Texas Roots

My Texas roots go back many generations. While my three children were all born in Washington DC, my grandsons were born in Dallas and live there now with great pride. From Arkansas, Steve and I flew to Dallas to catch these boys playing baseball, flag-football, and golf. Besides attending their First Unitarian Church, we read and did puzzles together and had dinner with my niece Patti and her family

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Sharing our love of Art. Shelby took me to the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University to see an exhibit of works by Salvador Dali, more Spanish art, and two wonderful outdoor sculptures by contemporary Spanish artists: “Sho” by Jaume Plensa and  “Wave,” by Santiago Calatrava. Check out this annotated album of SMU Art Treasures.

Old/Gold Friends. On September 19 six of us Phillips Ya-Yas, friends for 68 years, met for lunch in Lewisville with Louise’s husband Leon and Carolyn K’s husband Billy. Latest news: Leon works in Lewisville; Carolyn and Billy are now great grandparents; Deanna’s husband is retiring after 50 years with IBM; Louise and Sandra stay close to home, busy with friends and grandkids; Carolyn R has been traveling to the West Coast, where her two offspring now live. Everyone was smiling. We show that we took our Brownie Scout song, “Make New Friends, But Keep the Old,” to heart.

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That evening, Phyllis Minton, a friend since we met 34 years ago in Northern Virginia, joined me at the Dallas Arboretum for a preview of their elaborate Halloween decorations. We chowed down on Texas barbecue and reveled in a multitude of pumpkins and excited kids.

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Family history. Joel, Elisabeth and I drove to Granbury, a lovely restored town where our grandmother, Lucy Burt Duke Raiza, was born. Her parents are buried in the cemetery there. Yes, my great-grandparents are buried in Granbury! On the way, we drove through Cleburne where I stayed with my grandparents during the summer of 1953 and learned to entertain myself. I wrote down stories Joel told and copied photos Elizabeth has organized. Seeing the places my ancestors lived helps me imagine what their lives were like.

Jay and Maxann’s 50th Anniversary Bash. On October 4 we flew to Austin for the great party that their daughters Corby and Bailee organized in Bastrop. On October 6, with the help of their stalwart husbands and creative children, they entertained almost a hundred guests at the lovely historic home of Libby and David Sartain– perfect weather, delicious food, terrific band, congenial company–a party befitting a half century of love.

On Thursday and Friday nights we partied at the Collinses’ home, where my friends and I had stayed in 2015. Steve and I had time to visit the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum in Austin and show our North Carolina friends Allene and Jim around the Hill Country. While Steve and Jim golfed, Allene and I enjoyed exploring Bastrop and visiting the Lost Pines Art Center. Click here for an annotated album; here are a few previews:

Though it’s been 52 years since Steve and I lived there, our Texas roots are still strong. I’m grateful for every opportunity to see and hear what those roots are producing–not only from Shelby & Sean, but from our nieces and our cousins, too–our family tree!