Welcome to the World Sweetpea

Last week, I went to a ranch with the invitation of Shanna Roberts, a culinary school-trained chef who is opening the Sunflower Cafe in Van Horn next year. We're working on a promotion of the Texas Mountain Trail and border food for a Midwest food cooperative to raise awareness of the region as a vacation destination.

In addition to her work building the restaurant, Shanna takes care of an impressive number of animals--geese, goats, hogs, horses, and cattle on her family's section of land.

While Shanna fed the cattle, we noticed a cow who separated herself from the others. As we drove nearer to investigate, we saw a gray spot on the ground. We were delighted to find a healthy newborn calf next to her momma. Sweetpea was born that morning, but was not expected; Shanna figured her mom, February, must have already been bred when she was purchased late last year.

Ranching is an important part of life in the Texas Mountain Trail region, and visitors can learn more about it at the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine, the Marfa and Presidio County Museum in Marfa, the Clark Hotel Museum in Van Horn, and Hallie's Hall of Fame Museum on the road from Marathon to Big Bend National Park.

Flowering Agave in Big Bend National Park

July 4th Celebrations

Happy Independence Day!

There are celebrations all over the Texas Mountain Trail region--parades, historical reenactments, food fairs, street dances, pet contests, fireworks--something for everyone.

I hear one visitor say of Fort Davis' multi-day "Coolest 4th of July" celebration this year, "THIS is the way a town ought to celebrate the holiday." The courthouse square looked terrific decorated with red/white/blue striped banners. The Chamber of Commerce offered carriage rides, gunfighters, a street dance, and lots of great food. I liked the brisket dinner!

"The Great Parade" on Saturday morning was fun because the entire community seemed to participate. As the newest member of the parade's Ladies Kazoo Band, I'm proud to say our silliness was awarded an honorable mention by an apparently impartial panel of judges. It wasn't so bad though losing to the first place winner, the Fort Davis Humane Society float. Here's a fella from that float!

Fort Davis' high elevation makes a mid-summer trip out west cool and comfortable. Consider that next year as you're wondering where to celebrate July 4th. Come join us on the Texas Mountain Trail!

For more information on attractions and events in Fort Davis, visit the Texas Mountain Trail website, here. For additional information on accommodations or dining, visit the Chamber of Commerce website, here.

Visitor question answered!

This afternoon we had a request from a visitor, "what does the rest of the Valentine church building look like?" (See our June 18th post.) Here it is! Keep the questions coming, and don't forget you can submit your own blog entries about the Texas Mountain Trail region to our sister blog, "My Favorite Place," www.tmtrfavorite.blogspot.com

Beth Nobles
Texas Mountain Trail Regional Coordinator

Van Horn's Rodeo

Every year, Van Horn holds a 4-H Rodeo drawing competitors from all over the Texas Mountain Trail region and beyond. Here are some photos from this year's events.

View from the Road

The Virgin Mary of Guadalupe on the church in Valentine, TX

Fancy Junk Sculpture

If you're driving through Van Horn, be sure to take a look at the sculpture made by Gerald Scott outside the Los Nopales antique store on Broadway Street. Scott is an inventive artist, combining discarded objects into witty figures. Take a few minutes to walk through the "sculpture garden" and you'll see more alien figures, art cars and even an Uncle Sam!

San Elizario

Last week our Texas Mountain Trail Board of Directors met in San Elizario at the Adobe Horseshoe on the Plaza, thanks to the hospitality of Ben Sanchez of the Mission Trail.

Ever since my first visit last year that plaza has been one of my favorite places in the region. Here are views of the Los Portales Tourist Museum and Information Center and the San Elizario Presidio Chapel. I'm happy to report that the work on the exterior of the chapel is now complete.

The chapel is beautiful. When you travel to San Elizario, I encourage you to step inside for a few quiet moments. I love the hand-painted angels on the adobe walls. It is a special place.

The Museum is housed in an 1850's Territorial-style adobe building, and has exhibits focusing on the rich and colorful historical legacies of San Elizario including the "First Thanksgiving," Spanish Presidio, San Elizario Salt War of 1877 and El Paso's first county seat.

Did you know that the closing scenes of an early Kevin Costner's movie was filmed on the plaza? Though it has since been renovated, it was the location for the wedding scene in Fandango. (By the way, most of that movie was filmed in the Texas Mountain Trail region!)

If you're traveling in the area, you should also plan to stop by the Socorro Mission (Nuestra Señora de la Concepción del Socorro) and the Ysleta Mission (Nuestra Señora del Carmen) and the Tigua Indian Cultural Center.

Dry Season

Because we're having an extended period of extremely dry weather, the region is under an Extreme Fire Danger alert.

All trails in the high Chisos area of the Big Bend National Park are closed indefinitely to smoking.

Please take caution in other areas of our region, too.

A surprise on I-10

If you're traveling east from Van Horn on I-10, take a little break at the Kent exit. As you leave the interstate, you'll see this stone shell of the old Kent School on your right. This beautiful building once held classrooms and an auditorium, and was considered the town's meeting place. The school closed in 1961. Unfortunately it burned many years later, leaving this beautiful structure behind.

Concordia Cemetery Update

This weekend I had the opportunity to visit Concordia Cemetery in El Paso again. Not only were the cactus flowering, but I was able to snap a few pictures of a burrowing owl right after he'd caught some prey. Concordia is a fascinating place--you can see the graves of gunfighters, buffalo soldiers, early settlers, and Chinese workers who came to build the railroad--all in the shadow of the big city's interstate. For more information, photos, and a link to a map, check out our web page on the Concordia Cemetery.

Ocotillo

Blooming in Van Horn this week!

Spring is Here!

Look at what is blooming this week in Van Horn!

Explore the desert wildflowers on a hike in the Texas Mountain Trail Region or visit one of our excellent Desert Mountain Nature Centers!

"Boot Hill"

There's a special place in El Paso, where a short walk will take you through history. Concordia Cemetery was started in 1856 and in a few years it became the main burial site for the city. That makes it a fascinating place for the visitor. You can see the graves of Chinese railroad workers, buffalo soldiers, and numerous infamous outlaws including John Wesley Hardin.

When I was there recently, I was lucky enough to see an immature burrowing owl guarding his home underneath a tombstone.

To read more about Concordia Cemetery, click here. (Thanks to Bernie Sargent for providing this great photo!)

Stories of Spirits in El Paso

Tomorrow, March 11 (and every month or so), the Magoffin Home State Historic Site in El Paso presents a special program called Stories of Spirits. In this special two-hour tour, the historical tour is expanded to include stories of spirits and odd events that occur in the house!

Starts promptly at 10 a.m.; fees $5 per person, no children under 12 please; reservations encouraged (915) 533-5147.

This is a popular tour and fills quickly, so put these dates on your calendar for future Stories of Spirits tours--April 8, May 13, June 10, August 12 and September 9!

The Magoffin Home Built in 1875 by pioneer Joseph Magoffin, the nineteen room, adobe home is a prime example of Territorial style architecture. This style developed in the southwest in the mid-1800s and combined local materials (adobe) and then fashionable mid-Victorian wood trim. It is a beautiful place!

More information about the Magoffin Home State Historic Site.

Drive the speed limit and you miss it!

Late this summer, I noticed a curious structure being built on the side of the Hwy 90 heading south from Van Horn. Odd. Too small for a house or store. Too large for a bus shelter, and too far from anything to house kids waiting for the schoolbus. Yet, there it was, being patiently built by a small crew of men, just a few miles north of Valentine, population 247. A boxy-looking thing, way out in the middle of the desert.

In early October, I took that road home to Van Horn. The first clue was the portable lighted sign by the only gas station in Valentine. "Welcome Prada Marfa," it said. Huh.

Then I sped by, way too fast to get anything but a hint of what it was. Stop the car, back up. What?!? A Prada store?

There, perfectly and beautifully positioned in the desert, is a sealed time capsule, a non-functional full-sized reproduction of an urban boutique Prada store stocked with the fall 2005 line of shoes and purses. It makes me happy just to look at it. It will decay in time, and the ruin will become part of the landscape.

Get ready for the flowers!

I confess, this is a bit of a tease. These pictures, taken at the foot of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, were shot last April. (That yellow you see in the foreground of the first photo--all flowers!) But you should know that bluebonnets started appearing in Terlingua just about a month ago, and we're starting to see wild flowers pop up all over the Texas Mountain Trail Region.

Thought you folks in colder climates might like to see some pretty pictures. Come see the flowers for yourself soon!

Taking the time to look at the little things

The stunning vistas in the Texas mountains can certainly inspire us to look up and out. But even on a day with 115 mile visibility at the Big Bend National Park, small jewels can be found by looking down. Look at what we saw on the South Rim trail not too long ago--a beautiful six inch rock bullseye right there at our feet.

Two Suggestions: Before you go to the National Park

If you're not familiar with the Big Bend area, there are two great ways to familiarize yourself with the natural history of the area.

This weekend, I took an excellent jeep tour through Far Flung Outdoor Center in Terlingua. Our guide, Elizabeth, took us on a thoroughly enjoyable three hour tour, telling us about the geology, botany, zoology, history, and prehistory of the area. This would be a great activity for a family, or a group with a variety of fitness levels.

Visiting the Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center near Lajitas is another excellent way to learn about the Big Bend area before going to the National Park or the Big Bend Ranch State Park. The Center presents the archaeological, historical, and natural history profile of the Big Bend area, plus it has a gift and bookshop and desert garden. You can also buy camping and river use permits and licenses for the state park in the Center's administrative offices.

South Rim View - Big Bend National Park

Hikers wanting to tackle the moderately challenging 13+ mile round trip from the Basin to the South Rim will be richly rewarded with views like these!
This and other great hikes in the Big Bend National Park are outlined here: http://www.nps.gov/bibe/visit/activities/greathikes.htm