Texas Archives - Reflections of Place

Celebrate This Day, Today!

“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.”
Stacia Tauscher

Be Well. Stay Safe. Much Love.

Teddy Bear Harboring Creates Global Jamborees!

“It is astonishing, really, how many thoroughly mature, well-adjusted grown-ups harbor a teddy bear ― which is perhaps why they are thoroughly mature and well-adjusted.” ― Joseph Lempa

**Theodor Bayer, ein Imker, pictured at local bicycle shop.**

Theodor Bayer, pictured above, harbors in a village in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. His apiary is near the river Rur in a village between Aachen and Cologne. Theodor has a large domestic customer base and serves much of Europe as well.

Wellington Bere, pictured below, is harboring in northeast Texas where he is a honey farmer with an extensive apiary serving customers both domestically and internationally.

Theodor & Wellington met at a honey trade fair in Germany many years ago. Now they plan their annual business jamborees to the many German bakeries that purchase their honey in bulk for specialty baking. These honig baked bites include the most delectable Bienenstich Kuchen-or Bee Sting Cake, Honigkuchen, Deutsche Honig Plätzchen, and Lebkuchen.

Every year, another jamboree follows the trade fair!

These jamborees always provide full bellies and the enjoyment of the company of old and new customers.

**Wellington Bere, Beekeeper, pictured at home**

“The world of the teddy bear is an innocent one, a world that gives delight and hurts not, a world that appeals to all generations and all nationalities”- unknown

Be Well. Stay Safe. Much Love.

Last Flight Out to Villahermosa

It’s late September and the weather has already cooled . It will get warmer before winter is here but today presents a chilly warning.

The hummingbirds are still here, a dozen of them. They know I’m their human and they’re quick to let me know when the feeders are empty. They’re on a feeding frenzy right now – chattering loudly and their wings are pounding like drum beats. They’re keeping me busy filling the feeders. The mornings are when I talk to them.

Today: “ What time is your flight out? It’s getting cooler and you’re getting fatter. The geese are honking and headed south. When do you need to leave?” and now they tell me about Villahermosa, their winter home in Mexico, and Marisol. Marisol, their human who lives there and feeds them well during the warm winter in their own tiny corner of Mexico. They think she looks like me. Travel dreaming lives here, in this tiny corner of north Texas.

New Boston, TX- Parks & Walking Trails

Lace up your sneakers and enjoy the City of New Boston Parks, these parks a gift from the City of New Boston offer many opportunities to be outdoors. Tapp Park’s walking trails wind around the park through shaded paths of oak and pine trees and the asphalt trails of Trail Head Park take you from downtown New Boston to Hwy 98 through more than three miles of walkway surrounded by nature. This newest trail runs along the old Texas & Pacific Railway rails and the paved asphalt way ends at HWY 98.

One of my favorite things to do is walking and my favorite walking companion is my husband. We keep about the same pace so walking together is easy. Any season, our favorite place to walk is New Boston’s Trail Head Park. This past weekend in mid-April was no exception. The spring time weather made it the perfect morning walk. The City of New Boston completed this asphalt trail in 2016. The trail to HWY 98 from downtown New Boston- passing Scout Lake and return to town is about six miles, the walk is just over three miles to Scout Lake and back to town.
No matter your route, this is a beautiful nature walk. Lacey blooms of white, yellow and purple line the walk along Front Street from Trail Head Park to near Frost Street. On the trail, you’ll meet families riding their bicycles, parents pushing their children in strollers and dog walkers out to give their dogs some exercise.

Near Frost Street the trail changes, frilly blooms in shades of yellow line the walk as the trail is enveloped in a canopy of green and the heady sweet scents of privet hedge and honeysuckle fill the air.

The trail is lined with many pines and hardwood trees on each side and west of Robertson there is a lush thicket of bamboo.

Along the way are wildflowers scattered about, royal thistles with blooms faded and exhausted but still standing proud. Purple Spiderworts with their showy blossoms. Depleted cattails awaiting their renewal for a fall performance. Shoots of yellow petals reaching up. Then, arriving at the creek, a short walk over the bridge is Scout Lake. You will likely see ducks or fishermen enjoying the lake.

When you return checkout the dandelions with their bright yellow blossoms and some with their seed head blooms, pick one – make a wish. This all-purpose trail is great for walking, jogging, bike riding or just to be out for a leisurely stroll and as you return to downtown New Boston notice the walkway lined with crepe myrtles with their promise of a spectacular display of summer blooms.

Previously Published: “When You Know You’d Rather Be Outdoors.” Bowie County Citizens Tribune & DeKalb News 3 May 2017, F5