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Please check local building codes before ordering. www.muellerinc.com | 877-2-MUELLER (877-268-3553) Since 1944 May 2017 FAVORITES 5 Letters 6 Currents 18 Local Co-op News Get the latest information plus energy and safety tips from your cooperative. 29 Texas History Battle Tested By Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi 31 Recipes Picnic Fare 35 Focus on Texas Photo Contest: Texas Rocks 36 Around Texas List of Local Events 38 Hit the Road The Life of Bryan By Marilyn Jones ONLINE TexasCoopPower.com Find these stories online if they don’t appear in your edition of the magazine. Global currents produce the shells that wash up Texas Faces on South Padre Island. At One With Big Bend By E. Dan Klepper FEATURE Texas USA White Shaman Mural Treasure From the Gulf Seashells draw scientists and Excerpt by Carolyn Boyd 8 dreamers alike to hunt along the Texas coast Story by Melissa Gaskill | Photos by Larry Ditto | Illustrations by Aletha St. Romain Order an NEXT MONTH illustrated Out-of-the-Way Bookstores Online shop- Texas Seashell ping can’t replace the pleasure of browsing in a poster online store and discovering a new (or old) author. 29 35 31 38 BEACH: LARRY DITTO. BOOKS: OKASANABRATANOVA | DREAMSTIME.COM ON THE COVER Shells that once provided armor for sea life become works of art for beachcombers. Illustration by Aletha St. Romain TEXAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Mark Tamplin, Chair, Kirbyville; Bryan Lightfoot, Vice Chair, Bartlett; Blaine Warzecha, Secretary-Treasurer, Victoria; William F. Hetherington, Bandera; Kendall Montgomery, Olney; Anne Vaden, Corinth; Brent Wheeler, Dalhart • PRESIDENT/CEO: Mike Williams, Austin • COMMUNICATIONS & MEMBER SERVICES COMMITTEE: Jerry Boze, Kaufman; Clint Gardner, Coleman; Rick Haile, McGregor; Greg Henley, Tahoka; Billy Marricle, Bellville; Mark McClain, Roby; Gary Raybon, El Campo; Kathy Wood, Marshall • MAGAZINE STAFF: Martin Bevins, Vice President, Communications & Member Services; Charles J. Lohrmann, Editor; Tom Widlowski, Associate Editor; Karen Nejtek, Production Manager; Andy Doughty, Creative Manager; Grace Arsiaga, Print Production Specialist; Chris Burrows, Communications Specialist; Christine Carlson, Communications & Member Services Assistant; Paula Disbrowe, Food Editor; Suzanne Featherston, Communications Specialist; Taylor Montgomery, Digital Field Editor; Jane Sharpe, Senior Designer; Ellen Stader, Communications Specialist; Shannon Oelrich, Proofreader TexasCoopPower.com May 2017 Texas Co-op Power 3 FREE Gift! 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Blizzard Memories My family was living in Guymon, I was born just days before the blizzard hit [Blizzard of 1957, March 2017]. My Oklahoma. I was only 13, and my mother was a schoolteacher. parents lived outside of Texhoma. I remember hearing stories about the snow and She will turn 100 on May 16. drifts being so deep that they couldn’t leave the house for days. ALVIN SHORES | NAVASOTA MID-SOUTH SYNERGY Back then, they didn’t have a phone in the house and couldn’t call for help. A store owner I-35 Attractions We really enjoyed 35 on 35 in town knew my parents had a newborn. He [March 2017]. While we were became concerned about everyone’s welfare. pleased that our wonderful Frank Buck Zoo made the list, He packed up bags of food and milk, then he we were disappointed the story and another man walked to my parents’ house did not include Texas’ Medal of Honor Park in Gainesville. This and dug through the snow to deliver them. beautiful park recognizes every Medal of Honor recipient in the KENNETH JOHNSON | PORTLAND | NUECES EC history of our country. FRANK MAHNICH | GAINESVILLE COOKE COUNTY EC Around Texas was the Texas We tried and loved all four of by the pole and somebody from Editor’s note: Valor Always Independence Celebration in them. Although I cook a lot, the co-op would make it hap- Welcome [March 2014] featured San Benito. Also, Stirring Delivery I had never tried Cajun cooking. pen. I went out to do some Gainesville’s Medal of Honor [February 2017] follows the path JANICE WYMAN | HALLETTSVILLE cleaning last week, and sure Host City Program. of William Travis’ Victory or GUADALUPE VALLEY EC enough, the new rope was up on Death letter. the pole. I want to thank Cooke Once a Texan … County EC for helping us honor Eating Healthy As a native Texan living else- the families of our cemetery. In response to the letter Healthy where, your magazine is a RICHARD TEAR | CELINA Dialogue [March 2017], I would wonderful link to my roots. The GRAYSON-COLLIN EC like to point out that, except February issue was one of your sugar, all the ingredients the best. As I read it from cover to reader listed are, indeed, healthy. cover on a dreary morning in GET MORE TCP AT I was diagnosed as prediabetic Colorado, I felt like I was back TexasCoopPower.com with high cholesterol, high home and realized that once blood pressure and obesity. a Texan, always a Texan—no Sign up for our E-Newsletter for monthly updates, prize drawings Texas Holiday I have chosen to control these matter where you reside. and more! I just finished reading the March problems by eating a healthy CARYL HELMIN-SCHMID | IGNACIO, COLORADO issue. What a great disappoint- diet of high fat, protein and WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! ment! You didn’t once mention very low carbohydrates. Car- Concern for Community ONLINE: TexasCoopPower.com/share Texas Independence Day, March 2. bohydrates (sugars) are the I am a family member of the EMAIL: [email protected] H.L. FURR enemy we must do battle with. old Coker Cemetery in Cooke MAIL: Editor, Texas Co-op Power, UNITED COOPERATIVE SERVICES ANDY CARR | LUBBOCK County. We needed to have our 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, SOUTH PLAINS EC 40-foot flagpole rope replaced Austin, TX 78701 Editor’s note: TCP honored Texas and had no way to do it. Please include your town and electric co-op. Independence Day with a post Eating Cajun I contacted Cooke County EC Letters may be edited for clarity and length. and links on Facebook (above). The Cajun recipes are great to see if someone could help The March Pick of the Month in [Ragin’ Cajun, February 2017]. me. I was told to leave the rope D FE Texas Co-op Power TEXAS CO-OP POWER VOLUME 73, NUMBER 11 (USPS 540-560). Texas Co-op Power is published monthly by Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC). Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX, and at additional offices. TEC is the statewide association representing 75 electric cooperatives. Texas Co-op Power’s website is TexasCoopPower.com. Call (512) 454-0311 or email [email protected]. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE is $4.08 per year for individual members of subscribing cooperatives.