In Search of Texas

There's a lot of noise in the media these days about Texas. Is it some kind of neo-fascist Platonic Ideal, instantiated, Aristotle-style, in a landmass that's as big or bigger than a lot of lesser countries?

Or is it a place where the frontier, with its God, guns, church and country life, looms large? A place where people don't look too kindly at latte swilling coastal elites telling them to get with the program and ride the rainbow. Whatever the case, I took my dog for a walk after Morning Prayer and went in search of Texas. 

Hey, Look at This.

The Nepalese woman at the pick 'n steal accepted my money for a coffee, while a crew of Park Department workers played scratch card lottery. Some were black, some were white, some were Latino. They were having fun, loudly, at losing the lottery and the coffee tasted pretty good. Have to hand it to the Nepalese, they make damn good fighting knives and excellent coffee. Was that Texas?

Texas

On the way home, I passed 4 churches in the space of 4 blocks. Blue Destroyer used the entrance of one as a "convenience," he's a cow dog. Maybe that's Texas? Then I found a snake skin on the side of the road.

Satisfied with finally finding Texas, I went back to the Compound.

That is all.

LSP

Is This Texas?

The "tree guys" are still at it and will be for some time, so I rode off in search of Texas again. This time quite literally, on a horse, not far from Aquilla.

Is This Texas?

It was a crisp sunny morning and Trace enjoyed moving out across the weirdly green landscape. Was this Texas? It seemed too green. Not that I'm complaining, after all, Texas is a big state and it's only right to expect local variation.

Maybe This is Texas?

We came across an unblemished white calf. That seemed pretty Texas, in an Old Testament kind of way. 

Arthurian Legends, of Texas

Maybe the woods were Texas, the Arthurian legend part of Texas. I was hoping to spot some deer or pigs but didn't see any, just a rabbit being chased by a hawk. Texas style.

Two Horses Look at Texas

Ride over, two curious horses checked out the tack for Lone Star State credentials and I think they were pleased with what they saw.

So, did I find Texas? I certainly found a bit of it suspiciously green and lush after our heavy rain, and if horses and riding out across unspoiled country in Hill County counts as Texas, well, the search was a success.

Back at the Compound, the "tree guys" have unaccountably stopped work. I don't know if that's "Texas" or some other thing.

Ride on,

LSP

This Is Not The Cotswolds

With the racket of a trees going down around the Compound, I figured it'd be a good idea to drive off in search of Texas. And I found a bit of it, in Irene, Hill County.

The Post Office, Irene

Irene, named after a prominent townsman's daughter in 1878, was originally known as Zollicoffer's Mill, in honor of Edwin Zollicoffer, who settled there in 1848. At it's peak in the first two decades of the last century, the town boasted some 400 souls, the railway, a post office, a school, a store and as many as 10 businesses.

2nd Street, Irene

Today the railway is gone, along with the store, the businesses and most of the people, but the post office remains. You get the feeling, as you explore Irene, that it's really a farm which happens to have several houses on it. 

No Trespassing in Irene

Sheep graze across the road from an abandoned store, and round bales lay in lines in the sun behind the post office, which faces what looks like a cattle operation of some sort.

1st Street, Irene

That's not to say that the town's dead, or especially ruinous, despite the abandoned trailer home next to the Windstream junction shed. No, it's just very small and right there in the middle of the farms. Perhaps it is a farm, to all intents and purposes.

There's a small cemetery outside of town. It was sad to see the children's graves and I reflected on the character of the people who lived through the death of their infants. I feel they were made of stern stuff; I doubt that they had much choice in that.

I like Irene, even though it doesn't have a pub or a store.

God bless Texas,

LSP