Blazing Texas Trails

By Mary Alice Ranieri

These articles and poems are based on travels throughout Texas with my husband, a veteran of WWII and our two boy scouts who loved to camp out in Garner State Park, and near rocky Big Ben, returning East to cool off in healthful Mineral Wells.

We took guided fishing tours from Bolivar Point to Morgans Point and on to Port Isabel and sandy shores of Padre Island to see the endangered, white-winged, whooping cranes.

Crossing Toxoma, the northernmost lake, we would pause to ponder the namesake derived from tejas, meaning friendship according to the Caddo tribe. This northern route leaves behind Dallas cotton bowl and seven other professional teams, including Arlington, Houston and San Antonio before bumping into Oklahomas trail of tears.

Over half a century has gone by since then, but many old haunts in all directions are still thriving.
Other stories have their roots in Texas but industry, or a split family, took them elsewhere.

Illustrations are my paintings, and photos depict memories of favorite places.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Oct 22, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490749570

Mary Alice Ranieri

Preceding books include the following: Becoming All That I Am The Chinese Contract Short Stories and Anecdotes Metric Poems and Haiku Texas Trails Appreciating Our Pets Scarred Lives Romantic India The Colors of Peace Story Book Poems

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© Copyright 2014 Mary Alice Ranieri.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

ISBN: 978-1-4907-4958-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4907-4956-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4907-4957-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014918751

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Trafford rev. 10/17/2014

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Contents

Preface

Abandoned

Forsaken Roots

Equal Rights

Cinderella’s Daughter

Around Texas

Texas Trails

Gemstone Messages

Psychic Phenomena

Rural Cacophonies

Opting for a Rural Lifestyle

Narrow Escape

Fated Frigate

Mirage

Choosing a Safe Place to Live

Living a Dream

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

Guidance

Stormy Weather

The Call to Service

Pride of the Navy

Kaleidoscope

Historical Viewpoints

Author’s Page

The Author

Preface

These articles and poems are based on travels throughout Texas with my husband, a veteran of WWII and our two boy scouts who loved to camp out in Garner State Park, and near rocky Big Ben, returning East to cool off in healthful Mineral Wells.

We took guided fishing tours from Bolivar Point to Morgan’s Point and on to Port Isabel and sandy shores of Padre Island to see the endangered, white-winged, whooping cranes.

Crossing Toxoma, the northernmost lake, we would pause to ponder the namesake derived from tejas, meaning friendship according to the Caddo tribe. This northern route leaves behind Dallas’ cotton bowl and seven other professional teams, including Arlington, Houston and San Antonio before bumping into Oklahoma’s trail of tears.

Over half a century has gone by since then, but many old haunts in all directions are still thriving.

Other stories have their roots in Texas but industry, or a split family, took them elsewhere.

Illustrations are my paintings, and photos depict memories of favorite places.

Abandoned

Lonely sentinel bestriding a hill—

Abandoned home overlooks our thriving town.

Deserted plains rebuke a howling wind.

Winter’s weight will plummet sagging eaves.

Dreamy thoughts return to its thriving past:

Fireplace embers once mesmerized the mind.

Lovers danced by a hearth with glowing fire.

No feet now abound to tread on organ pumps,

Nor waifs to romp in the leaning playhouse oak.

Dirges of pain are trapped in wailing walls.

Ochre paint, once yellow, peels away

Like dangling streams of tears on Ides of March.

Old planks rip loose evoked by whistling winds.

Rattles and squeaks soon mimic ghostly cries.

Banging shutters crack a window pane.

Cobblestones lead pattering feet to graves.

A cringing sentinel awaits its doom.

Let a mason’s