What Texas is to Me.

Well, it's nearly tax time again and as I think of all the wonderful things the governmant has planned for our money, I like to think how fortunate we Texans are to live in this great state. It's easy to desribe certain aspects of our state to outsiders but unless they have experienced it, how can they ever understand what we sometimes take for granted? These thoughts are in no particular order, just as they pop into my head. For y'all that don't know me, I have a very non-linear thought process.

To me, Texas is.....

a sunrise on the Gulf

a sunset in Big Bend

pheasunt hunting in the Panhandle.

a cold beer on a hot day floating lazily down the Gudalupe.

the Texas A&M- Texas Rivalry

a corn-dog at the State Fair

Friday Night Lights

George Strait

standing before the Alamo after dark when the street is quiet. If you listen real careful, you just might just hear or feel the Ghosts of the Alamo.

Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.

fishing Lake Fork

skinny-dippin at Lake Travis

Smoked Brisket.

a cherry lime at the drive-in

Ice Tea

a stiff starched shirt and Wranglers

Lucchese Boots

Big hair

quail huntin in Central Texas

Dove Huntin in the Valley

a Pandandle winter

A Houston Summer

sitting at picnic table in the back yard running a window unit air conditioner on it(plugged into an orange extension cord from the house)trying stay cool.

The River Walk

Chicken Fried Steak

Lone Star Beer and a local band at Gruene Hall

sittin outside lissenin to the pickers at Luckenbach

the ongoing debate over who makes the best truck

tamale vendors

chili queens

a hitchin rail chock full of horses at a beer joint in Bandera on a Saturday afternoon

Pearl Beer

Dr Pepper

The Canadian Rodeo

Billy Bob's

the Stockyards

the Texas Two-Step

no state income tax

the oil "bidness"

the cattle business

Large ranches like the King Ranch and 6666's

day cowboys

the " Texas Barbecue Trail"

The Colonial and golfers like Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson

Texas Rangers such as Jack Hays, Rip Ford, and Frank Hamer.

repecting the rights of the individual versus the power of the government

flying the Lone Star the same height as the US Flag

knowing the difference between a drawl and twang

My list could go on for quite a while but will stop it here.
I would welcome any additions to it in the comments section.
I would love to know what Texas means to yall.
GOD BLESS TEXAS YALL!!!