano and add black olives. Wash spinach and pat dry. Drain oranges, reserving 2 tablespoons of juice. Toss spinach and orange slices together in large bowl with Pecan-Orange Dressing. Top with roasted pecans and, if desired, chopped onion. To roast pecans, heat oven to 250 degrees and put pecans in roasting pan with 2 tablespoons butter. Check and stir every 10 minutes. Remove when done to your taste. PECAN-ORANGE DRESSING 2 tablespoons mandarin orange juice 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons pecan oil (can substitute olive oil) Place in container with tight lid. Shake.

for more texas pecan recipes, please visit our website: texaspecans.org

PHOTO BY RICK PATRICK September 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 39 HOME COOKING

1 TZATZIKI DIP Coat the bottom of a large Crock-Pot with Serving size: 1 /2 cups. Per serving: 425 calories, 2 cups Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon oil. Add meat and sprinkle 62.7 g protein, 12.8 g fat, 5.4 g carbohydrates, 5 cloves garlic with salt and pepper. Snip herbs over top 2 g fiber, 1,026 mg sodium, 172 mg cholesterol 1 pinch salt of meat. Pour lemon juice, wine, water JOAN E. OSTH 5 tablespoons cider vinegar and remaining oil over top. Cook over low Mid-South Synergy 3 tablespoons olive oil heat 6 hours or until meat falls off the Combine ingredients and mix well. bone. Debone and transfer to serving plate. Strain gravy into serving bowl. Cook’s Tip: Use shoulders, Serving size: 1 1/2 pita. Per serving: 276 calories, 8.2 g protein, 14 g fat, 27.7 g carbohydrates, 2.3 g fiber, Serve over rice with bowls of feta hindquarters and loin of very 293 mg sodium, 15 mg cholesterol. cheese, chopped red onion and chopped young goat for best results. red and green olives on the side. GINA ISABEL FENTIMAN South Plains Electric Cooperative RECIPE CONTEST HERBED MEDITERRANEAN KID GOAT 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided) January’s recipe contest topic is HEALTHY TAILGATING. When football season 4 pounds goat, cut into pieces enters its championship phase, millions will gather together to watch the big 2 teaspoons sea salt games. Is there a better way to get fueled up for gridiron action than with 1 teaspoon black pepper deep-frying and cheese? The deadline is September 10. 5 sprigs fresh rosemary 3 sprigs fresh oregano Send recipes to Home Cooking, 2550 S. IH-35, Austin, TX 78704. You may also fax them to (512) 486-6254, e-mail them to [email protected], or submit online at www.texascooppower.com. 2 sprigs fresh thyme Please include your name, address and phone number, as well as the name of your electric co-op. 1/2 cup lemon juice The top winner will receive a copy of 60 Years of Home Cooking and a Texas-shaped trivet. Runners- 1/2 cup white wine up will also receive a prize. 1/3 cup water

FIG 6 FIG 8 PRODUCTS FIG 4

FIG 9 EAST TEXAS COWBOYIN’ FIG 1 7 FIG 3 AND AMERICAN INDIAN FIG 7

COUNTRY POSTERS FIG 2

FIG 10

FIG 5 Companion posters of a dusty Texas icon and Texas’ original inhabitants. 18"x 24".

BUTTERFLIES of TEXAS

FIG 1: SPICEBUSH SWALLOWTAIL Host Plant: Spicebush FIG 2: RED ADMIRAL Host Plant: Pellitory FIG 3: MOURNING CLOAK Host Plant: Cottonwood

FIG 4: ZEBRA LONGWING Host Plant: Passionvine FIG 5: GULF FRITILLARY Host Plant: Passionvine FIG 6: SULPHUR SOUTHERN DOGFACE Host Plant: Alfalfa

FIG 7: PIPEVINE SWALLOWTAIL Host Plant: Pipevine FIG 8: TIGER SWALLOWTAIL Host Plant: Texas Ash

FIG 9: LONG-TAILED SKIPPER Host Plant: Phaesoelus FIG 10: MONARCH Host Plant: Milkweed

Photograph by Randy Mallory Photograph by Randy Mallory

East Texas Cowboyin’ American Indian Country

A MAGAZINE ABOUT TEXAS LIVING A MAGAZINE ABOUT TEXAS LIVING

FIG. 3 FIG. 1

FIG. 9

FIG. 2

FIG. 11

PERFECTPERFECT FIG. 4 FIG. 12 GIFTSGIFTS FIG. 5 FORFOR THE THE

FIG. 8 FIG. 15

FIG. 13 HOLIDAYSHOLIDAYS FIG. 6 FIG. 7 FIG. 14

HUMMINGBIRDS of TEXAS

FIG. 1: BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Female) FIG. 2: HUMMINGBIRD NEST & EGGS FIG. 3: ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRD (Male)

FIG. 4: CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD (Male) FIG. 5: ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD (Female) FIG. 6: TURK’S CAP FIG. 7: HORSEMINT FIG. 8: TRUMPET CREEPER

FIG. 9: BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (Male) FIG. 10: BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD (Male) FIG. 11: RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Male) 7 TEXAS CO-OP FIG. 12: RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (Male) FIG. 13: SALVIA FIG. 14: THISTLE FIG. 15: SHRIMP PLANT POWER COOKBOOK: ILLUSTRATION BY ALETHA ST. ROMAIN • ©2007 TEXAS CO-OP POWER RECIPES FROM 1 BUTTERFLIES OF TEXAS AND CO-OP KITCHENS 1 60 YEARS OF HOME COOKING HUMMINGBIRDS OF TEXAS POSTERS Mouthwatering recipes Our newest cookbook! More than 600 Companion illustrated posters of Texas’ colorful from the heart of Texas. recipes from 60 years of Texas Co-op Power. butterflies and hummingbirds. 16"x 20".

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