Many think of building their dream home, one tailored exactly to their tastes, but not a lot attempt it. This family did, and the results are lovely to see.
Building Their Dream
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East Texas Bluebonnets
My apologies to the truck that was following me (way too close) when I spotted this stand of bluebonnets just east of Loop 323, but I DO brake for wildflowers. Central Texas is known for its bluebonnets but occasionally we’ll see them here in East Texas so I had to get a snap of this stand west of Tyler.
Gardening: A Mere Formality
East Texas is a great place for gardeners…veggies and flowers do well in our sandy loam soil. Some gardeners, particularly those who enjoy more order in their lives, will enjoy Robyn Roehm Cannon’s article focusing on more formal gardens.
Spring Veggie Recipes
Springtime means fresh vegetables in East Texas, and just in time are these recipes from Laura Swayne for Honey-Roasted Veggies, Roasted Cauliflower with Herbs, and Best-Ever Carrot Cake.
East Texas Arts & Crafts
East Texas has attracted a lot of artists and artisans over the years. Canton’s First Monday Trade Days and the Edom Arts Festival are two good venues for seeing their handiwork. We ran across Rachel in Edom and were fascinated by the painstakingly fine detail of her woven baskets, and even more impressed when we learned she uses long-leaf pine needles to create them. The Cherokee and Coushatta tribes were making these baskets long before Columbus sailed, so it’s nice to see the craft continues.
The Benefits of Trees
“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago—and the second-best time is now.”
~ Albert Einstein
Here in East Texas, we love our trees…both pines and hardwoods dominate the landscape here. But did you can produce enough oxygen for you and your family just by planting a tree. Click here for more detail.
Great Design Includes Exterior
A great house may not always look as inviting from the street, but this one certainly has the “Wow” drive-up appeal. Jeanne Matlow’s article reveals a lot of planning went into making it that way.
Spring Blossoms: Our Peach Tree
East Texas is peach country. There are farms here where you can pick your own peaches. We have a small peach tree in our sideyard. It hasn’t done well the past couple of summers…too dry…but we’ve had some rain this year and if the blossoms are a fair indicator, we may have some cobbler later this summer.
Woodbine: Harbinger of Spring
Our woodbine (also known as Carolina Jessamine) begins to bloom in February, and the bees are on it immediately. They move on quickly to the dewberry, blackberry, and plum, but for a week or so the woodbine is abuzz with the honeymakers.
Farm to Table
Andrea loves the taste of fresh basil and rosemary so we usually have a pot of each growing somewhere around our house, but Robyn Roehm Cannon has taken it to a whole new level. If you enjoy cooking with fresh herbs, you might just want to create your own herb garden.