Keeping the Music Alive

They lived their lives without computers, central heat, or cell phones, when not many people even owned more than one pair of shoes. Radios were the big electronics invention of the day, at least for those who had electricity, and few of them worried about making car payments because horses and buggies still dominated transportation. Many of them labored from sun to sun and were farm tough, field hardened, and sun darkened. There was little money for entertainment so when the sun went down on the Texas prairies, they hung up their sweat-stained hats and made their own entertainment.

Old-time Texans gathered for barn-raisings, ice cream socials, and dances. And music was always a part of their celebrations. The musicians were usually self-taught farmers and most of the instruments they played were fiddles, guitars, banjos, and washboards. Their music had its own style and flavor from the ethnic blend of immigrants passing down their English ballads, Mexican songs, African American blues, and Czech and German polkas. Tunes were written or adapted that reflected this cultural blend.

Barn dances were popular but sometimes the men would clear furniture from several rooms for a house dance on a Saturday night. Fiddlers looked for the best guitar accompanists and embellished their tunes to impress friends and neighbors. Fiddle bows bounced, guitar strings vibrated, feet stomped, and dancers laughed, spilling lively sounds from the barn into the darkness until the wee hours of the night.  Rich, hearty foods satisfied healthy appetites and no one was ever in a hurry to leave. Guests were invited to "stay all night, stay a little longer, dance all night, dance a little longer." Old-time Texans played every bit as hard as they worked.

Fiddle music varied from state to state, and still does, but Texas style is usually identified by its long-bow technique and heavy syncopation with a blues influence. It involves plenty of robust bow action and emphasis on the down pull with precise coordination between the wrist, fingers and arm.

In 1922, in the infancy of musical recording, it seems that Alexander "Eck" Robertson (1887-1975), of Amarillo, made country music history, in New York, when he became the first Texas fiddler to record. One of the tunes he played was Sallie Goodin, still popular today, and frequently performed at contests. But old time fiddling never garnered much interest in the music market and has, for the most part, been a family affair passed down from generation to generation. However, the Texas fiddling legacy has been preserved through festivals and contests

Every fourth weekend in April, the Texas State Championship Fiddlers Frolic is celebrated in Hallettsville. And unless fans have made motel or campsite reservations months in advance, they will have to find accommodations in neighboring towns.

A jam session welcoming anyone who wants to get on stage and perform is held under an outside pavilion on Thursday before the Frolic weekend. Friday and Saturday nights feature the lively music of Cajun, Zydeco, and Bluegrass bands, fascinating arts and crafts, and rich Cajun, German, Czech and Tex/Mex foods. On Saturday night, the Frolic hosts a huge dance with music provided by a popular local band. Fiddling competitions begin inside the Knights of Columbus Hall Saturday morning and continue through Sunday.

In the Hall, Frolic attendees will hear the finest fiddlers and guitar pickers from all over the nation cranking out "breakdowns", "hornpipes", "reels", and "waltzes", with such names as Turkey in the Straw, Soppin' Up the Gravy, San Antonio Rose, and Billie in the Low Ground.  Not many fiddlers can master the trick finger-plucking that Black Mountain Rag requires.

My own dad once stood on that stage, his farm-hardened fingers catching chords and bass string runs on his guitar, accompanying fiddling contestants, including Hall of Famer Jake Glidewell. His music, influenced heavily by Jimmie Rodgers, the first true country music star, was part of that early-century entertainment and was testament to the creativity and endurance of those old-time Texans. The same music will, once again, echo across a century on the fourth weekend of April in Hallettsville, Texas.

Thanks for the music, Daddy. We'll keep it alive.

Fiddlers Frolic, Hallettsville Texas

Kolache - A Mouthwatering Experience

If you find yourself traveling through southeast Texas, a visit to a Czech bakery is one treat worth the detour. It may be my Czech roots talking, but I think a fresh, warm poppyseed kolach melting in your mouth is one of life’s top ten pleasures.

 (Photo by jewell willett@morguefile.com)



If you live very far from southeast Texas you may not yet know what a kolach is but I’m certain that, once you indulge in the sweet, tender pastry, you’ll be hooked.


A favorite throughout the Czech Republic, kolache are the original Czech wedding pastry. The square shaped sweetbread with various fillings of apple, apricot, peach, pineapple, prune or poppyseed, as well as cottage cheese, cream cheese, and even sausage, also makes a great breakfast food, dessert, or a fingerfood at any gathering. Some of the first kolache made in Texas were baked in the woodstove ovens of Czech families after they began arriving in the new world in the mid 1800’s.

American Idol Top Ten Tour Visits Dallas in July

Many Joshua Ledet fans were shocked when the Louisiana lad was eliminated from American Idol competition May 17.  But no matter which of the the three had lost the chance to win, it would have been a shock to many, because all of them are so extremely talented, with their own huge fan base. 

However, each entertainer who made the top ten is a winner already.

Who's the Winner of American Idol?

Well, we missed Hollie on American Idol this week, although she was in the audience along with several other former contenders.  She seemed especially enthusiastic with Joshua Ledet's performances.  As loyal as I feel to John Lennon's music, I have to give credit where credit is due.  Josh brought a whole, new flavor and undeniable 'wow' factor to Lennon's song, "Imagine."  This boy is going to go far, whether he wins Idol or not.

Last week, the attractive and talented Julian Lennon was in the audience and posted on his Facebook that he later joined Steven Tyler and Aerosmith in the recording studio.  I hope he was there this week for Josh's performance of  "Imagine" and I'd love to know what he thought of it. His recently released album, Everything Changes, is sincerely 'Julian' and showcases his enduring talent for music and songwriting.

Phillip Phillips totally astounded a lot of people this week.

Texas' Hollie Cavanagh in Top Four on American Idol

As millions watch American Idol contenders get weeded out each week, it's looking more and more like Charlie Daniels was right when he sang The South's Gonna Do It Again.  With Hollie Cavanagh from Texas, Joshua Ledet from Louisiana, and Phillip Phillips from Georgia, there are 3 chances out of 4 for the winner to hail from the South. Of course we shouldn't take lightly that fourth contender from California.  Jessica Sanchez is a powerful performer.  

Although, in my opinion, Joshua is the best entertainer, I can't forget my roots and would be proud if Hollie, of McKinney Texas, won.

A Texas Christmas Miracle

It was Christmas Eve, 2004.  As families gathered in their homes to celebrate, snow clouds gathered in south Texas skies. Weather forecasters called for wintry precipitation with a slight chance of snow. 

Like so many Gulf Coast Texans, I'd seen these sensationalist forecasts fall through too many times and figured if we got any snow at all, it would likely be a few flakes spotted in some remote field by a farmer or at best, a powdery dusting like I'd seen a few rare times in my life. I also recalled that the few scant sprinklings we'd had always came in January. Even though Christmas cards portrayed smoke curling from the chimneys of snowbound homes nestled among white tipped evergreens, we'd never in history had snow for Christmas. Even the national weather map a couple of weeks back showed a 0% chance for a white Christmas in my area. Nope, it just wouldn't happen

Holiday Fruitcake - A Recipe for Those Who Hate Fruitcake

                           Let the Turkey Be Thankful, Go Veggie

Nothing says ‘home for the holidays’ like laughter around a warm, crackling fireplace and the delectable aroma from a colorfully laden table of homemade pies, fancy candies, creamy eggnog and a rich, moist fruitcake.

Bake this easy dessert, without all the citrus and gooey ingredients, to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas parties and watch even those who don't like fruitcake reach for seconds.

Canine Flu Reports in Texas Cities

There’s been recent news that Canine Flu is spreading around Texas. Cases have been reported in San Antonio, Houston, and Austin and it’s probably just a matter of time before it shows up in other places.  

Canine influenza in dogs is similar to flu in humans, except that it’s caused by the H3N8 virus. It is a respiratory infection that originated in horses as the equine influenza virus but was discovered to have moved into dogs in 2004 when a number of greyhounds were found to have contracted the H3N8 virus. It has since mutated into a dog specific strain and is contagious between dogs.

Symptoms of Dog Flu

Symptoms in dogs are similar to flu symptoms experienced by humans. According to Cynda Crawford, an assistant professor of shelter medicine at the University of Florida, most dogs will

So Near, Yet So Far

When tv images showed the formation of a tropical storm in the Gulf, we all hoped it would bring us some rain.  But we can only watch with a longing eye as the system slowly drifts toward Louisiana, with only a sliver of east Texas to have any chance of getting even a little water from the sky.  

The Weather Channel today showed images of New Orleans bracing for flooding from Tropical Storm Lee.  This storm has very little in the way of winds, but will dump lots of rain in its path.  Rain that Texas needs so badly.

Why Do We Have Hurricane Parties?

                                             photo by NASA
The Texas Gulf coast gets its share of hurricanes but this time it’s the East coast that’s bracing for Irene.  And many areas that are not used to preparing for these storms are finding themselves packing up to leave or else stocking batteries and bottled water and perhaps anticipating a hurricane party.
 

Hurricane Irene is spinning just a few miles off the eastern shore. Weather reports warn that damaging winds, torrential rains, storm surge and tornadoes are expected all along the Eastern seaboard over the next day or so.

Carnival Cruise Lines Leave Galveston for the Caribbean

With good food, entertainment, sunshine, and open water stretching under a blue sky as far as you can see, a cruise is possibly the most relaxing vacation you can ever have.

Each week thousands of people, many of them Texan, board cruise ships, like the Carnival Ecstasy and the Carnival Magic leaving Galveston, and sail across the Gulf of Mexico to the beautiful Caribbean.   Some of the exotic ports include Cozumel, Progreso, Costa Maya, Isla Roatan, Belize, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, and the Bahamas, where you’ll find white tropical beaches, waving coconut palms, sparkling turquoise waters, opportunities for snorkeling, parasailing, kayaking, scuba diving, shopping and dining in open air markets, or exploring ancient ruins, like Dzibilchaltun, where artifacts have been found that date back to 700 to 800 A.D.  

Cruises are all about fun and being pampered.  After having breakfast delivered to your room, you can enjoy some daytime entertainment like the water slides, swimming pool, miniature golf, ice sculptures, and fun things that just make you laugh, like the

Why Sunshine Feels So Good

I spent a half hour on the back porch, sipping tea, and watching the birds tussle over a spot on the feeders, this afternoon, as the temperature climbed to 100 once again.  It’s one of my favorite things to do.  From my place in the shade, the bright sunshine, cloudless sky and birds can be so relaxing and uplifting.

Texas Loves Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson loves what he does and his fans love him for what he is, a weathered old cowboy with a nasal twang, who makes some really good music on a beat up old guitar with a hole in it, and only recently cut off his long gray braids. Alex Mitchell once described him as a frog prince who’d rather stay a frog.

But not so far underneath that redneck, outlaw image lies

A Summer Back Porch Smoothie

Many places in Texas broke records in high temperatures yesterday.  The Weather Channel explained that such high temperatures so early in the summer are due to the jet stream staying toward the north.  The lazy screeching of locusts and heat waves rising from the dry fields remind me of the sleepy, dusty days of August.

Those days aren't so bad when you can sit on the back porch with a cold drink and just be lazy.

Recalling Storms as Hurricane Season Begins

Hurricane season begins on June 1st and lasts through November.  

Hurricanes are a fact of life on the Texas coast but, due to advance warnings and preparedness, storm deaths have decreased dramatically since the 1900 hurricane crept upon unsuspecting Galveston residents. Evacuations in low-lying coastal areas have prevented countless deaths from storm surges.

Those who are not in danger of storm surge and wish to "ride out" the winds with a "hurricane party" should know

Dr. Pepper Originated in Waco Texas

The next time you order a Dr Pepper just say, "Shoot me a Waco" and see what kind of reaction you get. Dr Pepper lovers probably have a hard time envisioning a world without their favorite beverage but, in 1885, the only place you could buy a Dr Pepper was Waco, Texas.

Tornado Weather in Texas

Texas holds two places on the list of the twenty-five deadliest tornadoes in the United States.  Waco and Goliad both tie for tenth place with each town seeing 114 people killed by twisters, Goliad in May of 1902 and Waco in May of 1953.  Texas also ranks number 17 on the Disaster Center Ranking of Tornado Risk by State.

McKinney Falls State Park

McKinney Falls State Park is located in Austin, just 13 miles southeast of the Capitol building and provides a great camping place for visitors to the Texas capitol and an attractive nearby getaway for residents of the busy city.

The park preserves 744 acres of oak and cypress trees along Onion Creek with abundant wildlife such as squirrels, armadillos, deer, birds, and fish.  More than seven miles of hiking and biking trails wind through the park for visitors’ exploring pleasure.

More Vacation Spots Across Texas

Texas is the second largest state in the US, after Alaska. Seven hundred ninety miles long and six hundred sixty miles wide, the Lone Star state offers a variety of vacation spots. From the historic, educational and adventurous to the fun-filled, romantic or restful, we have them all.

In north Texas, you can enjoy the underwater world of marine life from 3 oceans and various seas in the Dallas World Aquarium. Children will marvel at the panoramic view while tunneling through

Vacation Spots Across Texas

Whether you're looking for scenery, fun, adventure, a romantic getaway, or just a place to relax and unwind, you'll find it somewhere in Texas.  Caverns, forests, cliffs, beaches, and even mysterious lights in the sky, Texas is a treasure chest of attractions.

Twenty-five percent of Texas terrain is karst, a paradise to geologists, paleontologists, archaeologists, photographers and spelunkers. Caverns that are open to the public attract