Sign Up for Texas Flag Giveaway!

October 2, 1835 is the date many historians mark as the beginning of the Texas Revolution. To commemorate this important date in history, we are giving away a Texas state flag to be flown over the State Capitol on October 2, 2013. The 3’x5’ cotton flag, a personalized certificate authenticating that the flag was flown over the Texas Capitol and a presentation box will be given to the lucky winner.  To enter, submit your email address to “Flag Contest” located on the Texas Thru My Back Door web page. Contest ends on September 25, 2013 midnight.  Winner will be contacted for name and mailing address.  Thanks for y’alls support!

It was on this date, near the town of Gonzales, that the Texans took on the Mexican Army after refusing to give back a six pounder cannon that the Mexican government gave the settlers for protection from Comanche raids. This cannon became a battle cry for independence as the Texans made a simple homemade white flag with the words “Come and Take It”, a star, and a drawing of a cannon. By their act of defiance, the Texans sent a message to the central government of Mexico that they would not allow the government to disarm them.  A quote attributed to historian H. Yoakum in 1835 stated “Everyone who knows the Texans, or who as heard of them, would naturally conclude that they would never submit to be disarmed.  Any government that would attempt to disarm its people is despotic: and any people that would submit to it deserves to be slaves!”

Well, we know from history that the Texans lived up to their words by defeating Santa Anna and the Mexican army.  They kept their guns and the Republic of Texas was born! Visit the museum of Gonzales to see the cannon that started it all and learn more about Texas history as we see Texas Thru My Back Door!

The Atlantis of Texas

Historians have been searching for the lost city of Atlantis forever it seems. Fables have said that Atlantis was the hub of the ancient world and it was they who taught the Egyptians and Mayans how to build the pyramids and Greeks how to build their temples. They taught the world reading and writing, mathematics and science. The people of Atlantis seemed to be all-powerful until nature showed them their mistaken belief and swallowed them up, never to be seen again.

Here in Texas, we have our own Atlantis phenomenon, the seaport of Indianola. Once a thriving town of immigrants from Europe (mostly Germany), Indianola disappeared from the coast of Texas and slipped beneath the salty waters of Matagorda Bay. In 1875, Indianola’s growing sea port was second only to Galveston. The hurricane of 1875 almost completely destroyed the town, but the people rebuilt it stronger and better. Unfortunately, the fury of nature returned with the hurricane of 1886 putting the final nail in Indianola’s coffin.  The post office was closed and the town was declared dead.

As I gaze out over the waters of Matagorda Bay, the salt infused wind blows gently across my face. I strain my eyes and focus on the water’s surface hoping to locate some sign of history lost. It was here where the French explorer La Salle came to discover a new world. It was here where the Germans started their historic death march to Comal County. It was here where the US army brought camels to test their usefulness in the Texas desert. It is here where now there is only a watery desert, void of mankind’s interference. Visions of a bustling seaport fill my mind as the rhythmic waves wash across the shoreline on this lazy summer afternoon. No signs of the ruins of the courthouse or other structures remain along the shore. Man continually attempts to change the landscape of earth but nature is always there to remind him who reigns.

Though the town has disappeared, there are many items of interest to view. A large statue of the French explorer La Salle reigns over the grasslands of the coast. The old Indianola cemetery reminds us of the brave souls who helped make Texas great. Remains of another LaSalle statue, weary from storms past, guards the entrance to the Indianola Cemetery. An old cistern reminds us of the unavailability of fresh water needed to quench the thirst of the settlers. A few of the homes of Indianola standing after the hurricane of 1886 were disassembled and relocated to the distant towns of Victoria, Cuero and Gonzales, preserving the legacy of Indianola.

Indianola may have vanished like the great city of Atlantis, but she will always be remembered in Texas Thru My Back Door!

For more pictures of this scenic location visit the photo page on my website http://www.ajpetter.com/Page_3.php

The Sweet Life

Retired life is sweet.  How sweet?  It’s as sweet as honey wine.  

Dating back to at least 2000 BC, honey wine, or mead, is believed to be one of the oldest known fermented beverages.   As part of the growing Texas wine industry, there are now a number of wineries that focus on producing mead.    In fact, the Rohan Meadery, located just north of La Grange, has some award winning varieties.  Armed with a sweet tooth and break in our busy schedule, we decided a day trip was in order.

For Al and I, there’s just no way to travel through the La Grange area without stopping in Ellinger for kolaches at Hruska’s .  So, we decided to make that our first stop of the day.  It was so crowded that we had to wait in line for a table, but it was worth the wait for sausage and cheese klobasnikys followed by fantastic cottage cheese kolaches and Al’s personal favorite, the poppy seed kolache.

It’s a short trip from Ellinger through La Grange to FM 2981 and the Rohan Meadery.  Descendants of Moravian immigrants, John and Wendy Rohan started their meadery in 2009 using locally produced Texas wildflower honey along with a variety of fruits to flavor their wines. 

As we drove up the gravel path toward the winery, I couldn’t help but smile at the brightly decorated building with its lovely patio area.   Inside the tasting room, we were greeted by Wendy Rohan, whose cheerful demeanor perfectly matched the sunny décor.

The $5.00 tasting fee typically covers 5 generous pours, but on this lazy summer day, business was slow and Wendy offered us a bonus 6^th tasting.  Although the meadery offers dry wines, we sampled a range of semi-sweet to very sweet wines including Blackberry Melomel, Raspberry Melomel, Temperament, and Honeymoon, their Czech inspired traditional honey wine. Our personal favorites were the award winning Raspberry Melomel and the Honeymoon Traditional.  I must admit that I’ve never tasted mead before and it is indeed very sweet, but according to Wendy, not nearly as sweet as many of the European varieties of mead.

After eating kolaches for lunch followed by 6 different varieties of sweet honey wine, I was ready for a change of pace and an opportunity to lower my blood sugar.  So with the wisdom that only comes with age we decided to counteract the side effects of excessive sugar intake with a trip to Royer’s Cafe in Round Top.  Clearly the wine was still affecting me.  Why else would I agree to settle my stomach by going to a diner famous for its pies!

Fortunately there were no antique shows in Round Top that afternoon and we were able to get seated right away.  Now did you think that after all that sugar we actually went there for the pie?  Although I admit that looks can be deceiving, neither one of us is actually senile yet.  We went for the burgers.  As a self-professed bread addict I have to say the hamburger buns were delicious and the fresh beef and produce were just what we needed. 

OK, I admit it.  We did split a piece of pie before we left.  After all, we’re consenting adults.  The interior of this unforgettable small town treasure is literally papered with glowing reviews and thank you notes for their famous pies so, how could we not?

Kolaches, honey wine, burgers and apple pie…  I can’t think of a better way to sample the sweet life in Texas Thru My Backdoor.